Writing Workshop
Aloud versus Out Loud
Aloud means to say something audibly, while out loud means to say something loud enough to be heard.
Confusing? Yes, it is.
Writing Explained points out that when someone blurts something, it is done out loud, never aloud. Meanwhile, aloud is used to explain a clear voice, contrasting with a whisper.
Examples:
He laughed out loud.
She read aloud.
Out loud is actually the new version of aloud, though it has gained more popularity and the two words are used interchangeably now. ~ Merriam-Webster.
Aloud means to say something audibly, while out loud means to say something loud enough to be heard.
Confusing? Yes, it is.
Writing Explained points out that when someone blurts something, it is done out loud, never aloud. Meanwhile, aloud is used to explain a clear voice, contrasting with a whisper.
Examples:
He laughed out loud.
She read aloud.
Out loud is actually the new version of aloud, though it has gained more popularity and the two words are used interchangeably now. ~ Merriam-Webster.
Past Simple versus Past Perfect Tense.
The difference between Past Simple and Past Perfect tense is: Past Simple shows a past event, while Past Perfect shows what occurred before a past event.
Past Simple example:
He went for a walk.
Past Perfect example:
He had gone for a walk.
Here is using Past Simple and Past Perfect together:
He had gone for a walk before he went home.
"Had" is the most used common word used in Past Perfect Tense.
See more Past Simple rules here.
See more Past Perfect rules here.
The difference between Past Simple and Past Perfect tense is: Past Simple shows a past event, while Past Perfect shows what occurred before a past event.
Past Simple example:
He went for a walk.
Past Perfect example:
He had gone for a walk.
Here is using Past Simple and Past Perfect together:
He had gone for a walk before he went home.
"Had" is the most used common word used in Past Perfect Tense.
See more Past Simple rules here.
See more Past Perfect rules here.
For this Tuesday Tip, I am going to refer to a Merriam-Webster post:
"Stick to all right. It is by far the more common styling in published, edited text."
From what I am reading, "alright" became popular because The Who wrote a song titled "The Kids Are Alright." Basically, everyone jumped on that bandwagon and have been using that form ever since, but it's not all right.
From The Writers Digest:
"The biggest difference between all right and alright is that one (all right) is a commonly used phrase that’s been accepted by dictionaries and grammar style books for ages, while the other (alright) technically isn’t, well, a word."
It's as simple as that.
"Stick to all right. It is by far the more common styling in published, edited text."
From what I am reading, "alright" became popular because The Who wrote a song titled "The Kids Are Alright." Basically, everyone jumped on that bandwagon and have been using that form ever since, but it's not all right.
From The Writers Digest:
"The biggest difference between all right and alright is that one (all right) is a commonly used phrase that’s been accepted by dictionaries and grammar style books for ages, while the other (alright) technically isn’t, well, a word."
It's as simple as that.
Breath versus Breathe
Breath: pronounced breth, means the air that you take into your lungs and send out from your lungs when you breathe: air that is inhaled and exhaled in breathing, by Merriam-Webster definition.
A breath of fresh air. Your breath stinks. A deep breath.
Breathe: pronounced breeth, means to inhale and exhale, by Merriam-Webster definition.
I can breathe freely. He stopped breathing. Dragons breathe fire.
Breath: pronounced breth, means the air that you take into your lungs and send out from your lungs when you breathe: air that is inhaled and exhaled in breathing, by Merriam-Webster definition.
A breath of fresh air. Your breath stinks. A deep breath.
Breathe: pronounced breeth, means to inhale and exhale, by Merriam-Webster definition.
I can breathe freely. He stopped breathing. Dragons breathe fire.
Punctuating dialogue.
Commas
Commas are always used with dialog tags, whether they come before or after the dialog.
For example:
“Look at the dog,” he said. [RIGHT]
He said, “Look at the dog.” [RIGHT]
“Look at the dog.” He said. [WRONG]
He said. “Look at the dog.” [WRONG]
If an exclamation point or question mark is used and the dialog tag comes after the dialog, then there should be no comma and the dialog tag should not be capitalized.
For example:
“Did you see the dog?” he asked. [RIGHT]
“Did you see the dog?” He asked. [WRONG]
Dialog Tags
Writers are often confused about what qualifies as a dialog tag. A dialog tag is only something that references the way the words came out of the character’s mouth. Any gestures, expressions, movements, etc. should be set apart from the dialog with a period, not connected with a comma.
