Where We Eating At?

Where We Eating At?

Where We Eating At?

The subject of proper grammar is not always a stimulating one, so please accept my apologies in advance. But I fear our elementary school lessons are in great danger of being lost forever, thanks in part to texting, a never-ending news cycle and growing apathy.

I am not an English teacher and therefore no authority on the topic. But I have been fortunate enough over the decades to work with some excellent editors and teachers who were patient enough to stress good grammar. It may be a losing battle, but for the sake of their hard work, let me share some common grammatical errors that would really set their teeth on edge.

Commas and periods are placed inside quotes. Whether it is a full quote or a quoted phrase inside a sentence, the comma or period goes inside. For example: She practiced so-called "good grammar."

Question marks, colons and semicolons may fall outside of the quote marks. "Are you messing with me?" No, I am not. Do you call that "good grammar"? Yes.

A company is not a "they"; a company is an "it." The word "they" refers to more than one. A company is a single entity. To wit: "Acme Inc. announced it will increase the price of its anvils." If you must, must, must use the word "they," then do so while referring to the humans who work for the company: "The board members of Acme Inc. said they agreed to raise the price of its anvils."

Please hyphenate modifiers that do not end in "ly." For instance, "He is the best-known juggler in all the Midwest and a happily married man."

A person is a "who," not a "that." A chair, truck or dirigible is a "that." The following sentence is grammatically wrong: "People that use poor grammar are good at math." Rather, it should read: "People who use poor grammar are good at math." But I am only speculating.

Do use semicolons after a colon, but only when the separated phrases include a comma or other punctuation. For example: Sentences with commas use semi-colons; sentences with commas, but also periods, use-semicolons. This lesson came courtesy of a very good copy editor.

To some people, grammar may simply represent annoying punctuation or singular-plural relationships, but it is akin to good manners. In the public relations world, especially, using proper grammar is a matter of respect for one's clients and media sources.

There are many more lessons to share, but they are for another time or another blogger. I am certain, in fact, that some smart readers are noting a grammatical error or two that I have made here. If so, please let me know.

How else will I learn?

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