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The Grammar Logs # 143 |
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| QUESTION |
I am writing a research paper for a graduate course. Part of the paper deals with transitional elements. I need some help in order to be able to properly explain them. The elements I am to discuss include parallelism nouns summarizing
previous assertions, meaning links, transitional adverbial phrases and clauses, transitional paragraphs, and transitional sentences. These types of elements are to be illustrated and defined on how they work ONLY between paragraphs, not within paragraphs.
MOREOVER, despite numerous attempts of the food industry to increase efficiency, the production of natural meat protein is still a slow and costly process. Meat prices therefore remain high, and millions of families must omit this important but expensive food from their diet. A punster might sum up the situation by stating that neither the producer nor the consumer is able to "make ends meat."MOREOVER is used as a transitional adverbial phrase modifying the entire sentence....according to my professor. Help, I don't know how to do this! I am writing an essay on "how to write an expository essay." |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Albany, Georgia  Friday, June 12, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| First, I suggest you visit our section called Principles of Composition and visit the hyperlinks on Transitions and then on The Argumentative Essay. I think those will help a lot. If you have any specific questions then, write back. |
| QUESTION |
Do I need a comma after the introductory infinitive phrase?
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Chicago, Illinois Friday, June 12, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Yes, a comma after that introductory infinitive phrase would be a very good idea indeed! And, yes, that is a sentence. It might not look like one for a second because it has an "understood subject," you, which is common in orders, directives, and suggestions. You might consider moving the infinitive phrase to a later point in the sentence: "Complete the enclosed application to enroll in the new plans." But I think your sentence, with the comma, is just as good, if not better. |
| QUESTION |
| What's the difference between "Believe me" and "Trust me"? Thank you for your answering my question. God bless you!! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Neihu, Taipei, Taiwan Friday, June 12, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| They're pretty close in meaning. I would guess that "believe me" has more to do with language: Believe that what I tell you is true. "Trust me" has more to do with action, although speech could be included in that: You can have faith that what I do (and say) is good and true and beneficial and all that. There's another phrase -- Believe in me. -- that would be closer to Trust me, but that has an even greater element of complete faith built into it. |
| QUESTION |
| Hello, I would appreciate if you let me know which answer is correct for a following question: The car is not running smoothly.
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Vancouver, BC, Canada Friday, June 12, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| If you used the word "repair," there, you might see how you need the word "repaired" or "fixed." (Or maybe not.) It's as if you're saying "I must cause this thing to be repaired." I hope that makes sense. |
| QUESTION |
| Differance between vowel pair & vowel diagraph. Thanks in advace |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Staten Island, New York Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I don't think there is a difference. A digraph doesn't have to be made of vowels; it can be made of a sound like the "ng" of "sing," but you're talking about vowel digraphs, which are simply vowel pairs making a single sound, as in bread and loud. |
| QUESTION |
Can I state the word "software" in plural form (that is with "s"), to emphasize different kinds of software, as such:
Available are Windows, Netscape, CorelDraw, etc., softwares.Thanks in advance. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Taipei, Taiwan Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| No, you can have different kinds of software (as you say), but there is no plural for the word software. |
| QUESTION |
| The sentence is : Remember that it is you who play (or is it plays) the main character in your stories. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Guaynabo, Puerto Rico Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The word "who" is the subject of this clause and it is referring to the word "you," so we want the verb "play" in this sentence. |
| QUESTION |
| I was teaching UE4 class and prefixes are introduced. There was no problem talking about the negative prefixes but the problem was when to use dis-, un-, il-, im-, in-, and non-. So would you kindly tell me when to use dis , un and in? Thanks alot |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Somewhere, Egypt Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I wish I could, but there's not much to go on. Un- has the meaning of "the opposite of" or "not" and is added to adjectives and participles such as unfair, unassuming, unexpected. In- means the same as "un-" and is added to adjectives such as insane and ineligible. Dis- is added to adjectives, verbs, and abstract nouns such as disloyal, dislike, and disfavor. Authority: A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993. 431. Used with permission.
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| QUESTION |
I read this following sentence somewhere, and I didn't understand it well.
Could you, please, help me?
- "Good Character" is what you know you are, not what others think you are.Does "character", in this case, mean " person", or does it refer to the nature of somebody ? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Somewhere, Brazil Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| In that sentence the word character seems to refer to the essence of a person, the truth inside that person. I've heard character defined as what you would do if you knew no one would ever find out. |
| QUESTION |
| What is the difference between "happen" and "occur"? Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Kuala Lumpur Saturday, June 13, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The word happen carries with it an element of chance that is not conveyed with occur. |
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