For example:
“Look at the dog,” he exclaimed.[RIGHT]
“Look at the dog,” he smirked.[WRONG]
“Look at the dog,” he pointed. [WRONG]
He jumped up and down, “Look at the dog.” [WRONG]
And despite what many writers seem to think, you cannot laugh or sigh dialog.
“Oh, bother,” she sighed. [WRONG]
“Oh, bother,” she said, sighing. [RIGHT]
“Look at that cute puppy,” she laughed. [WRONG]
“Look at that cute puppy.” She laughed. [RIGHT]
If the dialog tag is in the middle of a character speaking, then the dialog is not capitalized after the tag unless it starts a new sentence.
For example:
“I was thinking,” she said, “that maybe you could teach me.” [RIGHT]
“I was thinking,” she said, “That maybe you could teach me.” [WRONG]
“I love that dog,” she said. “He’s so cute.” [RIGHT]
“I love that dog,” she said, “he’s so cute.” [WRONG]
Interrupted Dialog
If the dialog is interrupted by another character speaking, use an em dash.
For example:
“It’s not fai-”
“Shut up!” he said. [RIGHT]
“It’s not fai . . .”
“Shut up!” he said. [WRONG]
If the dialog is interrupted by an action, use the em dash outside the quotation marks on either side of the action (unless there is a dialog tag).
For example:
“Can I ask you” -she lifted her head- “to stay here for a while?” [RIGHT]
“Can I ask you,” she lifted her head, “to stay here for a while?” [WRONG]
“Can I ask you,” she said, lifting her head, “to stay here for a while?” [RIGHT]
Trailing Dialog
If a character trails off, an ellipsis should be used. Despite what many people think, an ellipsis is only three periods.
For example:
“I just thought maybe . . .” [RIGHT]
“I just thought maybe…………” [WRONG]
Multiple Paragraphs of Dialog
If your dialog needs to run multiple paragraphs without dialog tags breaking it up, then each paragraph that is not the last paragraph should have no quotation mark at the end of it.
For example:
“My dear, sweet Love. I love you so much that I can barely take it. You are the sun and the moon and the stars to me and you always will be.
“Unless, of course, you betray me, then I will cut off your head and put it on a stake,” he said.[RIGHT]
Brought to you by: The Writeditor
Commas
Commas are always used with dialog tags, whether they come before or after the dialog.
For example:
“Look at the dog,” he said. [RIGHT]
He said, “Look at the dog.” [RIGHT]
“Look at the dog.” He said. [WRONG]
He said. “Look at the dog.” [WRONG]
If an exclamation point or question mark is used and the dialog tag comes after the dialog, then there should be no comma and the dialog tag should not be capitalized.
For example:
“Did you see the dog?” he asked. [RIGHT]
“Did you see the dog?” He asked. [WRONG]
Dialog Tags
Writers are often confused about what qualifies as a dialog tag. A dialog tag is only something that references the way the words came out of the character’s mouth. Any gestures, expressions, movements, etc. should be set apart from the dialog with a period, not connected with a comma.
For example:
“Look at the dog,” he exclaimed.[RIGHT]
“Look at the dog,” he smirked.[WRONG]
“Look at the dog,” he pointed. [WRONG]
He jumped up and down, “Look at the dog.” [WRONG]
And despite what many writers seem to think, you cannot laugh or sigh dialog.
“Oh, bother,” she sighed. [WRONG]
“Oh, bother,” she said, sighing. [RIGHT]
“Look at that cute puppy,” she laughed. [WRONG]
“Look at that cute puppy.” She laughed. [RIGHT]
If the dialog tag is in the middle of a character speaking, then the dialog is not capitalized after the tag unless it starts a new sentence.
For example:
“I was thinking,” she said, “that maybe you could teach me.” [RIGHT]
“I was thinking,” she said, “That maybe you could teach me.” [WRONG]
“I love that dog,” she said. “He’s so cute.” [RIGHT]
“I love that dog,” she said, “he’s so cute.” [WRONG]
Interrupted Dialog
If the dialog is interrupted by another character speaking, use an em dash.
For example:
“It’s not fai-”
“Shut up!” he said. [RIGHT]
“It’s not fai . . .”
“Shut up!” he said. [WRONG]
If the dialog is interrupted by an action, use the em dash outside the quotation marks on either side of the action (unless there is a dialog tag).
