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Pam Nelson: The Grammar Guide

 

Archive for November 2007

Number of comments in parentheses

30: A copy editor’s hero

Today’s New York Times carries the obituary of Evan Jenkins, a longtime editor at the Times and the author of Language Corner at the Columbia Journalism Review. The Times calls him “an authority on the linguistic bugbears … that keep reporters, editors and many others awake at night.” (A “bugbear” is an imaginary creature who might scare children. I guess that’s an apt word for the fear of confusing “that” and “which.”) Jenkins wrote about language and grammar issues in the Language Corner for more than 10 years. He wrote about misused words and mangled syntax. His last post[.....]

29: Those holiday cliches

An editor recently sent around a note in our office reminding writers and editors to avoid certain cliches that appear in copy and headlines during the holiday season. The list comes from John McIntyre of the Baltimore Sun. Among the offending cliches are: ‘Tis the season’Twas the night before ChristmasThe Grinch steals …The Ghost of Christmas Past (and any other image from Dickens)Yes, Virginia It’s true that journalists — in print, online and, it seems to me, especially in broadcast — fall back on familiar phrases at this time of year. And it’s true that those phrases have become[.....]

18: Changing usage: Fun as an adjective

A reader sent this note: On page 5C of the Monday, October 30, 2007 N&O, under “FINALS”, the blurb begins “How fun would it be….”. I’m wondering who could have written this. I’m under the impression that whoever writes for a newspaper is a professional communicator and should really know basic English. The word “fun” is a noun, and only a noun, yet it is used here as if it were an adjective. It’s comparable to writing “how house” or “how table”. One cannot write “how fun”, “so fun”, “very fun” and so forth. Probably the word “much” should[.....]

6: Grammar Guide: A rule on forming plurals

A headline that was briefly displayed on CNN.com illustrates the violation of a rule on forming plurals. To form the plural of a noun that ends in y preceded by a vowel, add an s. So journey becomes journeys. To form the plural of a noun that ends in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and add es. So copy becomes copies. This article was originally posted by the Raleigh News & Observer, a subsidiary of The McClatchy Co.; is posted here to provide continuity; and is copyright © 2011 The News & Observer Publishing[.....]

4: Take a Triangle Grammar Guide quiz

A colleague told me my last quiz was too easy. He said some of the quizzes I have done for my staff sessions have been much tougher. Today I decided to draw on those for the blog quiz. Unlike the sentences in the usual blog quizzes, which I draw from real examples in my editing or in print, these sentences are entirely made up. That makes illustrating problems much easier!Today’s quiz comprises 10 sentences, all having to do with verb choice. I hope it proves challenging and helpful.Click here or on the question mark icon to begin. This article[.....]