Grammar Nazi

[skimom2]

When a person uses the word 'feel' when 'think' is the appropriate word. Drives me bonkers.

Why do we need multiple style guides? My newspaper editor wants AP Styleguide, book publisher wants Chicago Manual of Style, and reviewing publisher has their own: USU Chicago. Dumb. And I'll never give up the Oxford comma, no matter what 2 of the 3 guides say

 

[Tery]

Why do we need multiple style guides? My newspaper editor wants AP Styleguide, book publisher wants Chicago Manual of Style, and reviewing publisher has their own: USU Chicago. Dumb. And I'll never give up the Oxford comma, no matter what 2 of the 3 guides say

Yes! My editors stick mostly to the Chicago Manual. Except when they don't. They did point us at this webpage:

Titles: Quote Marks, Italics, Underlining, or Naked?

And no Oxford comma for me, either!

 

[Sundrop]

 

[skimom2]

Yes! My editors stick mostly to the Chicago Manual. Except when they don't. They did point us at this webpage:

Titles: Quote Marks, Italics, Underlining, or Naked?

And no Oxford comma for me, either!

So apt: I wrote a review of a book of short stories earlier this week and completely brainfarted on how to properly write the individual story titles--I automatically italicized them Got a gentle reminder from my editor--lol. At least she didn't make me feel like an idiot--I can do that just fine for myself

 

[fljoe0]

Dear Grammar Nazi,

Can you help me with my favorite basketball team, The Miami Heat? The word Heat is singular but the basketball team is a collection of players. So I've heard different announcers say "The Heat are..." or "The Heat is..." What is correct when referring to the basketball team?

 

[Spideyman]

Dear Grammar Nazi,

Can you help me with my favorite basketball team, The Miami Heat? The word Heat is singular but the basketball team is a collection of players. So I've heard different announcers say "The Heat are..." or "The Heat is..." What is correct when referring to the basketball team?

Spoiler: explanation?

Should I use a singular or a plural verb with a collective noun?
October 7, 2015 by: Dictionary.com 1 Comment

A collective noun refers to a whole group as a single entity but also to the members of that group.

A collective noun names a group of individuals or things with a singular form. Examples of collective nouns are: faculty, herd, team. There are collective nouns for people, animals, objects, and concepts. The use of a singular or plural verb depends on the context of the sentence. If one is referring to the whole group as a single entity, then the singular verb is best: The school board has called a special session. When a group noun is used with a singular determiner (e.g., a/an, each, every, this, that), singular verbs and pronouns are normal: The team is away this weekend; they have a good chance of winning. There are other contexts where the plural verb is more natural: My family are always fighting among themselves. When the individuals in the collection or group receive the emphasis, the plural verb is acceptable. Generally, however, in American English, collective nouns take singular verbs. In British English, collective nouns are more often treated as plurals that take plural verbs.

Additional....

Spoiler

Are Names of Sports Teams and Bands Singular, or Plural?

 

[fljoe0]

Spoiler: explanation?

Should I use a singular or a plural verb with a collective noun?
October 7, 2015 by: Dictionary.com 1 Comment

A collective noun refers to a whole group as a single entity but also to the members of that group.

A collective noun names a group of individuals or things with a singular form. Examples of collective nouns are: faculty, herd, team. There are collective nouns for people, animals, objects, and concepts. The use of a singular or plural verb depends on the context of the sentence. If one is referring to the whole group as a single entity, then the singular verb is best: The school board has called a special session. When a group noun is used with a singular determiner (e.g., a/an, each, every, this, that), singular verbs and pronouns are normal: The team is away this weekend; they have a good chance of winning. There are other contexts where the plural verb is more natural: My family are always fighting among themselves. When the individuals in the collection or group receive the emphasis, the plural verb is acceptable. Generally, however, in American English, collective nouns take singular verbs. In British English, collective nouns are more often treated as plurals that take plural verbs.

