Search results for 'tag:Abbreviations tag:Colons' matching tags 'Abbreviations' and 'Colons'

Could you help me to proof this essay?

Cheese1987 — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:28:50 GMT

Analyse the formality of the article in SCMP

It is indispensable for us to use an appropriate style when writing. There is no doubt that formal style should be practiced for newspaper as objectivity and impersonality are important. South China Morning Post is one of the most prevalent newspapers in Hong Kong. It is believed that the language style of its article is formal. There is an analysis of the formality of a newspaper article in the SCMP.

High Formality can be revealed when looking at the articleâs choice of vocabulary. Instead of using âa lot ofâ or âlots ofâ, the writer used âthe number ofâ and âmanyâ. âjustâ is also replaced by âonlyâ. However, some informal words can also be found in the article. For instance, âjobâ and âgetâ are less formal words. In order to be formal, âpositionâ and âacquireâ should be used insteadâ. Somehow it is reasonable to use these less- formal words because these words are used in the conversation. In this article, two-word verbs and words from old English are not used. Therefore, It is clearly that SCMP has high formality.

Complete sentences, complex sentences and passive constructions should be used when writing in a formal English style. In this article, every sentence is written in complete sentences. Take the second paragraph as an example. â The study results, released by Oxfam yesterday, showed about one in eight workers made less than HK$5000 a month last year.â this sentence is completed. It is also a complicated sentence because it included complementary meaning. Passive construction is used in the paragraph. Hence, high formality of the article can be seen from its sentences and constructions.

The formality can also be shown by the use of transitional words, phrases and the use of punctuation. . Some of the words such as âmoreoverâ, âwhileâ, âdue toâ, âasâ are often used in a formal article. However, only âbutâ can be found in this article. Also, no semicolons are in it. Although there is only a few âformalâ words or punctuations used in the article, the âinformalâ punctuation such as dashes and parentheses are nowhere to be found too. From this point of view, it is believed that it is a semi-formal article.

Abbreviations and short forms are informal. To write a formal article, they should be avoided. Indeed, there are no abbreviations and short forms in this article. Hence, this article should not be treated as low formality. Instead, it should be seem as semi-formal or highly formal.

In conclusion, South China Morning Post is written in a formal style to a large extent. Its high formality can be shown when looking at its choice of vocabulary, sentence, construction, transitional words, phrases and the use of punctuation. Formal style should be used in the newspaper. SCMP does it well in this aspect it is a good newspaper and worth reading.

Re: Comma after i.e. and/or eg.?

milky — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:15:39 GMT

JaCKo__007 wrote:

A coma question!

I've found that American based writers use commas after 'i.e.', but what of it in British English and does it then apply to eg. as well?

Does a comma go after i.e. or e.g.?

Both abbreviations i.e. and e.g. are preceded by a mark of punctuation, usually a comma. In American English, both are generally followed by a comma, though not in British English, and are not italicized. E.g. may also be followed by a colon, depending on the construction. In British English, the term is often written as eg with the periods omitted.

Re: Colon after abbr.: do you use the period?

Clive — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 21:20:13 GMT

Hi,

See the subject line. I was writing a re: line in a letter, and couldn't decide which was correct:

Re: Account No.: 123456

Re: Account No: 123456

I would write it as Re: Account No. 123456 In fact, I'd probably omit the colon after 're' as well.

Generally speaking, 'second colons' are inappropriate, and there is no need for a colon just because you have used the abbreviation No.

You wouldn't say His name is: Tom.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Abbreviations and colon

Mister Micawber — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 00:58:56 GMT

Re does not take a period in any case. Place a period when it is required, irrespective of any following colon; they do not, to my knowledge, ever affect each other:

NATO:
I.A.T.S.E.:

Abbreviations and colon

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 23:56:15 GMT

What is the rule for not placing a period after an abbreviation when a colon is used? Example -- RE.: (incorrect) RE: correct but what is the rule.

Re: Is it coming alive?

anon1 — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:32:23 GMT

Dear Lotus,

Let's have a look at your letter.

MountainHiker

Dear sir/ Madam

I am writing to apply for the MasterÂ´s degree program in International Business at Xxx University. I am confident this course will enable me to pursue a career as a product manager in Strategic Marketing in an international enterprise.

I am Brazilian and Lithuanian citizen. I graduated in International Relations at AAA in July 2003, at the same time, I accomplished 3 years of study in Social Sciences at University of B. This taught me a lot about time management and how to organise myself to successfully meet multiple deadlines.

