Archive for January, 2007

Apostrophes with Words Ending in “s”

Friday, January 26th, 2007

While normal people wonder about apostrophes in general, believe it or not, word nerds have heated arguments over whether to use an additional s with singular possession. In this newsletter, you will get the standard, most popular decision among authorities.
Rule: To show singular possession for a word ending in an s or s sound, use [...]

Quotations within Quotations

Friday, January 26th, 2007

Almost all of us have found ourselves confused with double and single quotation marks. When do we use single quotes? Where does the punctuation go with single quotes? With just a few rules and examples, you will feel surer about your decisions.
Rule: Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks when you have a quotation [...]

Capitalization of Job Titles

Thursday, January 25th, 2007

With capitalization of job titles, there are rules and then there is the “rule.” The rules are based on some precedent while the “rule” is based on ego. Let’s go over the rules that have precedent first.
Rule: Capitalize job titles immediately preceding the name when used as part of the name.
Example: We asked Chairperson Leong [...]

Continual vs. Continuous

Thursday, January 25th, 2007

Continual means repeated but with breaks in between; chronic
Example: The continual problem of our car not starting forced us to sell it.
Continuous means without interruption in an unbroken stream of time or space.
Example: The continuous dripping of the faucet drove me crazy.
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“In and of Itself”

Friday, January 19th, 2007

To many people, the phrase “in and of itself” sounds clunky and old fashioned. However, when used sparingly–and correctly–it serves a purpose.
Example: The weather was not, in and of itself, the cause of the traffic delays.
vs.
Example: The weather was not the cause of the traffic delays.
In both sentences, we understand not to blame the weather [...]

Commas before and in a Series

Wednesday, January 17th, 2007

In American English usage, a comma should precede and with three or more items in a series.
Example: I would like to order a salad, a sandwich, and dessert.
Newspapers and magazines do not generally use this rule as print space is too valuable to use on what might be considered extraneous punctuation. However, print publications will [...]

Writing Addresses

Wednesday, January 17th, 2007

If you are writing an address, whether typed or handwritten, on an envelope to be mailed via the post office, do not use any punctuation. Use all CAPS. Center the address on the envelope and use a flush left margin. Put room, suite, and apartment numbers on the same line as the street address.
Example:
[...]

Use of Brackets

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

Brackets are used for a number of purposes:
Use #1: Sometimes, you may wish to clarify or add to an original quote. Put words that are being added to an original quote within brackets.
Example:
Original: She said, “I found their services invaluable.”
Amended: She said, “I found their [IT] services invaluable.”
Always put the changes in brackets, not parentheses. [...]

Effect vs. Affect

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007

Knowing whether to use effect or affect may not qualify you as a genius, but you will be demonstrating an understanding about a grammar issue most people find perplexing. I trust that the strategies offered here will clear up any confusion you have had.
Rule: Use the verb effect when you mean bring about or brought [...]