Grammar
These style rules come from a variety of sources, and have been adapted a bit by me. The principle with all of these rules is that each 'rule' contradicts itself. The original versions have been variously attributed to:
The word box below contains various words to do with grammar or language. Make sure you know what they all mean. You can click on any word in the box to see its dictionary definition.
Remember, each 'rule' below breaks its own rule. Type in a word from the word box above into each gap. If your answer is correct it will show up in green and its box will disappear.
Just mouse over the relevant question number
If you want to try again, just refresh the page
NB Some of these rules are no longer followed. Which do you think are now out of date? Show suggested answer
For more, google 'fumblerules', or go to:
- Writing Formal Letters
When you’re writing informally to friends you probably don’t pay much attention to your style, however, with formal letters there are certain rules you have to remember and respect. This might be tricky for foreigners as it would seem that conventions...
- Whom Watch #3 - Silly Infographic
Continuing an occasional series where I look at silly or downright bad articles etc about whom on the Internet. The other day I was looking through a teacher’s blog which had kindly linked to mine, when I came across an ‘infographic’ with...
- Q & A When Do We Use 'whom' Instead Of 'who'.
I'm tempted to say almost never, but I'll try to be a bit more objective. Basic answer - in spoken and informal English, most native speakers use whom very rarely. This is because for most of us whom sounds excessively formal and rather old...
- Commas - Perhaps There's More Than Meets The Eye.
.clue2{ background:#7ac4e2; color:white; padding:2px 3px; font-weight:bold; -moz-border-radius:5px; -webkit-border-radius:5px; -o-border-radius:5px; -moz-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; -webkit-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; -o-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; margin:0...
- Some Random Thoughts About Uk And Us Grammar
There’s a scene in the film Bhaji on the Beach, where three British-Indian women go to the airport to meet their Indian cousin who has just arrived from Mumbai (Bombay). As they come to greet her, she says: ‘My God, you’re all wearing saris. No...
Grammar
Fumbling about with the style rules of English
These style rules come from a variety of sources, and have been adapted a bit by me. The principle with all of these rules is that each 'rule' contradicts itself. The original versions have been variously attributed to:
- The Fumblerules of Grammar by William Safire, The New York Times Magazine, Nov 4, 1979,
- The Little English Handbook by Edward P. J. Corbett
- How To Write Good by Frank Visco
The word box below contains various words to do with grammar or language. Make sure you know what they all mean. You can click on any word in the box to see its dictionary definition.
adjectives · conjunction · alliteration · exclamation · apostrophe · pronoun · prepositions · parentheses · contractions · infinitive · ampersands · abbreviations
Remember, each 'rule' below breaks its own rule. Type in a word from the word box above into each gap. If your answer is correct it will show up in green and its box will disappear.
- Avoid awkward and affected . It’s always annoying anyway.
- A(n) is not a word to end a sentence with.
- And don't start a sentence with a(n) . But I never do!
- Don't use & abbrevs, etc.
- Be carefully to use and adverbs correct.
- Remarks in (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
- Each should agree with their antecedent (the noun it represents).
- The has it’s rightful place in English, but its important to use it correctly, and remember, not in you're plural's.
- It is wrong to ever split a(n) . Try to always avoid doing so.
- DO NOT overuse marks and ALL CAPS to emphasize!!!
- I'm sure you’d probably agree that aren't necessary, wouldn’t you?
- Foreign words and phrases are not apropos, foreign terms and , U.S.W., (np.) are even worse. I could go on ad infinitum about this.
Just mouse over the relevant question number
If you want to try again, just refresh the page
NB Some of these rules are no longer followed. Which do you think are now out of date? Show suggested answer
I would say that Rules 2 and 11 don't really apply nowadays, unless you're being really formal. I break rule 3 all the time. It is sometimes better to break Rule 9 or the result can look ugly. Rules 5, 7 and 8 are the ones to watch. But there is an exception to Rule 7 - 'singular they' - you can read more about it here.
For more, google 'fumblerules', or go to:
- http://www.cupola.com/html/wordplay/ritegood.htm
- http://www.burgy.50megs.com/grammar.htm
- http://www.allowe.com/Humor/book/The Rules of Writing.htm
- http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/handouts/writegood.html
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- Writing Formal Letters
When you’re writing informally to friends you probably don’t pay much attention to your style, however, with formal letters there are certain rules you have to remember and respect. This might be tricky for foreigners as it would seem that conventions...
- Whom Watch #3 - Silly Infographic
Continuing an occasional series where I look at silly or downright bad articles etc about whom on the Internet. The other day I was looking through a teacher’s blog which had kindly linked to mine, when I came across an ‘infographic’ with...
- Q & A When Do We Use 'whom' Instead Of 'who'.
I'm tempted to say almost never, but I'll try to be a bit more objective. Basic answer - in spoken and informal English, most native speakers use whom very rarely. This is because for most of us whom sounds excessively formal and rather old...
- Commas - Perhaps There's More Than Meets The Eye.
.clue2{ background:#7ac4e2; color:white; padding:2px 3px; font-weight:bold; -moz-border-radius:5px; -webkit-border-radius:5px; -o-border-radius:5px; -moz-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; -webkit-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; -o-box-shadow:1px 1px 5px #333; margin:0...
- Some Random Thoughts About Uk And Us Grammar
There’s a scene in the film Bhaji on the Beach, where three British-Indian women go to the airport to meet their Indian cousin who has just arrived from Mumbai (Bombay). As they come to greet her, she says: ‘My God, you’re all wearing saris. No...