For example:
“Can I ask you” -she lifted her head- “to stay here for a while?” [RIGHT]
“Can I ask you,” she lifted her head, “to stay here for a while?” [WRONG]
“Can I ask you,” she said, lifting her head, “to stay here for a while?” [RIGHT]
Trailing Dialog
If a character trails off, an ellipsis should be used. Despite what many people think, an ellipsis is only three periods.
For example:
“I just thought maybe . . .” [RIGHT]
“I just thought maybe…………” [WRONG]
Multiple Paragraphs of Dialog
If your dialog needs to run multiple paragraphs without dialog tags breaking it up, then each paragraph that is not the last paragraph should have no quotation mark at the end of it.
For example:
“My dear, sweet Love. I love you so much that I can barely take it. You are the sun and the moon and the stars to me and you always will be.
“Unless, of course, you betray me, then I will cut off your head and put it on a stake,” he said.[RIGHT]
Brought to you by: The Writeditor
First- versus second- versus third-person point of views.
I found this great article from Writer's Digest on the subject!
"First person
First person POV refers to the I, we, me, my, mine, us narrator, often the voice of the heroic character or a constant companion of the heroic character.
Example: There I was, minding my own beeswax when she up and kissed me. I near passed out.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It feels natural to most writers because we live in an I world.
• You have to deal with only one mind: the narrator’s.
• You can create a distinctive internal voice.
• You can add an element of craft by creating a narrator who is not entirely reliable.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• You are limited to writing about what the narrator can see or sense.
• The narrator must constantly be on stage or observing the stage.
• You can’t go into the minds of other characters.
Second person
The you narrator, this POV is rarely successful, and even then works best in shorter books. For an example of second person POV, check out Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City. But know that most publishing professionals advise against using this tricky approach.
Example: You’re just standing there. She comes along and kisses you, and you nearly faint.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It gives you the power to be different, even eccentric in the way you can speak to the reader so directly.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It begins to feel quirky, whether you’re reading it or writing it.
• It can say to a publishing professional: “I’m a Jay McInerney knockoff. Reject me!”
Third person
The he, she, it, they, them narrator, third person is the most common POV in fiction. It offers a variety of possibilities for limiting omniscience: information that the narrator and reader are privy to in the telling of the story.
THIRD PERSON UNLIMITED OMNISCIENCE: In this POV, the author enters the mind of any character to transport readers to any setting or action.
Example: He stood stiff as a fence post, watching her come his way. What did she want? he wondered.
She had decided to kiss him, no matter what. So she did. She could see the effect of her kiss at once. He nearly fell over.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It can enrich your novel with contrasting viewpoints.
• Both you and your reader can take a breath of fresh air as you shift from one character’s POV to another’s.
• You can broaden the scope of your story as you move between settings and from conflicting points of view.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• You can confuse yourself and the reader unless every voice is distinctive.
• You can diffuse the flow of your story by switching the POV too often. (Notice how the last passage about the kiss jolts you from one POV to the other.)
• It’s easy to get lazy and begin narrating as the author instead of as one of your characters.
THIRD PERSON LIMITED OMNISCIENCE: The author enters the mind of just a few characters, usually one per chapter or scene.
Example: He stood stiff as a fence post, watching her come his way. What did she want? he wondered, as she approached. Then he saw the determination in her face. Good crackers! She was going to kiss him, no matter what.
She did, too, and he nearly fell over.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It has all the advantages of third person unlimited POV.
• You can concentrate the story by keeping to major characters’ (and strategic minor characters’) thoughts.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• There aren’t any, really; by imposing POV discipline, you minimize the downsides of unlimited omniscience.
If you want to get really complex, you can identify three or four times as many POV choices—but these are by far the most common, and will suit most any story." ~ James V. Smith Jr., Writer's Digest.
Other sources for information on types of POVs:
Ohio.edu
Education Portal, which has a video describing different POVs.
I found this great article from Writer's Digest on the subject!
"First person
First person POV refers to the I, we, me, my, mine, us narrator, often the voice of the heroic character or a constant companion of the heroic character.
Example: There I was, minding my own beeswax when she up and kissed me. I near passed out.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It feels natural to most writers because we live in an I world.
• You have to deal with only one mind: the narrator’s.
• You can create a distinctive internal voice.
• You can add an element of craft by creating a narrator who is not entirely reliable.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• You are limited to writing about what the narrator can see or sense.
• The narrator must constantly be on stage or observing the stage.
• You can’t go into the minds of other characters.
Second person
The you narrator, this POV is rarely successful, and even then works best in shorter books. For an example of second person POV, check out Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City. But know that most publishing professionals advise against using this tricky approach.
