| As a previous article ("Making Better
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| | bulldog is compared to a pair. It is
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| Word Choices - 4 Examples") explained,
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| | clear from the sentence that the other
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| writers can take steps to prevent simple,
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| | two dogs, by being grouped together, are
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| and common, errors from degrading their
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| | larger than the bulldog.
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| writing. Five areas of writing that cause
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| | Comma Use
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| authors problems are discussed in this
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| | The use of commas can be confusing for
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| article.
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| | many writers. Three rules for using
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| Split Infinitives
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| | commas are addressed here. The first rule
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| First let us exam the famously frowned
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| | involves comma use when a series is
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| upon split infinitive. Maybe some readers
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| | given, such as in the example below.
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| do not know, or do not remember, what a
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| | I bought carrots, peas, and watermelons.
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| split infinitive is exactly. To
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| | Some readers may consider this rule
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| understand split infinitives, readers
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| | controversial; some teachers and editors
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| must first remember what constitutes an
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| | may say the final comma is not necessary,
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| infinitive. An infinitive is a phrase
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| | in my opinion the use of the final comma
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| that includes a verb preceded by the word
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| | is more appropriate than not. If, for
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| "to," such as, "to play" or "to
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| | some reason, your teacher or editor tells
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| investigate." Now that we know what an
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| | you the final comma is unnecessary then
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| infinitive is, maybe we now remember our
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| | ask them to explain why, I do not have an
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| English teachers lecturing us against
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| | explanation as to why some have a
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| "splitting" them. Simply put, a split
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| | preference for not using the final comma.
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| infinitive is when a writer puts a word
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| | Do not use a comma when only two items
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| between the word "to" and the associated
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| | are in the series, such as in the
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| verb. Therefore, a split infinitive would
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| | sentence below.
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| look something like the following
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| | I saw birds and fish at the pet store.
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| examples:
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| | The second rule for use of commas is to
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| He was going to quickly investigate the
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| | use a comma before the "and" when a
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| theft.
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| | wholly correct clause is introduced. The
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| Tommy likes to neatly color in his book.
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| | way to determine if the clause is wholly
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| These two examples would be re-written as
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| | correct is to ask if it makes sense on
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| shown below.
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| | its own, such as having its own
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| He was going to investigate the theft
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| | subject(s) and verb(s). The example below
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| quickly.
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| | shows two clauses separated by "and,"
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| OR
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| | along with a correctly used comma.
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| He was quickly going to investigate the
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| | We went to the store, and Joan bought
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| theft.
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| | some juice.
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| Tommy likes to color neatly in his book.
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| | The third rule is an extension of the
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| OR
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| | second rule; do not use a comma to
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| Tommy likes to color in his book neatly.
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| | separate a sentence from text that could
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| Splitting infinitives is not criticized
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| | not be a complete clause on its own. The
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| to the degree it has been in the past. As
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| | example below shows an incorrect use of a
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| many reputable sources explain,
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| | comma in this situation.
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| occasionally splitting an infinitive is
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| | We are going home, and sleep.
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| acceptable. Even some progressive English
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| | The ending of the example sentence
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| teachers will agree with this idea.
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| | ("...and sleep") is not a complete
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| Compact Oxford Online Dictionary explains
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| | sentence on its own, therefore, a comma
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| that the rule for not splitting
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| | should not be used before "and."
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| infinitives was based on an analogy to
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| | Acronyms and Abbreviations
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| Latin, a language that writes infinitives
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| | Completely spell out acronyms and
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| as one word, such as bibere 'to drink.'
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| | abbreviations the first time they are
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| The decision to argue with an English
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| | used. Once a writer decides to use an
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| teacher about the acceptance of splitting
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| | acronym or abbreviation they should be
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| infinitives is your decision to make. As
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| | used throughout the remainder of the
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| Oxford states, "...in standard English
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| | text, switching back and forth between
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| the use of split infinitives is broadly
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| | the full spelling and the acronym or
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| accepted as both normal and useful.1" If
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| | abbreviation should be avoided.
