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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:36:59 -0400, Warp wrote:
> I have to admit I have no idea if this contraction is wrong or
> acceptable. It *sounds* wrong to me, but how should I know? The answer
> to this is also something just impossible to find with google:
>
> "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not difficult."
Perfectly acceptable English, yes. I've heard both spoken and seen both
written.
The first is more common, in my experience.
Jim
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:53:36 -0400, Mike the Elder wrote:
> Stylistically, however, the option of "The rest of it isn't difficult"
> would generally be considered preferable for the following reason:
I didn't consider that option (as not presented), but I'd concur with
this.
Jim
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New wrote:
> Good -> "This is not something I'll put up with."
I wouldn't put up with this. ;-)
Jim
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:46:31 -0400, Warp wrote:
> How about sentences where the initial conjunction is redundant? For
> example: "And exactly how do you know that?" (The "and" could be removed
> without changing the meaning of the sentence in any way.)
Depends on whether you're writing in a formal style or a colloquial style.
Jim
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] san rrcom>
wrote:
>Stephen wrote:
>> should be written as: "The rest of it, is not difficult."
>
>Not in American English. Putting a comma there is incorrect, as it's
>separating two halves of one sentence. I understand British English is
>more relaxed about where commas go.
I was taught that a comma can be used to show a slight pause in a
sentence and/or to clarify the intended meaning. An example from
Wikipedia
The teacher beat the scholar with a whip. A simple description.
The teacher beat the scholar, with a whip. Expression of outrage
Having said that I agree that it doesn't look right :)
--
Regards
Stephen
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"Warp" <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote in message
news:48693817@news.povray.org...
> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> > Mike the Elder wrote:
> > > Other useful hints about English grammar:
> > All three of these aren't correct.
> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
Correct you are, but I wonder how "btw" fits into all this...
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Warp wrote:
> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
Yes, probably. I tend not to write particularly carefully here, as you
might have noticed. :-)
> How about sentences where the initial conjunction is redundant? For
> example: "And exactly how do you know that?" (The "and" could be removed
> without changing the meaning of the sentence in any way.)
Hmmm... Good question. Based on the rules *I* know, I'd have to say
it's likely incorrect. Of course, people say it anyway, so it's hard to
say they're wrong. :-)
"Exactly how do you know that?" is reasonably a question.
"And exactly how do you know that?" sounds like an accusation.
I think the "and" is a signal to link it to the previous lines of the
argument, as in "good excuse, but I'm not buying it, because now you
have to answer this question also" or some such.
That's just my gut feeling, tho.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New wrote:
>
>> Good -> "This is not something I'll put up with."
>
> I wouldn't put up with this. ;-)
Of course you can rephrase any sentence. "This is not something up with
which I shall put!" I was giving an example where leaving the
preposition off the end of the sentence changes its meaning, not
implying that you couldn't get around the problem.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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Stephen wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>
> wrote:
>
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> should be written as: "The rest of it, is not difficult."
>> Not in American English. Putting a comma there is incorrect, as it's
>> separating two halves of one sentence. I understand British English is
>> more relaxed about where commas go.
>
> I was taught that a comma can be used to show a slight pause in a
> sentence and/or to clarify the intended meaning.
And where did you learn this? I got my instruction from a British
immigrant teaching English classes, who was surprised that American
grammar had different (and generally more strict) rules, which she had
to explicitly learn before they'd let her teach. Like I said, different
areas have different rules, which usually only the professionals learn
strictly.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:38:44 -0700, Darren New wrote:
> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New wrote:
>>
>>> Good -> "This is not something I'll put up with."
>>
>> I wouldn't put up with this. ;-)
>
> Of course you can rephrase any sentence. "This is not something up with
> which I shall put!" I was giving an example where leaving the
> preposition off the end of the sentence changes its meaning, not
> implying that you couldn't get around the problem.
I just couldn't resist, since the sentence made sense in response as well
as as a demonstration. :-)
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Stephen wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>
> wrote:
>
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> should be written as: "The rest of it, is not difficult."
>> Not in American English. Putting a comma there is incorrect, as it's
>> separating two halves of one sentence. I understand British English is
>> more relaxed about where commas go.
>
> I was taught that a comma can be used to show a slight pause in a
> sentence and/or to clarify the intended meaning. An example from
> Wikipedia
> The teacher beat the scholar with a whip. A simple description.