Example: You’re just standing there. She comes along and kisses you, and you nearly faint.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It gives you the power to be different, even eccentric in the way you can speak to the reader so directly.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It begins to feel quirky, whether you’re reading it or writing it.
• It can say to a publishing professional: “I’m a Jay McInerney knockoff. Reject me!”
Third person
The he, she, it, they, them narrator, third person is the most common POV in fiction. It offers a variety of possibilities for limiting omniscience: information that the narrator and reader are privy to in the telling of the story.
THIRD PERSON UNLIMITED OMNISCIENCE: In this POV, the author enters the mind of any character to transport readers to any setting or action.
Example: He stood stiff as a fence post, watching her come his way. What did she want? he wondered.
She had decided to kiss him, no matter what. So she did. She could see the effect of her kiss at once. He nearly fell over.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It can enrich your novel with contrasting viewpoints.
• Both you and your reader can take a breath of fresh air as you shift from one character’s POV to another’s.
• You can broaden the scope of your story as you move between settings and from conflicting points of view.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• You can confuse yourself and the reader unless every voice is distinctive.
• You can diffuse the flow of your story by switching the POV too often. (Notice how the last passage about the kiss jolts you from one POV to the other.)
• It’s easy to get lazy and begin narrating as the author instead of as one of your characters.
THIRD PERSON LIMITED OMNISCIENCE: The author enters the mind of just a few characters, usually one per chapter or scene.
Example: He stood stiff as a fence post, watching her come his way. What did she want? he wondered, as she approached. Then he saw the determination in her face. Good crackers! She was going to kiss him, no matter what.
She did, too, and he nearly fell over.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• It has all the advantages of third person unlimited POV.
• You can concentrate the story by keeping to major characters’ (and strategic minor characters’) thoughts.
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
• There aren’t any, really; by imposing POV discipline, you minimize the downsides of unlimited omniscience.
If you want to get really complex, you can identify three or four times as many POV choices—but these are by far the most common, and will suit most any story." ~ James V. Smith Jr., Writer's Digest.
Other sources for information on types of POVs:
Ohio.edu
Education Portal, which has a video describing different POVs.
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How to make a workable Table of Contents
I found this link to be the simplest explanation of how to manually build a ToC. So, thank you, John Carroll, for simplifying the process and breaking it down for us! How to make a clickable Table of Contents in Microsoft Word link. Now, for the quickest way, and if you like the Microsoft ToC formatting, then this YouTube video shows another way to quickly create a ToC. |
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Affect versus Effect
Affect is a verb. To influence Example: He affected me. Effect is a noun. A result Example: He had an effect on me. Read more at: GrammarGirl WritersDigest DailyWritingTips |
Wrack versus Rack.
Wrack is to wreck. Destruction or wreckage.
Rack is to torture, like the medieval device, a rack.
Common phrases:
Rack my brain.
Nerve-racking
Wrack and ruin
Rack up
These are the most common sayings that authors get backwards.
Grammarist.com
Dailywritingtips
Wrack is to wreck. Destruction or wreckage.
Rack is to torture, like the medieval device, a rack.
Common phrases:
Rack my brain.
Nerve-racking
Wrack and ruin
Rack up
These are the most common sayings that authors get backwards.
Grammarist.com
Dailywritingtips
Hyphenation.
There are a LOT of rules to using hyphens. The abbreviated version is rule 11: when in doubt, grab the dictionary!
Taken directly from Grammarbook.com.
Rule 1. Generally, hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This is called a compound adjective.
Examples:
an off-campus apartment
When a compound adjective follows a noun, a hyphen may or may not be necessary.
Example: The apartment is off campus.
However, some established compound adjectives are always hyphenated. Double-check with a dictionary or online.
Example: The design is state-of-the-art.
Rule 2a. A hyphen is frequently required when forming original compound verbs for vivid writing, humor, or special situations.
Examples:
The slacker video-gamed his way through life.
Rule 2b. When writing out new, original, or unusual compound nouns, writers should hyphenate whenever doing so avoids confusion.
Examples:
I changed my diet and became a no-meater.
Rule 3. An often overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverb very and adverbs ending in -ly are not hyphenated.
Incorrect: the very-elegant watch
Incorrect: the finely-tuned watch
This rule applies only to adverbs. The following two sentences are correct because the -lywords are adjectives rather than adverbs:
Correct: the friendly-looking dog
Correct: a family-owned cafe
Rule 4. Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. A handy rule, whether writing about years, months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time (years, months, weeks, days) is written in plural form:
With hyphens:
We have a two-year-old.
