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Date Posted: Monday, May 16, 03:50:14pm
Author: ranma=>
Subject:

A new page to be added to the archives - suggestions requested

Writing Tips

The following tips are offered purely as information. I am in no way lecturing (believe me, I cause my Beta Readers to weep in despair =>) nor am I attempting to pass myself off as an expert.

GRAMMAR

When proofreading a paper, try reading it out loud. You will be able to catch errors that you might normally skim right over as you hear the words.

Remember that apostrophes (') are used for possessive nouns and contractions not plural words.

Two negatives cancel each other out. If you say, "I don't want no more," you are really saying that you want more. It would be proper to say, "I don't want any more."

Avoid using "should of." Even though it might sound like "should of" when speaking, the proper phrase is "should have." This also applies to "could of - could have," "would of - would have," "may of - may have," and "must of - must have."

Use "who" as the subject of a sentence and "whom" as the object. One way to tell if you have it right is to answer the question. If you would answer it with "he," then use "who." If you would answer the question with "him," then use "whom."

Regarding using I or me: If you would say "I went to the store," then you would say "Jason and I went to the store." If you would say "Stacy went with me," then you should say "Stacy went with Jason and me."

SPELLING

A good way to check for spelling errors is to look through your paper starting at the end, word by word. By not reading the sentences, you will be able to focus on individual words.

Accept - to receive, understand
Except - not included

Advice - recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct
Advise - to give advice to (when you advise someone you give them advice) verb

Affect - to influence
Effect - the result

Allusion - to indirectly reference
Illusion - to mislead or deceive

A lot is two words
Allot - means to assign

Among - more than two choices
Between - two choices

Can - ability to do
May - to be allowed

Capital - city, letter, $
Capitol - a governmental building

Complement - to complete
Compliment - to flatter

Confidant - someone entrusted with another's secrets
Confident - to be assured of something

Connotation - implied meaning
Denotation - actual meaning

Discover - finding something
Invent - creating something

Emigrate - moving from
Immigrate - moving to

Fewer - smaller in number, actually countable
Less - reduction

Its - possessive form of "it"
It's - contraction for "it is"

Lay - put something down
Lie - to recline

Loose - not tight
Lose - defeated or misplaced

Passed - past tense of "pass"
Past - time or distance

Principal - person
Principle - rule or standard

Sight - to visually see
Site - a place

Stationary - to not move
Stationery - writing paper

Than - to compare
Then - used with time

Their - possessive form of "they"
There - that place
They're - contraction of "they are"

To - toward a direction
Too - also
Two - number 2

Waist - The part of the human trunk between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis
Waste - use, consume, spend, or expend thoughtlessly or carelessly

Your - possessive form of "you"
You're - contraction of "you are"

Additional entries will be accepted at ranma@cox.net Subject = tips - please include definitions

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Replies:

Excellent idea...(r) -- Genevieve, Monday, May 16, 05:54:31pm
I agree (r) -- Diane, Monday, May 16, 07:49:58pm
you have my favorite peeve! -- sk, Monday, May 16, 11:14:17pm
Great idea -- ekim, Wednesday, May 18, 12:20:45am