Zombie Grammar Rules

1. According to Rebecca Johnson: "If you can insert "by zombies" after the verb, you have passive voice."

2. "What are zombie grammar rules? They are misconceptions about the English language that, for whatever reason, refuse to die. ... Don’t be a zombie! Consult your dictionaries and style and usage guides (preferably ones from this century). And the next time you encounter one of these nonsensical rules, get out your metaphorical literary hatchet, baseball bat, or what have you, and strike down these myths until they’re dead instead of undead" (lernerbooks.blogspot.com).

3. Arnold Zwicky, a linguist, in 2009 developed Zombie rules. "A proscription that has died in practice but continues to lumber about in odd corners of usage advice.”

4. "... zombie rules: Though dead, they shamble mindlessly on. The worst thing about zombie rules, I believe, is not the pomposity of those advocating them, or the time-wasting character of the associated gotcha games, but the way they actually make people’s writing worse. They promote insecurity, and nervous people worrying about their language write worse than relaxed people enjoying their language" (chronicle.com).


...

I think #4 is my favorite.

Bottom line: RELAX. Enjoy writing.

Years

How old are you?
I am nineteen years old.

A 19-year-old writer? Wow!

:)

Yup, here we go again. Do you know the correct way to hyphenate (or not) and spell out (or not) an age in a sentence?

Here's the quickest tip I found while researching:

From Grammar Girl ...

Many people get confused about when to use hyphens when writing ages. Here's a Quick and Dirty Tip that will help: When the age is an adjective that comes before the noun and modifies the noun, or when the age is a noun, hyphenate.

• My eight-year-old neighbor wrote a poem about commas for National Grammar Day.

• That 70-year-old with the purple hoodie loves Justin Bieber.

When the age is part of an adjective phrase after the noun, don't hyphenate.

• Charlie Sheen is 45 years old

• His twin sons are nearly two years old.

...

Any questions?

Xceptions to Grammar Rules

Yes, there are eXceptions to just about any rule ever made ... probably. :) I've been typing a lot about grammar rules this week. Your turn.

What's your favorite grammar rule EXCEPTION?

List it below in the comments, and I will give away a prize to a random winner. Yes, list more than one exception, get entered into the drawing for each entry.

What's the prize?

Actually, there's no prize.

Let's just play for fun. Come on. You can do it.

List your favorite exception to a grammar rule.

WELL versus GOOD

How are you?
I'm good.

How are you feeling? Have you gotten over the flu?
Yes, I'm well.

How does that steak taste?
Mmm, it tastes well.
Oh, did they overcook it?
No, it tastes good.

How does that rose smell?
It smells good.

...

Do you know when to use the word WELL versus the word GOOD? Are you sure?

The basic rules:
Good is an adjective. Use it to describe nouns.
Well is an adverb. Use it to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Except:
** When describing senses like taste and smell, it is more common and acceptable to use GOOD instead of well (see examples above). It makes more sense to say the steak tastes good. Saying it tastes well leads to confusion.

** And when someone asks you how you are feeling either during an illness or after an illness, it is acceptable to say "I am well." It indicates how you are feeling (a verb).

Of course, there are a million more details to the topic, but this covers the basics.

Good luck with your writing; I hope it goes well.

:)

Vulgarisms

Seriously.
What is a vulgarism and how does it relate to grammar?


According to merriam-webster.com:
A vulgarism is "... a word or expression originated or used chiefly by illiterate persons."

:-)

Okay.


Strunk & White think vulgarisms include wrong word choices:
Wrong: small, home-type hotels
Right: small, homelike hotels
(THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, p. 62).


Punctuation can also be used in error and result in a vulgarism:
"Question marks . . . have their own vulgarism, an attempt to attribute sarcasm to a word by putting a query in brackets after it: 'We attended a really cultured (?) dinner-party last night, at which the other guests could talk of nothing but film stars and football pools.' This habit should be strangled at birth. . . .

"There is, however, one other misuse of the question mark that deserves more serious comment, namely its intrusion in indirect questions, such as:

He asked me why I was so silent?

This is definitely wrong. The original question mark of 'Why are you so silent?' must give way to a full-stop [period] when the question is converted by 'He asked me' into its indirect form, for the sentence as a whole has now become a statement."
(C.V. Carey, Mind the Stop. Pelican Books, 1971)


...

So, really, any grammar error would be like fingernails on a chalkboard to an astute person of grammatical expertise (not me, by the way).

A vulgarism.


Does making an word choice error, punctuation error, or grammar error designate you as an illiterate person?

