1 / 21

Grammar for journalists

Grammar for journalists. A quick and dirty guide to a writer’s most common problems. What’s wrong?. The Peabody School Committee decided last night that they would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12. . Singular/plural agreement.

evelia
Télécharger la présentation

Grammar for journalists

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Grammar for journalists A quick and dirty guide to a writer’s most common problems

  2. What’s wrong? • The Peabody School Committee decided last night that they would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12.

  3. Singular/plural agreement • The Peabody School Committee decided last night that they would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12. • The Peabody School Committee decided last night that it would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12.

  4. What’s wrong? • The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold their annual retreat this coming weekend.

  5. Watch your antecedents • The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold their annual retreat this coming weekend. • The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold its annual retreat this coming weekend.

  6. What’s wrong? • The first team which crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream.

  7. Essential/nonessential • The first team which crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream. • The first team that crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream.

  8. What’s wrong? • Thomas R. Smith and his wife Bertha Gilooley appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace.

  9. Essential/nonessential • Thomas R. Smith and his wife Bertha Gilooley appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace. • Thomas R. Smith and his wife, Bertha Gilooley, appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace.

  10. What’s wrong? • The ball which rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.

  11. Ambiguous • The ball which rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn. • The ball, which rolled across the street, ended up on a neighbor’s lawn. • The ball that rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.

  12. What’s wrong? • The runs were scored by the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning.

  13. Passive voice • The runs were scored by the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning. • The Red Sox scored the runs in the top of the seventh inning.

  14. What’s wrong • The choir will perform it’s encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission.

  15. Dave Barry Rule of Apostrophes • The choir will perform it’s encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission. • The choir will perform its encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission.

  16. What’s wrong? • A quiet, unassuming album on the surface, Bob Dylan reveals his true intent in “Modern Times” only after several listens.

  17. Dangling modifier • A quiet, unassuming album on the surface, Bob Dylan reveals his true intent in “Modern Times” only after several listens. • A quiet, unassuming album on the surface, “Modern Times” revealsBob Dylan’s true intent only after several listens.

  18. What’s wrong? • The company said yesterday that it would soon unveil a new line of products.

  19. Personification • The company said yesterday that it would soon unveil a new line of products. • A spokesman said yesterday that the company would soon unveil a new line of products.

  20. What’s wrong? • The political figure to who the threat was delivered quickly fled the country.

  21. Subject/object • The political figure to who the threat was delivered quickly fled the country. • The political figure to whom the threat was delivered quickly fled the country.

More Related