Correct use of grammar and punctuation etc.

Now Mrs. C we all love you. We are just having too much fun here and you are the one that can keep us in line.

Cheers Hondo

Quote from chester7777

I want all of you to rest assured that I do NOT come here looking for grammar and spelling errors, and I do NOT read everybody's posts with a critical eye - life is too short!! I read for your content, what you are saying.

But . . . Robbie did ask, and I am happy to answer the questions when they arise. But my goal is not to go over anyone's posts "with a red pen."

you all,

Mrs. C

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Hi Sue

Hondo is right I was just having a lark around! I really meant it when I said I had had a good laugh and it cheered me up no end! I just wanted to keep that happy mood going. Hope I did not upset you as it was NEVER my intention.

elly

mrs c is a bonzer shelia and wouldnt have gotten the hump over anything you said she would know you were only pulling her leg, if we cant laugh with each other what a sad place it would be

cheers smokey

Quote from Elly

Hi Sue

Hondo is right I was just having a lark around! I really meant it when I said I had had a good laugh and it cheered me up no end! I just wanted to keep that happy mood going. Hope I did not upset you as it was NEVER my intention.

Elly,

You absolutely did NOT upset me! I don't get bent out of shape too easily .

It made me laugh to realize that the thread as a whole was so funny.

It is SO good to see you back again, Elly!

Mrs. C

Quote from Robbie

I thought I would bring this old topic back to the surface again, primarily due to the fact that I have a question.

What is the difference between the words effected and affected?

Thanks in advance.

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With tongue only partly in cheek, Rob, I ask if you have access to an English language dictionary.

Quote from Stumpy

With tongue only partly in cheek, Rob, I ask if you have access to an English language dictionary.

If anyone is able to visit this message board, they also have access to a dictionary. I have the Merriam-Webster as one of the designated search engines in my Firefox browser, and I use it fairly often. It may not be the best, but it is free and easily available.

Mrs. C

Hello Mrs.C
Of course, my mother tongue is not English.
Therefore, you neatly understood the English sentence that I wrote or it was always uneasy.
However, it was relieved to read this writing a letter a little.
It is ..hesitation.. .... an English grammar even of the American.
When i used wrong English, please pointing out my mistake with red pen.

regards,
Taka

Quote from H.sanada

Hello Mrs.C
Of course, my mother tongue is not English.
Therefore, you neatly understood the English sentence that I wrote or it was always uneasy.
However, it was relieved to read this writing a letter a little.
It is ..hesitation.. .... an English grammar even of the American.
When i used wrong English, please pointing out my mistake with red pen.

regards,
Taka

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Your English is much better than my Japanese, Taka. :teeth_smile:

Nowadays, there are literally millions of so-called English speakers who have terrible spelling, grammar and punctation skills. Doesn't say much for our public education system.

Quote from H.sanada

Hello Mrs.C
Of course, my mother tongue is not English.
Therefore, you neatly understood the English sentence that I wrote or it was always uneasy.
However, it was relieved to read this writing a letter a little.
It is ..hesitation.. .... an English grammar even of the American.
When i used wrong English, please pointing out my mistake with red pen.

regards,
Taka

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Taka, I rarely have trouble understanding what you say. I hold you, and our other members for whom English is not their native tongue, in the highest regard. I find your occasional "stumbles" with English quite endearing, and I admire all of you for being able to participate so fully. I would NEVER go over your posts with my "red pen."

I think Stumpy's remark covers it quite well.

Quote from Stumpy

Your English is much better than my Japanese, Taka. :teeth_smile:

. . . and Vera's English far outshines my Russian, and JWfan's English puts my Dutch to shame, and etsija and Moonshine Sally, also from Europe, humble me with their abilities to be on this English-speaking message board. I know there are others, too, but those are the names that come to mind right now.

