Overcoming Bad Writing Habits 9

[BJCooperIT]

We once discussed the importance of spelling and grammar here at TT. I cannot locate that thread, but in general we all agreed that our professional images suffer from bad habits in our writing. We also agreed that spell checking and proofreading are important.

The purpose of this thread is to provide tips to help make us aware of and overcome common mistakes. A few months ago I discovered that there was a word which I was mispronouncing. This was not a new word, indeed it is commonly used. I was embarrassed when I realized that I have been making this mistake all my life. That set me to thinking, what other "mistakes" do I make of which I am unaware? I always struggle with punctuation and know that I could use a few pointers there.

Since this site is dedicated to helping other professionals, I would like this thread to provide tips that may be helpful. If you read a something you already know, then good for you. If you benefit from it, even better! Hopefully, each one of us can find some little bad habit we can overcome.

I used

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

as a reference. Here are 3 common mistakes that are on the top of my hit parade:

THAN vs. THEN
THAN: "...taken as the point of departure in a comparison expressive of inequality... easier said than done"
THEN: "next in order of time... first came the clowns, then came the elephants"
I remember this by thinking "than" compares 2 items

TO vs. TOO
TO: "used as a function word to indicate movement or an action or condition suggestive of movement... drove to the city"
TOO: ": BESIDES, ALSO... sell the house and furniture too"
I remember this by thinking if it is excessive, there are too many O's

DANGLING PREPOSITONS
Remember prepositions? at, to, for, with, in, on...
I had an English teacher who would automatically give a failing grade to any paper in which she found a sentence that ended with a preposition. This would include something like "What did you go to the store for?". I am forever rewriting sentences to avoid this mistake.

How about it? Give us your recommendations.

[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Consultant/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle 8.1.7 - Windows 2000

 

[rosieb]

BJCooperIT
I really agree that bad spelling and grammar look unprofessional. Though even that depends on the circumstances.

My pet hates are misuse of there/their/they're and its/it's.

My personal bugbear is which vs that, I know I often use "which" when I should use "that", but I can never quite get them straight.

However I don't think we should be too precious about grammar, language changes, it is now permissible to boldly split infinitives - something my English master would have crucified me for. (Ditto that dangling preposition.)

I wrote a user manual which (that?) was edited by the editor of a professional journal. His view was that readability and comprehensibility took precedence over grammatical purity. Sometimes a grammatically correct sentence can be fairly impenetrable.

The important thing is to address the writing style to the intended audience.

A good (and amusing) book for fellow pedants is Lynne Truss "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation". (Even though I disapprove of her use of three alternatives, I was taught you could only have two - but my dictionary disagrees!)

Rosie

 

[flatwater]

Writing is inclusive of punctuation, spelling, grammar, and many others, such as, sentence structure and paragraphs, to name a few.

When I answer a question in the AIX or WebSphere forums, for example, I do not spend the time to draft a grammatically correct reply, due to brevity and limited time.

What one needs to consider in response to rosie's "intended audience," which I believe is inherently true, is that even though this is a professional forum, many would not understand a topic that was written at a level higher than they could comprehend. Most people, regardless (and what is irregardless that some people say?) of their secondary or higher education, read and write at the 8th grade level. Asking them to write at a higher level is possible but at the same time will not and cannot be achieved.

My master's thesis in education was written at the 18th grade level - appropriate for the level of education I had achieved - and was complimented by my professor as the "best written paper he had ever read" and a school superintendent who said, "it was better written than a lot of doctoral dissertations" he had read. My point is that if I wrote everything at that same level, even here in TT, it would not be comprehendable to the majority of subscribers.

It is sad but it isn't going to be corrected quickly or easily.

 

[dilettante]

Er, that's comprehensible, not comprehendable. ;-)

But I'm hardly in a position to be casting bricks toward anybody else's windows.

There are a couple of overlapping issues involved here. One is general writing quality, while the other might be more of a situational style matter.

Quality will vary based upon written English proficiency and spelling skills. Another big factor is here is speed, because dashing something off quickly means a lot of errors can creep in. The mind running ahead of the fingers, simple typos, and a lack of careful proofreading will all conspire to produce different sorts of errors in posts.

Style is different though. Here we may have varying expectations. There used to be basically two divisions in style: conversational vs. written English. Yes, these always did break down into subcatagories just as they do now. However I think what we typically use in email messages or in forum posts is much closer to spoken language than written language in style. This is a technology shift rather than some shift in our standards.

In the past, many forms of "written" communication such as papers or letters had a long "transmission" latency compared to the time spent creating them. Now it is often the case that exactly the opposite is true. The time it takes to develop your ideas, to express them in writing, and to go over them to firm up your language, typing, spelling, and punctuation is very much longer than the time it takes to send or "publish" your words and have them available to all recipients.

