tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10202103.post116104189411655638..comments2024-01-13T02:11:14.727-08:00Comments on grammargrinch: twinkobiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07865056039680988073noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10202103.post-1161400874868498432006-10-20T20:21:00.000-07:002006-10-20T20:21:00.000-07:00>Dr. Dunlap willhave no trouble getting another su...><I>Dr. Dunlap will<BR/>have no trouble getting another such job in enterprises <B>run by</B> the Affirmative Action Plan</I><<BR/><BR/>Oops. Passive verb.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05402579416733487159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10202103.post-1161400457451711832006-10-20T20:14:00.000-07:002006-10-20T20:14:00.000-07:00>You use too many indefinite anticipatory “it’s” u...><I>You use too many indefinite anticipatory “it’s” unsupported by antecedents.</I><<BR/><BR/>Your “it’s” is still the ugliest plural I have ever seen.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>><I>All those sluggards had to do was shuck their usual lack of curiosity pick up the phone.</I><<BR/><BR/>At least the journos use a comma to splice. Conjunction, anybody?<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>><I>Are press people reporters or ethics nannies with their own anal-retentive ethnics [sic] as the touchstone?</I><<BR/><BR/>What have anal-retentive foreigners got to do with anything?<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>><I>Pull back on redundant adverbs such as<BR/>“simply.”Your college-freshman-English Strunk & White preached this lesson.</I><<BR/><BR/>They also preached:<BR/>"This rule does not, of course, mean that the writer should entirely discard the passive voice, which is frequently convenient and sometimes necessary."<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>><I>The first story, Don’t put a single comma between the subject and verb. appeared at 3:06 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, in Brian Ross' "The Blotter". The September 28 story was based on the e-mail and nothing else. Wimpy passive verb: “The Blotter’ based the story on the email….”</I><BR/><BR/>Oh, come on! “The Blotter” didn’t base anything! <BR/><BR/>The original sentence is:<BR/><BR/><I>The September 28 story was based on the e-mail and nothing else.</I><BR/><BR/>Meaning:<BR/><BR/><I>The September 28 story was based <B>by its author</B> on the e-mail and nothing else.</I><BR/><BR/>Your obsession with active verbs would dictate:<BR/><BR/><I>The author of “The Blotter” based the story on the e-mail …</I><BR/><BR/>Stupid.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05402579416733487159noreply@blogger.com