The Grammar Logs -- Number Ninety-Six

The
Grammar
Logs
# 96

Question Example of Active vs passive voice
Source & Date
of Question Annapolis, Maryland
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Have you checked out the section on Verbs and Verbals? There is a section on passive voice there, complete with a quiz that you ought to look at. You'll find examples there.

Question Which is correct in the following sentences:

There is an apple and an orange on the table.
There are an apple and an orange on the table.
Thanks
Source & Date
of Question Hong Kong
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response With an expletive construction, the subject comes after the verb. Your subject here is "an apple and an orange," which is plural, so you want "There are . . ." Having said that, of course, you'd have a much better sentence if you wrote "An apple and an orange are on the table."

Question I have a couple of quick questions for you:

How many spaces are there between a colon and the next word? One or two?
If something belongs to the United States, do I say it is the "United States's" or the "United States'"? (Or would I be better off saying it is America's?)
Thanks for your help!
Source & Date
of Question Minneapolis, Minnesota
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response One space after the colon, especially if you're using a word-processing device of some kind. As for showing ownership of the United States, it is a singular word, so the apostrophe -s is appropriate: "the United States's concern in all this. . . . " However, that is one of those words that sounds perfectly awful with the added "es" sound, so many writers will put the apostrophe after the word States' and be done with it. You're much better off avoiding the problem by using "of the United States."

Question Hi. I have a question about the the nouns after the indefinite pronouns most be singular or plural form. The word phrase book store(es) for example.

Each book store has to give at least ten books to the school.
or
Each book stores has to give at least ten books to the school.
Thank you
Source & Date
of Question Rosemead, California
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response Well, first of all, let's combine those words into one: bookstore. And we would always say "Each bookstore." I'm not sure, though, that I've answered your question.

Question I would like to know the difference between "like" and "as".
I think that "like" is used with a noun or a pronoun (Example: try to do it like me), and that "as" is usually followed by a subject and a verb (Example: as you know,...).
Am I right or wrong ? Could you give me a more accurate explanation ? Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I couldn't explain the difference between like and as any better than you just did! In a comparison, the verb is frequently left out (but is understood): "I am as tall as my brother [is]." And in that first sentence, some people would write, "Try to do it as I do." But the "like me" is fine.

Question I need to know the correct form for the possessive of the plural proper noun Anns?
Source & Date
of Question Garland, Texas
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I'm not sure how Anns is a plural proper noun. You mean there is more than one Ann, I take it? I trust your sentence will make it clear you're talking about more than one Ann: "The two Anns went off together." And, in that case, you'd write "The two Anns' concern over this affair began to fade." However, you'd be much better off writing, "the concern of the two Anns over this affair."
Authority: Chicago Manual of Style 14th ed. U of Chicago P: Chicago. 1993.

Question I wonder which of the following sentences is grammatically correct:
We do it for us. or
We do it for ourselves.
Can I use both sentences in term of speaking? Have both sentences the same meaning? Thank you in advance for answering my question.
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere, Thailand
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response In this case the reflexive pronoun "ourselves" would be appropriate. A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that enables a subject or doer of an action also to be the receiver of the action.

Authority: The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers by Chris M. Anson and Robert A. Schwegler. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.: New York. 1997.

Question I am wondering if the following sentence contains an error in comparison. I have had two other people give opinions on it, and I can see arguments in either direction.
The sentence in question: In Arizona, one can find many scenes that are similar to scenes from almost every state in the Union.
I have several explanations for my preferred opinion, but I won't plague you with them so you can be as objective as possible. Thanks!
Source & Date
of Question Sterling Heights, Michigan
2 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I think the sentence is possibly correct, but almost meaningless as it is. Don't we mean that one can find scenes that are "similar to a scene in almost any other state in the Union."? I'll have to look at this sentence again in the morning, after a cup of coffee, but this is my answer for now. If you'd like to add your observations, please send them on and I'll add them here.

Question I am writing a menu for the restaurant and wondering which of these are correct:

Egg with Ham, Sausage, or Bacon
Egg with Ham/Sausage/Bacon
Ham, Sausage, or Bacon with Egg
Ham/Sausage/Bacon with Egg
another one is:

Coffee, Tea, Milk, or Hot Chocolate
Coffee/Tea/Milk/Hot Chocolate
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere, Thailand
4 April 1998
Grammar's
Response I would not recommend using the slash or virgule in place of the commas and or -- unless it's absolutely necessary for reasons of typographical or aesthetic space. And I'd put the egg first, but that's probably just personal preference, what what one thinks is the "star" of breakfast.

