Elements of Style: Grammar Errata and Other Resources

[Speedystokesgirl]

Hey y'all. I have a quick question. Does anyone have a good link for an online dictionary? I recently started writing and English is not my native language. I still have to look up some things, but several online dictionaries give me the wierdest translations :alienblush:

Thanks in advance.

I use www.m-w.com

Merriam-Webster dictionary.

I don't if you're looking for a dictionary that translate and I don't know what your native language is, but you can check it out to see if it will help.

There should be a grammar section for numbers. Ex. You should use first instead of 1st. You should write out numbers. Ex. "Let's meet at three." instead of "Let's meet a 3."

It's been a few years since I was in an English class, but wasn't there a rule like any number up to one hundred should be written out and any number after a hundred could be written as a number (ex: 101)? Or do I have that slightly off? Like I said, it's been a few years and my memory isn't that great, but it seems as if I remember something like that. :lol:

Ok, this is from last September, but I just wanted to comment. The rule is any number below 10 (single digit number) is suppose to be spelled out and anything 10 and over can be put as the actual number. The above example is correct. However, if you use a numeral within a paragragh, then you use numerals for all numbers, including single digit numbers.

Here's a good grammar site that might help It has rules for lots of things!

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

Thanks. English was always my best subject in school, but like I said it's been a few years and I forget things. :lol:

 

[Speedystokesgirl]

Thanks. English was always my best subject in school, but like I said it's been a few years and I forget things. :lol:

You forgot things, boy don't get me started.

Personally, I think grammar should be a requirement to graduate high school and college.

Geesh, I couldn't tell you the grammar rules to save my life. :lol:

 

[myfuturecsi]

Thanks. English was always my best subject in school, but like I said it's been a few years and I forget things. :lol:

You forgot things, boy don't get me started.

Personally, I think grammar should be a requirement to graduate high school and college.

Geesh, I couldn't tell you the grammar rules to save my life. :lol:

Neither can I:lol: which is why I have one to 2 Betas when I write. I have problems with attention span.

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

the thing that trips me up is the whole i before e except after c thing because there are some exceptions to that. I get a little confuzzled on that sometimes.

 

[Franzeska]

Ok, I realize I'm months late to be responding to stuff, but I can't resist.

i before e: There's actually more to that mnemonic. The full version is often given as: I before E, except after C and when sounding like A as in 'neighbor' and 'weigh'. There are still exceptions, but that version is much better.

affect/effect: This is confusing because both of them can be either a noun or a verb. Sorry, but that English professor was just plain wrong (or more likely, simplifying to make things less confusing). The difference is that the two verbs and the two nouns mean different things.

to affect: This is the normal word. It means to have an impact on something else, to cause a change in something else, etc.

to effect: This is most commonly seen in "to effect a change" or "to effect change". It means to accomplish something or bring something about. You're still causing a change, but this time you're doing it on purpose and with a particular result in mind.

If you "affect a change", you cause the change to be different than it would have been (the change would still have happened without you, and you may not have meant to do anything). If you "effect a change", you cause a change that you desire to actually happen (no change would have happened without you, and your action was intentional).

an effect: This is the normal word. It's used in terms like 'special effects' and all the normal circumstances you're thinking of.

an affect: Your "affect" is your emotional state/response to something. It has a similar meaning to 'demeanor' and 'mien'. It's used in psychology jargon and formal writing.

All four of these words exist! It's just that they're different words that are appropriate in different contexts.

Online dictionaries: I like www.dictionary.com. It uses the M-W dictionary but also others.

Online language resources: I like Word Reference (www.wordreference.com), which has forums and dictionaries in multiple languages. You can ask questions about English in the English Only forum or in one of the English/some other language forums.

 

[Flack-Angell]

One thing I HATE, is when they write notes to each other and they use x-es and o's . :scream:
EXAMPLE:

Hi Lindsay. I'm gonna be late for dinner tonight, something came up with our case. xoxoxo Danny.

it would be more natural with:

Hi Stella. Do I still owe you a drink? In that case, meet me at Sullivans 9.00 p.m. Hawkes

I seriously doubt that they use xoxoxo. It's not Gossip Girl y'know.

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

A couple of words I've noticed people using incorrectly... One is that people use except instead of accept. These two sound a lot alike just as "effect" and "affect" do. But here's the difference:

Accept - To agree to something. examples: "I accept your apology", "They will accept us into their group".

Except - With the exclusion of. Examples: "Lora would love to go to Hawaii except she doesn't like to fly".


The other one is "liar" and "lyre".

Lyre = a musical instrument, similar to a harp.

Liar = someone who tells lies.

 

[daisymay]

I admire anyone who can write in a language that is not their native language. I certainly couldn't. Just as a 'by the way' - we've had a little discussion about the differences between American English and English English. It's in 'Miscellaneous', but I think I should have started it here.

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

Another one:

Principal and Principle. Two different words with different meanings.

Principal - The head of a school. "Mr. Mason is our new principal".

Principle - Similar to morals. "I will not lie to my patient, my principles won't allow it".

 

[Smokey]

Another one:

Principal and Principle. Two different words with different meanings.

Principal - The head of a school. "Mr. Mason is our new principal".

Principle - Similar to morals. "I will not lie to my patient, my principles won't allow it".

:lol: My English teacher in high school used to tell us to remember, "The princiPAL is your PAL."

Here's one from me....I hate it when people say, "Try and..." as in, "I'm going to try and go to the party." :scream: It's TO...you're going to try TO go to the party.

 

[Speedystokesgirl]

:lol: My English teacher in high school used to tell us to remember, "The princiPAL is your PAL."

Here's one from me....I hate it when people say, "Try and..." as in, "I'm going to try and go to the party." :scream: It's TO...you're going to try TO go to the party.

We we're taught the same thing :lol: The prinicipal is your pal.

One's I've seen is dual and duel.

Dual = two
Duel = fight

Of course, there's: there, their, and they're

it's and its can trip me up :lol: It's the whole 's (apostrophe S) shows possession, but not in this case. Its is the posession form and not it's (which is 'it is). :lol:

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

Yeah, I've heard the principal is your pal thing before too lol.

This one has probably been mentioned before, but I think it bears repeating.

When people put "your" when it should be "you're", it drives me nuts. Doing it once is a typo, but doing it several times within one story/chapter means it is being used incorrectly.

Your - Let's go to your house.

You're = you are - I think you're an awesome artist.

 

[daisymay]

I've got one of my 'American English' v. 'English English' queries again. I try to write in a neutral manner in this regard, but sometimes hit a phrase that makes me think 'Is that only used in England?' So... this time it's 'wrapping someone in cotton-wool' - meaning almost smothering them with care. Do you use that in the US? If not, what can I use?

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

I've personally never heard that phrase before, Daisy... but that doesn't mean it isn't said somewhere in the US.

Something else I came across while reading fanfics: Using an "s" instead of a "z". For example, people using "realise" instead of "realize", monopolising instead of monopolizing, etc. Is using the "s" instead of "z" a way its spelled in other countries (besides US) or is it just someone who isn't aware of the correct spelling? I know some countries spell color with a "u" in it, so I was just wondering if that was the case with the s/z thing.