Comments for Writing

Comment on Possessive Form of Singular Nouns Ending with S by Andy

Andy — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:26:26 +0000

Instead of of asking “How many Jesuses do you know?”, perhaps a better question would be, “How many people by the name of Jesus do you know?”.

Comment on Possessive Form of Singular Nouns Ending with S by Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:00:05 +0000

Can an inanimate object be possessive (i.e., the plant’s pot, or the police car’s radar)? Or should it be the plant pot and car radar? Help!

Comment on Possessive Form of Singular Nouns Ending with S by Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:44:21 +0000

the plural of Jesus may be necessary to know, not just the possessive form. In Hispanic culture, there are many people named “Jesus” – so the question, “How many Jesuses do you know?”
Is this the correct plural spelling – “Jesuses” ?
I’m writing a paper, so the possessive has to be right. I write, “In Jesus’ day…”
I will go with Strunk and White on this one.

Comment on None – Singular or Plural by Clara

Clara — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:29:31 +0000

I, too, was taught in school (90s) that none is ALWAYS to be treated as singular.
The prepositional phrase should be ignored. If the rule were to choose singular vs. plural based on the phrase, then it would be correct to say “one of the books are ruined.” I think we can all agree that is not correct.
I think the point of choosing to say none is to stress that “not even one”…so therefore it makes sense to say “none of the books is ruined.” None might be the opposite of all BUT does not refer to “not all” because that could mean something like 1 out of 10 or 9 out of 10 was/were ruined.
To say “none are” may sound okay, but this is a case of a mistake being commonly used and accepted…which you could argue is how rules change over time, but I am for sticking to the old rule.
You are free to disagree if you wish…..

Comment on Grammatical Sentence Types by seyi

seyi — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:04:30 +0000

Your site is very helpful and I will like to be receiving the latest information on grammatical sentences from you. Thanks

Comment on Toward or Towards by Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:34:11 +0000

One quick point: The notion that British English is somehow “older” than American English, as one or two have opined, is ludicrous. How is someone in England speaking an “older” version of English than I? The language has evolved and changed in both Britain and the U.S. over centuries. They have the same origin. Neither is any older than the other.
Incidentally, I am a descendant of Angles, so I suppose my “people” have been speaking this language since its beginning!

Comment on adviser or advisor by Rick

Rick — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:41:59 +0000

Does that mean that “administrator” should now be “administrater.” That just seems wrong, and if it’s wrong here it should be wrong there as well.

Comment on Quotation Marks by Laura.

Laura. — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:42:31 +0000

Sorry if this has been asked before but I was just wondering when writing a sentence such as ;
‘We read of their living together being,

Comment on Toward or Towards by Robin

Robin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:09:28 +0000

I don’t care what anyone says. I have always used toward and since I cannot think of any good reason to place an “s” on the end of the word, I will not do it. When I see the word “towards”, it is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

Comment on Possessive Form of Singular Nouns Ending with S by Jo

Jo — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:07:38 +0000

Based on the one syllable or two theory, would the following be correct?
Mr. Mendez