So I'll conclude by summarizing: I believe that few forum users treat their posts here they way they would treat a paper or even a business letter. I'm not sure it is reasonable to expect them to. I think that the case for more formal writing is a lot stronger though for such things as FAQs.

But improving one's writing skills in general is an excellent goal.

 

[sleipnir214]

I agree that there are different audiences for writing. But correct usage, syntax, grammar, spelling and punctuation are necessary whoever is the audience of your writing.

Here's some of the common stuff not already covered:

Misuse of apostrophes. For those who don't know:[ul][li]"dogs" is the plural of "dog"[/li][li]"dog's" is either the possesive case (as in "the dog's bowl&quot or is a contraction of "dog is" (example: "Martha, come quick! The dog's dead.&quot[/li][li]The possesive and plural forms are not interchangeable.[/li][/ul]

Misuse of there/their/they're. For those who don't know:[ul][li]"they're" is the contraction of "they are" (example, "I don't know what's wrong with my dogs. They're just not feeling good.&quot[/li][li]"there" is a pronoun denoting a place (example: "Please put the chair over there.&quot[/li][li]"their" is the possesive form of "they" (example: "Students are protesting to protect their right to protest.&quot[/li][li]The three are not interchangeable[/li][/ul]

Misuse of good/well/bad/badly, particularly with the verb "feel". For those who don't know:[ul][li]The words "bad" and "good" are adjectives. Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Thus you say "I feel bad" or "I feel good" to denote whether you are sick or not, respectively.[/li][li]The words "badly" and "well" are adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs. If you mean to say that you are wearing gloves that hinder your sense of touch, it would be correct to say "I feel badly". If your sense of touch is sensitive enough to feel the date on a coin, it would be correct to say "I feel well".[/li][li]"Good" is not interchangeable with "well". "Bad" is on interchangeable with "badly".[/li][/ul]

Misuse of the verbs lie/lay as those two words are used to describe placing things in repose. For those who don't know:[ul][li]"lie" is an intrasitive verb (meaning it cannot take a direct object). Thus, you lie down[/li][li]"lay" is a trasitive verb (it can take a direct object) Thus, you lay bricks and chickens lay eggs[/li][li]"Lay" and "lie" are not interchangeable.[/li][/ul]

The correct spellings of the words are "all right" and "already".

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[CajunCenturion]

I'm torn on this issue. On the one hand, I understand that the purpose is to communicate, and if what you transmit is not received nor understood, then you have failed to communicate.

On the other hand, I don't appreciate have to stoop to the least common denominator as that leads to habitual recidivism, and although that may be irenic, it does not abrogate one's desire to vivify the written word, while at the same time, elevate the norm.

Therefore, I try, without being overtly tergiversationous, to obstreperously push the audience to expand its horizons, even if only one word at a time.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[sleipnir214]

Does anyone know the Heimlich Maneuver? I think CajunCenturion has a thesaurus caught in his throat.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[jrbarnett]

My own bad writing habit with regards to computing is treating the word "data" as singular when in fact it is the plural (ie "the data are", rather than "the data is&quot. The word "datum" is the singular item.

John

 

[BJCooperIT]

CajunCenturion & sleipnir214:


flatwater & dilettante:
My intent is not to publish a thesis. What I was hoping for was, as chef Emeril says, to "Kick it up a notch!". I am looking for tips that will make my posts more professional.

Nor am I asking us to achieve a quality that might be out of reach for those whose primary language is not English. There is a forum MVP who has stated that he has learned English mostly from his participation in TT. Hopefully he has not picked up any of my bad habits.

The TT management has no plans to retire threads. This means that each post leaves a legacy. You can google search on your TT ID and find hundreds of links. This means that we have the potential to be read by not only the 650,000+ TT members, but by a vast internet audience as well. If I can benefit from sleipnir214's post (which by the way, I did), then I become a more polished poster.

After all, no one wants to "have their slip showing", do they?

[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Consultant/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle 8.1.7 - Windows 2000

 

[chiph]

I'm not a grammar nazi, but there are a few things that irritate me:

Lose/Loose You lose at cards, but it's your trousers that are loose.

Discrete/Discreet Discrete means unconnected parts. Discreet means able to keep a secret.

The aforementioned they're/their/there.

To sleipnir214's list of good/well/bad/badly, I'd like to add "Poorly". Probably not something that would be in wide use, as it's from the southern US (much like the plural of "you" -- "Y'all&quot.

Chip H.


If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first

 

[rosieb]

sleipnir214
But correct usage, syntax, grammar, spelling and punctuation are necessary...

[Should one really start a sentence with a preposition?]

They are also often a matter of style, opinion (,) and geography. Spelling, in particular, has geographical variations (colour/color, grey/gray, paediatrics/pediatrics, programme/program etc.).

