Another new edition to the site: Scott’s School of Grammar.
It’s grammar taken seriously.
Not that I’m a teacher, philologian, or anything of the sort, they are just good writing rules I’ve been re-learning lately.
The adjective comma was actually one my roommate asked; I responded, “use the and rule!“ and then realized that I myself had forgotten the and rule. In case you too have forgotten, here it is,
Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the word and can be inserted between them.
Examples: He is a strong, healthy man.
We stayed at an expensive summer resort. You would not say expensive and summer resort, so no comma.
psst..in case you forgot what an adjective is..
adjective - a word that modifies a noun, a.k.a. white in white house
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Grammar seems to be a theme in my life right now. I am currently reading a great book, The American Language by H.L. Mencken, that deals with the history of the American branch of English from colonial times to 1937. Apparently, there was a great hostility between the American and English branch of English that I was not aware of:
“I don’t go to the cinema often, but I had to be present at one a few days ago, when an American film was shown. The words and accent were perfectly disgusting, and there can be no doubt that such films are an evil influence on our language. It is said that 30,000,000 British people visit the cinemas every week. What is the use of spending millions on education if our young people listen to falsified English spoken every night?” – Honorable William Graham, President of the Board of Trade
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Scott’s School of Grammar is an idea I have been kicking around for a while; the confluence of these 2 things – my roommate’s question, and the outrageous views spoken of in this book – motivated me to action.
From now on, picture Conan the Librarian hanging over your shoulder as you edit your writing,
Don’t yu know the gram-mar usage?
English was always one of my best sujects but the comma has always been my nemesis. (Heh. I re-wrote that sentence just so I wouldn’t have to include one by the way.) I think I paid more attention to grammar when I was in school and then I let it slide a little. That is so unlike me too.
Well, I think I am going to have to pay more attention to it this fall. One of my electives is a Jazz History class (it’s a US History elective) and it is considered by GVSU as a “writing” class which I have enough of on my transcript but… Jazz History! Come on!
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