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The Grammar Logs # 279 |
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| QUESTION |
I understand that when a dependent clause is at the beginning of a sentence, it requires a comma. However, I have often seen a comma used when it is at the end of the sentence. Why is this comma necessary?
example: We will stay in for recess today, if it continues to snow. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Fort Wayne, Indiana  Mon, Jan 11, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Usually it isn't, and I wouldn't put one in your snowy sentence. Sometimes, however, your dependent clause at the end of a sentence will represent a considerable change in direction for a sentence or will add parenthetical information and will require a comma. And sometimes it's a matter of sentence rhythm and readability. In other words, it's not necessarily wrong to set off a dependent clause at the end of a sentence with a comma, but it's usually not necessary (and where it isn't necessary, it shouldn't be done). |
| QUESTION |
I would like to know whether it is right to say:
"All I want is for her to leave me alone".The use given to the word "for" in this case is not the one I usually give to it, and for me, it sounds strange. Maybe what sounds odd to me is that in the previous sentence you actually want something "from" her and not "for" her to be done. Would it be better to say: "All I want is that she lives me alone", instead ?Sometimes it doesn't sound that bad, for example: "somebody left a message for you to call back" In this case, the same structure: for ... to, but in a way that sounds more appropriate for me.
I have seen these a lot of times. Thank you. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Somewhere, Venezuela Mon, Jan 11, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| A short answer for a long, but good, question: there's nothing wrong with that construction; it's good, idiomatic English. |
| QUESTION |
Are any commas needed in this sentence?
The baby weighed 5lbs. 4ozs. when he was born. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Houma, Louisiana Mon, Jan 11, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
We set off the "four ounces" because it represents a bit of added information and because there's a change in the meaning of numbers:
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| QUESTION |
I would like to ask about this sentence:
The many attractions include,for instance,the architecture,the astounding number and variety of shopping outlets with goods available at bargain prices and the excitment of being in the middle of so many people in such a dynamic city.1)why is "bargain" not in present participle form? (following "at" ) 2)what is the meaning of "the excitement of being in the middle of so many people....."? 3) is the sentence a balanced structure ? Can you explain? Thank you |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Hong Kong Mon, Jan 11, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| 1. "Bargain prices" is good idiomatic English; it means that things are about as inexpensive as they're going to get. 2. The writer apparently finds it thrilling to be among so many people; the writer likes crowds on the streets and sidewalks and thinks that the reader ought to have similar tastes in excitement. (I don't, but I know there are people who do.) 3. In terms of its being balanced, it's OK. It could use a comma after "prices," and that whole phrase, "with goods available at bargain prices" is a bit clumsy, tending to take us off in unexpected directions. We'd be better off limited to a series of things, and then winding up to that last phrase -- the excitement of being among so many people in a dynamic city. |
| QUESTION |
I came across a sentence pretty hard to comprehend completely. It's over the issue of impeachment of President, Clinton, and just doesn't really make sense to me. Here is the deal;
One official said he and his colleagues were not following the hearings. It was as though, he said, "there's something you don't want to watch on your favorite channel but you think it'll be over. Every now and then you flip over to see, 'Hey, Is that thing off yet? C'mon already.'"is that paragraph above, with a story about TV, trying to say that Impeachment will also be over without realizing it already has? What does he flip over? I especially wonder why "already" is put there after "C'mon". I'd be appreciate if you paraphrase what a whole thing is saying. Thank you very much. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Chiba, Japan Mon, Jan 11, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I think the writer is suggesting that for many people the impeachment proceeding are like something they don't want to watch on television -- but it's occupying a channel they like to watch. So they keep turning on that channel ("flipping it on") and discovering it's still going on, still being covered. So they say, "My goodness, is that still happening? When on earth will that be over? I'm very tired of it." "C'mon already" is a idiomatic, spoken language, meaning "I've had enough of this. I want it to be over, finished! Let's get on with something else." It's probably a good analysis of most people's feelings. |
| QUESTION |
Is the following quote from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry a run-on sentence?
The blue-black shine that had so nicely encircled T.J.'s left eye for over a week had almost completely faded by the morning T.J. hopped into the back of the wagon beside Stacey and snuggled into a corner not occupied by the butter, milk, and eggs Big Ma was taking to sell to the market in Strawberry. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Somers Point, New Jersey Wed, Jan 13, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| At first glance, it certainly looked like a run-on -- I wanted to put periods after "morning" and "eggs" -- but no, it's a perfectly good (and very long) sentence. The last part of the sentence, beginning with "Big Ma," is an elliptical clause in the sense that the relative pronoun "that" is omitted. |
| QUESTION |
| What is the correct abbeviation (both sigular and plural) for the word "volume"? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Warren, Massachusetts Wed, Jan 13, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Vol. and vols. Authority: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Assocation American Psychological Association. 4th ed. American Psychological Association: New York. 1994. p. 89.
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| QUESTION |
| In the Disney movie Aladdin, the genie at one point says 'Dost my ears deceive me?' - is this correct English? Should it not be 'Do my ears deceive me?' |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Copenhagen, Denmark Wed, Jan 13, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I thought the word "dost" was an archaic form of "do," but for the second person ("you") only. But who are we to argue with the genie? |
| QUESTION |
I am writing promotional copy that needs to sound conversational.
It sounds better to say:
"We're the kind of place and the type of people you'd be pretty comfortable with. We love to learn and explore, and toss around ideas that eventually become the games a lot of folks have come to recognize us for."This copy, however, contains two sentences that end in prepositions. Will we be criticized by grammar experts? Thank you. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Ann Arbor, Michigan Wed, Jan 13, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I, for one, wouldn't say a word about your preposition endings. I might, however, have something to say about being "the kind of place" and "the type of people" at the same time, and surely there must be a more efficient, elegant way of saying "and toss around ideas that eventually become the games a lot of folks have come to recognize us for." The energy of that sentence is allowed to dwindle into nothingness. |
| QUESTION |
Identify the inconsistency and write the sentences so that they
are consistent.
We intend to introduce a new scheme for improving staff pensions and considering other methods of increasing staff benefits. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Hong Kong Wed, Jan 13, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| We intend to do two things, and those two things need to be in parallel form. We intend to introduce a new scheme for improving staff pensions and consider other methods of increasing staff benefits. |
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