In 2000, I became a volunteer Assistant Coordinator in Intercultural Affairs in a NGO. Three years later I became a full time Marketing Coordinator in Public and International Affairs. Undoubtedly, I could grow as a person, through my work with the unpreviled youth, as well as professionally, through my first job experience.

Although I had a satisfactory job, I was missing an international experience. I had spent three months in England in 2000 for an English course and in the following year I spent another three months in Germany to study German. I felt that I should try to gain international experience before I had a family. Therefore I left the position mentioned above to challenge myself as a trainee in the Strategic Marketing Department in a Pharmaceutical Company in Germany, February 2004.

I have found the right international atmosphere, where learning on the job is essential and apart from this I can apply my business and intercultural knowledge. I am ambitious, I can picture myself as a product manager in 4 years time and I want to further develop in this corporation, these are my goals, nevertheless I know that I have to gain experience, and I see the Master in International Business at Xxx University as one way to gain experience and further reach my goals.

Since 2002, I have been dreaming of Xxx University, I have seen classes, talked to students, and learned about the Problem based learning method. This year I met some graduates from the university, specially Francis Nonteye who answered my questions from a studentâs point of view.

I am confident about my decision to join the Master because I have experienced the PBL method, the XXx University is well reputed in my country, I will be able to improve my English skills, the city itself is a lovely place to live, and the company were I work supports me and my studies.

During this year I seized the opportunity to join the open day and the information meeting. Having spoken students and professors, I am excited by my decision to pursue my Masterâs degree.

Thank you very much for considering my request. I look forward to your positive response

Yours Sincerely

Dear Sir: [or Dear Sir or Madam:] Note the colon

I am Brazilian and Lithuanian citizen who is applying to the masterÂ´s degree program in international business at Xxx University. My career ambition is to become a product manager in international strategic marketing.

I graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations from AAA University in July 2003. I also completed three years of study in social sciences at University of B. Studying two different programs at two different universities taught me excellent time management and organizational skills.

I cleaned up your prior two paragraphs. You need to clean up the remaining paragraphs. Get rid of unnecessary clutter (words), correct your spelling, watch your abbreviations (does everyone know what an NGO is?), fix your capitalizations (I have difficulty with these too), and try to tighten your structure. There is still too much story telling for my tastes. Instead try to tell the reader how your experience has been aligned to accomplishing your ultimate goal. You might need to modify your prior paragraphs.

In 2000, I became a volunteer Assistant Coordinator in Intercultural Affairs in a NGO. Three years later I became a full time Marketing Coordinator in Public and International Affairs. Undoubtedly, I could grow as a person, through my work with the unpreviled youth, as well as professionally, through my first job experience.

Although I had a satisfactory job, I was missing an international experience. I had spent three months in England in 2000 for an English course and in the following year I spent another three months in Germany to study German. I felt that I should try to gain international experience before I had a family. Therefore I left the position mentioned above to challenge myself as a trainee in the Strategic Marketing Department in a Pharmaceutical Company in Germany, February 2004.

I have found the right international atmosphere, where learning on the job is essential and apart from this I can apply my business and intercultural knowledge. I am ambitious, I can picture myself as a product manager in 4 years time and I want to further develop in this corporation, these are my goals, nevertheless I know that I have to gain experience, and I see the Master in International Business at Xxx University as one way to gain experience and further reach my goals.

Since 2002, I have been dreaming of Xxx University, I have seen classes, talked to students, and learned about the Problem based learning method. This year I met some graduates from the university, specially Francis Nonteye who answered my questions from a studentâs point of view.

I am confident about my decision to join the Master because I have experienced the PBL method, the XXx University is well reputed in my country, I will be able to improve my English skills, the city itself is a lovely place to live, and the company were I work supports me and my studies.

During this year I seized the opportunity to join the open day and the information meeting. Having spoken students and professors, I am excited by my decision to pursue my Masterâs degree.

Thank you very much for considering my request. I look forward to your positive response

Yours Sincerely

Re: Greeting on business letter

anon1 — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 05:18:55 GMT

Hi hall4107,

I would use,

Dear Paul L. Howard, Jr.:

You require the period to abbreviate Junior. And the colon is standard.