No hyphens: The child is two years old. (Because years is plural.)
Exception: The child is one year old. (Or day, week, month, etc.)
Incorrect: We have a two-year old child.
Rule 5. Never hesitate to add a hyphen if it solves a possible problem. Following are two examples of well-advised hyphens:
Confusing: I have a few more important things to do.
With hyphen: I have a few more-important things to do.
Without the hyphen, it's impossible to tell whether the sentence is about a few things that are more important or a few more things that are all equally important.
Confusing: He returned the stolen vehicle report.
With hyphen: He returned the stolen-vehicle report.
With no hyphen, we could only guess: Was the vehicle report stolen, or was it a report onstolen vehicles?
Rule 6. When using numbers, hyphenate spans or estimates of time, distance, or other quantities. Remember not to use spaces around hyphens.
Examples:
3:15-3:45 p.m.
1999-2016
300-325 people
Rule 7. Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.
Examples:
thirty-two children
one thousand two hundred twenty-one dollars
Rule 8. Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
Example: more than two-thirds of registered voters
Rule 9. Hyphenate most double last names.
Example: Sir Winthrop Heinz-Eakins will attend.
Rule 10. As important as hyphens are to clear writing, they can become an annoyance if overused. Avoid adding hyphens when the meaning is clear. Many phrases are so familiar (e.g., high school, twentieth century, one hundred percent) that they can go before a noun without risk of confusing the reader.
Rule 11. When in doubt, look it up. Some familiar phrases may require hyphens. For instance, is a book up to date or up-to-date? Don't guess; have a dictionary close by, or look it up online.
Hyphens with Prefixes and SuffixesA prefix (a-, un-, de-, ab-, sub-, post-, anti-, etc.) is a letter or set of letters placed before a rootword. The word prefix itself contains the prefix pre-. Prefixes expand or change a word's meaning, sometimes radically: the prefixes a-, un-, and dis-, for example, change words into their opposites (e.g., political, apolitical; friendly, unfriendly; honor, dishonor).
Rule 1. Hyphenate prefixes when they come before proper nouns or proper adjectives.
Examples:
trans-American
mid-July
Rule 2. For clarity, many writers hyphenate prefixes ending in a vowel when the root word begins with the same letter.
Example:
ultra-ambitious
semi-invalid
re-elect
Rule 3. Hyphenate all words beginning with the prefixes self-, ex- (i.e., former), and all-.
Rule 4. Use a hyphen with the prefix re- when omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.
Examples:
Will she recover from her illness?
I have re-covered the sofa twice.
Omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with recover.
I must re-press the shirt.
Omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with repress.
The stamps have been reissued.
A hyphen after re- is not needed because there is no confusion with another word.
Rule 5. Writers often hyphenate prefixes when they feel a word might be distracting or confusing without the hyphen.
Examples:
de-ice
With no hyphen we get deice, which might stump readers.
A suffix (-y, -er, -ism, -able, etc.) is a letter or set of letters that follows a root word. Suffixes form new words or alter the original word to perform a different task. For example, the noun scandalcan be made into the adjective scandalous by adding the suffix -ous. It becomes the verbscandalize by adding the suffix -ize.
Rule 1. Suffixes are not usually hyphenated. Some exceptions: -style, -elect, -free, -based.
Examples:
Modernist-style paintings
Mayor-elect Smith
sugar-free soda
oil-based sludge
Rule 2. For clarity, writers often hyphenate when the last letter in the root word is the same as the first letter in the suffix.
Examples:
graffiti-ism
wiretap-proof
Rule 3. Use discretion—and sometimes a dictionary—before deciding to place a hyphen before a suffix. But do not hesitate to hyphenate a rare usage if it avoids confusion.
Examples:
the annual dance-athon
an eel-esque sea creature
Although the preceding hyphens help clarify unusual terms, they are optional and might not be every writer's choice. Still, many readers would scratch their heads for a moment overdanceathon and eelesque.
There are a LOT of rules to using hyphens. The abbreviated version is rule 11: when in doubt, grab the dictionary!
Taken directly from Grammarbook.com.
Rule 1. Generally, hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This is called a compound adjective.
Examples:
an off-campus apartment
When a compound adjective follows a noun, a hyphen may or may not be necessary.
Example: The apartment is off campus.
However, some established compound adjectives are always hyphenated. Double-check with a dictionary or online.
Example: The design is state-of-the-art.
