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# 422
QUESTION In the following sentence (in the Washington Post), is the sparking a dangling participle, or a present participle which means and it sparked ( it = that livestock shipments were banned for a week)? Livestock shipments were banned for a week, sparking a race to the supermarket as consumers looked ahead to empty meat counters.Is this a usual usage of present participle?I would much appreciate it if you would kindly answer this question.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Tokyo, Japan Tue, Mar 13, 2001
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE It is not so unusual to place a modifying phrase like this at the end of a sentence. It is similar to a summative modifier in that it modifies the entire clause that precedes it (not just the immediately preceding word). But yes, it is a participial phrase. It is acceptable as long as its function is clear (as long as we know what it is modifying).
QUESTION My question deals with the use of "at random". When do we use "at random" versus "use randomly"? e.g. The caregivers could also provide the markers and the paint brushes to let the preschoolers use randomly OR at random.SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Kitchener, Ontario Canada GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE In either case, it's a peculiar choice. Either "randomly" or "at random" will suggest that the preschoolers are using the markers and paint brushes haphazardly, without discernible purpose, which isn't what you mean, I don't think. (Monkeys might use markers randomly, but children have a pretty good idea what they're going to do with such devices -- draw pictures on the wall, etc.) Don't you mean to suggest that the caretakers should provide a variety of such tools for the preschoolers to choose from? "At random" will do a slightly better job of suggesting the capricious nature of their choice.
QUESTION I'm trying to understand a little better the usages for "more important" and "more importantly." Could you perhaps explain the difference again with one or two examples? Thank you!
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Owings Mills, Maryland GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE "More important" and "more importantly" are used as full-sentence modifiers, often in the initial position and treated parenthetically (set off with a comma). Either phrase can usually be translated as "what is more important." More important, the armies in the east had used up all their supplies.Many writers will use the adverb form, "importantly," thinking that the phrase modifies a verb in the main clause; usually, however, that is not the case. The phrase will almost invariably modify, adjectivally, the entire clause, and the adjective form, "important," will suffice. Burchfield says that "more importantly" was a despised construction during the 1970s and 80s, but that nowadays both phrases seem be used about equally and with equal acceptability.Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996. Used with the permission of Oxford University Press.
QUESTION In titles or headings, what part of speech is "as" in the following: Some of us say linking verb, some say preposition, some say conjunction or even adverb! Thank you.
- Words as Deeds
- Grammar as Gospel
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Arlington, Virginia GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE It's certainly not a linking verb! I can see why someone might suggest that it's an adverb, but as can actually function as a preposition, as in "Her role as editor will continue," and that's how it's working in those phrases.
QUESTION I have been unable to find support for the use of "re" or "RE" to define the subject of a paragraph or letter, etc. I have found the legal reference "in re" but nothing else. My real mission is to eliminate this awkward element from our company letters but I need some ammunition. Thanks. SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Oak Brook, Illinois GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE I'd like to support your mission, because I don't like the use of that abbreviation either. But there's nothing in my reference books to suggest it ought to be outlawed. Burchfield, in fact, seems to like it. He says it should never be used in the middle of a sentence, but that "there can, however, be no objection to its use as an introductory preposition, which, with its following noun or noun phrase, announces the subject of the correspondence, memo, etc., that follows. Its conciseness makes it well-nigh irreplaceable." Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996. Used with the permission of Oxford University Press.
QUESTION This sentence came up in conversation with a foreign student. I saw the Titanic sink.She does not understand why this sentence is correct. How would you diagram this sentence? What is the explanation for the usage of sink? She questioned the agreement of Titanic and sink. Help!SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Unknown GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE There is no necessary agreement between the name of the ship and the verb form sink in this sentence. We frequently have an object of the verb to see, of course, and that object is sometimes followed by what is called a bare infinitive. We saw her come into the office.(The infinitive "to come" does not have the particle "to" attached to it, but it functions the same way.") Thus the "bare infinitive," "tosink," is modifying the Titanic.Authority: A Grammar of Contemporary English by Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech, and Jan Svartvik. Longman Group: London. 1978. p. 834.
QUESTION Which sentence is correct? "There was tons of water" or "There were tons of water"? SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Austin, Texas GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE "Tons" is rather a peculiar way to measure water. If you were talking about "gallons," instead, I'd say we'd write "There was twenty gallons of water in the tank" because we think of the amount as a singular lump sum. It's possible, though, to think of the twenty gallons I just dumped into the tank, a gallon at a time, and then I'd write "There were twenty gallons of water in the tank." The same logic (if I can call it that) would apply to "tons." Generally, the singular "was" would be appropriate — unless you're thinking of those tons as singular units (for some reason).
QUESTION I need help with the sentence in parentheses — Publicorg (a non-profit organization based in Manhattan which refurbishes inner-city schools around the New York metropolitan area)Is it — a non-profit organization based in Mahattan, which refurbishes inner-city schools around the NY metropolitan area?With or without a comma?
Or is it — a non-profit organization based in Manhattan that refurbishes inner-city schools around the NY metropolitan area?
Should I use which or that? And why?
I need to know which sentence is grammatically correct. Thank you
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Pottsdam, New York GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE I would write it this way: "a Manhattan-based, non-profit organization that refurbishes inner-city schools in the New York metropolitan area." You could use either which or that in that sentence; most writers would use that. The comma tends to make the following phrase parenthetical, which you don't want. Click HERE for more on which and that. Notice that I've changed "around" to "in." I'm not sure what "around" means in this context.
QUESTION When should one use the verb "serve" vs. "service"? For example, in the sentence "Our sales representatives can now service/serve our clients more effectively," which is correct?Thanks.SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE New York, New York GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE Technically, either would do. I prefer the simpler "serve" — mostly because I have enough of a farm background so that "service" (as a verb) recalls that function that male farm animals sometimes perform for female farm animals.
QUESTION Does an asterisk go outside the period, or inside? SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE Atlanta, Georgia GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE I just thumbed through about eight (very large) books looking for an answer to this question — and came to the conclusion that asterisks aren't used very often, if at all. All I learned is that they can appear at the end of anything that needs to be elucidated at the bottom of the page. Based on examples in DiYanni's Literature (4th Edition, McGraw-Hill), I'd say put the asterisk after the period.
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