> The teacher beat the scholar, with a whip. Expression of outrage
>
> Having said that I agree that it doesn't look right :)
I was taught the same in grade school; that the comma could be used to
indicate a pause. By college, my English professor tried to remove that
bad habit. Losing 3 letter grades on one draft just from misplaced
commas taught me better then all the rules she could quote.
Do I dare tell her that what I really learned was: "If you can't figure
out where to put the comma then just re-write the sentence."
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:40:55 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>
wrote:
>> I was taught that a comma can be used to show a slight pause in a
>> sentence and/or to clarify the intended meaning.
>
>And where did you learn this?
Sorry!
Quoting you
"Exactly how do you know that?" is reasonably a question.
"And exactly how do you know that?" sounds like an accusation.
LOL
At primary school about 50 years ago, so I might have misremembered. I
do sometimes, you know :)
I just asked Regan, my wife and she looked at me as if I had forgotten
to put my trousers on. She agrees as does
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comma
In speech it it called a caesura.
--
Regards
Stephen
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:53:33 -0400, Sabrina Kilian <"ykgp at
vtSPAM.edu"> wrote:
>
>I was taught the same in grade school; that the comma could be used to
>indicate a pause. By college, my English professor tried to remove that
>bad habit. Losing 3 letter grades on one draft just from misplaced
>commas taught me better then all the rules she could quote.
>
Academics, know all, know f' all (pardon my French :)
>Do I dare tell her that what I really learned was: "If you can't figure
>out where to put the comma then just re-write the sentence."
I dare you to, with a baseball bat. :)
Being dyslexic, school, was the, bane of, my life,,,.
--
Regards
Stephen
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Stephen wrote:
> LOL
Yeah. To be fair, I think without the "exactly" it gets ambiguous. :-)
> I just asked Regan, my wife and she looked at me as if I had forgotten
> to put my trousers on.
Trousers. Right. British English. Different rules, as I said.
> In speech it it called a caesura.
No doubt a pause there emphasizes the part you want to emphasize.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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I have heard that when his editor corrected a sentance ending in a
preposition Churchill responded, "That is the kind of nonsense upwith I
shall not put!"
--
H²
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:20:46 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>
wrote:
>
>Trousers. Right. British English. Different rules, as I said.
As you said ;)
--
Regards
Stephen
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Warp wrote:
> I have to admit I have no idea if this contraction is wrong or acceptable.
> It *sounds* wrong to me, but how should I know? The answer to this is also
> something just impossible to find with google:
>
> "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not difficult."
>
What most people end up saying (whether it's correct or not) sounds like
"it snot", which we use quite often as a pun at work (snot being the
stuff you pick out of your nose).
...Chambers
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Warp wrote:
>> All three of these aren't correct.
>
> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
Nope.
It would be better to say "none of these three *is* correct".
</nitpick>
--
Aim Low, Reach Your Goals, Avoid Disappointment.
/\ /\ /\ /
/ \/ \ u e e n / \/ a w a z
>>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
anl
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Darren New wrote:
> separating two halves of one sentence. I understand British English is
> more relaxed about where commas go.
I was taught the opposite.
American English: I bought a pen, paper, and eraser.
British English: I bought a pen, paper and eraser.
We were told that in British English, when writing out lists like the
above, there should never be a comma before "and". I also hear that this
rule is rarely taught anymore...
--
Aim Low, Reach Your Goals, Avoid Disappointment.
/\ /\ /\ /
/ \/ \ u e e n / \/ a w a z
>>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
anl
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Mueen Nawaz wrote:
> We were told that in British English, when writing out lists like
> the above, there should never be a comma before "and". I also hear that
> this rule is rarely taught anymore...
My understanding is in that case the comma is optional. (I always put it
there, because I'm a nerd.) It's required when you have multiple
conjunctive clauses together:
"The three couple are John and Sally, Fred and Mary, and Bill and Sue."
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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Darren New wrote:
> Mueen Nawaz wrote:
>> We were told that in British English, when writing out lists like
>> the above, there should never be a comma before "and". I also hear
>> that this rule is rarely taught anymore...
>
> My understanding is in that case the comma is optional. (I always put it
> there, because I'm a nerd.) It's required when you have multiple
I guess I wasn't clear. What I was taught was that it's optional,
unless it's British English where it's wrong.
--
If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
/\ /\ /\ /
/ \/ \ u e e n / \/ a w a z
>>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
anl
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:57:34 -0500, Mueen Nawaz <m.n### [at] ieeeorg>
wrote:
>Warp wrote:
>>> All three of these aren't correct.
