The Grammar Logs -- Number Sixteen

The
Grammar
Logs
# 16

Question What exactly is prose?
Source & Date
of Question Birmingham, Alabama
13 June 1997
Grammar's
Response Why do you ask? Did I use it in a peculiar way? (Is my defensive slip showing?) Prose is any language that is not in verse. That's a pretty bland definition. I've also heard people say that prose is like taking a train through a landscape -- compared to poetry, which is like taking a walk.

Question I would appreciate your response to solve a dispute in copy writing. Note the apostrophe after the word "years" in the following sentence. I was always taught that when used in a sentence such as this, the word "years" should be possessive plural. Please verify this if I am correct or correct me if I am wrong. There is no money riding on this, just pride.
Thank you for your help.
Founded in 1985, ASA Promotions is a leading distributor of promotional products with over fifty years' experience in the advertising specialty and premium industry.

Source & Date
of Question Fort Lauderdale, Florida
13 June 1997
Grammar's
Response Rats! I like it when I can make or lose someone some money! Be careful when you say "a sentence such as this," because such structures can differ in meaning. Using Bill Walsh's examples, we would say "She is seven months pregnant." because the phrase seven months is descriptive, not possessive. However, we would say "He got seven months' probation." because the phrase seven months is now possessive. (And so it is in your phrase, "fifty years' experience," because the experience belongs to the fifty years.)

Question What's the diference between Who and Whom ?
What's the diference between Whoever and Whomever ?
When can I use these words ?
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere, Mexico
13 June 1997
Grammar's
Response Make sure you visit the Guide's section on Pronouns and take the special quizzes on who/whom. Then come back and ask if you still have questions.

Question Is "she was not as lucky as I" correct grammar? Are there rules for comparisons that would help me with this?
Thank you for your time.
Source & Date
of Question Birmingham, Alabama
14 June 1997
Grammar's
Response Yes, that's correct. If you finished the sentence (which we rarely do), you would say, "She is not as lucky as I am lucky." Try "finishing" the comparison and you'll usually come up with the right word to make that comparison.

Question What is the difference between ensure and insure. In business writing, do I "ensure" our success or "insure" our success?
Source & Date
of Question Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
15 June 1997
Grammar's
Response It doesn't matter whether you're writing for business or not, unless you're backing up this venture with insurance and someone is going to pay something to offset financial loss, you're ensuring its success.
I've added these words -- ensure and insure -- to the list of Notorious Confusibles.

Question Do I say compare with or compare to?
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere, Somehere
16 June 1997
Grammar's
Response It depends on what you mean. Compare to means "describe one thing as similar to another." Joe compared sitting through the meeting to having a root canal. Compare with is the more general activity of noting similarities and differences between objects or people. Joe compared hockey with soccer, noting the violent nature of both sports.

Authority: The St. Martin's Handbook by Andrea Lunsford, Robert Connors. 2nd ed. St. Martin's Press: New York. 1992.

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Question	What's the diference between Who and Whom ? What's the diference between Whoever and Whomever ? When can I use these words ?
Source & Date of Question	Somewhere, Mexico 13 June 1997
Grammar's Response	Make sure you visit the Guide's section on Pronouns and take the special quizzes on who/whom. Then come back and ask if you still have questions.

Question	Is "she was not as lucky as I" correct grammar? Are there rules for comparisons that would help me with this? Thank you for your time.
Source & Date of Question	Birmingham, Alabama 14 June 1997
Grammar's Response	Yes, that's correct. If you finished the sentence (which we rarely do), you would say, "She is not as lucky as I am lucky." Try "finishing" the comparison and you'll usually come up with the right word to make that comparison.

Question	What is the difference between ensure and insure. In business writing, do I "ensure" our success or "insure" our success?
Source & Date of Question	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15 June 1997
Grammar's Response	It doesn't matter whether you're writing for business or not, unless you're backing up this venture with insurance and someone is going to pay something to offset financial loss, you're ensuring its success. I've added these words -- ensure and insure -- to the list of Notorious Confusibles.

Question	What exactly is prose?
Source & Date of Question	Birmingham, Alabama 13 June 1997
Grammar's Response	Why do you ask? Did I use it in a peculiar way? (Is my defensive slip showing?) Prose is any language that is not in verse. That's a pretty bland definition. I've also heard people say that prose is like taking a train through a landscape -- compared to poetry, which is like taking a walk.