Rule 2a. A hyphen is frequently required when forming original compound verbs for vivid writing, humor, or special situations.
Examples:
The slacker video-gamed his way through life.
Rule 2b. When writing out new, original, or unusual compound nouns, writers should hyphenate whenever doing so avoids confusion.
Examples:
I changed my diet and became a no-meater.
Rule 3. An often overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverb very and adverbs ending in -ly are not hyphenated.
Incorrect: the very-elegant watch
Incorrect: the finely-tuned watch
This rule applies only to adverbs. The following two sentences are correct because the -lywords are adjectives rather than adverbs:
Correct: the friendly-looking dog
Correct: a family-owned cafe
Rule 4. Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. A handy rule, whether writing about years, months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time (years, months, weeks, days) is written in plural form:
With hyphens:
We have a two-year-old.
No hyphens: The child is two years old. (Because years is plural.)
Exception: The child is one year old. (Or day, week, month, etc.)
Incorrect: We have a two-year old child.
Rule 5. Never hesitate to add a hyphen if it solves a possible problem. Following are two examples of well-advised hyphens:
Confusing: I have a few more important things to do.
With hyphen: I have a few more-important things to do.
Without the hyphen, it's impossible to tell whether the sentence is about a few things that are more important or a few more things that are all equally important.
Confusing: He returned the stolen vehicle report.
With hyphen: He returned the stolen-vehicle report.
With no hyphen, we could only guess: Was the vehicle report stolen, or was it a report onstolen vehicles?
Rule 6. When using numbers, hyphenate spans or estimates of time, distance, or other quantities. Remember not to use spaces around hyphens.
Examples:
3:15-3:45 p.m.
1999-2016
300-325 people
Rule 7. Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.
Examples:
thirty-two children
one thousand two hundred twenty-one dollars
Rule 8. Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
Example: more than two-thirds of registered voters
Rule 9. Hyphenate most double last names.
Example: Sir Winthrop Heinz-Eakins will attend.
Rule 10. As important as hyphens are to clear writing, they can become an annoyance if overused. Avoid adding hyphens when the meaning is clear. Many phrases are so familiar (e.g., high school, twentieth century, one hundred percent) that they can go before a noun without risk of confusing the reader.
Rule 11. When in doubt, look it up. Some familiar phrases may require hyphens. For instance, is a book up to date or up-to-date? Don't guess; have a dictionary close by, or look it up online.
Hyphens with Prefixes and SuffixesA prefix (a-, un-, de-, ab-, sub-, post-, anti-, etc.) is a letter or set of letters placed before a rootword. The word prefix itself contains the prefix pre-. Prefixes expand or change a word's meaning, sometimes radically: the prefixes a-, un-, and dis-, for example, change words into their opposites (e.g., political, apolitical; friendly, unfriendly; honor, dishonor).
Rule 1. Hyphenate prefixes when they come before proper nouns or proper adjectives.
Examples:
trans-American
mid-July
Rule 2. For clarity, many writers hyphenate prefixes ending in a vowel when the root word begins with the same letter.
Example:
ultra-ambitious
semi-invalid
re-elect
Rule 3. Hyphenate all words beginning with the prefixes self-, ex- (i.e., former), and all-.
Rule 4. Use a hyphen with the prefix re- when omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.
Examples:
Will she recover from her illness?
I have re-covered the sofa twice.
Omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with recover.
I must re-press the shirt.
Omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with repress.
The stamps have been reissued.
A hyphen after re- is not needed because there is no confusion with another word.
Rule 5. Writers often hyphenate prefixes when they feel a word might be distracting or confusing without the hyphen.
Examples:
de-ice
With no hyphen we get deice, which might stump readers.
A suffix (-y, -er, -ism, -able, etc.) is a letter or set of letters that follows a root word. Suffixes form new words or alter the original word to perform a different task. For example, the noun scandalcan be made into the adjective scandalous by adding the suffix -ous. It becomes the verbscandalize by adding the suffix -ize.
Rule 1. Suffixes are not usually hyphenated. Some exceptions: -style, -elect, -free, -based.
Examples:
Modernist-style paintings
Mayor-elect Smith
sugar-free soda
oil-based sludge
Rule 2. For clarity, writers often hyphenate when the last letter in the root word is the same as the first letter in the suffix.
Examples:
graffiti-ism
wiretap-proof
Rule 3. Use discretion—and sometimes a dictionary—before deciding to place a hyphen before a suffix. But do not hesitate to hyphenate a rare usage if it avoids confusion.