Underlining

Back in the stone ages (or merely before the personal computer), underlining served as a useful tool to emphasize words and to indicate titles. As word processors have simplified the writing process many people now italicize a word instead of underlining it.

Is there any difference between underlining and italicizing?

According to grammar.ccc.commnet.edu:
"We use italics (characters set in type that slants to the right) and underlining to distinguish certain words from others within the text. These typographical devices mean the same thing; therefore, it would be unusual to use both within the same text and it would certainly be unwise to italicize an underlined word."


According to grammarbook.com:
"The Chicago Manual of Style says: When quoted in text or listed in a bibliography, titles of books, journals, plays, and other freestanding works are italicized; titles of articles, chapters, and other shorter works are set in roman and enclosed in quotation marks.

"Example: That Time magazine article, “Your Brain on Drugs,” was fascinating.
Note that the word “magazine” was not italicized because that is not part of the actual name of the publication.

"Newspapers, which follow The Associated Press Stylebook, have their own sets of rules because italics cannot be sent through AP computers."

...

There you have it.
And remember: Never underline and italicize at the same time.


How about you?
Do you prefer to underline or italicize?

That or Which

(originally posted 2/22/13)
...


Yup, I'm still knee deep in revisions ... okay ... I'm actually up to my ears in revisions. How's that for a couple of cliches? haha.

But this post is NOT about cliches. It is about grammar.

When do you use the word THAT, and when do you use the word WHICH? Does it matter? While revising, I recalled that a middle-school teacher told us to write a paper that did NOT include the word THAT. (Yes, I intentionally used that word that many times in that sentence.) Because often times, we throw THAT into a sentence where it is not needed, simply because we use the word so much in everyday dialogue.

So I had the bright idea to highlight all of the THATs in my manuscript. I wanted to eliminate all of the unnecessary ones, but as I was revising, I started to wonder if some of those THATs should actually be replaced with the word WHICH.

CONFUSING!

...

Here's what I found:

The simplest explanation came from: OxfordDictionaries.com

I bought a new dress, which I will be wearing to Jo's party. [non-restrictive]
I was wearing the dress that I bought to wear to Jo's party. [restrictive]


The best explanation came from: Grammar Girl

Restrictive Clause--That

A restrictive clause is just part of a sentence that you can't get rid of because it specifically restricts some other part of the sentence. Here's an example:

• Gems that sparkle often elicit forgiveness.

The words that sparkle restrict the kind of gems you're talking about. Without them, the meaning of the sentence would change. Without them, you'd be saying that all gems elicit forgiveness, not just the gems that sparkle. (And note that you don't need commas around the words that sparkle.)

Nonrestrictive Clause--Which

A nonrestrictive clause is something that can be left off without changing the meaning of the sentence. You can think of a nonrestrictive clause as simply additional information. Here's an example:

• Diamonds, which are expensive, often elicit forgiveness.

And the best tip came from: Writing Forward

The Easy Way to Remember the Difference Between That and Which

I Needed That

If you need the clause to maintain a sentence’s meaning, then use that. A quick trick for remembering this grammar rule is the phrase “I needed that.”
Which?
Because which is also an interrogative pronoun used to mark questions, it is questionable. You can take it or leave it. It’s not necessary. Think of the word which with a question mark (which?) to remind yourself that if the clause’s presence is questionable and can be removed, then you should use the word which to introduce the clause.

...

Of course, each website referenced above contains much more detail than what I've shared here. Check them and learn more than you ever wanted about these two words! Then go back to your manuscript and highlight them all and double check your usage!

Are there any grammar issues you're struggling with?

Split Infinitives

A split infinitive is when an adverb or adverbial phrase is placed between the word to and its companion verb.

Most common example of breaking this rule comes from Star Trek: "To boldy go where no man has gone before."

Sometimes the meaning or emphasis can change when the split infinitive is fixed. For example:

You have to really monitor the gauge on the pressure valve.
You really have to monitor the gauge on the pressure valve.

Where's the emphasis placed in each sentence? In the first example, the importance is monitoring the gauge. In the second example, it would seem only you can handle the job.

Researching this topic, I discovered there is quite a bit of controversy regarding split infinitives. Some people say you should NEVER break this rule, while others say its an archaic rule based on Latin structure and isn't always applicable to current day usage in the English language.

What you think?

Reflexive Pronouns

Simple tips borrowed from: www.grammarbook.com


Reflexive pronouns - myself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, ourselves, yourself, yourselves- should be used only when they refer back to another word in the sentence.

Correct:
I worked myself to the bone.

Incorrect:
My brother and myself did it.
The word myself does not refer back to another word.
Correct:
My brother and I did it.

