Discussion Forum
This is a forum to discuss the gray areas of the English language for which you would not find answers easily in dictionaries or other reference books.
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Latest Posts : Punctuation and Mechanics
I wrote, “I have two sons, Bill and Ben.”
An editor said that the comma should be a colon. That opinion is backed up by various style guides which say a list (and presumably “Bill and Ben” is a list) should be preceded by a colon. I still feel that a colon is unnecessary, though I probably would use a colon if I had five sons not two. Would I use a colon with three sons? I’m not sure.
Had I written, “I have two sons, Bill and Ben, both in their twenties” there would surely be no question of a colon being required. It seems odd to me that omitting the final phrase, “both in their twenties” forces the first comma to become a colon.
I would be interested in others’ views.
Which of the follow is correct?
- CAYA stands for “come as you are.”
- “CAYA” stands for “come as you are.”
I am not referring to the Nirvana song, so I assume that capitalization is not necessary when spelling out what the initialism stands for.
If a city and state (and full date) start a sentence in possessive form, would you consider the punctuation correct in the following three examples?
- Frankfort, Kentucky’s crime rate has increased.
- Paris, France’s breathtaking sights left us in a state of raptures.
- September 11, 2001’s tragic events will forever be indelibly etched in the minds of everyone.
Please, no recasts.
When including a complete sentence in parentheses, what are the rules? For example, someone just sent me this in an email:
“I always change some of the readings from semester to semester (for example, I am trying out the book on migration for the first time this semester and am not sure if I will keep it in the Fall).”
But I could just as easily see it written this way:
“I always change some of the readings from semester to semester. (For example, I am trying out the book on migration for the first time this semester and am not sure if I will keep it in the Fall.)”
Are both acceptable? Is one preferred?
When making a list of the very same name of something, is it proper english to use one quotation mark in place of the same name or word after writing it a couple of times down the list? I can’t seem to find anything on it.
Which ending punctuation sequence is correct for a question dialogue sentence containing a quotation within it?
a. ”Does the menu say, ‘no substitutions?’” asked Jo.
or
b. ”Does the menu say, ‘no substitutions’?” asked Jo.
My friend is sending an invitation, and she is using the date of:
January, 16th 2016
Is this technically correct, or at a minimum not considered barbaric? Where should the comma be?
In a sentence, there is the name of a company followed by an abbreviation, the initials of the company, in parentheses. The company name is a possessive in this sentence. Where does the apostrophe go? I want to know how this would work, as I am having trouble finding anything but advice to restructure the sentence, and I would like an answer that gives me what to do with the sentence as it stands.
Example: This policy sets a standard for determining access to Introspective Illusions (II) resources.
Would it be Introspective Illusions’ (II’s) or Introspective Illusions’ (II) or some other construction?
Should a rhetorical question end with a question mark?
I have a question about “;” and “—” as used in sentence structure. I prefer using — i.e. “He did not expect to meet anyone—the house had been empty for years—and was surprised to hear whistling from the upper floor.”
Now, as I wrote a line in my story, as sentence ran away from me and I ended up using a ; at the end, as well as the — and I got the feeling that maybe it had to be one or the other all the way through and not a mix. Anyway, the sentence (racial slur warning)
Rod had not let her buy the beer herself at first—not until father had gone down there and cleared up some misconceptions from that sneaky pool-digger—and hadn’t that been a fun day to be alive; now he just gave her sympathetic looks whenever she came to get beer for her father.
So, in such a sentence, is it right to use both the “—” and the “;”? I can always rebuild it, but it felt right to me somehow, even though I got uncertain about if it would sting in the eyes of others.
Latest Comments
“Bring” vs. “Take” differences in UK and American English
- Prashant Tiwari
- September 11, 2024, 11:23am
Knowing the available IELTS exam date 2024 options is essential for your IELTS journey. The British Council and IDP release their test dates well in advance, giving you ample time to prepare and book your slot. However, test centers tend to fill up quickly, especially in major cities and during high-demand periods. Planning ahead will help you stay organized and avoid any unnecessary stress as your test date approaches. Make sure to keep track of your preferred dates and plan your study schedule accordingly.
Initialisms and Quotation Marks
- AndreyMops
- September 9, 2024, 10:45am
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What is the word for intentionally incorrect spelling?
- Tolga
- September 4, 2024, 12:13pm
Sadly It looks like after many years, there is no clear answer to this question. I was trying to find how to correctly describe Google‘s new product “Imagen”, which is an intentional misspelling of the word imagine, And pronounced “Imagine”. I asked ChatGPT and not sure where it came up with it, But when used in conjunction as the name of a product it suggested “Brandonym”, even though it made it clear that that’s not a real word and that there is no dictionary term for it.
“Let his/him come in.”
- dasej21
- September 4, 2024, 11:41am
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Sells or sold?
- dasej21
- September 3, 2024, 9:10am
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Initialisms and Quotation Marks
- dasej21
- August 30, 2024, 10:05pm
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Initialisms and Quotation Marks
- dasej21
- August 30, 2024, 10:05pm
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Treatment of abbreviations and superscript items in full capital case
- monikapaaro
- August 30, 2024, 11:42am
In your case, keep the superscript and abbreviation elements in full caps to maintain consistency with the rest of the text. For example, use "JANE MCDONALD" and "WILLIAM DOE, JR." This approach ensures that all elements of the text box match the all-caps style you are using for the names and titles. Consistency is key, so maintaining the same formatting throughout will provide a unified appearance.
Treatment of abbreviations and superscript items in full capital case
- monikapaaro
- August 30, 2024, 11:41am
In your case, keep the superscript and abbreviation elements in full caps to maintain consistency with the rest of the text. For example, use "JANE MCDONALD" and "WILLIAM DOE, JR." This approach ensures that all elements of the text box match the all-caps style you are using for the names and titles. Consistency is key, so maintaining the same formatting throughout will provide a unified appearance.
“Bring” vs. “Take” differences in UK and American English
Knowing the available IELTS exam date 2024 options is essential for your IELTS journey. The British Council and IDP release their test dates well in advance, giving you ample time to prepare and book your slot. However, test centers tend to fill up quickly, especially in major cities and during high-demand periods. Planning ahead will help you stay organized and avoid any unnecessary stress as your test date approaches. Make sure to keep track of your preferred dates and plan your study schedule accordingly.
https://www.gradding.com/test-preparation/ielts/dates