With the utmost regard,

Mrs. C

Though my profession was in the newspaper business (with several years as an editor), I still make mistakes. Therefore, I'm not inclined to chide anyone else for their transgressions in this department. And you're right, Sue - The posts by those whose English is not their first language can be quite endearing. And their abilities in this area are to be applauded - I only am versed in English.

Quote from Robbie

I am the biggest culprit of the incorrect use of grammar and punctuation etc and I thought this could be a useful thread for members to come along and post their queries as to constructing sentences etc correctly.

With that comes my query when writing a sentence with a movie name in it what is the correct format? I usually write as follows:

Regarding 'The Searchers' I feel this movie.............

However I'm not quite sure this is correct and any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated and feel free to post your own queries.

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Hi Robbie
what about with regard to the searchers, i feel..... is that any better or just as bad?

Many times in the past I would partake in German online forums. They were very understanding, and tried to help me when I needed it. Germany has high and low German, and the one doesn't have the das, die, or der. Much easier for me and they let me use it, but would guide me back onto the beaten path so that I would learn the correct accepted German.
They taught me a lesson. If your native tongue's grammar is weak, so will the foreign language you are attempting to learn or use.
My M-in-law is forever grimacing over my redneck spechen(speech). More double negatives in my sentences than this last week in Wall Street.

Quote from ShortGrub

Many times in the past I would partake in German online forums. They were very understanding, and tried to help me when I needed it. Germany has high and low German, and the one doesn't have the das, die, or der. Much easier for me and they let me use it, but would guide me back onto the beaten path so that I would learn the correct accepted German.
They taught me a lesson. If your native tongue's grammar is weak, so will the foreign language you are attempting to learn or use.
My M-in-law is forever grimacing over my redneck sprechen(speech). More double negatives in my sentences than this last week in Wall Street.

I had to chuckle over your remark about der, die and das. The last military assignment I had in Germany (Stuttgart, 1970-74), I took a course in German offered by the University of Maryland. The gender words of der, die, das gave me more problems than any other elements of the course. (For those unfamiliar with the gender assignments, der, die, das corresponds to he, she, it in English.) But to this English speaker, there seemed to be no hard and fast rule for assigning specific genders to specific objects in the German language).

With the college course and my wife's coaching, I eventually learned enough of the language to feel comfortable in the culture but never became what you would call fluent. Funny thing though, once I got 4 or 5 of those potent German beers down, I rattled it off pretty well. Which brings to mind a humorous memory - every time the wife and I went to visit her parents, Mutti (Mother) would meet me at the door with a freshly opened beer in her hand. Because she knew that once I got a buzz on (and with German beer, it doesn't take long), I could converse pretty well with them and my brother-in-law.

Quote from Robbie

Regarding the following which is correct and why?

John Waynes hat or John Wayne's hat.

Finally is the question mark within the correct position within the following sentence.

Where is the bread kept as I'm hungry?

Thanks in advance.

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Regarding the hat question, Rob. "Wayne's hat" is correct as the apostophe denotes possession.

The second is a little trickier. It's kind of a poorly-constructed question, IMO, but I think if you'd add a comma between "kept" and "as", then it'd work with the question mark at the end.

Stumpy has hit the nail on the head, Robbie!

Mrs. C

I can't speak for other countries, but here in the UK there has been a drop in the teaching standards for English Grammar. It do not think you can just blame teachers for this, as the 'system' adopted by the education authorities must take some blame as well.

I am retired London police sergeant, and when I used to check arrest and prosecution reports submitted by my officers, grammatical mistakes were abundant from the younger officers, but those with longer service, the older officer, did not have these mistakes.

I still work in the force doing other duties, but I still here from serving supervising officers about poor Grammar. It is not only police officers, it extends to the 'civilian' support staff as well.

The BBC did a very interesting experiment some time back that involved many of the news presenters and reporters. They were set up in teams of 2 and given questions that tested their skills on the use of correct Grammar. The correct use of the apostrophe (') caused the biggest difficulty and prompted interesting discussions.

Bob

Since we live in the world of "ebonics"...I find if it sounds like it..use it ....