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

Memos show Clinton turmoil

Jackson6612 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:05:10 GMT

Memos show Clinton turmoil

Question: I would have written ''Clinton's turmoil''. Why didn't the author use apostrophe?

BY CRAIG GORDON AND TOM BRUNE | <email addresses removed by mod.>
August 13, 2008

Question: Why is semicolon used instead of comma to separate the email addresses above?

WASHINGTON - In a fresh postmortem (=an examination of a plan or event that failed, done to discover why it failed, =autopsy) on Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid (=attempt to obtain or do something), newly published staff memos (=a short official note to another person in the same company or organization) and e-mails reveal a campaign hobbled (=to hobble something or someone means to make it more difficult for them to be successful or to achieve what they want) by internal rivalries (=a situation in which two or more people, teams, or companies are competing for something), faulty planning, bloated (=more than needed, =excessive) spending - and perhaps most important, Clinton's own failure to make the hard decisions.

Clinton offered herself to voters as a hyper-competent (=extra competent) executive ready to be president from day one. But atop (=on top of something) her own campaign, she was a hesitant leader, who allowed bitter infighting (=when members of the same group or organization argue, or compete with each other in an unfriendly way) to fester (=If an argument or bad feeling festers, it continues so that feelings of hate or dissatisfaction increase) among staffers over whether to go negative against Barack Obama, according to the Atlantic magazine.

The most bare-knuckled (=characterized by disorderly action and disregard for rules) lines of attack came from Clinton's chief strategist, Mark Penn, who urged Clinton to highlight Obama's "lack of American roots" due to his upbringing in Indonesia and Hawaii - saying he could only win if he faced Attila the Hun ((?406-453 AD) a king of the Huns (=an ancient people from Asia) who attacked and took control of large parts of the Roman Empire. He is famous for being violent and cruel).

But Clinton didn't embrace Penn's flag-waving (=the expression of strong national feelings, especially when these feelings seem too extreme) approach (=way of doing something), which campaign aides (=someone whose job is to help someone who has an important job, especially a politician) insist was never seriously considered.

Question: Clinton didn't embrace Penn's approach because she did not consider it seriously. Therefore, what campaign aides were saying is redundant.

The article also says that Clinton at times grew frustrated and short-tempered - including on the morning after her stunning third-place finish in Iowa in January, when aides on a call were silent. Clinton's camp dismissed the story as "inside-the-Beltway gossip" and "old news." And former campaign aides sharply disputed the notion of Clinton as an indecisive leader, with one campaign veteran saying, "Nobody seems to want to remember the fact that we had so many successes and come-from-behind victories in this campaign ... and they are due in large part to Senator Clinton's leadership."

Question: What does the line including on the morning...when aides on a call were silent mean? If she finished third place, then why would the author describe it as stunning? What does call mean in when aides on a call were silent?

Question: What does the phrase inside-the-Beltway gossip mean?

Question: What does the line Nobody seems to want to remember...to Senator Clinton's leadership'' mean?

But the e-mails and memos offer vivid (=very clear and detailed) new details about what had long been reported - that Clinton's headquarters was beset (=to make someone experience serious problems or dangers) by caustic (=bitter) internal battles involving Penn and former President Bill Clinton, who wanted to forcefully attack Obama, and others who wanted the New York senator to take a more positive tack (=method, =way of doing something). At one point, it was Bill Clinton - and not Hillary - who approved the famed 3 a.m. phone call ad.

Question: what had long been reported is passive past perfect tense. Am I right?

Question: I think headquarters should take plural verb. What do you say?

Question: Why are the hyphens used in -and not Hillary-? I believe commas would do instead?

Adding to the turmoil was the fact that the campaign had little strategy and no money left to seriously compete in the post-Super Tuesday contests - having (=the form having with a past participle can be used to introduce a clause in which you mention an action which had already happened before another action began) burned through $106 million before Iowa. That allowed Obama to win 12 straight contests and effectively wrap up (=to finish a job, meeting etc) the nomination.

Question: What does burned through mean?

In the end, the campaign's strategy came to reflect some of the internal turmoil, as Clinton veered (=changed course) from attacking Obama to emphasizing her personal side.

Question: What does her personal side mean?

Penn did offer some advice in March 2007 that proved on the mark - Clinton's path to victory lay with women and lower- and working-class voters.

Question: What does proved on the mark mean? I couldn't find it in the dictionary.

