The Car That Ran the Light Hit Some People Who Were in the Crosswalk
The Grammar Guru’s teeth grind when she hears someone say “people that.” This rule is simple: A person is always a who, never a that. Despite its simplicity, this is one of the most often violated rules of grammar. I have seen this error in many well-respected publications. Part of the problem is that authorities are […]
It Seems That the Who/Whom Dilemma Still Affects Some of Us…
Who is the subjective or nominative case of the word; in plain English, who acts as a subject or predicate nominative…most of the time. I don’t know who you are. Who steals my purse steals trash. Whom is objective case; that is, it must be an object. It will follow a preposition or a verb […]
When Is a Stone Not a Stone?
Why, when it’s 14 pounds, of course, as my British friends and readers know full well. Which means I weigh 13 stone 11 pounds, or 13st 11lb. So what does this have to do with grammar? Two things. If you are an American writing a piece of work with a Brit as a character, you […]
Watch Your Phraseology!
There is a growing movement toward redefining the words “homophobia” and “homophobic” to mean a person who hates or disapproves of homosexuals and homosexual behaviour. As an arbiter of correct grammar and proper diction (word choice), I believe that it is incumbent upon me to correct this common mistake before it takes root and becomes […]
What? Your Sense of Touch Is Impaired? or Are You Just Guilty?
A very common mistake that a lot of people make (besides writing redundant stuff like the ten words I just wrote) is to say “I feel badly about that.” It seems that this would be correct, but it isn’t. The reason is that little verb “feel.” “Feel” is a funny word. It can mean something […]
That Pallet of Palettes Isn’t Heavy….
Okay, here are three words that sound almost exactly alike, but mean totally different things. Pallet: /PA’ lit/ The slatted wooden box that underlies large shipments; also the shipment itself. A pallet jack is a small hydraulic jack/forklift used to hoick a pallet of goods off the warehouse floor and transport it onto a semi […]
And I Wondered: Is It All Right to Start My Sentence That Way?
An erudite reader has asked my opinion on the permissibility of beginning a sentence with a conjunction. This is an interesting case, as it’s one of the few times when I will tell you that your high school grammar teacher was wrong: It is not always wrong to start a sentence with and, but, or […]
Every Beach Was Crowded, and Each of Us Drank Something Different
When to use each; when to use every. Sometimes it’s hard to know for sure. I hope these guidelines are helpful. Each is a singular word that may be used as a pronoun, adverb, or adjective. When functioning as a noun, it always takes a singular verb. Examples: as a pronoun: Each of the girls has a […]
Lay Your Book Down and Lie Down for a Rest! I Want to Tell You Something.
If it’s hard to read your computer screen lying down, then you may sit up, but please pay attention! The Grammar Guru is having a cow. I’ve been surfing a bit this morning, and I am appalled by the writers, professional and non, who do not understand how to use the verbs lay and lie. […]
He Did WHAT!? WHERE!?
or, Ya Wanna Say That Again More Slowly? I just heard a radio news announcer deliver a classic goof. All you English teachers put this one in your file of outrageous examples — it doesn’t get any better than this. To announce that they would be updating the story of a cause celebre in my area, […]