tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.comments2023-07-19T01:13:09.713-07:00Grammar GangThe Purdue and UniSA Connectionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873311749547093059noreply@blogger.comBlogger621125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-79664261981265913142014-11-25T17:53:21.546-08:002014-11-25T17:53:21.546-08:00I'd just like to thank everyone (com mentors) ...I'd just like to thank everyone (com mentors) for being sticklers, holding grammar pros to a tight reign. I started my day fielding hate mail from a gaggle of bloggers defending a well known blogger, to whom I wrote a comment regarding her list that started with 2 blatant typos; which I found inexcusable. If you write to make your world go 'round, then proof read before you push the publish button. I'm just learning, seeking the best info, and get disturbed when pro's mess up. It's what they do. Write. Write well!<br />Thank you for listening, and Thank You Purdue Owl!Lori Parrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15327287077480864866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-6495677519378341652014-10-17T20:33:12.509-07:002014-10-17T20:33:12.509-07:00Plus, if you teach the kids *only* formal English,...Plus, if you teach the kids *only* formal English, who's going to make sure they learn the vital social skill of speaking informal English? One time I caught myself about to say "with probability very close to one" to some gaming buddies, but then realized they'd understand me with probability very close to zero.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03639445454370696616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-38706525217489165392014-09-04T00:17:13.179-07:002014-09-04T00:17:13.179-07:00Hello xpat.
'up' and 'with' are bo...Hello xpat.<br />'up' and 'with' are both prepositions. However, 'put up with' is a phrasal verb - it has a meaning which is 'more than the sum of its parts', i.e. the words are not used literally. That means that it's fine to say 'something I shall not put up with'. Your version, 'with which I shall not put up', is also fine. 'Up with which I shall not put' is wrong, though, and was originally said facetiously.Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-5191684354921260322014-09-03T06:36:46.548-07:002014-09-03T06:36:46.548-07:00In a conversation I had with someone the other day...In a conversation I had with someone the other day, this is the subject that came up. (lol)<br /><br />She suggested, and I agree, that this example "up with which I shall not put" isn't in fact a valid example of a misplaced preposition being that the preposition in that phrase is "with" and not "up" and so should be: "It is something with which I shall not put up."xpathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15045766987066225835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-77766405691148059592014-08-13T21:45:48.509-07:002014-08-13T21:45:48.509-07:00Good question. I've checked six leading Englis...Good question. I've checked six leading English learner's dictionaries, and three of them have the apostrophe while three of them don't have the apostrophe which suggests that it's optional. A quick Google search revealed 190,000 instances of the incorrect "Achille's heel", so maybe it's safer to leave the apostrophe off in the long term!Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-82739353584875542772014-08-08T02:42:21.071-07:002014-08-08T02:42:21.071-07:00Speaking of grammar, isn't 'Achilles heel&...Speaking of grammar, isn't 'Achilles heel" written "Achilles' heel", i.e., with a possessive apostrophe?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-57481682920714634092014-07-17T20:22:32.314-07:002014-07-17T20:22:32.314-07:00Hello PalmBayProf
I'd probably say "It is...Hello PalmBayProf<br />I'd probably say "It is the most important decision of our lives", but I think "in our lives" is also fine. I did a Webcorp search (http://www.webcorp.org.uk/live/) and found plenty of examples of both. If I said "in our life" that might refer to one person, (i.e. "in anyone's life") while "in our lives" would definitely refer to more than one person. Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-34875431537899037652014-07-17T20:15:21.207-07:002014-07-17T20:15:21.207-07:00Anonymous
"Kinda" is spoken usage and &q...Anonymous<br />"Kinda" is spoken usage and "Kind of" is written, but as it's an informal way of speaking then I kinda think "kinda" is fine if you're trying to represent it in writing.Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-88550361449403829872014-07-17T20:14:13.744-07:002014-07-17T20:14:13.744-07:00Anonymous:
"They're" is short for &q...Anonymous:<br />"They're" is short for "They are", so that's the right answer. If you're not sure of shortened forms like this, try and work out what the longer form would be. That often helps us to find the answer quickly.Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-78992450684886633842014-07-17T20:12:42.049-07:002014-07-17T20:12:42.049-07:00Sue
I'm really glad you like the site. Another...Sue<br />I'm really glad you like the site. Another site you may like is the Englsh for Uni one, which also contains humorous videos: www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uniJulia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-53094892316038493032014-07-17T20:11:37.847-07:002014-07-17T20:11:37.847-07:00Hello Anon.