Incorrect:
Please give it to John or myself.
Correct:
Please give it to John or me.



Are there any remaining grammar rules that still confuse you? What? Split Infinitives? I guess you'll need to come back on Monday! :)

Questions About Quotations?

Do you have questions about quotation marks? Or do you think they're a piece of cake?

Here are the simple rules:
1. Commas and periods go inside the quotation marks. (U.S. rules; U.K. rules differ)
2. Colons and semicolons go outside the quotation marks.
3. Question marks and exclamation marks can go on the inside or the outside, depending upon the meaning of the sentence.


Examples:

1.      "Grammar rules are extensive," she said, "but they seem to be necessary."

2.      "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening": A beautiful poem of wintertime.
         I love "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"; it is my favorite poem by Robert Frost.

3.      I love "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"!
         She said, "I love stopping in the woods on a snowy evening!"
         Have you read "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"?
         "Have you ever stopped in the woods on a snowy evening?" she asked.


Did that answer all of your questions about quotation marks? :)

Prepositions

(originally posted March 2012) ...



I was taught in high school (a gazillion years ago) to never end a sentence with a preposition. Okay. It requires effort, but it is very possible. Nonetheless, best-selling authors leaving those little critters at the end of sentences all the time.

Then I read Strunk & White (I know ... I quote their advice like it's the Bible):

"Years ago, students were warned not to end a sentence with a preposition; time, of course, has softened that rigid decree. Not only is the proposition acceptable at the end, sometimes it is more effective in that spot than anywhere else" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, pp.77-78).

What do you think?
Do you even care where writers place their prepositions?
Or do you just want to read a great plot?

Oxford Comma

 

Yes, yes. I know I posted this picture just last month, and yes, I know I already covered the topic of commas, but after yesterday's hard grammar tip I thought we could use a funny one today.

Enjoy:

 

 

 

Mmm. Hmm.

That's right.

Not Only, But Also

Hmm. I learned a few things while researching today's grammar post. I honestly thought I knew how to properly use the words: not only, but also. Now ... well ... I am smarter than I was yesterday.


First, from Strunk & White:

"Correlative expressions (both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first, second, third; and the like) should be followed by the same grammatical construction" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, p.27).

For example:
Wrong: A day not only for sorrow but also joy.
Right: A day not only for sorrow but also for joy.


Second, from The Grammar Girl:

When not only is followed by but also ... it's considered good form to make sure the parts that follow each set of words are formatted the same way.

• He is not only a great swimmer, but also a great musician. (Good: the sentence uses two noun clauses, which are underlined.)

• He is not only a great swimmer, but also plays amazing music. (Bad: the sentence uses a noun clause and a verb clause. It's bad because they don't match.)

You could make the second example better by rewriting it with two verb clauses:

• He not only swims with ease, but also plays amazing music.

 

Third, from Grammarly Handbook:

Not only… but also can be a difficult correlative conjunction to work with because of the extra words and their placement in the sentence. Just remember to use two verbs that make chronological sense, two adjectives, or two nouns.

[wrong] He’s not only funny, but also he’s intelligent.

When using a correlative conjunction, both clauses have to be parallel.

[right] He's not only funny but also intelligent.

...

[wrong] Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but also Greece for a couple of weeks.

Because the subject is after not only, there also needs to be a subject after but also.

[right] Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but he’s also going to Greece for a couple of weeks.

...
...
...

 

 

 

 

 

Hang in there. Together, we'll not only improve our grammar but also strengthen our resolve.

Go ahead. Give it a try. Write your best "not only, but also" sentence in the comments! :)

ME or I ?

Does it ever frustrate you when popular song lyrics are grammatically incorrect? There are several songs out there that misuse "you and I" ... *sigh*

Here are the basic rules:
* When used as the subject of a sentence, I is the correct pronoun.
* When used as the object of a verb or preposition, me is the correct pronoun.

It gets tricky when you use a compound subject or object, but the rule is the same. If it is a compound subject, use I. If it is a compound object, use me.

For example, here are some correct sentences:
I love my children. (subject of sentence)
My children love me. (object of verb)
My husband and I love our children. (compound subject)
Our children love my husand and me. (compound object)

For more information on the topic check out these popular websites:
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/between-you-and-me.aspx (but keep in mind, this blog post was written in 2007 BEFORE the Lady Gaga song titled "You and I" - - - the song this blogger references is NOT the Lady Gaga song)
http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/words/i-or-me

Can you think of any popular songs that violate grammar rules? Share!

LAY or LIE ??

(taken from original posting in March 2013)

...


LAY OR LIE?

