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Anymore / Any more, Anyone / Any one, Everyone / Every one, Everybody / Every body

The same words, written as one word or split into two words, will differ in meaning. So you need to know which word you really want.

Any more: something additional or further
Example: I don’t want any more cake.

Anymore: any longer, nowadays
Example: Harry doesn’t travel anymore.

Anyone: anybody
Example: Anyone can learn to cook but few can learn to cook well.

Any one: any single member of a group of people or things
Example: Can any one of you tell me the answer to my question?

Everyone: everybody
Example: Everyone on the list has contributed to the ASPCA.

Every one: each one
Example: I wish I could buy every one of those puppies.

Everybody: everyone
Example: Everybody is working harder today than ten years ago.

Every body: each body
Example: Every body requires protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Quiz

1. I don’t want to talk about this anymore/any more.
2. I didn’t ask for anymore/any more work to be put on my desk.
3. Not everyone/every one has natural rhythm.
4. However, everyone/every one of us can learn to dance.
5. She doesn’t know anyone/any one in France.
6. He likes everybody/every body that he works with.
7. Anyone/Any one of you can redecorate the office if you would like.
8. Everybody/Every body is made up of bones, muscles, and flesh.

Answers

1. anymore
2. any more
3. everyone
4. every one
5. anyone
6. everybody
7. Any one
8. Every body

Posted on Friday, October 26th, 2007 at 10:18 pm

Plural and Possessive Forms with Names Ending in y

How do you form the plural of a proper noun that ends in y such as Murphy? Should you change the name to Murphies? Given how other English words ending in y form their plurals, you would think so.

Examples:
puppy / puppies
army / armies
supply / supplies

However, proper nouns are not pluralized the same way as common nouns are.

Rule: Do not change the spelling of a name to make it plural. Instead, just add s.

Example: I visited the Murphys last weekend.

Example: We have two Zacharys in our office.

What if you want to show possession with a name that ends in y?

Rule: To show singular possession, use the apostrophe and then the s.

Example: I petted Mrs. Murphy’s cat.

Rule: To show plural possession, make the proper noun plural first, then use the apostrophe.

Example: I petted the Murphys’ cat.

Example: I visited the Murphys’ store on Main Street.

Rule: To show the plural of a name that ends in s, ch, or z, add es.

Examples: The Sanchezes will be over soon. The Thomases moved away.

Quiz

1. I wish I had known the Kennedys/Kennedies/Kennedy’s better.
2. I know three Mary’s/Marys who live in Bangkok.
3. Mary’s/Marys dog is very friendly.
4. If the Kennedies’/Kennedys’/Kennedy’s home comes up for sale, I will buy it.
5. If Mrs. Kennedys’/Kennedy’s home comes up for sale, I will buy it.
6. Are the Church’es/Churches/Churche’s your friends?

Answers

1. Kennedys
2. Marys
3. Mary’s
4. Kennedys’
5. Kennedy’s
6. Churches

Posted on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 at 2:17 pm

Using [sic] Properly

Sic is a Latin term used to indicate that something incorrectly written is intentionally being left as it was in the original. Sic is usually italicized and always surrounded by brackets to indicate that it was not part of the original. Place [sic] right after the error.

Example: She wrote, “They made there [sic] beds.”

Note: The correct sentence should have been, “They made their beds.”

Why use [sic] at all? Why not just make the correction? If you are quoting material, it is generally expected that you will transcribe it exactly as it appeared in the original.

The word sic is also a command to attack (used especially in commanding a dog). The past tense is either sicced or sicked.

Examples: Sic ‘em, Fido. Fido sicced (or sicked) the burglar.

Note: With this meaning, the word is not italicized or enclosed in brackets.

Be careful, however, because the word sick, meaning ill, is also a homonym of sic.

Example: Ananda felt sick with the flu yesterday.

Quiz
Place [sic] where needed.