Examples:
the annual dance-athon
an eel-esque sea creature
Although the preceding hyphens help clarify unusual terms, they are optional and might not be every writer's choice. Still, many readers would scratch their heads for a moment overdanceathon and eelesque.
Learned versus Learnt
Basically, learned is the common spelling in American English. Learnt is a British spelling. However, learnt and learned are both used in British English.
Grammarist.com
To see more variants of other words that follow the same rule as above (such as: burn, dream, hang, smell, spell) check out Grammar-monster.
Basically, learned is the common spelling in American English. Learnt is a British spelling. However, learnt and learned are both used in British English.
Grammarist.com
To see more variants of other words that follow the same rule as above (such as: burn, dream, hang, smell, spell) check out Grammar-monster.
Lie versus Lay. Enough said.
When to omit "that."
Professor Malcolm Gibson uses some great example on his webpage.
One example: He said (that) he was tired.
"That" does not need to be in there.
Read it like this:
He said he was tired.
Grammar girl gives more insight with talking about bridge words: say, think, know, believe, claim hear.
With these words, "that" does not need to be followed. Ex. I know that. I think that. I believe that. etc.
Leave it with: I know. I think. I believe...
When to use that.
Example from Professor Gibson: The senator said that he might run again and that, if he did, Myra Henry would be his campaign manager.
Because "that" is needed before "if he did," then "that" is needed after "said." This is called the rule of parallelism.
Another helpful site is Whitney's Writing Tips to learn more on omitting "that."
Professor Malcolm Gibson uses some great example on his webpage.
One example: He said (that) he was tired.
"That" does not need to be in there.
Read it like this:
He said he was tired.
Grammar girl gives more insight with talking about bridge words: say, think, know, believe, claim hear.
With these words, "that" does not need to be followed. Ex. I know that. I think that. I believe that. etc.
Leave it with: I know. I think. I believe...
When to use that.
Example from Professor Gibson: The senator said that he might run again and that, if he did, Myra Henry would be his campaign manager.
Because "that" is needed before "if he did," then "that" is needed after "said." This is called the rule of parallelism.
Another helpful site is Whitney's Writing Tips to learn more on omitting "that."
Who versus Whom.
Using who versus whom depends on whether you are talking about the subject or the object (the person doing, or the person having something done to them).
Example:
Subject- Who was throwing the ball?
Object- To whom were you throwing that ball?
Simple, right?
The Oatmeal has a really good explanation. If you're still lost, though, check out these two other links: PRDaily and Grammar Girl.
Using who versus whom depends on whether you are talking about the subject or the object (the person doing, or the person having something done to them).
Example:
Subject- Who was throwing the ball?
Object- To whom were you throwing that ball?
Simple, right?
The Oatmeal has a really good explanation. If you're still lost, though, check out these two other links: PRDaily and Grammar Girl.
Forward versus Forwards, and Toward, Backward versus Towards, Backwards.
Lots of writers get these mixed up all the time.
As an adjective, we don't add the 's' to the end of them.
For example: "I look forward to seeing you."
As an adverb, the 's' at the end is interchangeable ('s' at the end is more British-English than American-English); however, if you use the 's' in one word, such as towards, then you should constantly use it with forwards, backwards, upwards, and downwards. This is being consistent.
For example: She moved towards him, while he moved backwards.
More links: Grammar Girl and English Practice
Lots of writers get these mixed up all the time.
As an adjective, we don't add the 's' to the end of them.
For example: "I look forward to seeing you."
As an adverb, the 's' at the end is interchangeable ('s' at the end is more British-English than American-English); however, if you use the 's' in one word, such as towards, then you should constantly use it with forwards, backwards, upwards, and downwards. This is being consistent.
For example: She moved towards him, while he moved backwards.
More links: Grammar Girl and English Practice
How to Format a Manuscript!
We know LOTS of authors dread this one.
Here is a link that will give you the basic, so you can easily set up your manuscript before even starting on it. Or, as what we do before even start to edit, 'Select all' (Control A) and then format.
We know LOTS of authors dread this one.
Here is a link that will give you the basic, so you can easily set up your manuscript before even starting on it. Or, as what we do before even start to edit, 'Select all' (Control A) and then format.
Show, don't tell.
Show, don't tell is when the author, like it says, Shows the readers the specifics on a characters feelings, temperament, or a description, instead of Telling.
For example, Grammar Girl uses this passage:
“Have I told you the story of the king carrying the boulder?”