After scavenging through many websites, I found a very concise explanation from Purdue.edu -

"Lay" is a verb meaning to put or place something somewhere.It takes a direct object. Its principal parts are "lay," "laid," "laid," and "laying."

Examples: Every day I lay the book on the table. Yesterday I laid the book on the table. I have laid the book on the table many times.I am laying the book on the table right now.

In all these examples, the verb is a form of the word "lay," and the direct object is "book."

"Lie" is, in this context, a verb meaning to recline. It does not take an object. Its principal parts are "lie," "lay," "lain," and "lying."

Examples: Every night I lie down. I lay down last night. I have lain down many times. I am lying down right now.

If you're in doubt about whether to use "lay" or "lie," try substituting a form of the verb "place." If it makes sense, use a form of "lay."

I KIND OF like you ...

"Kind of. Except in familiar style, not to be used as a substitute for rather or something like. Restrict it to its literal sense: 'Amber is a kind of fossil resin'; 'I dislike that kind of publicity.'" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, p.51)

Just Joking - There Are No Rules!

Do you write good?

Then here are some rules you might enjoy. This list is all over the internet with no obvious original source. I borrowed this exact list from: www.creativeteachingsite.com

1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
2. Never use a preposition to end a sentence with. Winston Churchill, corrected on this error once, responded to the young man who corrected him by saying "Young man, that is the kind of impudence up with which I will not put!
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies endlessly over and over again.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't always necessary and shouldn't be used to excess so don't.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not always apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous and can be excessive.
14. All generalizations are bad.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Avoid excessive use of ampersands & abbrevs., etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake (Unless they are as good as gold).
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words, however, should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when substituting a diminutive one would suffice.
23. Don't overuse exclamation points!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed and use it correctly with words' that show possession.
27. Don't use too many quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a billion times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly. Besides, hyperbole is always overdone, anyway.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions? However, what if there were no rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. Avoid "buzz-words"; such integrated transitional scenarios complicate simplistic matters.
35. People don't spell "a lot" correctly alot of the time.
36. Each person should use their possessive pronouns correctly.
37. All grammar and spelling rules have exceptions (with a few exceptions)....Morgan's Law.
38. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
39. The dash - a sometimes useful punctuation mark - can often be overused - even though it's a helpful tool some of the time.
40. Proofread carefully to make sure you don't repeat repeat any words.
41. In writing, it's important to remember that dangling sentences.

Italics = Insecure Writing

Italics ... are they the kiss of death? Sometimes I think they look so pretty, but other times (especially when reading a book late at night) my eyes groan (yes - that's right) because italics are harder to read for an extended period of time.

Even if the writer only uses italics for one word in the sentence, it still makes me squint. Because I pause and question if I would have been smart enough to know that ONE word was important without the writer telling me so.

From SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS:
"Then there are the stylistic devices that make a writer look insecure, the most notable offenders being exclamation points and italics. ... frequent italics are the typographical equivalent of an elbow in the ribs and a frantic, "Did you get it? Did you?" (page 200)

Do you use italics in your writing? When do you think they're necessary?

Hyperbole: Extreme Exaggeration

(originally posted in 2011)

...


Warning: PET LOVERS ... don't be offended by the following words ... it's just a hyperbole! :)

My dog is so ugly, he only has cats as friends.

Come on ... did it make you smile, just a little?!

Yes, it did.

First, I just like saying and thinking the word: hyperbole. I feel smarter just for knowing how to pronounce it.

Second, these can be so stinkin' funny ... but I have to admit, sometimes I have to scrunch my eyebrows before I fully understand certain ones.

According to YourDictionary.com:
"A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used to make a point. They would not be used in nonfiction works, like medical journals or research papers, but are perfect for fictional works, especially to add color to a character or humor to the story. Hyperboles are comparisons, like similes and metaphors, but are extravagant and even ridiculous."


Consider the following examples from Worsleyschool.net:
"My sister wears so much make-up, she leaves a color trail behind her when she walks," Grant K.
"My teacher is so old, she taught cave men how to start a fire," Aaron H.
"Saskatchewan is so flat, you can see your dog run away for 4 days!" Jenna.

HOWEVER, you must be careful when using hyperbole to avoid the dreaded cliches. When using a cliche, your hyperbole is dead on arrival and hinders rather than helps your writing.

Avoid the following over-used examples:
•I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
•I have a million things to do.
•I had a ton of homework.
•He is as skinny as a toothpick.
•We are so poor; we don’t have two cents to rub together.
•You could have knocked me over with a feather.
•Her brain is the size of a pea.
•He is older than the hills.



Do you employ an occasional hyperbole in your writing? Do you have a favorite?

