|
The Grammar Logs # 297 |
|
| QUESTION |
| My local newspaper uses this verbage: "The couple have two grandchildren." "The couple are at home."
I believe the correct verbage would be: "The couple has two grandchildren." "The couple is at home." Please clear this up for me. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Decatur, Alabama  Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| In American English, at least, we usually use a singular verb with "couple" unless we use the construction, "a couple of _____," when we use a plural verb. I can't say the newspaper is wrong, but I prefer your usage. Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996.
|
| QUESTION |
The noun and verb dilemma:
A total of 25 priority projects was (were?) selected, and, in large part, is (are) being used to guide decision making.My temporary solution to the above: A total of 25 priority projects was selected. These projects are being used to guide decision-making. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| San Francisco, California Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
You're right, you've got a problem here. "A total" is singular, so we want "was" in the first clause, but then the real subject of the second clause is "projects." You're quite wise to break these clauses apart. Or you could subordinate one clause to the other and add some other information:
A total of 25 priority projects, selected on the basis of ______, is being used to guide decision-making. |
| QUESTION |
My English teacher has posed a question for the past ten years and no one has been able to
figure it out. The example for the question is : "There are three too's (no, just say this because you cannot write it) in the English Language.Now the question is : what is the term called for saying something you cannot write. Thanks for all your help |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Ocean City, Maryland Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
It's an interesting conundrum. Actually, it's an unfair question, because there aren't three "two's" or "too's" or "to's"; there are three words that sound like "too." I'm not sure there is something you can't write.![[E-Mail Icon]](../gif/email.gif){kind=small} I'll leave an e-mail icon here in case someone has a better idea.
|
| QUESTION |
Hello.
Would you let me know the difference in meaning between the following?
|
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Sapporo, Japan Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The first version, with "a," suggests that there might be any number of people around who can help you. The second version, with "the," suggests that there is one specific person -- maybe in the whole world -- who knows how to help you. |
| QUESTION |
On the business cards currently being used at my place of
employment, the address line includes the following format
for city, state, zip:
Morehead, Ky. 40351-1689Is the Ky. correct? I know it does not meet postal guidelines, but the people who use this format insist that in certain situations it is appropriate. Are they right? If so, in what situations would this be the correct format? Thanks for you help! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Morehead, Kentucky Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I'm not sure what you mean by an "address line" -- as in the return address for your correspondence? I would certainly spell out the word Kentucky in that format -- or, if you're trying to make it handy for people to write back to your company, go ahead and use the post office's abbreviation, KY (without the period). Having said all that, there is nothing wrong with the way they've written the address. In fact, the Chicago Manual of Style says to write out the word except in lists, tabular matter, notes, bibliographies, indexes, and mailing addresses, and then to use Ky. -- except in mailing addresses when you can use KY. Authority: Chicago Manual of Style 14th ed. U of Chicago P: Chicago. 1993. p. 465. |
| QUESTION |
I find difficult to analize this sentence. What is the subject of this sentence?
The fact that science is among the influences cited to explain the emergence of modern art does not mean there are simple correlations between modern science and modern art.Which phrase here functions as the subject of sentence? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| First, find the verb -- "does not mean" (technically, "does mean," modified by "not") -- and then ask "What does not mean. . .?" The answer is "The fact." The adjective phrase following the subject -- "that science is among the influences cited to explain the emergence of modern art" -- modifies the subject but is not really part of it. |
| QUESTION |
| What is the past tense of the verb input? When addressing someone in a letter, it is correct to place a comma after "hi" and before his/her name? Example: Hi, Kim-- |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Lanham, Maryland Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The online Merriam-Webster's says "inputted" is preferred over "input" as the past tense of this transitive verb: "I inputted the data yesterday." The sound of it alone is enough to keep me from using it forever. Authority: WWWebster Dictionary, the World Wide Web edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Used with permission. Yes, by all means, separate the addressed person's name from everything else in the sentence with a comma. |
| QUESTION |
| What is the past tense of the verb "to sled?" The sentence I want to write is "We sled for hours" or "We sledded for hours." I want to avoid phrasing it as "We went sledding for hours." For future reference, where is the best place for me to find specific info like this? Thanks! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Ambler, Pennsylvania Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The past tense of "sled" is "sledded." What's wrong with "went sledding"? The best place to look up verb inflections is a good dictionary. Or use the online Merriam-Websters. Authority for this note: WWWebster Dictionary, the World Wide Web edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Used with permission. |
| QUESTION |
| Although I believe the use of "in" in the following sentence is not necessary, I cannot explain why. Please help. If I am right, I would like to know why (and I would like to know if it is also correct to keep the sentence "as is"). If I am wrong, and "in" is required here, please tell me why. As you can see, we have extensive experience in solving the governance issues unique to both regulated and unregulated businesses.Thank you |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| North Salem, New York Wed, Mar 10, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I think that common usage calls for "in" when a simple noun follows "experience": "We have four years experience in this job." But when a verb form follows the word, we often skip the "in": "We have four years experience working in the field." We might also put an "of" before the word "experience." Incidentally, are you sure that can have governance issues unique to both regulated and unregulated businesses? If such issues occur in both places, how are they unique? Perhaps "common" would be a better word? Just a suggestion. |
| QUESTION |
| How can you tell, a few examples would be helpful, in a prepositional phrase which word
it is modifying?
Instructions on a worksheet might be: thank you...thank you...we are lost with this one! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Little Rock, Arkansas Thu, Mar 11, 1999
|
| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| When the prepositional phrase tells you something about a verb, it's going to be acting adverbially. For instance, in "He grew up during the depression," the prepositional phrase tells us when he grew up, so it's modifying the verb. In "Her family lives in New York," the prepositional phrase tells us where her familiy lives. In "She took over in an instant," the prepositional phrase tells us how she took over. On the other hand, prepositional phrases can tell us about (modify) things, and then they're acting adjectivally: "the man in the moon," "the show after this one," "the hair on your head," etc. |
Previous Grammar Log