|
The Grammar Logs # 214 |
|
| QUESTION |
| Off of the cob or just off the cob? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Alexandria, Virginia  Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| That of is an unnecessary preposition. We cut the corn off the cob. |
| QUESTION |
Do I need a comma here:
Today Mr. Broad is chairman and chief executive officer of two billion dollar companies.Also, do I need a hyphen between two and billion? Thank you! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| East Lansing, Michigan Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| We don't want any commas in that sentence, but it's very hard to read without a hyphen between two and billion. We might wonder just how many two billion dollar companies Mr. Broad is CEO of! |
| QUESTION |
Can you think of any reason why a comma would be placed as it is in the following sentence: Mr. Smith spends one and a half to two hours, writing on a daily basis.I have a student who insists that this is correct punctuation and says he has checked with another professsor! He believes he is applying the rule where the comma replaces words that are understood, as in Reading in bed, he fell asleep, where "when he was" is implied. If you can understand his thinking, or can offer a clear way to explain why this is incorrect, I would be much obliged. Thank you. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| New York, New York Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I don't believe that we put a comma in "Reading in bed, he fell asleep." because we've left out implied words. We put a comma there because it's an introductory modifier, a participial phrase, and reading the sentence becomes difficult without a comma. When the phrase comes later in the sentence -- "writing on a daily basis" -- we no longer have that difficulty; in fact, the comma suggests that the phrase is an afterthought, a parenthetical element, when in fact, it's quite essential to the sentence's meaning and ought to be incorporated into the flow of the sentence without a comma. Tell your friend that your professor is bigger than his professor. |
| QUESTION |
| Is there a word for somebody who hates or dislikes somebody else just because of their religion? Thank you in advance for your answer. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Sacramento, California Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Many words come to mind, but we do have youngsters using these pages. What about idiot? bigot? chauvinist? zealot? |
| QUESTION |
| This guy asked me if I bruised easily and I replied, "not too bad".
He went on to correct me with, "not too badly". Which one is correct?
When should you use "ly"? Please respond as soon as possible. This guy is really getting on my nerves. He tries to correct everyone. Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Little Rock, Arkansas Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I suggest you punch him in the nose and see if he bruises bad or badly. He's probably right, unfortunately. We would use badly, the adverb, to modify verbs unless they're linking verbs (which would include verbs of feeling) as in "He is bad" and "I feel bad." That would mean of course, that if he's asking about a specific bruise (let's say you bumped your shin), you could answer, "It's not too bad." But "I don't bruise badly" would be correct. |
| QUESTION |
| Where do you mark the syllable for digraph and secret? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Oshawa, ?? Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Se-cret and di-graph. Is that what you mean? There's a great online dictionary, by the way! WWWebster Dictionary, the World Wide Web edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Used with permission. |
| QUESTION |
| I need a sentence using the word brillig meaning a nonsense word. I'm stumped. Please Help! A.S.A.P. Thanks. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Wintersville, Ohio Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
Since it's a nonsense word, you can use it in any sentence, any way you like. Lewis Carroll sort of retired this word in the same line in which he invented it (from the poem "Jabberwocky"):
Twas brillig |
| QUESTION |
| With the use of PCs and word processing software becoming more prevalent, what is the proper use of boldface within a research paper? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Allison Park, Pennsylvania Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| As far as I know, the big guns, the real authorities in such matters, the MLA Handbook and the APA Publication Manual, don't choose to speak to this matter. In fact, they're still having a hard time accepting the fact that people with word processors can create readable italics. You should clear the use of bold type (in headings, say) with your instructor. |
| QUESTION |
Should or shouldn't I use "of" after gerund form such as
The methods ensure quick yet non-destructive estimation of historic cites, therefore, assist with planning successful archeological search, restoration, and ecological preservation of architectural memorials. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Laramie, Wyoming Fri, Sep 25, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| When the gerund is preceded by the, we frequently hear of afterwards: the planning of something, the monitoring of something else, etc. That common construction would make that sentence a bit more readable, in my opinion. |
| QUESTION |
| Grammar, I have been failing English because of direct and indirect objects. Sorry to say... but the Web site didn't help AT ALL!
Can YOU help me understand this any better |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Maplewood, Minnesota Sat, Sep 26, 1998
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| If you are really failing English because you don't understand direct and indirect objects, I would suggest that either you or your instructor is placing an undue emphasis on these matters. If a sentence contains a noun or pronoun that "receives the action" of a sentence, that is the direct object. Once you determine the subject and verb of a sentence, think of it this way: SUBJECT + VERB what? The answer to what, if there is one, will be a direct object. McGwire hit the ball. McGwire's the subject, hit is the verb, and the ball is the direct object; it receives, directly, the action of being hit. An indirect object is an indirect recipient of action: McGwire threw me the ball. McGwire didn't throw me (although he probably could); he threw the ball. But since the ball was thrown to me, me is called the indirect object of the sentence. Not all sentences contain these objects: "McGwire's son has grown to be a fine young man.", for instance, contains neither a direct nor indirect object. I doubt if you have much trouble using these structures. Being able to recognize them is not all that difficult, but it's not the most important thing in the world either. |
Previous Grammar Log