Thanks. When Dr Jack Ramsey was a Heat broadcaster, he always used is. I don't hear is as much as I did when he was around. That's interesting about American and British English.

 

[Patricia A]

Is there a simple rule for capitalization?

 

[Spideyman]

Is there a simple rule for capitalization?

very simplified:

How can you possibly remember all these rules? Well, first of all, you should ask yourself three questions:

• Is this the first letter in a sentence? If the answer is yes, capitalize.
• Is this the pronoun I? If yes, capitalize.
• Am I using a name that someone gave to this thing or person? If yes, capitalize.

And if you want to remember all the specific categories, try memorizing one of the following sentences.

• “For Bob Barker, the price is sometimes wrong,” mom says.
• Susan Sarandon bought my wife fancy toilet paper in Boston.

The first letter of each word stands for a category:

• F - First letter in a sentence
• B - Buildings (and other man-made structures)
• B - Borders (of regions, states, countries, etc.)
• T - Titles
• P - People
• I - I
• S - Schools
• W - Water
• M - Mountains
• S - Streets

 

[Spideyman]

The Rules of Capitalization | Scribendi.com

 

[Patricia A]

very simplified:

How can you possibly remember all these rules? Well, first of all, you should ask yourself three questions:

• Is this the first letter in a sentence? If the answer is yes, capitalize.
• Is this the pronoun I? If yes, capitalize.
• Am I using a name that someone gave to this thing or person? If yes, capitalize.

And if you want to remember all the specific categories, try memorizing one of the following sentences.

• “For Bob Barker, the price is sometimes wrong,” mom says.
• Susan Sarandon bought my wife fancy toilet paper in Boston.

The first letter of each word stands for a category:

• F - First letter in a sentence
• B - Buildings (and other man-made structures)
• B - Borders (of regions, states, countries, etc.)
• T - Titles
• P - People
• I - I
• S - Schools
• W - Water
• M - Mountains
• S - Streets

Thanks Spidey. I am a serial capitalizer. I know I am, so sometimes I go way off into the other direction and don't capitalize things I should. The Bob Barker sentence for example, I would have thought the mom would be capitalized since it was referring to a specific mom.... I had to slap myself to not capitalize the word mom just now.. OMG I just had to do it again.
Grammar can be painful.

 

[Spideyman]

Thanks Spidey. I am a serial capitalizer. I know I am, so sometimes I go way off into the other direction and don't capitalize things I should. The Bob Barker sentence for example, I would have thought the mom would be capitalized since it was referring to a specific mom.... I had to slap myself to not capitalize the word mom just now.. OMG I just had to do it again.
Grammar can be painful.

I get the "rules". It's all the exceptions and add ons.

 

[DiO'Bolic]

Rules... meh!

 

[Spideyman]

The best way to learn Grammar!!!
Schoolhouse Rock - Grammar Rock

 

[DiO'Bolic]

 

[Patricia A]

I get the "rules". It's all the exceptions and add ons.

Right!? I'm not judgmental of OPG, because I am painfully aware of the short comings of my own. Even if I had perfect grammar skills I wouldn't be a Grammar Nazi because I wouldn't want people to not express themselves out of the fear of using improper grammar and being shamed.
Bleeding heart grammarian.... Or Bleeding Heart Grammarian....

 

[Patricia A]

The best way to learn Grammar!!!
Schoolhouse Rock - Grammar Rock

I love Schoolhouse Rock! This is one of my favorites.

 

[Neesy]

Thanks Spidey. I am a serial capitalizer. I know I am, so sometimes I go way off into the other direction and don't capitalize things I should. The Bob Barker sentence for example, I would have thought the mom would be capitalized since it was referring to a specific mom.... I had to slap myself to not capitalize the word mom just now.. OMG I just had to do it again.
Grammar can be painful.

I am always capitalizing the word Mom when the ENT doctors dictate e.g. "Mom has not noticed any snoring or sleep pauses"...

or I change it to the word 'mother'.

 

[swiftdog2.0]

 

[Tery]