But by the time Clinton finally settled on that strategy to win the later primaries, it was too late.

Excerpts from the memos

"All of these articles about his boyhood in Indonesia and his life in Hawaii are geared towards showing his background is diverse, multicultural and putting that in a new light ... It also exposes a very strong weakness for him - his roots to basic American values and culture are at best (=even when considered in the most positive way) limited. I cannot imagine America electing a president during a time of war who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and in his values." Strategist Mark Penn, from a March 19, 2007, memo to Hillary Rodham Clinton advising her to attack Barack Obama for his "lack of American roots."

Question: What does centre mean in the above context?

"The right knows Obama is unelectable except perhaps against Attila the Hun, and a third party would come in then anyway." Penn, from the same memo.

Question: Does right refer to right wing in the above context?

"This has been a very instructive call, talking to myself." Clinton, before angrily hanging up on a staff conference call the day after coming in third in Iowa in January. "She complained of being outmaneuvered (=to gain an advantage over someone by using cleverer or more skilful plans or methods) in Iowa and being painted as the establishment candidate," according to the Atlantic - but was met with near-silence.

Question: I would have written This has been..., talking to me. Why did she use myself?

Question: What is a conference call? Is it some kind of telephone call which address many poeple?

Question: Why is in used in coming in third?

"STOP IT!! I have help my tongue for weeks. After this morning's WP story, no longer. This makes me sick. This circular firing squad that is occurring is unattractive, unprofessional, unconscionable, and unacceptable ... It must stop." Robert Barnett, a Clinton lawyer and Washington insider, from a March 6, 2008, e-mail to campaign staff after a Washington Post story detailed the infighting.

Question: What does I have help my tongue for weeks mean?

Question: What does This circular firing squad mean?

Question: Were the comments in the last paragraph made by Robert Barnett?

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: {[(1+2)3+4]5+6}7+8=505

Teo — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 02:33:42 GMT

http://evotalk.net/blog/?p=108

Symbol	Description
&	Ampersand (And)
*ã	Asterisk
@	At sign, at
\ã	Backslash
[ã	Open bracket
^	Caret
]	Close bracket
(	Open parenthesis
)ã	Close parenthesis
:	Colon
,	Comma
$	Dollar sign
â	Double dash
â¦	Ellipsis
â	Single quote
â	Quote
=	Equals
+	Plus, plus sign
!	Exclamation point
>	Greater than
<	Less than
#	Pound sign
?	Question mark
.	Period, dot
;	Semicolon
-	Hyphen
â	Dash
_	Underscore
	\| Vertical bar
{	Open brace
}	Close brace
%	Percent, percent sign
/	Slash
//	Double slash
~	Tilde

Re: Evaluative/Review Essay-Please help!

Castellano — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 00:46:23 GMT

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a (truly is a hollow adjective here) superb reality show that first aired on December 3, 2003. Each 60 minute episode features a team of designers, contractors and several hundred workers who must race against time: (you could subsititute the colon with a semicolon or a hyphen if you want) they only have a week to rebuild a house, a task that would normally take 4 months to do. Each episode begins with host Ty Pennington's famous "Good morning!" wake-up call, when he, along with the other designers surprise the unsuspecting family that their home would be redesigned. The families then get to go on a seven day vacation until the renovation has completed. When the family returns from their vacation in a tinted limo, they see a bus blocking their view of their new home. Now, Ty and the family tell the bus driver to âmove that bus!" so the family can be amazed at the renovation. The show ends when Ty gives the keys to this lucky family.

(Start a new paragraph here because you are talking about something new.) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition a winner of two Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is entering its 4th season on ABC and is watched by millions. In its second season, it was one of the ten most popular shows on American television but it has become less popular now. The show is a by-product of Extreme Makeover; provides medical operations, weight loss programs and other beauty help to people who want to look better. Both programs are produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. (I am confused by the bold sentenecs. Are you trying to say that the Home Edition of Extreme Makeover also provides medical operations, weight loss programs, etc... ?)

The show has helped a rainbow of families, those who have financial problems, and those who have lost loved ones. (Could you possibly say from what these people have unfortunately died?) Evidently, families benefit enormously from this show. They have a new lease on life and are given that second chance that many of us are not fortunate enough to receive. (I don't think this is what you mean, perhaps you should write that their homes are now much more elegant, etc...) But are all problems solved after receiving such a gift? What would studies show post-Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? Are the creators of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition applying the golden rule or are they endorsing tax evasion?

