Tag Archives: grammar

Rain Activity and Snow Events

Posted on March 1, 2008 by languageandgrammar

While riding the waves of the Internet, I stumbled across a blog entry that matched well with my recent entry about rain and snow (The Plurals are Rain and Snow). In fact, the entry in John McIntyre’s You Don’t Say … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rain Activity and Snow Events

The Plurals Are Rain and Snow

Posted on February 29, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Here’s a look at your snows on your Saturday. We’re looking at wind-driven snows. I hear these kinds of things almost daily from both local and national weather personalities. The plural of rain is rain, and the plural of snow … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, weather | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Reason is Already the Why

Posted on February 28, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I’ve already written about the redundancy of the reason is because, but I’ve noticed that many people are also curious about whether the reason why is correct grammar. Both the reason is because and the reason why have something very … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

It Was Like A Nightmare or Something

Posted on February 27, 2008 by languageandgrammar

When I talk about the need to communicate well, I’m not just talking about the need to use proper grammar rules at all times. It’s more about the need to express thoughts in a way that gives the listener an … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, language, writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Misremembered

Posted on February 25, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Everyone had a good laugh at Roger Clemens when he recently said  (at the congressional hearing about steroid use) that Andy Pettitte had misremembered since we all know that misremembered is obviously not a word. While I agree with those … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language, sports, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Who Versus That

Posted on February 21, 2008 by languageandgrammar

We all know that it’s important to avoid major grammar errors if we want to present ourselves in the best possible light, but it’s often subtle grammar errors that ultimately make the difference. Even when those subtle errors go unnoticed, … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s These, Not These Ones

Posted on February 18, 2008 by languageandgrammar

These ones come from Paris. Those ones come from Australia. Used in this way, these and those are demonstrative pronouns that should never be followed by ones. These already refers to the objects (the ones, the things) that are near, and … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s These, Not These Ones

Ideation and Ideating

Posted on February 16, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I wasn’t paying much attention to the television, but when I heard a guest on an MSNBC broadcast say ideation, it grabbed my attention. The exact quote was There is a lot of ideation out there. I’m not sure of the … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is it Literally or Figuratively?

Posted on February 14, 2008 by languageandgrammar

A news anchor after the congressional hearing on Roger Clemens’ alleged use of steroids, February 13, 2008: You‘ve been watching Roger Clemens, the rocket of baseball, literally in the hot seat. I don’t think so. Literally means that something occurred … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Is it Literally or Figuratively?

And Etc.

Posted on February 11, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I do quite a bit of academic editing of journal articles, proposals, and dissertations, and I find that students and professors of all ages and levels like to use the redundant and etc. Et cetera (etc.) is an abbreviation that … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on And Etc.