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| you do decide to argue with an English
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| | Using "etc.," "i.e.," and "e.g."
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| teacher, feel free to point out that
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| | The final rules discussed in this article
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| people such as John Donne, William
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| | involve the use of several common
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| Wordsworth, and Benjamin Franklin split
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| | abbreviations. The first abbreviation is
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| infinitives at will. The larger problem
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| | "etc." This comes from Latin and is an
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| occurs when a writer consistently splits
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| | abbreviation for et cetera, which means
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| their infinitives. If splitting the
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| | "and others." First, make sure that a
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| infinitive helps with emphasis or the
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| | period is included at the end; second,
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| statement flows better go ahead and split
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| | make sure that the "others" have been
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| the infinitive.
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| | specified previously. A final note on
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| Superlatives and Comparatives
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| | this abbreviation, if it is used put the
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| Writers should also strive to use
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| | letters in the correct order; "ect." is
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| superlatives and comparatives correctly.
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| | not correct.
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| Some cases of incorrect use may sound
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| | The second abbreviation often misused is
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| okay, but if the author remembers the
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| | "i.e." Also from Latin, this is a
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| rules that they learned for using
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| | shortened form of id est which means
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| superlatives and comparatives they will
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| | "that is." When used correctly this
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| realize that they have made the error.
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| | abbreviation indicates an alternative way
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| For example when a sentence is written as
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| | of stating something. The most common
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| below it sounds correct, but it is not.
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| | error when using "i.e." is not following
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| One of the most common mistakes a cook
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| | it with a comma; there should be two
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| makes is not using fresh ingredients.
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| | periods and a comma in this abbreviation.
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| In this example, the lack of fresh
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| | The final abbreviation discussed in this
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| ingredients is either a common mistake or
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| | article is "e.g." Again, this is an
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| it is the most common mistake; there
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| | abbreviation for a Latin phrase, "exempla
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| generally cannot be two, or more, most
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| | gratia." This is used when the writer
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| common mistakes. A case where there can
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| | means "for example" or "for instance."
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| be two "mosts" is in an exact tie. For
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| | Some people believe that "e.g." stands
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| example, if 20 mistakes are made and two
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| | for example given, this is not true, but
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| of them occur six times each (making up
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| | it can be a helpful way to remember that
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| 12 of the 20 mistakes) and the remaining
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| | it does have something to do with an
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| eight mistakes are all different, then
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| | example. Similar to the use of "i.e."
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| the two mistakes that occurred six times
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| | many writers forget to put a comma after
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| each could be labeled as the most common
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| | the second period in "e.g." Below are
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| mistakes.
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| | three correct examples of these
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| The sentence below shows another way that
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| | abbreviations.
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| a comparative can be written incorrectly.
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| | Bob bought a whole bunch of office
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| Of the three dogs, the bulldog was the
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| | supplies, pens, pencils, staples, paper,
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| smaller.
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| | highlighters, and erasers on his way
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| To use a comparative there needs to be
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| | home. He purchased so many things that
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| something compared to something else. The
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| | when he got home he realized that he had
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| bulldog either was the smallest of the
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| | forgotten a bag at the store. He had his
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| three dogs or was smaller than another
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| | pens and pencils, but the staples etc.
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| dog in the group. Both sentences below
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| | were still at the store.
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| are written correctly.
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| | John is a big person, i.e., he is over
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| The bulldog was smaller than the German
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| | six feet tall.
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| shepherd and the St. Bernard.
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| | The black horse is fast, e.g., it has won
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| The bulldog was the smallest of the three
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| | all of its races.
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| dogs.
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| | By using the rules above your writing
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| A third sentence, shown below would also
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| | will make more sense and will be correct.
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| be correct.
| |
| | Future articles will address other
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| The bulldog was smaller than the other
| |
| | writing errors and provide additional
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| two dogs.
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| | advice.
|
| This is written correctly because the
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| |
|
