Grammar Revolution is a documentary Kickstarter project by David and Elizabeth O’Brien, aimed at changing the way people think about grammar.
From the Kickstarter page:
“Dear Backers,
$22,000 is the minimum we need to finish the Grammar Revolution documentary. This fundraising campaign is all or nothing. We have to meet our goal of $22,000 by February 7. Your credit card will only be charged if we reach our goal.
We’ve already filmed many amazing interviews, but we need your help if we are going to finish filming and do all the work needed to produce, edit, release, and distribute it! Please contribute what you can and share this video with your friends. Thank you for your support!”
This brings up a valuable question: why is grammar important? Tell us what you think!
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SHARE your really bad writing with us in the comments!
The Style Invitational is a humorous word play contest that runs weekly in the Washington Post. These really bad analogies come from the contest results of a 1995 invitational, http://wapo.st/13zgzDS.
Reblog if you agree.
Double Comparatives and Superlatives
The comparative and superlative of mountains!
There are times in writing when a comparison is necessary. A description gives the reader specific details in order to provide them with an image. Making a comparison is another way of providing the reader with imagery within a descriptive narrative. The usage of both comparison and description helps in to keep the reader engaged with the text.
Comparative sentences contain adjectives and adverbs that tend to end in –er, ‑est or have the words “more” and “most”. As a refresher, adjectives describe a noun or pronouns; while adverbs describe a verb, adjective or other adverb. The Standard English language has different forms that coincide with the endings –er, ‑est, and the words “more” and “most”. Some common mistakes with the construction of comparative sentences are not finishing the comparison, or trying to compare things that should not be compared. This may seem simple enough, but there are some exceptions and things to note.
Double Comparatives
A double comparative is a sentence that compares two things. Forming adjectives and adverbs in the comparative degree can be a little tricky.
Adjectives in the comparative degree end in -er, such as newer in the previous sentence “My car is newer than his car.”. Adverbs that end in -ly use “more” instead to form the comparative degree, as in more highly in the sentence “Mary speaks more highly of the iTouch than the iPod.”.
The most common error with double comparatives is the usage of both the -er ending and the word “more”. These sentences generally sound awkward when read out loud. Consider the following sentence:
“Mary speaks more highlier of the iTouch than the iPod.”
In this case it would be best to remove the -er and use the adverb in its comparative degree. Now, reconsider the sentence:
“Mary speaks more highly of the iTouch than the iPod.”
Double Superlatives
Adjectives and adverbs in the superlative degree are similar to the comparative degree, but use the -est ending and the word “most” instead. In addition, the article “the” must be placed before the adjective or adverb in the sentence. Comparative sentences using the superlative degree are saying that something is the most when compared to the rest of the group.
Consider the following sentences:
Justin is the fastest runner on the track team.
Mr. Copeland spoke the most highly of Juan than the other interview candidates.
Generally speaking, the superlative degree is used when something is being compared to three or more things.
A common mistake with double superlatives is using both the ending -est and the word “most” in the same sentence. Errors with double superlatives can also be identified when the sentence by reading the sentence out loud. For example, the prior sentence would be incorrect if it was written as follows:
“Justin is the most fastest runner on the track team.”
It would be best to remove “most” and keep fastest in the superlative degree.
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Download Grammarly Lite to write without mistakes on Tumblr, Gmail, Twitter, Facebook and more. It’s FREE. http://bit.ly/XSjvbA
In English, word order is very strict. In many other languages, however, word order is fluid.
Get it?
If you don’t understand the reference, check out this quote from Fight Club .
Double Negatives
A double negative refers to the use of two forms of negation in the same sentence.
Examples:
- I don’t have none.
- We aren’t never leaving.
Double negatives are not used in American Standard English, but are common in African American Vernacular English and in some regional dialects. Double negatives are also common in some foreign languages.
It is important to note that in most environments, but especially in business and formal settings, the use of double negatives is highly discouraged.
Reblog if you understand how NOT to use an apostrophe.
Good vs. Well
Adverbs are disappearing. One of the most neglected is “well.”
Good is an adjective. Adjectives are used to describe nouns—persons, places, things, or ideas. Good can also be a noun, meaning “that which is morally right; righteousness.”
Well is an adverb. Adverbs are used to describe verbs—action words.
So, are you doing good, well, or both?