MountainHiker

The Punctuation FAQ

rommie — Tue, 17 Feb 2004 20:56:49 GMT

The (incomplete) Punctuation FAQ

Hopefully this will grow in time, as other questions are asked and answered, and other people add to this.
Hopefully (!) some kind moderator or adminstrator will mark this thread as sticky.

INTRODUCTION
In grammar, the rules are forged in a delicate balance between history and culture. History defines the formal rules, culture defines the usage rules, and most of the English-speaking world resides somewhere between the two. You can make a new usage rule merely by inventing it and using it, but the only way to make a new formal rule is wait for a very long time - these rules do change, but they change slowly.

Punctuation rules, on the other hand, change much, much faster. These rules are set by publishers, newspapers, and so on, and so can vary from publisher to publisher, let alone from country to country. For example, the Sunday Times prints "the home secretary", wheras the Times prints "the Home Secretary". Who is right? Well, there are the people who effectively set the rules, so perhaps the question is moot.

I am personally inclined to the view that punctuation doesn't matter much, largely because of the reasons stated above, but also because punctuation is an artifact of writing. Our language had beauty, structure, and the logic of real grammar, long before anyone ever dreamed of writing it down. However, punctuation rules do exist in practice, and people keep asking for them (so these really ARE frequently asked questions), so, here goes with what I've been able to look up.

The sources for this information are the Oxford Language Reference (British) and the Harbrace College Handbook, Ninth Edition (American). Both are accepted reference standards.

Rommie

TRUE GRAY AREAS

These can't really be called "rules", because disagreement exists among the rulemakers. These are the areas in which you must make up your own mind.

CAPITALIZATION
The fixed rules are that sentences and proper nouns are must be capitalized. Beyond that, you pretty much have to decide for yourself. Some people think that words derived from proper nouns should be captialized (like "Boolean" or "Pasteurized" / "boolean" or "pasteurized"), others disagree, arguing that there is no such thing as a "proper adjective". Some people think that abbreviations which are pronouncable should be treated as ordinary vocabulary words and therefore lowercased, others disagree ("ufo", "Nato", etc. versus "UFO", "NATO", etc.). The capitalization of book and film titles is a total free-for-all. You can capitalize pretty much any word you want.

RULES COMMON TO BOTH BRITAIN AND AMERICA

APOSTROPHE-S
In general, plurals are formed with an -s (no apostrophe), and possessive case is formed with an -'s (apostrophe-s). However, there are exceptions to this rule, as follows:
1. The pronoun "its" (possessive case of it) requires no apostrophe. The entirely separate word "it's" is short for "it is".
2. It is CORRECT to write: "My name contains two m's" (with an apostrophe) - basically because, without it, the sentence wouldn't read correctly.

BRACKETS
Round brackets () enclose a relatively unimportant piece of information.
Square brackets [] enclose an explanation by someone other than the author/speaker of the surrounding text.
Punctuation marks that refer only to the parenthetical material go inside the parentheses.
Punctuation marks that refer to non-parenthetical material go outside.

HOW TO SEPARATE CLAUSES
A comma is used to separate the main clauses of a compound sentence, and to separate words and phrases which do not belong together. A comma is not "powerful" enough to completely separate clauses on its own, however - you need a conjunction as well.
A semicolon unites clauses which are of similar importance and closely related.
A colon separates clauses when there is a step forward, for instance from introduction to main point. It is also used to introduce a list. Sentences, and even paragraphs, may end in colon.

QUOTES
If a quotation contains the end of a sentence (and would normally require a period), but is not itself the end of a sentence, use a comma instead of a full stop.

Question marks and exclamation marks go within quotes if they refer to the quoted material only; place them outside when they apply to the whole sentence.

You are supposed to use a comma before quotes, like this:
He said, 'hello.'
In practice, this is often dropped if the quoted material is not at least one whole clause.

RULES UNIQUE TO BRITAIN

QUOTED MATERIAL
Quoted material is enclosed in single quote marks: 'like this'
Alternate quote marks when nesting, as in: he said 'she said "they said 'I said "hello"'"'.

In Britain, the following is correct. Observe the placement of the first comma. This would be incorrect in America;
'That', he said, 'is nonsense.'
The comma goes outside the closing quote - IF the contatenated quote wouldn't contain it. (In other words, he said 'That is nonsense', not 'That, is nonsense'.)

In Britain, actual quotations (extracts from literary works, etc.,) should be quoted exactly, including punctionation, so, if there was no comma in the original, there should also be no comma in the copy. If the sentence demands one, it must go outside the quotes.

