Pled v. Pleaded & Enormity Defined
Today I will answer a couple of questions I received from radio listeners when I was a guest.
Question: Should you say “pled guilty” or “pleaded guilty”? Answer: Either one is considered correct.
Question: Does “enormity” mean “something monstrous” or “something important”? Answer: Both
Enormity
Definition: something outrageous or heinous, as an offense.
Example: The bombing of the defenseless population was an enormity beyond belief.
Definition: greatness of size, scope, extent, or influence; immensity.
Example: The enormity of such an act of generosity is staggering.
May 9, 2010 at 9:32 am
I cannot find rules for the following:
Is it proper to say Texas weather vs Texas’ weather? Can you say teacher perceptions vs teachers’ perceptions?
Where does anthropomorphism end? You cannot say the study thinks but can you say the study analyzes?
Where are the rules regarding these grammar questions?
May 9, 2010 at 10:06 am
“Yes” to all your questions. These words can be used as adjectives (without apostrophes) or as possessive pronouns (with apostrophes).
You are right about the extent of anthropomorphism (the attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena). A study cannot think but it’s reasonable to say that a study analyzes. I don’t think you will find rigid rules about this because it is a “common sense” decision.
June 15, 2010 at 8:59 pm
which is correct?
“more important”
or
“more importantly” I constantly hear “importantly” on t.v. ??? Thanks.
June 16, 2010 at 11:38 am
The Chicago Manual of Style Q&A says this: …both forms are widely used by reputable writers, and there is no obvious reason for preferring one or the other.
June 16, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Thank you very much. However, I would have put my money on “most important”. I helps me to insert into a sentence, such as “The fact is most important.” To me, it’s the place for the adjetive.
(As they would say on facebook.)
Wow, getting the respose is really something. As you might have noticed, I’m not great on where to put the period in relation to the quotation mark.
June 18, 2010 at 10:01 am
You would do well to put your money on, “The fact is most important.” In this sentence, important is an adjective describing the noun fact. When beginning a sentence with “Most important/most importantly,” it is less clear what important/importantly refers to; therefore, either word is considered correct.
June 27, 2010 at 6:04 am
“That is between Maxene and I.” What is wrong with this sentence?
June 27, 2010 at 11:28 am
The word “between” is a preposition requiring an object of the preposition (objective case) following it. “Me” is the objective case pronoun, not “I.”
July 22, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Which is correct–
I feel badly about the incident.
or
I feel bad about the incident.
July 23, 2010 at 10:22 am
“I feel bad about the incident.” With sense verbs, ask if the sense is being used actively. In this example, feel is not being used actively because no one is feeling with fingers. Therefore, an adjective follows, not an adverb.