GRAMMAR makes you stammer?

What exactly is grammar?

According to Merriam-Webster:

"Rules of a language governing its phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics; also, a written summary of such rules. The first Europeans to write grammar texts were the Greeks, notably the Alexandrians of the lst century BC. The Romans applied the Greek grammatical system to Latin. The works of the Latin grammarians Donatus (4th century AD) and Priscian (6th century) were widely used to teach grammar in medieval Europe. By 1700, grammars of 61 vernacular languages had been printed. These were mainly used for teaching and were intended to reform or standardize language. In the 19th–20th centuries linguists began studying languages to trace their evolution rather than to prescribe correct usage. Descriptive linguists (see Ferdinand de Saussure) studied spoken language by collecting and analyzing sample sentences. Transformational grammarians (see Noam Chomsky) examined the underlying structure of language (see generative grammar). The older approach to grammar as a body of rules needed to speak and write correctly is still the basis of primary and secondary language education."

 

Okay.

 

So, I guess that includes punctuation and word choice. Right? ;-)

 

When should you NOT worry about grammar rules?

 

During the writing of your first draft.

 

If you obsess over little details during the first draft phase, you may never finish it. During revisions you can clean up grammar mistakes, make better word choices, and polish your punctuation.

 

And because it's important to know, here's a list of words that rhyme with grammar (also from the Merriam-Webster link above):

 

clamber, crammer, glamour, hammer, jammer, lamber, rammer, scammer, shammer, slammer, spammer, stammer, yammer

 

Please, while I know you're not a spammer and because you don't stammer, go yammer about grammar with your hammer and your glamour.

 

 What's your favorite (or least favorite) grammar rule? :)

 

Figures of Speech

Figures of Speech - like metaphors - can be useful in your writing, but not when they pull you out of the story. A main goal in fiction writing is to suspend all disbelief. So ... if your beautiful metaphor comes in the middle of scene with forward momentum, the reader might stop and notice the wires controlling the puppets. Don't give the reader any reason to stop reading your story!

"Yet just when it's most important that we focus on events, we're pulled aside to notice the writer's poetic turn of mind. And like exclamation points or italics, phrases that call attention to themselves rather than to what's being said make it obvious that you're working hard for your effects" (SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS, p. 204).

What's your favorite figure of speech? And when do you think is the best time to utilize it in your writing?

EXCLAMATION POINT ! ! ! ! !

IS THERE EVER AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT IN YOUR WRITING TO USE EXCLAMATION POINTS?!!!!!

Not if it's written well.

If you feel the need to use an exclamation point in your writing, revisit your word choices.

"If you pick the right words and shorten your sentence structure at the desired moment, your emphasis will come across without exclamation points" (WRITING YA FICTION FOR DUMMIES, p. 172).

Challenge yourself to not use the exclamation point. Rethink and revise instead.

Do you agree or disagree?

The DASH

(Originally posted in 2011)

...


"A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses" (The Elements of Style, pg 9).

Any questions?

No? ... Glad I could clear that up for you. Back to blog hopping!

Use a freaking COMMA!

Normally, the first Wednesday of the month is reserved for the IWSG post, but today it will share space with the A to Z Grammar Rules. :) Seriously, what insecure writer amongst us could not use a little grammar pep talk? Well, today is more of a lecture. So if you're feeling tender hearted, maybe skip my post today. Happy April, everyone. :)

 

 

 

(Originally posted in 2011)

...

Here's my tiny pet peeve (when not used):

"Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, page 5).

For example: "The early records of the city have disappeared, and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. The situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, page 5).

More explanation: "Two-part sentences of which the second member is introduced by as (in the sense of "because"), for, or, nor or while (in the sense of "and at the same time") likewise require a comma before the conjunction" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, page 5).

Tell the truth. What's your grammar pet peave?

Or are you just an all around happy person, and nothing ever bothers you?

A to Z Challenge: ARLEE BIRD

It's time for the annual A to Z Challenge! Are you ready for it?

A is for: ARLEE BIRD, who founded this crazy, fun challenge.
CLICK HERE for fun photos and more info about ARLEE.

Here's a quick description of what the challenge is about:

"Most of you are probably familiar with Sue Grafton and her best selling series of detective novels known as the "Alphabet Series" that started in 1982 with "A" Is For Alibi up to her most recent "V" Is For Vengeance". She has made a franchise with the series and there have been other authors who have taken similar approaches. This Blogging From A to Z Challenge will be in the same vein."

CLICK HERE for more info about the A to Z Challenge.

Are you participating? Do you have a "theme" for the month?