RULES UNIQUE TO AMERICA

QUOTED MATERIAL
Quoted material is enclosed in double quote marks: "like this"
Alternate quote marks when nesting, as in: he said "she said 'they said "I said 'hello'"'".

Periods and commas go inside the quotation marks. Colons and semicolons go outside the quotation marks.

Re: Do I use a capital letter if I am writing a list?

wumanfu — Thu, 25 Sep 2003 10:33:46 GMT

Hi, If my child was marked down because she used a capital letter for words in a spelling test, Iâd be angry with the teacher. When I went to school, my spelling exercises tested for spelling not style. However, if your child is a high school student and if the teacher was marking hard, then maybeâ¦ In any case, there is information about how to write words in a list on the internet. It comes from a component of Merriam-Websterâs Unabridged resource called Style Guide. The relevant section is called Lists and Outlines. Iâve dumped more information than you need. I hope the information helps explain issues related to stylistic conventions in the United States.
If you get bored before you reach the end, then maybe the following section is best:
Items that are syntactically dependent on the words that introduce them often begin with a lowercase letter and end with a comma or semicolon just as in
a run-in series in an ordinary sentence.
However, you could argue that a spelling test could be considered to be like an outline. In the case of an outline, then capital letters are appropriate:
Outlines standardly use Roman numerals, capitalized letters, Arabic numerals, and lowercase letters, in that order. Each numeral or letter is followed
by a period, and each item is capitalized.
My own opinion is that the teacherâs style is unhelpful and discouraging.
Sincerely, Wu

Here is a dump from the Merriam-Webster Style Guide
21. Both run-in and vertical lists are often numbered. In run-in numbered listsâthat is, numbered lists that form part of a normal-looking sentenceâeach
item is preceded by a number (or, less often, an italicized letter) enclosed in parentheses. The items are separated by commas if they are brief and unpunctuated;
if they are complex or punctuated, they are separated by semicolons. The entire list is introduced by a colon if it is preceded by a full clause, and often
when it is not.
Among the fastest animals with measured maximum speeds are (1) the cheetah, clocked at 70 mph; (2) the pronghorn antelope, at 61 mph; (3) the lion, at 50
mph; (4) the quarter horse, at 47 mph; and (5) the elk, at 45 mph.

The new medical dictionary has several special features: (a) common variant spellings; (b) examples of words used in context; (c) abbreviations, combining
forms, prefixes, and suffixes; and (d) brand names for drugs and their generic equivalents.
22. In vertical lists, each number is followed by a period; the periods align vertically. Runover lines usually align under the item's first word. Each
item may be capitalized, especially if the items are syntactically independent of the words that introduce them.
The English peerage consists of five ranks, listed here in descending order:
Duke (duchess)
Marquess (marchioness)
Earl (countess)
Viscount (viscountess)
Baron (baroness)
The listed items end with periods (or question marks) when they are complete sentences, and also often when they are not.
We require answers to the following questions:
Does the club intend to engage bands to perform in the future?
Will any bands be permitted to play past midnight on weekends?
Are there plans to install proper acoustic insulation?
Items that are syntactically dependent on the words that introduce them often begin with a lowercase letter and end with a comma or semicolon just as in
a run-in series in an ordinary sentence.
Among the courts that are limited to special kinds of cases are
1. probate courts, for the estates of deceased persons;
2. commercial courts, for business cases;
3. juvenile courts, for cases involving children under 18; and
4. traffic courts, for minor cases involving highway and motor vehicle violations.
A vertical list may also be unnumbered, or may use bullets (â¢) in place of numerals, especially where the order of the items is not important.
Chief among the advances in communication were these 19th-century inventions:
Morse's telegraph
Daguerre's camera
Bell's telephone
Edison's phonograph
This book covers in detail:
â¢ Punctuation
â¢ Capitalization and italicization
â¢ Numbers
â¢ Abbreviations
â¢ Grammar and composition
â¢ Word usage
23. Outlines standardly use Roman numerals, capitalized letters, Arabic numerals, and lowercase letters, in that order. Each numeral or letter is followed
by a period, and each item is capitalized.
The United States from 1816 to 1850
Era of mixed feelings
Effects of the War of 1812
National disunity
The economy
Transportation revolution
Waterways
Railroads
Beginnings of industrialization
The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-77