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Grammar Friday

April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Today’s two grammar tips:

  • “Neither” and “either” both take singular verbs. For example: Neither of them has arrived. Either of them is acceptable.
  • Set off state names (after cities) and years (after dates) with commas. I was in New York, New York, on Sept. 12, 2001, one day after the World Trade Center bombing.

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Grammar Friday

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Today’s two grammar tips:

  • Eliminate unnecessary words. Mark Twain said it best: “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it, and the writing will be just as it should be.”
  • You don’t wile away time. You while it away. (It takes a while to do so, right?)

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Grammar Friday

April 6, 2012 By 2 Comments

Today’s two grammar tips:

  • People often use the word “since” to mean “because.” For example, someone might say, “He gave me part of his hamburger since he couldn’t eat it all.” In fact, “since” is a preposition of time that indicates the beginning point of an action, as in “I’ve been going to baseball Cardinal games since I was a boy.” On the other hand, “because” introduces the idea of cause or reason for an action: “He gave me part of his hamburger because he couldn’t eat it all.”
  • Don’t use a comma to connect two independent clauses. This is incorrect: “I want to see George Clooney’s new movie, he’s my favorite actor.” Here are some correct alternatives: “I want to see George Clooney’s new movie. He’s my favorite actor.” “I want to see George Clooney’s new movie; he’s my favorite actor.” “I want to see George Clooney’s new movie because he’s my favorite actor.”

 

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