User:Lantoka/Grammar

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I'm creating this page to explain my stance on controversial grammar issues. I'm a native English speaker born and raised in California, USA, which may or may not affect some of these preferences. I also tend toward a descriptivist view, since I consider language first and foremost a means of communication. If it's more common to say something in a way that breaks pedantical rules, then I'm in favor of saying it that way because it will sound better and be understood more intuitively by a greater number of people.

A handy list of disputed grammar topics: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disputed_English_grammar&oldid=52247813

[edit] Considered Bad in Formal Writing

[edit] I try to keep these out of formal writing:

• Singular they - Best avoided all together in formal writing, if possible.

If anyone claims this seat is theirs, tell them they'll have to show their reservation.(preference in colloquial speech)

vs

If anyone tries to claim this seat, tell the person they'll have to show a reservation. (preference in formal writing)

• Generic you - Best replaced with "one" in formal writing.

When one performs the experiment, one must follow the directions. (preference in formal writing)

vs

When you perform the experiment, you must follow the directions. (preference in colloquial speech)

• Passive voice - Almost never sounds as good as using the active voice.

The scientists performed experiments on the lab mice. (preference)

vs

The experiments were performed on the lab mice.

• Preposition stranding - Should be avoided where possible in formal writing, although some prepositions following the verb do not take objects but rather modify the meaning of the verb, so it is not possible to do this. (go, go out, go down, go up, etc.)

'This is the man with whom I live. (preference for formal writing)

vs

This is the man I live with. (preference in colloquial speech)

[edit] I'm fine with these in formal writing:

• Split infinitive - There's a rule against this? Adverbs can be placed in many different places in a sentence, and each place puts emphasis on different things. In this case, the split infinitive places emphasis on the act, rather than the action.

To boldly go where no man has gone before. (preference)

vs

To go boldly where no man has gone before.

[edit] Other Preferences

• Serial comma - I always use it. Some consider it optional, but I think it's illogical to exclude it, and its inclusion helps to avoid ambiguities.

I would like to thank my parents, Barbara, and Betty. (preference when Barbara and Betty are the 2nd and 3rd people thanked)

vs

I would like to thank my parents, Barbara and Betty. (preference when Barbara and Betty are her parents)

• Pronouns in prepositional phrases - I was taught that objects of prepositional phrases should use the objective pronoun, and in general think it sounds better.

Jane went to the park with him and me. (preference)

vs

Jane went to the park with him and I.

• Predicate nominatives - These give me a headache, and I generally avoid them for anything but the generic phone phrase "This is he".

It would have been us who won. (preference)

vs

It would have been we who won.

• Double copula - Sounds horrible. I've never heard it in colloquial usage nor do I use it.

The thing is, I was sleeping. (preference)

vs

The thing is, is that I was sleeping.

• Pronoun whose antecedent is a possessive - While I see where grammicians are coming from, this rule is a bit too strict for me. Where ambiguous, it should just be possible to substitute the pronoun with a proper noun specifying the ambiguity. In all other cases, the pronoun is fine.

I talked to William's brother today; it seems William's not feeling well. (preference where ambiguous)

vs

I talked to William's brother today; it seems he's not feeling well. (preference where unambiguous)

[edit] And some word choice preferences for common phrases

• "I've seen" vs "I've ever seen" - The second one sounds so much better, in my opinion.
• "all of the sudden" vs "all of a sudden" - I favor the second one, although apparently the first one is grammatically correct.
• "somebody" vs "someone", "anybody" vs "anyone" - Apparently you're only supposed to use someone/anyone in formal speech, although I don't really have a preference.