Notes:

- Alert: you are introducing ideas and thoughts in your last paragraph. The last paragraph must merely restate your thesis and arguments, it must not introduce anything new, at all! You have some excellent arguments against the show, but you need to put the arguments in the beginning of your critical essay, not at the end. This I won't do for you, try it yourself!

- Your essay is quite informative; I wouldn't consider it technical. If you want your essay to flow more smoothly, proofread the sentences yourself and change accordingly. Make sure you write good sentences, which should reiterate information and should introduce new information to the reader. Further, don't introduce things too quickly or too abruptly, or you will wind up with choppy sentences.

Remember to come back if you need more proofreading and help! Very good start!

Re: proofreading#2

Castellano — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 22:39:22 GMT

Ever since its birth, this dog has been with Larry. Now, the dog was malodorous, old, crippled and blind, but Larry was always with it. (The adj. stinky is too colloquial to be employed in written English.) Larry's roommate, John, wanted to get rid of the dog because he was bothered by the smell. Even though the dog left the room, the smell would still remain in the room. One day, they sat opposite each other at the table, playing cards. John said that his friend's dog herded a lot of pups and that he wanted to get some of them; but Larry paid no attention about what he said.

-----

Couple of things:

- You need to connect your sentences. A good solid sentence will always remind the reader of something and introduce the reader TO something. Connect your sentences with commas, semicolons, hyphens, etc... Use adverbs too, like but, also, because, etc...

- Use spell check; it will pick up or flag spelling and grammatical errors.

Now, try to edit your second paragraph. If you still think you need help, write back!

-----

A bunk house stood somewhere in the plain. There was about eight beds in it. All labor men who worked in the barley farm lived there. The boss's daughter-in-law lived a miled away. People in the bunk house talked about her. She was a tramp who gave the eye to every one she saw.

Re: How would you punctuate this

Lazarus — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:18:38 GMT

Anonymous wrote:
Hi,

I have a sentence that has been punctuated into three ways and hereby asking you for the best choice and the corresponding reasoning. Maybe, grade the choices into three ranks and provide the corresponding reasoning.

1. Divide the class into two groups, Black Cats and Orange Cats.

2. Divide the calss into two groups - Black Cats and Orange Cats.

3. Divide the class into two groups; Black Cats and Orange Cats.

This may be a quicker response than you're looking for, but I'm leaving in a minute.

1. Fine...this can work as is.
2. You're using a hyphen. No good. Personally, I wouldn't recommened using a dash here, either.
3. A semicolon is absolutely incorrect here.

4. A fourth possibility is to use a colon. Divide the class into two groups: Black Cats and Orange Cats.

Re: I am rusty after 25 years. I need essay(argument) correction

Mister Micawber — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:36:00 GMT

This is generally fine. There are a few things that need repair:

learning it (comma)
gang related (hyphen)
hips allowing (comma)
shirt and (comma)
where the focus is (delete all except 'focus')
News âA (punctuate or restructure the clause)
comment, (no comma here or at the other end)
show (shows)
styles that accentuates
code there (comma)
child sense
Parents would find most parents (huh??)
the cage with a lion (a lion's cage)
means, to (no comma)
decisions, about (no comma)
decisions of (on)
by ways of
students choice (apostrophe)
based own
on by studying
what is issue (a misquote?)
if the decision of what to wear to school was cut (were)
Stated on BlueSuitMom.com... (this sentence is not a sentence)
peer approved (hyphen)
defiantly (wrong word)
out weigh (one word)
in who has the best clothes (of who-- and add a comma)
be able to focus (delete all except 'focus')
students (apostrophe)
TheEducation
Beach California comma)
uniforms since (semicolon)
percent; (comma)

Re: Please see these sentences.

rommie — Tue, 02 Mar 2004 10:06:39 GMT

Yup. The clause from "you can help..." to "...with" is a little long and easy to get lost in, and it's mildly inconsistent to join this to preceding clause with a semicolon, but to the following clause with a period. There should also be no hyphen between "nonactions" and "have".

I would change "you are sure of one thing:" to "you can be sure of one thing: that".

But they are all proper expressions.
Rommie

Re: Semicolons - hyphens -commas Help

buggah — Thu, 05 Feb 2004 01:55:59 GMT

Oh, I almost forgot... Yes, 'first-class' should be hyphenated, since it is an adjective.
And the choice between semicolon and period is most often up to the writer.