>>
>> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
>
> Nope.
>
> It would be better to say "none of these three *is* correct".
>
> </nitpick>
I don't think it would. Is is singular, are is plural, we are talking
about three. ;)
--
Regards
Stephen
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And lo on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:36:59 +0100, Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> did
spake, saying:
> I have to admit I have no idea if this contraction is wrong or
> acceptable.
> It *sounds* wrong to me, but how should I know? The answer to this is
> also something just impossible to find with google:
>
> "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not difficult."
As has been discussed "it isn't" would probably be the default contraction
(regional variants notwithstanding), however "it's not" would be more
likely used when you what to emphasize the ease of 'it'.
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:34:06 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
did spake, saying:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:57:34 -0500, Mueen Nawaz <m.n### [at] ieeeorg>
> wrote:
>
>> Warp wrote:
>>>> All three of these aren't correct.
>>>
>>> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>> It would be better to say "none of these three *is* correct".
>>
>> </nitpick>
>
> I don't think it would. Is is singular, are is plural, we are talking
> about three. ;)
Ah but is 'none' singular? Try "I think it is none of these three" vs. "I
think it are none of these three" :-P
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:00:29 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>Ah but is 'none' singular? Try "I think it is none of these three" vs. "I
>think it are none of these three" :-P
>
I'm not one to argue but if you replace "none" with "not one" you get;
not one of these three is …
So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
--
Regards
Stephen
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Stephen wrote:
> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>
...also put today's date ;-)
btw, today's dare is what?
John
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:43 +0100, Doctor John
<doc### [at] gmailcom> did spake, saying:
> Stephen wrote:
>> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>>
> ...also put today's date ;-)
>
> btw, today's dare is what?
With the hot weather it must be sticking your tongue in a desk fan :-P
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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Phil Cook wrote:
> And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:43 +0100, Doctor John
> <doc### [at] gmailcom> did spake, saying:
>
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>>>
>> ...also put today's date ;-)
>>
>> btw, today's dare is what?
>
> With the hot weather it must be sticking your tongue in a desk fan :-P
>
Just done it. Blood everywhere ;-) Now what?
John
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:36:21 +0100, Doctor John
<doc### [at] gmailcom> did spake, saying:
> Phil Cook wrote:
>> And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:43 +0100, Doctor John
>> <doc### [at] gmailcom> did spake, saying:
>>
>>> Stephen wrote:
>>>> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>>>>
>>> ...also put today's date ;-)
>>>
>>> btw, today's dare is what?
>>
>> With the hot weather it must be sticking your tongue in a desk fan :-P
>>
> Just done it. Blood everywhere ;-) Now what?
You win, go collect your prize at the A&E.
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:43 +0100, Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom>
wrote:
>Stephen wrote:
>> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>>
>...also put today's date ;-)
>
>btw, today's dare is what?
I hate M$ autocorrect
--
Regards
Stephen
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Warp wrote:
> I have to admit I have no idea if this contraction is wrong or acceptable.
> It *sounds* wrong to me, but how should I know? The answer to this is also
> something just impossible to find with google:
>
> "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not difficult."
It looks funny when written, but it sounds natural when spoken.
Regards,
John
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Phil Cook <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
> > "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not difficult."
> As has been discussed "it isn't" would probably be the default contraction
> (regional variants notwithstanding), however "it's not" would be more
> likely used when you what to emphasize the ease of 'it'.
Many answers seem to stick to that 'not' word there, which wasn't really
the point. Maybe this would have been a better example:
"The rest of it is easy. " -> "The rest of it's easy."
--
- Warp
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> "The rest of it is easy. " -> "The rest of it's easy."
I would always use that contraction during normal speech with a native,
unless I wanted to emphasise the "is":
a: If the rest of it's easy we need to think again.
b: But we already agreed the rest of it *is* easy.
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:26:20 +0100, Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> did
spake, saying:
> Phil Cook <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>> > "The rest of it is not difficult." -> "The rest of it's not
>> difficult."
>
>> As has been discussed "it isn't" would probably be the default
>> contraction
>> (regional variants notwithstanding), however "it's not" would be more
>> likely used when you what to emphasize the ease of 'it'.
>
> Many answers seem to stick to that 'not' word there, which wasn't
> really
> the point. Maybe this would have been a better example:
>
> "The rest of it is easy. " -> "The rest of it's easy."
