Comments for Grammar Monkeys

Comment on Is that really necessary? by Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:04:15 +0000

Re: THAT

I received a fund-raising request from a SCHOOL here in Texas. The wording on the flyer:

“These materials have been sent to you by a student THAT is asking for your help.”

Might we assume THAT the funds are not being spent to educate?

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Comment on National Punctuation Day by Celia

Celia — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:16:34 +0000

Punctuation day blog featuring the interrobang: http://www.bsatworld.com/blogPost/31/National-Punctuation-Day

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Comment on National Punctuation Day by been_around_the_block

been_around_the_block — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:42:14 +0000

Cheers to the panda.

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Comment on Interrobang: Two-for-one punctuation by Rosewood

Rosewood — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:49:35 +0000

It is a shame that the Irony Mark never gained popular usage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_mark

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Comment on Do you feel badly? by cranky copy editor

cranky copy editor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:40:45 +0000

Thanks! I hate the misuse of this word!

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Comment on ‘None is’ or ‘none are’? by John McIntyre

John McIntyre — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:39:07 +0000

Either, depending on context, is acceptable. The etymology of the word, along with the usage of more than five centuries, supports the senses of “not one” (singular) and “not any” (plural). On this descriptivists and informed prescriptivists agree, and bad teaching and bad advice are the only reasons that the superstition that “none” can be used only with a singular verb has survived.

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Comment on ‘Which’ or ‘that’? by Adrienne

Adrienne — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:36:28 +0000

Wow, this is so helpful and straight to the point. Thanks!

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Comment on Our Favorite Books: Garner’s by Lisa McLendon

Lisa McLendon — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:14:35 +0000

Yes, we’re excited about that too. Really excited. (Two of the Eagle’s copy editors were asked to serve on the panel of critical readers for this edition.)

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Comment on Our Favorite Books: Garner’s by rpmason

rpmason — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:58:47 +0000

The Third Edition of GMAU is coming out at the end of August. Mine’s on order.

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Comment on Double negatives are a no-no by Lisa McLendon

Lisa McLendon — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0000

“Ain’t” started as a contraction of “am not” and “are not” (and as such was proper grammar), and so it has always had the apostrophe. The usage has been around for centuries.

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