This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 1. It is perfectly acceptable to start a sentence with And or But.The single most important element in fluid writing is the use of effective transitions between sentences and paragraphs. And no transition is more effective than the plain single-syllable words and and but. 2. It is perfectly acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition.The “rule” that you should not end a sentence with a preposition is a misbegotten notion based on Latin syntax and expounded by a few (a very few) 19th-century writers. Grammarians have long since dismissed it as ill-founded and unnecessary. Often a sentence that ends with a preposition sounds far more natural than the same sentence forced into avoiding the terminal preposition. Consider: What will the new product be used for? versus For what purpose will the new product be used? 3. The adverb corresponding to the adjective good is well.When describing performance, manner, action, and the like, use the adverb well . Though becoming more widespread, the adverbial use of good is nonstandard English. The question whether to use good or well frequently arises when someone asks “How are you doing?” The best answer—assuming a positive response— is “I’m doing well” (or “I’m fine, thank you”). Saying “I’m good” is common but unrefined. The response “I’m *doing good” is substandard because good is there being used as an adverb. An exception to the rule against using good as an adverb applies with certain set phrases . 4. The subject of the sentence determines the number of the verb.5. Both either and neither, as subjects, take singular verbs.Beware of distractions caused by prepositional phrases containing plural objects: The subject—either or neither—is still singular<either of="" the="" marketing="" plans="" involves [not involve] capital investment><neither of="" our="" expansion="" options="" provides [not provide] a total solution>. 6. With neither/nor and either/or in the subject position, the second element controls the number of the verb.When the correlative conjunctions either/or or neither/nor frame alternatives in the singular, the verb is singular<either phone="" or="" fax="" is acceptable for your response>. When the alternatives are plural, the verb is plural<neither our="" accountants="" nor="" lawyers="" are concerned about the merger>. But when one element is singular and the other is plural, match the verb to the second element<neither the="" regional="" managers="" nor="" vice-president="" for="" sales="" likes [not like] the proposed campaign’s theme><either the="" home="" office="" or="" branch="" managers="" are [not is] largely responsible for employee morale>. 7. A flat adverb like thus or doubtless takes no –ly ending.Most adverbs are formed by adding the -ly suffix to adjectives (large makes largely, quick makes quickly) or changing the -able suffix to -ably (amicable makes amicably, capable makes capably). But the English language also contains a fair number of adverbs that do not end in -ly (such as fast, ill, and seldom). With these, it is unnecessary—and unidiomatic—to add the suffix -ly. The two most common examples are *doubtlessly and *thusly. 8. The words however, therefore, and otherwise cannot join independent clauses without additional punctuation.An independent clause (1) contains a subject and a verb and (2) expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence, or it can be connected with another clause by a comma and a conjunction (such as and, but, or). When two independent clauses are joined with a conjunctive adverb like however, a semicolon must go in front of the connector and a comma after<mr. bingham="" can’t="" attend="" the="" meeting;="" however, he hopes to call before we adjourn>. Omitting the semicolon or replacing it with a comma creates what is known as a “comma splice” <*We were supposed to arrive at 4:00 p.m., however, we didn’t arrive until 5:00>. 9. With a verb phrase, the adverb usually goes after the first auxiliary verb.Writing authorities have long agreed that midphrase is the strongest and most natural place for an adverb<industry experts="" have long agreed on the product’s effectiveness>. The alternatives are awkward<industry experts="" long have agreed on the product’s effectiveness> or nonsensical<industry experts="" have agreed long on the product’s effectiveness>. Resistance to this guidance may be due to the old superstition that it’s ungrammatical to split an infinitive (it isn’t), since that is one type of split verb<we expect="" the="" new="" product="" line="" and="" expanded="" territory="" to almost double our sales in the next two years>. 10. Relative pronouns (that, which, and who) must appear alongside their antecedents.A relative pronoun (that, which, who, whom, and various forms with the –ever suffix) serves one of two purposes. First, it can link a dependent clause to an independent one. The dependent clause (whoever wants to participate) serves as the subject of the main clause. Second, it can join a clause with its antecedent. Here, the dependent clause (who want to participate) adds crucial information about its antecedent, those. 11. An appositive is set off by commas when it is not essential to the sentence (when it is nonrestrictive), but is not set o? by commas when it is essential (restrictive).An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that follows another noun (or pronoun) and identifies or depicts it more fully. 12. Correlative conjunctions (those used in pairs) require parallel phrasing.Correlative conjunctions (such as both . . . and, neither . . . nor, and not only . . . but also) work in pairs, joining related constructions that match in syntax. Each conjunction should immediately precede the part of speech it describes. Parallelism is rarely a problem with simple nouns, but it becomes tricky with phrases and clauses, as in the erroneous phrasing *We not only raised our regional market share but also our profit margin, which should read: We raised not only our regional market share but also our profit margin. The verb raised must be outside the first correlative conjunction (not only) to apply to both possessive phrases (our regional market share and our profit margin). Excerpted from the HBR Guide to Better Business Writing by Bryan A. Garner. |
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