OWL is the online writing lab at Purdu...Hello Anon.<br />OWL is the online writing lab at Purdue University, and the possums are in Australia. We do try to answer questions, but our team is a bit depleted at the moment, and we're taking a while to answer questions, as you can see!Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-10270732884919109552014-06-25T09:37:04.774-07:002014-06-25T09:37:04.774-07:00Do you say:
a.) I kinda think this garlic is rott...Do you say:<br /><br />a.) I kinda think this garlic is rotten.<br /><br />OR<br /><br />b.) I kind of think this garlic is rotten.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-61988833745588766182014-06-17T22:49:27.846-07:002014-06-17T22:49:27.846-07:00In the subsequent learning exchanges, a smattering...In the subsequent learning exchanges, a smattering of categories were sufficient. The last one had one-word phrases to complete Malay learning.<br /><br />These include<br /><br />Longest<br />Shortest<br />Largest<br />Big<br />Small<br />Huh<br />Yes<br />No<br />Again<br /><br />xie xie<br />CIkguhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-72383265928784143412014-06-17T22:44:25.108-07:002014-06-17T22:44:25.108-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.CIkguhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-31394147607786604572014-06-05T13:43:44.974-07:002014-06-05T13:43:44.974-07:00I have a question:
Which quotation is correct:
&...I have a question:<br /><br />Which quotation is correct:<br /><br />"I love these cookies!" said Mary,"There so fresh, and gooey!"<br /><br />or<br /><br />"I love these cookies!" said Mary,"they're so fresh and gooey!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-18682154536462890412014-06-05T13:39:05.952-07:002014-06-05T13:39:05.952-07:00This site is awesome! I love it! It is so helpful,...This site is awesome! I love it! It is so helpful, and full of facts, I wish I could find more sites like this!<br /> -SueAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-27896018635917618542014-06-05T13:14:18.407-07:002014-06-05T13:14:18.407-07:00Owl and Possum? Sounds pretty odd, but also pretty...Owl and Possum? Sounds pretty odd, but also pretty cool! So people just answer your questions about grammer here, or what?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-4566858573680563362014-06-03T16:28:25.863-07:002014-06-03T16:28:25.863-07:00Which of these sentences is correct?
It is the m...Which of these sentences is correct? <br /><br />It is the most important decision in our life. <br />It is the most important decision of our life.<br />It is the most important decision of our lives.<br />It is the most important decision in our lives.PalmBayProfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01418707942633632249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-62148838440387340942014-05-30T04:44:44.402-07:002014-05-30T04:44:44.402-07:00That's a good question, and in fact both versi...That's a good question, and in fact both versions are correct:<br /><br />a) You helping us paint will mean a great deal.<br /><br />b) Your helping us paint will mean a great deal.<br /><br />a) could be rewritten as:<br />It means a great deal that you are helping us to paint.<br /><br />The second could be rewritten as:<br />b) Your help in the job of painting means a great deal.<br /><br />In (b) 'helping' is a gerund, which means it is a verb used as a noun, and the word 'your' is a possessive.<br /><br />I'll try and find a good explanation for (a) but I don't have one immediately to hand! Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-84212728698715788562014-05-26T05:30:33.986-07:002014-05-26T05:30:33.986-07:00Which is more correct--you helping us paint will m...Which is more correct--you helping us paint will mean a great deal, or your helping us paint will mean a great deal?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-39757497383028264622014-05-09T17:38:05.924-07:002014-05-09T17:38:05.924-07:00Here is an interesting collection of slang
https...Here is an interesting collection of slang <br /><br />https://sg.news.yahoo.com/16-words-only-true-blue-080000794.html<br /><br />CIkguhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-5762135361586244502014-05-08T19:27:25.377-07:002014-05-08T19:27:25.377-07:00Thanks Barney.
I think we all make mistakes, and i...Thanks Barney.<br />I think we all make mistakes, and it's easier to see other people's mistakes than to spot our own. That's why proofreaders are useful!Julia Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-68600082046142381062014-05-08T06:29:13.253-07:002014-05-08T06:29:13.253-07:00To anyone arguing against the "no coda prepos...To anyone arguing against the "no coda preposition" rule, while it is true that it is an attempt to force Latin grammar on a English, a Germanic language, it should be noted that the rule was successfully implemented. It has become practice that in formal language, English sentences do not end with preposition words. So even though it was not always the case, languages change over time and this is one of those changes, excluding dialects.<br /><br />To address the "up with" in his case, "put up with" is not ending the sentence in a preposition because this is in fact a phrasal verb and the displacement of the constituent words in the verb actually changes the semantic meaning and syntactic roles of its constituents. To do so is malformed English. If you are so adamant that it shouldn't end the sentence, a well formed alternative would be to instead place the NP.OBJ after the V as in typical VP construction: I will not put up with this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-23641025515507907972014-05-04T19:12:44.537-07:002014-05-04T19:12:44.537-07:00Nice blog ma'am. I have seen many senior schoo...Nice blog ma'am. I have seen many senior school students making common grammar mistakes in their essays. Unable to find any solid solution for it. Regards and good luckBarneyhttp://grammare.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-15721474117045726302014-04-18T01:00:29.869-07:002014-04-18T01:00:29.869-07:00The slangs get better with Margaret Cho, the Asian...The slangs get better with Margaret Cho, the Asian American stand-up comedian...when she uses bear, salmon, goldilocks and vegetable in her act.<br /><br />Hilariously smart to say the least...<br /><br />thanksCIkguhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com