The
Grammar
Logs
# 331

QUESTION
In the second clause of the second sentence, is the verb plural or singular, and why?
"I entered into 10 contracts in June. I entered into five contracts on June 29, and the balance of those contracts [was or were] entered into on June 30."
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Dallas, Texas Thu, Jul 1, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
The word "balance" is acting as a collective noun in that sentence, and usually that means you're going to use a singular verb. However, I take it that you entered into those contracts severally, one at a time (even though you did them all on the same day). Therefore, the collective noun is acting as a group of individual entities here, and I would go with the plural verb "were."

QUESTION
Hello:
Please consider the following sentence:
When taking a math quiz, concentration is everything.
Does the above sentence contain a dangling participial phrase? Please explain... Thanks
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Slidell, Louisiana Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
Yes, it does. That first phrase is trying to modify "concentration," and concentration can't take a math quiz. Whatever follows "When taking a math quiz" has to be able to take such a quiz: "When taking a math quiz, you must concentrate . . . ."

QUESTION
What is wrong with this sentence?
The first reason being that I was placed in this particular English level in the assessment test I took.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Los Angeles, California Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
For one thing, it doesn't have a subject-verb relationship in an independent clause. The only subject-verb we have here is buried in a relative (dependent) clause beginning with "that." "The reason" is probably supposed to the subject of this sentence, and it's just begging for a real verb—and "being" is not a real verb (verb forms ending in -ing are never verbs unless they're accompanied by helping verbs).

QUESTION
First, two examples:
  • "Hello. How are you?" she asked with a note of sarcasm.
  • "Well, could you please tell me?" she asked without looking up.
Im these two examples, would it be proper to put a comma between the end quote and the noun directly after? Microsoft Word has made me capitalize the noun after a quote in cases such as this, is this correct?

Thank you for your time.

SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Omaha, Nebraska Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
I hope the more recent versions of Word's grammar checker are better able to handle the punctuation around quotation marks. I can see why the stupid software wants to put a comma there, but your punctuation is perfectly correct. Ignore Microsoft.

QUESTION
Which one is correct? Why?
  • I listed all of the equipment and their respective prices.
  • I listed all the equipment and their respective prices.
  • I listed all the equipments and their respective prices.
  • All of the money in the world can't restore youth.
  • All the money in the world can't restore youth.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Los Angeles, California Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
"Equipment" is a collective noun; you can't have the plural of "equipment." This means you'll have to change "equipment" to "pieces of equipment," and then any of the first three would be correct (although you can probably omit "all of"). And either of the sentences about money is correct. Choose the one that sounds better to you. (I prefer the one without the "of.")

QUESTION
Do you use an apostrope s after a word ending with a z, or do you just use an apostrophe. This is the subject of much office speculation.
Example: Bernie Velasquez's party
is it 's or is it just '? Thanks for your help!
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Golden, Colorado Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
The Chicago Manual of Style says it would prefer the spelling you give us, above: Velasquez's party. However, the CMOS does also say that it will accept only an apostrophe after proper nouns that end in a "z" sound. I would prefer "Velasquez's," myself, but let the office speculation rage on—or avoid the problem and refer to "the party for/held by Bernie Velasquez."

Authority: Chicago Manual of Style 14th ed. U of Chicago P: Chicago. 1993. (section 6.24)


QUESTION
As a biologist, I am often reguired to determine the age or sex of an animal. In much of the literature generated by our profession, we describe these activities as "aged" or "sexed" (e. g. "All birds were aged and sexed before release."). It is widely used and seldom (if ever) questioned. My question is, at what point does this become acceptable termonology and who decides?

This is a pet peeve of mine and i am anxious to hear your response. Thank you.

SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Fort Hood, Texas Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
The online Merriam-Webster's says that "sexed" (determined the gender of) has been around since 1884. It doesn't list an "aged" that would mean "determined the age of," but I can certainly see the logic of that word. How a technical vocabulary (however peculiar) becomes part of the official lexicon of a language is a mysterious process, but finding its way into a dictionary is an important part of it, surely. And then it depends on the public's acceptance of that particular dictionary. If you're more comfortable with "determined the age and sex of," then stick with that phrasing, but I don't know if it's worth it to resist this semantic wave (ripple?) within your profession.

Authority for this note: WWWebster Dictionary, the World Wide Web edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Used with permission.


QUESTION
I have noticed that National Public Radio and other sources have begun referring to the western part of our state as "west Michigan", as in:
"There is a cold front moving into west Michigan
". But then they'll also refer to the same cold front moving into southern Michigan. Northern Michigan seems to get equal treatment with "north Michigan", and east seems to be a toss-up. This usage makes it difficult to tell whether they are referring to a place—the town East Grand Rapids, or an area, the eastern portion of the state. This makes me as crazy as apostrophes being used for plural instead of possessive.

Have grammar rules changed, have I missed something? Thank you very much.

SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Manchester, Michigan Fri, Jul 2, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
Now I know why the government is always trying to slash public radio's budget. Unless "West Michigan" has achieved the status of a political entity (and should thus also be capitalized), it should be described as "western Michigan." I don't know what you can do about this—except to complain to NPR.

QUESTION
I have a comma usage question.
"This a book which you would enjoy."
My old high school English book lists no comma in front of which, but my computer keeps prompting me for one when I type such sentences. Has the rule changed? I also see increasing usage of commas before "because" and "since." Neither of these words are coordinating conjunctions which require the comma. What is current accepted practice? Thanks.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Orange Park, Florida Sat, Jul 3, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
The grammar checker is probably looking for a comma every time it sees that "which" in the middle of a sentence. If you had used "that," it probably wouldn't have asked for a comma. (Most writers will use "that" with an essential clause—but the word "which" is not really wrong in that sentence, either.) We want to use "because" or "since" only if the clause introduced is, again, not essential to the meaning of the sentence (which isn't very likely given the nature of "since" and "because" clauses, but it does happen).

QUESTION
The question is :
I saw someone go up the stairs.
My understanding is that the sentence should be : I saw someone went up the stairs.

As the sentences are usually as follows:

  1. I thought you had forgotten to call.
  2. She asked her if she wanted to go.
If 'I saw someone go up the stairs' is correct, please explain. Thanks.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Somewhere, Malaysia Sat, Jul 3, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
The difference between your sentence and the examples given is that the examples contain dependent clauses ("if she wanted to go" and "[that] you had forgotten to call." "I saw someone go up the stairs," on the other hand, is calling for either a gerund ("I saw someone going up the stairs.") or an infinitive with the "to" left off ("I saw someone [to] go up the stairs."). See the section on Gerunds and Infinitives for more help with these constructions.

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