“Yes,” Adolin said.
“I have?”
“Twice. And you made me listen to the passage being read another time.”
Adolin sounds a bit snappy, right? And it doesn't have to be followed by:
“Yes,” Adolin said in an annoyed tone.
See more at Grammar Girl or The Write Practice
Show, don't tell is when the author, like it says, Shows the readers the specifics on a characters feelings, temperament, or a description, instead of Telling.
For example, Grammar Girl uses this passage:
“Have I told you the story of the king carrying the boulder?”
“Yes,” Adolin said.
“I have?”
“Twice. And you made me listen to the passage being read another time.”
Adolin sounds a bit snappy, right? And it doesn't have to be followed by:
“Yes,” Adolin said in an annoyed tone.
See more at Grammar Girl or The Write Practice
En dash versus Em dash.
En dash is typically used to show "through" two numbers. Ex. 2012–2014
Em dash is used to intensify or make something more prominent--stand out. Also, writers use them when a character is breaking their thoughts, or like when someone cuts off what they are going to say. Ex. "Wha—"
There are many ways to use em dashes, but you need to be careful, because they are overused in a lot of cases.
See link here to find out more uses for en dash versus em dash.
En dash is typically used to show "through" two numbers. Ex. 2012–2014
Em dash is used to intensify or make something more prominent--stand out. Also, writers use them when a character is breaking their thoughts, or like when someone cuts off what they are going to say. Ex. "Wha—"
There are many ways to use em dashes, but you need to be careful, because they are overused in a lot of cases.
See link here to find out more uses for en dash versus em dash.
Comma versus Semicolons in Compound Sentences.
Comma links two independent clauses when there is a conjunction: and, but, so, for, or, nor, and yet.
He went to the store, but didn't get anything.
Semicolon links two independent clauses that either have NO conjunctions, or the following ones conjunctive adverbs: however, moreover, therefore, consequently, thus, otherwise, nonetheless, etc.
He went to the store; however, he didn't get anything.
Follow link for examples.
See section below for a full preview of conjective verbs.
Comma links two independent clauses when there is a conjunction: and, but, so, for, or, nor, and yet.
He went to the store, but didn't get anything.
Semicolon links two independent clauses that either have NO conjunctions, or the following ones conjunctive adverbs: however, moreover, therefore, consequently, thus, otherwise, nonetheless, etc.
He went to the store; however, he didn't get anything.
Follow link for examples.
See section below for a full preview of conjective verbs.
Conjunctive Adverbs - a type of adverb that joins together two clauses.
These adverbs are preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
Example: He wasn't there to help; therefore, I did the work by myself.
Here are three links to help:
Grammar Monster
Grammar United
Grammar.YourDictionary.com
- also
- consequently
- furthermore
- however
- incidentally
- indeed
- likewise
- meanwhile
- nevertheless
- nonetheless
- therefore
- as a result
- as a consequence
- for example
- on the contrary
These adverbs are preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
Example: He wasn't there to help; therefore, I did the work by myself.
Here are three links to help:
Grammar Monster
Grammar United
Grammar.YourDictionary.com
Numbers in Literature.
Personally, I detest seeing numerals in literature; keep those in the math textbooks. It's all about the words, so write everything out. With that said, it's up to the author, but do NOT combine numerals with their spellings.
Another stickler, "and" is NOT included in number unless it is taking the place of a decimal point.
For example: five hundred twenty-two people.
You will not say five hundred and twenty-two people.
This is an example for using "and" in writing out a number: Three dollars and five cents. Two and a half miles.
For more tips on using numbers in literature, follow link.
Personally, I detest seeing numerals in literature; keep those in the math textbooks. It's all about the words, so write everything out. With that said, it's up to the author, but do NOT combine numerals with their spellings.
Another stickler, "and" is NOT included in number unless it is taking the place of a decimal point.
For example: five hundred twenty-two people.
You will not say five hundred and twenty-two people.
This is an example for using "and" in writing out a number: Three dollars and five cents. Two and a half miles.
For more tips on using numbers in literature, follow link.
When to Italicize, Underline, or Use Quotations Marks.
The rule to this is bigger to smaller. For example: Band name, album title, "song."
Now, in books, we don't typically see words underlined, so italics would be used, but this is not always the rule.
Link here for information.
The rule to this is bigger to smaller. For example: Band name, album title, "song."
Now, in books, we don't typically see words underlined, so italics would be used, but this is not always the rule.
Link here for information.