Yep standard contraction. As with the "not" the first example may be used
when you want emphasis e.g
FP: "It's not easy!"
SP: "It is easy!"
FP: "It is not!"
SP: "It is!"
Is different in tone to -
FP: "It's not easy!"
SP: "It is easy!"
FP: "It's not!"
SP: "Is!"
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:55:55 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
did spake, saying:
> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:30:43 +0100, Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom>
> wrote:
>
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> So I am wrong. Put today's dare in your diary :)
>>>
>> ...also put today's date ;-)
>>
>> btw, today's dare is what?
>
> I hate M$ autocorrect
Forte was written by Microsoft?
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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Phil Cook <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
> > "The rest of it is easy. " -> "The rest of it's easy."
> Yep standard contraction. As with the "not" the first example may be used
> when you want emphasis e.g
> FP: "It's not easy!"
> SP: "It is easy!"
> FP: "It is not!"
> SP: "It is!"
The problem I'm still having is that the subject in the example is
not 'it' but 'rest', and usually the verb "is" is contracted with
the subject and not some ancillary word.
"The rest's easy" would be ok, because the subject is 'rest'. However,
"The rest of it's easy" sounds odd to me because the subject is still 'rest'
but the verb is not contracted with it...
One could build a more extreme example:
"The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
--
- Warp
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Warp wrote:
> "The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
>
> The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
> contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
> When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
> course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
>
This should, of course, be written 'The car, which has its windows
rolled down, is parked there'.
Now do you see why you can't contract 'is' in this case?
John
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> Warp wrote:
> > "The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
> >
> > The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
> > contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
> > When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
> > course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
> >
> This should, of course, be written 'The car, which has its windows
> rolled down, is parked there'.
> Now do you see why you can't contract 'is' in this case?
My point, exactly. :)
One could think of it as "the rest, of it, is easy" in the same way,
but of course commas are usually not used in these types of short
expressions, while they make sense if you think about it.
--
- Warp
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On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:34 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>> I hate M$ autocorrect
>
>Forte was written by Microsoft?
I write everything in MS Word then cut and paste.
--
Regards
Stephen
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Stephen wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:57:34 -0500, Mueen Nawaz <m.n### [at] ieeeorg>
> wrote:
>
>> Warp wrote:
>>>> All three of these aren't correct.
>>> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
>> Nope.
>>
>> It would be better to say "none of these three *is* correct".
>>
>> </nitpick>
>
> I don't think it would. Is is singular, are is plural, we are talking
> about three. ;)
You know, in all the grammar books I've had throughout my education, it
says that none is always singular as it is a substitute of "no one" or
"not one". I'm 100% sure about that.
However, a Google search brings up both arguments - with a number of
sites saying either is acceptable (or is that either *are*?).
--
If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
/\ /\ /\ /
/ \/ \ u e e n / \/ a w a z
>>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
anl
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:06:44 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
did spake, saying:
> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:34 +0100, "Phil Cook"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>>> I hate M$ autocorrect
>>
>> Forte was written by Microsoft?
>
> I write everything in MS Word then cut and paste.
Better spelling and grammar checker?
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:12:06 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:06:44 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
>did spake, saying:
>
>> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:34 +0100, "Phil Cook"
>> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>>
>>>> I hate M$ autocorrect
>>>
>>> Forte was written by Microsoft?
>>
>> I write everything in MS Word then cut and paste.
>
>Better spelling and grammar checker?
>
No I just use Word for everything. In fact I'm getting fed up with it.
There are so many words it does not know, especially old fashioned
ones. And the grammar check is irritating me too.
--
Regards
Stephen
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:38:30 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
did spake, saying:
> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:12:06 +0100, "Phil Cook"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>> And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:06:44 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
>> did spake, saying:
>>
>>> On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:34 +0100, "Phil Cook"
>>> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> I hate M$ autocorrect
>>>>
>>>> Forte was written by Microsoft?
>>>
>>> I write everything in MS Word then cut and paste.
>>
>> Better spelling and grammar checker?
>>
> No I just use Word for everything.
Noooo tell me that you're not one of those people who email a photo by
embedding it in a Word document ;-)
> In fact I'm getting fed up with it.
> There are so many words it does not know, especially old fashioned
> ones.
None that I can recall off the top of my head, but occasionally I note the
Firefox spell-checker also has some odd gaps in its lexicon.