1. I can lend you no more then ten dollars.
2. Who’s turn is it to speak?
3. I don’t know witch way to turn.
4. How did the weather effect your vacation plans?
5. Don’t you think that every one should attend the meeting?

Answers

1. I can lend you no more then [sic] ten dollars. (than)
2. Who’s [sic] turn is it to speak? (Whose)
3. I don’t know witch [sic] way to turn. (which)
4. How did the weather effect [sic] your vacation plans? (affect)
5. Don’t you think that every one [sic] should attend the meeting? (everyone)

Posted on Sunday, October 7th, 2007 at 11:17 pm

Adjectives and Adverbs: When to use -ly

Do you wonder when to add -ly to a word? For example, should you say, “He speaks slow” or “He speaks slowly.” What about, “He speaks slower than his brother.” Is this correct? Let’s find out.

Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. They may come before the word they describe: “That is a cute puppy.” Adjectives may also follow the word they describe: “That puppy is cute.”

Adverbs modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. If an adverb answers how and can have an -ly attached to it, place it there.

Example: She thinks slow/slowly. Slowly answers how she thinks.

Example: We performed bad/badly. Badly answers how we performed.

Example: She thinks fast/fastly. Even though fast answers how she thinks, there is no such word as fastly.

Rule: When comparing, don’t drop the –ly. Simply add more or less.

Example: Answer the questions more quickly/quicker to win the prize.

Rule: English grammar has one tricky caveat that seems like an exception to these easy rules: If the verb is one of these four senses—taste, smell, look, feel—don’t ask how. Instead, ask if the sense verb is used actively. If so, attach the -ly. If the sense verb is not used actively, which is more common, don’t attach -ly.

Example: Roses smell sweet/sweetly. Do roses actively smell with noses? No, so no -ly.

Example: The woman looked angry/angrily. Is the woman actively looking with eyes? No, only her appearance is being described.

Example: She feels bad/badly about the news. She is not feeling with fingers so no -ly.

Example: She feels bad/badly since burning her fingers.

Pop Quiz

1. I feel bad/badly about telling that secret.
2. Walk slower/more slowly, please.
3. You look sad/sadly about the news.

Answers

1. bad
2. more slowly
3. sad

Posted on Sunday, October 7th, 2007 at 11:09 pm

Parentheses

Parentheses indicate that the writer feels that the material contained within is of less importance or should be deemphasized.

Rule: Use parentheses to enclose words or figures that clarify or are used as an aside.

Example: I expect five hundred dollars ($500).

Example: He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question.

Rule: Use commas, not parentheses, around an interruption to indicate it is of equal importance with the rest of the sentence.

Example: He finally answered, after taking five minutes to think, that he did not understand the question.

Rule: Use Em dashes around an interruption that you wish to emphasize.

Example: He finally answered—after taking five minutes to think—that he did not understand the question.

You really can “hear” the differences in tone just by the choice of punctuation, can’t you?

Rule: Use full parentheses to enclose numbers of listed items in a sentence.

Example: We need an emergency room physician who can (1) think quickly, (2) treat patients respectfully, and (3) handle complaints from the public.

Note: You may also use a period with numbers: (1.) think quickly, (2.) treat…
Just be consistent within your document.

Rule: Periods go inside parentheses if an entire sentence is inside the parentheses.

Examples:
Please read the analysis (I enclosed it as Attachment A.).
OR
Please read the analysis. (I enclosed it as Attachment A.)
OR
Please read the analysis (Attachment A).


Quiz
Place parentheses where needed.

1. She requested actually she pleaded that her name be withheld.
2. This contract guarantees that we will 1 deliver the merchandise and 2 pay for all damaged goods.

Answers

1. She requested (actually she pleaded) that her name be withheld.
2. This contract guarantees that we will (1) deliver the merchandise and (2) pay for all damaged goods.

Posted on Sunday, October 7th, 2007 at 10:59 pm