If you want to brush up or you need to start from scratch, join me for “Grammar in a Nutshell” for the next three weekends — 12 hours, 1.2 CEUs. Good punctuation begins with a working knowledge of English grammar. Check out details at margieholdsclass.com.
That Pesky Participle
A participle is the “-ing” or “-ed” (which might be irregular) form of the verb that is being used as an adjective. Because it comes from a verb, the participle represents an action or a condition. The word the participle modifies is always doing that action or is in that condition. Often the participle comes right in front of the …
Grammar in a Nutshell
The nuts and bolts, bottom line grammar class — just 12 hours over three July weekends — begins this Saturday. Go to margieholdsclass.com for registration details. This is the last grammar class of the year.
“Self” Words
I have had a request to explain pronouns that end in self/selves. This is a category of words called “compound personal pronouns.” They are …myself, ourselves …yourself, yourselves …himself, herself, itself, themselves First, let’s say that there are several mistakes made in the way these words are said. Plural mistakes: …ourselves, not ourself …themselves, not themself or theirself Form mistakes: …
Grammar Class Begins Saturday
I am just checking in about the grammar class, which begins this Saturday at 8:30 A.M. Pacific time: 20 hours, 2 full CEUs — if you cannot be in class live, you can listen to the recording and write a summary and get credits. This is more than just about the CEUs. It is about understanding how the language works. …
Good Grammar (Finally!)
Coming on February 24 is the opening class for the 20 hours of Good Grammar (Finally!). An understanding of grammar — parts of speech, phrases and clauses, how words modify — dramatically improves one’s ability to punctuate with ease. If you know a word is just a simple adverb modifier, you won’t be tempted to put commas around it. If …
Where to Put the Word “Only”?
The word only is very often misplaced in a sentence. Always put it just before the word that it refers to/modifies. …I only have a dollar. 🙁 …I have only a dollar. 🙂 …She only listened to her brother. 🙁 …She listened to only her brother. 🙂 …He only knows where it is. 🙁 …Only he knows where it is. 🙂 …
“The reason is…” Yikes!
Okay. So my cute little happy and unhappy facces came through only as question marks. Sorry about that. Here it is again. Once you say “the reason,” all other words implying the reason are unnecessary. These are always wrong. …The reason why is that she was ill. …The reason is because she is ill. [This one leads the list!] …The …
“The reason is…”
So many people make this mistake. My very favorite Dodgers announcer, Vin Scully, whose English was really excellent, made this error. And he is not alone. I heard it three times yesterday and had the news on for only an hour. Once you say “the reason,” all other words implying the reason are unnecessary. …The reason why is that she …
A Little Grammar to Start Your Day: “Different FROM”
It is different from, never different than. The word than is always used in a comparison: e.g., farther than, better than, less than, more intricate than, older than. There will always be an “er” or the word “more” or “less” with the word than. Since there is no way to get a comparison word in the sentence with different, it …
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