> And the grammar check is irritating me too.
I tend to ignore the grammar checker except for the odd form/from or "it
it"
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:42:34 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>Noooo tell me that you're not one of those people who email a photo by
>embedding it in a Word document ;-)
>
I'm not one of those people who email a photo by embedding it in a
Word document.
Will that do?
Grumble, grumble, mumble, mumble. :)
>> In fact I'm getting fed up with it.
>> There are so many words it does not know, especially old fashioned
>> ones.
>
>None that I can recall off the top of my head, but occasionally I note the
>Firefox spell-checker also has some odd gaps in its lexicon.
Dialect seems to be taboo as does archaic words. Here are a few of the
ones I've had to add to my CUSTOM.DIC
Ballinluig, Campsie, cathodic, ejit, googled, Hepworth, havering,
Kernutt, MacDuff, McAvoy, Medea, Morlocks, nomograms, Ochone,
Pitlochry, Pov, PovRay, Pratchett, plugin, Schiphol, Smallpipes,
shadowless, spline, Yara,
>> And the grammar check is irritating me too.
>
>I tend to ignore the grammar checker except for the odd form/from or "it
>it"
Mine keeps switching itself on
--
Regards
Stephen
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"Phil Cook" <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote in message
news:op.udmdw8z2c3xi7v@news.povray.org...
>
> None that I can recall off the top of my head, but occasionally I note the
> Firefox spell-checker also has some odd gaps in its lexicon.
I was most amused one day when Firefox told me I had misspelt my friend's
name. It suggested 'underling' as a replacement.
My friend also found it most amusing (fortunately)
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On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:57:34 -0500, Mueen Nawaz wrote:
> It would be better to say "none of these three *is* correct".
In the US, it's "is"; in the UK, it's "are". US English, the verb
agreement is with "none", which is singular; in UK English, the verb
agreement is with "three", which isn't.
Similar to the reason why in the US we say "Microsoft is", and in the UK,
they say "Microsoft are". UK English rules state that a corporation is a
collection of people, so it is by definition plural. In the US, we treat
corporate entities as singular entities.
At least that's how it's been explained to me.
Jim
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Gail Shaw wrote:
> I was most amused one day when Firefox told me I had misspelt my friend's
> name. It suggested 'underling' as a replacement.
> My friend also found it most amusing (fortunately)
>
>
:-)
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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Warp wrote:
> Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> Warp wrote:
>>> "The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
>>>
>>> The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
>>> contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
>>> When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
>>> course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
>>>
>
>> This should, of course, be written 'The car, which has its windows
>> rolled down, is parked there'.
>> Now do you see why you can't contract 'is' in this case?
>
> My point, exactly. :)
>
> One could think of it as "the rest, of it, is easy" in the same way,
> but of course commas are usually not used in these types of short
> expressions, while they make sense if you think about it.
>
Hmmm. I see your point. I think I have been speaking and writing English
for so long that I no longer have to even think about the grammar and
syntax. (Maybe it's become a spinal reflex ;-) )
John
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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And lo on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:10:55 +0100, Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> did
spake, saying:
> Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> Warp wrote:
>> > "The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
>> >
>> > The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
>> > contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
>> > When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
>> > course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
>> >
>
>> This should, of course, be written 'The car, which has its windows
>> rolled down, is parked there'.
>> Now do you see why you can't contract 'is' in this case?
>
> My point, exactly. :)
>
> One could think of it as "the rest, of it, is easy" in the same way,
> but of course commas are usually not used in these types of short
> expressions, while they make sense if you think about it.
Hmm I was trying to see if it came under the heading of
restrictive/non-restrictive clauses or inappropriate separation of terms;
or just a verbal screw-up... I'm still thinking.
--
Phil Cook
--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com
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Stephen wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:17:31 -0700, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>
> wrote:
>
>> Stephen wrote:
>>> should be written as: "The rest of it, is not difficult."
>> Not in American English. Putting a comma there is incorrect, as it's
>> separating two halves of one sentence. I understand British English is
>> more relaxed about where commas go.
>
> I was taught that a comma can be used to show a slight pause in a
> sentence and/or to clarify the intended meaning.
As a comparison. The dutch rule is that when there is a slight pause in
the sentence, you *should* put a comma. I think that may actually be the
only rule. I also do this sometimes when writing English, because it is
natural for me. Besides, I don't know the exact rules for commas in
English or the American dialect.
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