Question By the time Robot ______(finish) his secondary education.
What tense should i use?

Source & Date
of Question Hong Kong
4 April 1998
Grammar's
Response It doesn't matter what tense you use here, you won't have a complete sentence because the "by the time" creates a subordinate clause. You can use "finishes," "finished," "will have finished," "has finished," "had finished." The tense depends on how the clause fits into the larger structure and meaning of its complete sentence.

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Question	Which is correct in the following sentences: There is an apple and an orange on the table. There are an apple and an orange on the table. Thanks
Source & Date of Question	Hong Kong 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	With an expletive construction, the subject comes after the verb. Your subject here is "an apple and an orange," which is plural, so you want "There are . . ." Having said that, of course, you'd have a much better sentence if you wrote "An apple and an orange are on the table."

Question	I have a couple of quick questions for you: How many spaces are there between a colon and the next word? One or two? If something belongs to the United States, do I say it is the "United States's" or the "United States'"? (Or would I be better off saying it is America's?) Thanks for your help!
Source & Date of Question	Minneapolis, Minnesota 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	One space after the colon, especially if you're using a word-processing device of some kind. As for showing ownership of the United States, it is a singular word, so the apostrophe -s is appropriate: "the United States's concern in all this. . . . " However, that is one of those words that sounds perfectly awful with the added "es" sound, so many writers will put the apostrophe after the word States' and be done with it. You're much better off avoiding the problem by using "of the United States."

Question	Hi. I have a question about the the nouns after the indefinite pronouns most be singular or plural form. The word phrase book store(es) for example. Each book store has to give at least ten books to the school. or Each book stores has to give at least ten books to the school. Thank you
Source & Date of Question	Rosemead, California 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Well, first of all, let's combine those words into one: bookstore. And we would always say "Each bookstore." I'm not sure, though, that I've answered your question.

Question	I would like to know the difference between "like" and "as". I think that "like" is used with a noun or a pronoun (Example: try to do it like me), and that "as" is usually followed by a subject and a verb (Example: as you know,...). Am I right or wrong ? Could you give me a more accurate explanation ? Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Longueuil, Quebec, Canada 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I couldn't explain the difference between like and as any better than you just did! In a comparison, the verb is frequently left out (but is understood): "I am as tall as my brother [is]." And in that first sentence, some people would write, "Try to do it as I do." But the "like me" is fine.

Question	I am wondering if the following sentence contains an error in comparison. I have had two other people give opinions on it, and I can see arguments in either direction. The sentence in question: In Arizona, one can find many scenes that are similar to scenes from almost every state in the Union. I have several explanations for my preferred opinion, but I won't plague you with them so you can be as objective as possible. Thanks!
Source & Date of Question	Sterling Heights, Michigan 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I think the sentence is possibly correct, but almost meaningless as it is. Don't we mean that one can find scenes that are "similar to a scene in almost any other state in the Union."? I'll have to look at this sentence again in the morning, after a cup of coffee, but this is my answer for now. If you'd like to add your observations, please send them on and I'll add them here.

Question	Example of Active vs passive voice
Source & Date of Question	Annapolis, Maryland 2 April 1998
Grammar's Response	Have you checked out the section on Verbs and Verbals? There is a section on passive voice there, complete with a quiz that you ought to look at. You'll find examples there.

Question	I am writing a menu for the restaurant and wondering which of these are correct: Egg with Ham, Sausage, or Bacon Egg with Ham/Sausage/Bacon Ham, Sausage, or Bacon with Egg Ham/Sausage/Bacon with Egg another one is: Coffee, Tea, Milk, or Hot Chocolate Coffee/Tea/Milk/Hot Chocolate Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Somewhere, Thailand 4 April 1998
Grammar's Response	I would not recommend using the slash or virgule in place of the commas and or -- unless it's absolutely necessary for reasons of typographical or aesthetic space. And I'd put the egg first, but that's probably just personal preference, what what one thinks is the "star" of breakfast.

Question	By the time Robot ______(finish) his secondary education. What tense should i use?
Source & Date of Question	Hong Kong 4 April 1998
Grammar's Response	It doesn't matter what tense you use here, you won't have a complete sentence because the "by the time" creates a subordinate clause. You can use "finishes," "finished," "will have finished," "has finished," "had finished." The tense depends on how the clause fits into the larger structure and meaning of its complete sentence.