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The Grammar Logs # 169 |
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| QUESTION |
| Is it correct to say "the couple own a house", or "the couple owns a house"? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
El Segundo, California  Tuesday, July 21, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The couple owns a house. (Although you're talking about two people, they are acting as one unit -- a couple -- here, so you want the singular verb, "owns.") |
| QUESTION |
| I have two questions for you today.
1) a.When should you include a comma with a subordinate clause at the end of a sentence. For example, The explorers cut their way through the tall grasses to the edge of the canyon, where they began to lay out their tapes. 2) I am having troubles identifying when an infinitive phrase is a misplaced modifier. For example, I know that the sentence "To collect $200.00, you must pass go" is correct; however, I am not sure about the sentence "To find out more information, contact your local library". |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| B.C., Canada Tuesday, July 21, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| 1. Actually, I think "if it were only drained" modifies the verb, telling us under what conditions it would be something. But the problem remains, whether to put a comma after it or not. You can justify not putting a comma in your Venice sentence because (you can argue) the sentence's essential meaning is changed without the dependent clause. Since you need the dependent clause, you don't need the comma (can't have the comma, in fact). 2. The infinitive phrase, "to collect $200" is modifying the understood subject, "you," in that second sentence. I wouldn't regard that as a misplaced modifier. (Incidentally, I have doubts about "find out more information." Do you find out information, or do you simply find it?) |
| QUESTION |
| What is a quoted speech ? What is a direct speech? What is a reported speech? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Medellin Antioquia Colombia Tuesday, July 21, 1998 |
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
I'm not sure what the difference is between "quoted speech" and "direct speech." Reported speech (indirect discourse) is when you're told what someone said, but you don't "hear" the spoken word: Jo told Robbie to pay his rent.Direct speech (direct discourse) is where you hear the spoken word: "Pay your rent, Robbie," Jo said.Perhaps quoted speech is -- well, I'm guessing it's the same thing as direct discourse, but I'll put an e-mail icon here in case someone knows better. ![[E-Mail Icon]](../gif/email.gif){kind=small}
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| QUESTION |
| The words that form an acronym should always be capialized or not necessarliy? Such as employee Helath Care Plan (HCP). Or is it better to be employee health care plan (HCP). Are there any rules? Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Norfolk, Massachusetts Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I don't think there are any rules about this kind of thing, but it's hard to imagine an acronym being created for something that isn't important enough (and big enough to be a discrete entity of some kind) to be capitalized. After all, that's how acronyms happen -- the series of capital letters that make up the first letters of each word. |
| QUESTION |
| I want to know how to use articles. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| New York, New York Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Please review the section of the Guide about Articles and Determiners and get back back to us if you have more specific questions. |
| QUESTION |
| Hello Grammar! What do you think is the best way to learn English Grammar? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Dallas, Texas Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Other than consulting the Guide to Grammar and Writing, you mean? It depends on why you want to learn it and what you mean by learning English grammar. If you're talking about mastery of the subject, go to school. Depending on what level you're at, start with English as a Second Langauge courses and work your way up. If you're really interested in the grammar aspects of language, get into English as a Second Language as a potential teacher of ESL. No one knows English better than ESL instructors. If you want to know grammar so it will make you a better writer, get yourself a good handbook and write. Most important of all, though, read, read, read! |
| QUESTION |
| What is right, "a year" or "an year" ? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Menlo Park, California Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| A year. The "y" sound is a consonant sound, or at least it as far as determining whether you'll with "a" or "an" with it is concerned. |
| QUESTION |
| Specifically, I have a "comma" question. My immediate boss is a former English teacher, and she's constantly correcting or editorializing the way our staff types their documents. This one came up the other day, and I did it "her way," but I disagree. I want an opinion. The sentence goes like this: It is recommended that the Board of Trustees authorize the architect for a fee not to exceed $4000, to provide additional architectural services for the heating project.My way would be to either add another comma after the word "architect" in the first line, or to not use any commas at all. What do you say? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Modesto, California Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I see you've already taken my first line of advice: go along with the boss. I think that the phrase, "for a fee not to exceed $4000," as important as it is, is definitely a parenthetical element, just begging for a comma on both sides of it. It might even want a dash on either side of it, but the commas would probably suffice. It's hard to justify the single-comma version, in my opinion. |
| QUESTION |
| Recently in my studies of foreign language, I encountered what is known as the subjunctive mood. I just finished my sophomore year in high school, and next year for Honors English I have to write a huge term paper consisting of over 20 pages. I've mastered all my grammatical study to this point, but I would be greatly in your debt if you could show me how the subjunctive mood applies to English and any frequent errors that also relate to poor use of the subjunctive. Please send any and all things you feel necessary; this is a topic I would like to master. Many thanks! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Allentown, Pennsylvania Wednesday, July 22, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| You probably already have mastered the uses of the sujunctive and you just don't know it yet. Probably the best way to learn it is to discover it through another language -- where the subjunctive is often more widespread in use. It would be helpful, I think, if you reviewed the material we have here already on the Subjunctive and also the material on the uses of Conditional Verbs. Then get back to us if you have any specific questions. |
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