Search results for 'tag:Commas tag:Hyphens' matching tags 'Commas' and 'Hyphens'

Re: malnutrition that's becoming more and more widespread

Cool Breeze — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:42:46 GMT

New2grammar
Dozens of UN humanitarian workers are exposed to risk on their job every day. A good example is truck drivers who deliver much needed food to remote villages in poor countries to combat malnutrition, which is becoming more and more widespread.

Hi N2G

It has become more and more fashionable to use hyphens in English and therefore some might put a hyphen between much and needed but I don't think that is necessary. I wouldn't object to one, either. Clearly, the relative clause is a non-defining one and thus a comma is needed, which means that which is the correct pronoun.

Re: Comma between HAD and With

Clive — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:05:11 GMT

Hi,
The two fluffy pillows sit ~~at the upper side~~ on the bed / at the head of the bed; they remind me of the pillow fights I had, with my best friend, (friend's name), who often came for chit
chat and study.

Should Comma would be applied here? No.

'Chit-chat' has a hyphen.
Don't use too many semi-colons in your writing. Here, I'd just put a period or join with 'and'.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: I have these sentences, can you help? thanks

Clive — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:37:14 GMT

Hi,
Welcome to the Forum.
I am new to this site, if i am doing this wrong please correct me but i need your opinion and was so happy when i came upon this site. English is not my strong suit but i try and reason as you will see below.

Just what would you do, Cheryl, if the situation were reversed? This is correct as written.
(Am I correct to say remove the comma before Cheryl?)

The new machine, which I haven't even learned to operate yet, is out of order.
(I think it is correctly punctuated and yet i think you should remove the comma after machine)
Leave both commas in if this is 'non-identifying' information.
take both commas out if it is 'identifying' information. eg
Question: Which machine?
Answer:The one which I haven't learned to operate yet. Not the one that I have learned to operate.

Did the Novelist Ernest Hemingway once live here? It's correct as written. Don't put a capital 'N'.,
(I am leaning toward Correctly punctuated, but still i think i should add a comma after Hemingway)

Queen Mary wanted her death to be remembered, therefore, she staged a pageant.
(I am thinking change the comma after remembered to a semicolon <<< Yes or should I just remove the comma)
I would replace the comma after 'remembered' with a period.

A first class employee is: dependable, loyal, and efficient.
(I would add a hyphen after first Yes. The adjective is 'first-class'.

as you use a colon after an independent clause when a series follow right? Just remove the colon. I'd also remove the comma after 'loyal'.

It's just a very short and simple sentence.A first-class employee is dependable, loyal and efficient.

Best wishes, Clive

I have these sentences, can you help? thanks

lynlu2000 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:20:39 GMT

Hi I am new to this site, if i am doing this wrong please correct me but i need your opinion and was so happy when i came upon this site. English is not my strong suit but i try and reason as you will see below.

Just what would you do, Cheryl, if the situation were reversed?
(Am I correct to say remove the comma before Cheryl?)

The new machine, which I haven't even learned to operate yet, is out of order.
(I think it is correctly punctuated and yet i think you should remove the comma after machine)

Did the Novelist Ernest Hemingway once live here?
(I am leaning toward Correctly punctuated, but still i think i should add a comma after Hemingway)

Queen Mary wanted her death to be remembered, therefore, she staged a pageant.
(I am thinking change the comma after remembered to a semicolon or should I just remove the comma)

A first class employee is: dependable, loyal, and efficient.
(I would add a hyphen after first as you use a colon after an independent clause when a series follow right?

Re: punctuation

Mr Wordy — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:58:51 GMT

I just spotted a couple of typos (probably), one double space, and a couple of places where I'd use commas.

I was expecting your email, Jane; I am glad to receive it. I have one question though: did you decide on your wedding date? Are you marrying the dashing fellow you were with at our high school reunion a few weeks ago? If that's him, you are a lucky girl. He looked so nice and, on top of that, he looked so gentlemanly. Please let me know the details. Bye.

Proper punctuation in emails is to be commended, and you should punctuate them just as you would any other piece of text. For dashes I often use two hyphens (--), as you have. (Not only are proper dashes a pain to enter, but I'm never entirely confident that they will be rendered correctly in whatever system the recipient is using.)

Many "-ly" words are adverbs, but "gentlemanly" is an adjective. The way you've used it is fine -- just as "he looked so handsome" is fine. What you can't say is something like "he looked at me gentlemanly" (intended to mean "in the manner of a gentleman") because this sentence needs an adverb (as in "he looked at me cautiously").

more grammar doubts!

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:36:34 GMT

(1) However, after being told she would not be allowed to present the speech herself, that instead it would be read at the assembly by a male student, she turned down the offer. Her future was in public speaking and she would not be denied.

Should it be "instead"? Can "that" be deleted? Please advise.

(2) Although she was determined not to marry, Lucy had not yet met Cincinnati hardware merchant Henry B. Blackwell, brother of Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell, the first women medical practitioners in the country. Seven years younger than she, Blackwell earnestly pursued Lucy for two years, begging for her hand in marriage.

Should it be " Seven years younger than her,"? Please check usage.

(3) Although she, as many of the other women in the movement, stitched shirts for Union soldiers, being domestic was not her calling and during the period, she helped found the Woman's National Loyal League, advocating full emancipation and enfranchisement for African Americans.

Please check comma usage in the above sentence.

