It's lewis'S not lewis'

KimYeovil

GrammarGirl wrote: »

Just to add as well - how many people think it's incorrect to start a sentence with 'and'?!

:rolleyes:

Is a tautology no longer considered incorrect?

GrammarGirl

KimYeovil wrote: »

Is a tautology no longer considered incorrect?

Whoops. Well, that's my GCSE/A Level/degree education for you. Worthless! :rotfl:

esuhl

KimYeovil wrote: »

Is a tautology no longer considered incorrect?

Surely a tautology is necessarily correct! Poor style, maybe...

thelawnet

KimYeovil wrote: »

Is a tautology no longer considered incorrect?

There are different styles of writing for different occasions. For a forum post clarity of expression and speed of composition are priorities. Minor style problems are pretty inconsequential. OTOH, for a formal piece of writing such as a CV or an assessed piece of written work, correct grammar is something you should pay particular attention to.

phlogeston

thelawnet wrote: »

It's similar but much easier. Spelling and grammar are no longer considered important. Grammar is now seldom taught in state schools.

Did you study restrictive and non-restrictive relative pronouns, the subjective and objective case and the like when you were at school?

I have to admit that most of what I studied at school is a distant memory, but Eric Partridge's "Usage and Abusage" was one of my favourite books as a teenager.

I consider that communication is the art of clearly conveying a message. Good spelling, grammer and punctuation are all helpful, but not essential. Some of the greatest literature and the most uplifting of speeches are riddled with, and in some cases enhanced by, a flexible use of the English Language.

I save being overly pedantic or didactic specifically for forums such as this, where we are not debating the subject of the argument, merely the expression of the argument.

:beer:

phlogeston

As a computer programmer, I find the use of a negative quite amusing.
e.g. Telephone conversation.

Caller: Is Mr Smith not there?
Phlogeston: Yes.
Caller: Can I speak with him?
Phlogeston: I said he's not here!

thelawnet

phlogeston wrote: »

I have to admit that most of what I studied at school is a distant memory, but Eric Partridge's "Usage and Abusage" was one of my favourite books as a teenager.

Fowler's Modern English Usage is delightful.

I consider that communication is the art of clearly conveying a message. Good spelling, grammer and punctuation are all helpful, but not essential.

There is nothing that amuses me more than people misspelling 'grammar'.

I once had a long argument with an irate woman who insisted that she went to 'Grammer School'.

Very funny.

williham

davetrousers wrote: »

I would say Mother's Day is correct because it is a day for your Mother (and you only have 1 of them). It is not for Mothers collectively as such.

If it was Mothers' Day you would have to buy flowers for all Mothers, rather than just your Mother.

I made my Mum a mother's day card, with the apostrophe before the s, but I would guess that it is mothers' day as it belongs to all mothers. I love how complicated apostrophes are.

thelawnet

williham wrote: »

I made my Mum a mother's day card, with the apostrophe before the s, but I would guess that it is mothers' day as it belongs to all mothers. I love how complicated apostrophes are.

Holidays/special days are always capitalized. It is Mother's Day. The location of the apostrophe is determined by historical usage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day#Spelling

davetrousers

Apostrophes aren't complicated.

Here's an idea shall we get back on to BODMAS again? lol