Getting the basics right is important, but it’s not usually worth agonising over the placement of a comma.


To add to the list

It’s vs Its
Its is the possessive pronoun of It. As in “The tree shed its leaves in Autumn”.
It’s is an contraction of It is or It has. As in “It’s a nice day”.

Possessive plurals.
A plumbers’ convention is one for a number of plumbers.
If the plural does not end in “s”, then the apostrophe comes before the “s” - children’s clothes.

Common misspellings
Ect instead of Etc. (et cetera).
Nucular, when it should be nuclear.
Cars are stationary at traffic lights. Letters are written on stationery.

There is no transitive verb “to author”. Books are written, composed or drafted by authors, THEY ARE NOT AUTHORED.

Rosie

 

[sleipnir214]

rosie:
"But" isn't a preposition -- it's a conjunction. There are no rules about starting a sentence with a preposition just a rule about ending a sentence with one. And starting a sentence with a conjunction is discouraged but legal, provided that the writer realizes it should only be used for emphasis.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[rosieb]

sleipnir214
Actually, it's both. (Not to mention an adverb, pronoun, noun & verb.)

But you're correct, in this case it was used as a conjunction. Mea maxima culpa.

Rosie

 

[wuneyej]

I'm surprised no one mentioned your versus you're. I see that mistake more than any other.

The spelling alright is perfectly acceptable. Which leads me too...

accept versus except

I accept the fact that being a Cubs fan will lead me to an early grave.

No team can lose year after year and expect to keep a large fan base except for the Chicago Cubs. (though things are changing )

These are the types of errors one should always keep in mind 'cause the spell checker ain't gonna find 'em.


Greatness is best measured by one's willingness to be kind.

 

[Onyxpurr]

Use the correct punctuation. When asking a question, use a question mark, not a period.

"For example" should be e.g. not i.e. (I always thought that one was interesting.)

Typing of which...when ending a sentence in parenthesis or quotes, shouldn't the period always be inside the ending parenthesis or quote?

I always favor bulleted items to organize thoughts into easily readable items. The better structured, the better read.

 

[sem]

My teacher of English INSISTED on moving a preposition to the end, thus untill BJCooper's post I considered it as a good habit

I don't think that spelling and grammar are so important. This site is used by people all over the world, some of them has no chance to learn English at all. I saw questions in Spanish and French answered in English. Yes, sometimes it requires some extra efforts to understand a question asked by somebody who knows English even worse than me. On the other hand some extra-literate posts produced by English-speaking people are even more complicated

So this is IMO the only mandatory requirement: both questions and answers should be understandable for those who need it. Don't be so exacting. Don't insist on the correct pronunciation of the ring-buoy word.


Regards, Dima

http://seminihin.narod.ru

 

[lionelhill]

(1) a lot of people who pride themselves on their excelent english actually write dreadfully. Writers need to decide whether their aim is to make themselves look clever, or to get a message across. Long words and strangely contorted sentences tend to do the first.

(2) BJcooper, I consider your postings easy to follow, and I've never caught myself thinking "Good Gracious, he's split an infinitive and doesn't know what to stop a sentence with"

(3) Rosieb, I think you might enjoy Fowler's english usage, (edited by Ernest Gowers). He's got a nice attitude, and some very good comments on "which" vs. "that". It's english rather than US so will not suit everyone reading this site.

"if the baby does not like raw milk, boil it"

 

[ecobb]

Here's a couple that can be tricky, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned them yet: affect and effect.

affect -
1) To have an influence on or effect a change in
2) To act on the emotions of; touch or move.

effect -
1) Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
2) The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence

Hope This Helps!

Ecobb

"Alright Brain, you don't like me, and I don't like you. But lets just do this, and I can get back to killing you with beer." - Homer Simpson

 

[sleipnir214]

rosieb:
"But" can be a noun and a verb? I've heard "butt" as both, but never "but".

wuneyej:
I think describing the spelling of "alright" as perfectly acceptible is a little strong. There are lots of dictionary sources that declare "alright" non-standard.

sem:
When writing for an internationalized readership, as we do in Tek-Tips, good spelling and punctuation is more important, not less.

Correct spelling, punctuation, usage and grammar serve to frame and disambiguate the meaning you are trying to transmit in your writing.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[sem]

Sleipnir214, the difference is that you are writing for internationalized readership while I am that internationalized readership, or rather writersheap .
Unfortunately in this cyberworld sometimes it's not obvious whether the new lexical construct you see has been produced by a person with extremly deep knowledge of English or it's just an exact metaphrase borrowed from another language. And after all the prime goal of this site is technical rather than linguistic expertise.

So my choice is still to answer more questions instead of poring over each one to make it blameless.

Regards, Dima

http://seminihin.narod.ru