(4) Slowly, she moved away from the more extreme positions and the persons supporting them, particularly the free love advocacy of presidential-candidate-to-be Victoria Woodhull and those who opposed all but federal suffrage mandates, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Do we need hyphen in "presidential-candidate-to-be"? Please clarify.

(5) She died at her home of cancer but refused to make her death the end of the firsts on her list. Her final wish was to be first person cremated in New England.

Should it be "was to be the first person"? Please check.

(6) Lack of paid employment was not an issue for Addams was a skilled fundraiser.

Is the sentence construction ok? Please check.

(7) Employing a changing and adaptable approach to organization, Addams established the first public playground in the city, started a post office and a savings bank, initiated the first juvenile court and offered bathing facilities for those who had none.

Do we need serial comma before "and offered bathing facilities"? Please clarify.

(8) Unfortunately, her career was short-lived for she was summoned home to help care for her ailing mother.

Do we need hyphen in "short-lived"? Please clarify.

Re: grammar doubts!

Mister Micawber — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:59:09 GMT

.
(1) So, can we use hyphen in the above sentence as "five-years-old" or is it wrong to use?-- Wrong. 'A three-year-old' is a pronoun.

(2) Does the second sentence need any correction or rephrasing? -- In the first sentence, no comma after Spectator. In the second sentence, I would prefix 'most' with 'that of'.

(3) Do we need hyphen in door-to-door? -- No; it is not an adjective

(4) Can "At the time" changed to "At that time"? -- Yes. And you do not need the commas around Peter-- they slow the narrative.

(5) Please check S-V agreement in "the bulk of her protests were"? Should it be was?-- I'd go with 'were' on grounds of conceptual concord... and then change 'the bulk of' to 'most of'. Also, prefix 'any' with 'those of'.

(6) Should it be to "visit him"? --Yes, no 'with'. And a comma is required after 'Emerson'.

(7) Should it be "who offered her a position of teaching languages"? -- No; what you have is fine

grammar questions

Anonymous — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:13:40 GMT

Although the group sought political solidarity, the issues were scattered, covering everything from "equal pay for equal work" to "no fault" divorce to reproduction and abortion to gendered language. The movement was truly as feminist foremother Alice Paul had labeled it decades earlier: "the great mosaic."

Do we need comma after "The movement was truly as feminist, foremother"? Meaning is not clear. Please rephrase if necessary.

Founded in 1969 in New York City, the group was known for its innovative approach to problem-solving through consciousness-raising, a psychosocial type of internal processing.

Do we need hyphen in problem-solving? Please advise.

Re: Can the following be written either way?

Grammar Geek — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:52:38 GMT

Commas make a lot of people bonkers. Don't feel bad.

The comma is required, but the colon is incorrect, as is the hyphen in social studies. I would also use a period instead of semi-colon, and would say things are founded ON, not BY, and I don't think you need "to learn." Lastly, those subjects ARE education, so it seems odd to say that you're founding education on something that is education.

You can also just say "... an array of subjects, including math, reading, science, social studies, and writing."

So my version would be:

While in placement, I have observed Mrs. McCauley teaching an array of subjects, including math, reading, science, social studies and writing. These subjects are critical for students because they are the basis on which all future education is founded.

Re: Please check for me this discursive essay !

Grammar Geek — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:01:14 GMT

Hello redneon,
Highlights show potential problems. Remember to leave a space after a period or comma. English-speaking country, with a hyphen. You need some articles here and there.

Topic: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of studying English in an English-speaking country

Bilions of people around the world study English as their foreign language. Many of them attribute a fluent English learner to living in an English speaking country, whereas others believe that there are many obstacles when studying overseas. Therefore,this essay will discuss about the benefits and negatives of studying English in an English-speaking country.

The first argument in favor of studying English in an English-speaking country is that students can enhance all their English skills with the support of good facilities. Firstly, surrounding environment with full-time speaking English wherever students go may help them improve speaking and listening dramatically. Furthermore, they have enormous oppotunities to approach a new culture and the modern living style in most English speaking countries. Those lead to the deeper understanding in English and indirectly make students' reading and writing skills become better. In brief, English skills will rise up when students live in an English speaking country.

Although there are some advantages, studying English in an English speaking country still have some disadvantages.

The primary negative for studying English in an English speaking country is that there are various obstacles when living alone in the new country. Many students who have not left their home before feel shocked with the new culture and they usually find difficult to live independently because of the lack of family support. --That was a very well-written sentence! In addition, most English speaking countries are developed. As a consequence, many students may encounter with the lure of the fashionable and luxurious society and they plunge themselves into that society without concious thinking. This needs a bit of development. Are you saying that will fall into the hedonistic lifestyle of the decadent Americans? What are the real dangers you're talking about?

Another disadvantage of studying English in an English speaking country is the financial problems. Living overseas for many years in order to studying may cost a large amount of money. For example, the aggregate of living cost and tuition fees for one year study in Australia may cost around 30,000 dollars. Moreover, the cost can increase each year as a result of inflation all over the world and that can be a burden for students' family finance.

In conclusion, this essay has identified both positive and negative aspects of studying English in an English speaking country. Despite the advantages to improve all English skills, it still have a pressure for students and their family. Consequently, students should think carefully about studying overseas to make sure that they can adapt easily to new environment. You list only "adapt" but you mention the financial aspect too. I think you should add something about that to your final sentence.