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The Grammar Logs # 231 |
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| QUESTION |
| I am employed by an Executive Search firm and one of my job responsibilites is to proofread candidate profiles (employment biography) that are prepared by the VP's. My question is.....When and how many times can you use the candidate's name in paragraphs versus just saying she/he? The profiles are about 3 pages long! Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Chicago, Illinois  Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I don't think there is any rule about this matter. Constant repetition of the person's name begins to sound really dumb after a while, and I see nothing wrong with using pronouns from time to time. It must always be clear to whom the pronoun refers, but that's true about any writing. Probably in this kind of writing, the person's name is going to be over-used, but there's certainly nothing wrong with referring to the person with an occasional pronoun. |
| QUESTION |
| If you have : "Mr. Smith are you ready to go?" Should there be an comma after the word Smith. Why? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Pine Bluff, Arkansas Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Yes, there should be a comma after Mr. Smith's name. An addressed person's name (you are talking to Mr. Smith), is always treated as a parenthetical element. |
| QUESTION |
Which of the two sentences is correct?
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Singapore Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| With recommendations such as this, it is appropriate to use the subjunctive mood: "the school start." |
| QUESTION |
| This grammar book says the word "skiing" in "I prefer skiing" functions as a participle in the sentence. I think otherwise. It should be a gerund. Am I correct? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Unknown Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| In that sentence, the word skiing is the object of what you prefer. (If we said "I prefer lasagna," we would say that lasagna is the object, right?) As the object, it must be a noun. If it's a noun, it has to be a gerund. I agree with you. |
| QUESTION |
What is the proper punctuation for the following complementary closing? A period or a comma?
Best regardsMany thanks in advance. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Unknown Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| It feels to me that something stronger than a comma ought to be there -- something more like a wave or a salute -- but the reference books say to use a comma after all closings.
Authority: The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers by Chris M. Anson and Robert A. Schwegler. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.: New York. 1997.
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| QUESTION |
Please inform me of the correct usage:
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The subject of the verb ("do/does fall") in that sentence is your loans, which is plural. We want "do fall." |
| QUESTION |
| A local New York newspaper today proclaimed, "Here Come The Padres." If they were referring to a group of clergy that would be correct. But, since they're alluding to a baseball team, which is a single entity, shouldn't it be "Here Comes The Padres?" |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Ronkonkoma, New York Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Yes, it's a single entity, but we often think of teams as groups of individuals and use a plural verb. (We would say the Yankees lost their first game, for instance, wouldn't we? and the Yankees get (not gets) their first-round draft pick.) Thus "Here Come the Padres" is appropriate. |
| QUESTION |
Problems with this analogy--can you help?
Salt/ ____________ fat / arteriosclerosis |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Woodbridge, Virginia Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| This is a grammar question? I don't know. hypertension? high blood pressure? (Are those the same thing?) |
| QUESTION |
| I heard someone said the phase "get physically" and not quite sure about the meaning. Does it mean "get angry". Could you please give me some explanation on that. The topic they are talking about is how can a mother avoid getting angry with her children. Thank you for your help. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Bangkok, Thailand Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| In this context, "getting physical" (not with the adverb) means to express one's self violently, with exaggerated physical gestures, etc. Mostly it's about violence. It's an idiom, closer to slang than formal language. Not too long ago, there was a song that had the sentiment "Let's get physical" (Olivia Newton John, I believe), which suggested heavy, "romantic," physical contact -- definitely not violent (I hope). |
| QUESTION |
| Is it acceptable to place an adverb between a verb and its auxilliary? For example: They may charge only for ... OR They may only charge for ...
I was always corrected if I used the latter. Thank you for your help. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Washington, D.C. Thu, Oct 15, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
Generally, it is permissible to put an adverb between the auxiliary and the main part of the verb: "They have quickly moved to extinguish the flames."Look out for that adverb only, however. Make sure that it's next to the thing it really modifies. It probably doesn't modify the verb (What does it mean to only charge someone?); it really modifies the thing that comes afterwards: They may charge only for the tickets. |
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