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The Grammar Logs # 246 |
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| QUESTION |
| Dear Grammar, Please clarify the use of hyphen with fractions. Two grammar handbooks I have consulted disagreed. One-fourth cup correct? One fourth of a cup - hyphen or not?Thank you for your attention. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Lilburn, Georgia  Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| When the hyphen is joined as a modifier, as in one-fourth cup, we use the hyphen. In your second example, though, you have the intervening "of," which creates a prepositional phrase, modifying "one fourth," so you don't want a hyphen. |
| QUESTION |
| Dear Grammar, I need to know if I can use the word "So" to start out a sentence. I see the word "although" used, so to me it seemed right. Here it is: The South was in bad need of footware, and there was a large supply of shoes somewhere in Gettysburg, Penn. So on July 1st, 1863, the Confederates moved toward Gettysburg, but their attempt was intercepted by the Yankees.Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Unknown Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I wouldn't want to say it's impossible to begin a sentence with "so," but I wouldn't recommend it, at least not in this text. I would provide another phrase that might suggest, again, why're they're moving toward Gettysburg. Begin that second sentence with "On July 1, 1863, . . . " (You might also reconsider "in bad need": is it the same as "badly in need"?) |
| QUESTION |
| "What was the film about? Space travel." Should we put "about " at the beginning of the sentence giving a short answer? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Hong Kong Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| That's not really necessary, especially in speech or recorded speech. |
| QUESTION |
| I am a technical writer. Sometimes I am not sure whether to capitalize certain terms.
Example: "In practice, an Enterprise Data Model should be created." An enterprise data model or logical data model are general names. A company will have many logical data models. Each one may have its own name. I feel that it should not be capitalized unless we are referring to a specific data model. But, in technical documentation there is a great propensity to capitalize terms such as these if the term is the topic of the paragraph. I would like to know your opinion. Thanks. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I certainly wouldn't capitalize those words in the normal flow of text. There may be rules in technical writing about capitalizing such things in headers, titles, etc., but in normal text, I'm told, caps reduce readability and slow down the reading. |
| QUESTION |
| What are the rules for writing words using the ending of "s" and "es." My son is in the 3rd grade and he is having a difficult time understanding the concept. For instance, fox, bush, dish, etc. Why can't he, from his point of view, write dishs versus the correct way of dishes? What is the rule for slipping in that "e?" Your immediate response would be appreciated. We are in the heat of his homework and this is presenting a real problem for him. Thanks! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Jamestown, North Dakota Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| See the section on Plurals and Possessives, and that ought to help a bit. Can he write bushs instead of bushes? Yes, but the word will be misspelled and misunderstandings will ensue and it won't help his grade in the least. |
| QUESTION |
| How should names of organizations appear in print? Specifically, the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Should it be capitalized only? italicized? I need to know for an article I'm writing for a company newsletter. For example: "Proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation." Thank you! |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Kettering, Ohio Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Capitalizing the names of such organizations will suffice. |
| QUESTION |
| My 5th grade nephew came home to day and asked me if, "Leave the scene at dawn." was a sentence. Both my sister and myself thought that it was but his teacher told him that it wasn't. Isn't the subject an understood 'you?' |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Gillsville, Georgia Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I'm hoping there's a misunderstanding between your fifth-grade scholar and his teacher. You're right: the sentence is clearly a command or a directive, and the subject of that sentence is "you." |
| QUESTION |
| I say "I would like you to go" While some people insert an additional word as "I would like for you to go." Are both usages correct? Thank you. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| McAllen, Texas Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I'm wondering if the insertion of the "for" is some kind of regionalism, although I have seen it many times myself. Sometimes it seems more appropriate than at other times: "I would like for you to achieve certain things in life," for instance. But most of the time, as in the example you give us, it seems quite unnecessary. |
| QUESTION |
Should I use commas in the following sentence? where? why?
He criticized the agreement between the city and Exxon corporation to use the river as a dumping site.Thanks. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Taichung, Taiwan Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| No, there's no reason to use a comma in that sentence. I would capitalize "corporation," by the way. |
| QUESTION |
| Why is the rock band the who incorrect grammar? Why shouldn't it be the whom? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Worcester, Massachusetts Thu, Nov 5, 1998
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| It's the name of a rock band, so it can be anything they want it to be, apparently. I assure you it has absolutely nothing to do with grammar. If you can explain to this graduate of The College of Wooster why Worcester is pronounced Wooster, then I'll try to do better with "the Who." |
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