Perhaps snow is over for season
I need to revise the assignment schedule, due to snow and to a change from the campus regarding assessments. More on that in class.
Reading for Friday: Simply read and reflect (without writing) on this opinion blog entry at Inside Higher Ed. John Warner is thoughtful about what writing courses can do for students; he is equally thoughtful about their limitations.
(We will also talk about the subtle grammar/punctuation points in the short paragraph just above.)
Now, on to an important style/reader cognition technique. AVOID EMPTY SUBJECTS.
- it
- there is/are
This html worksheet shows many simple examples.
By the way, this ESL website contains a helpful review of grammar, particularly with short but clear examples. Back to empty subjects: I now ask you to pay attention particularly to It/THere, in two places:
- at the beginning of sentences.
- at interior positions of an emtpy subject after an opening clause. You will need to revise away THOSE emtpy subjects.
Since the early 1990s, there are many low impact development examples, including rain gardens.
Due to the effects of urbanization, it is now important to use sustainable land management techniques.
Oxford comma (wars): Look at these examples, to jump start the lesson.
To my parents, Ayn Rand and God.
To my parents, J.K. Rowling and God.
To my parents, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
OR
In a newspaper account of a documentary about Merle Haggard:
Among those interviewed were his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.
These two preceding examples are from Theresa Hayden. Here is another doosie that cries out for a serial or Oxford comma.
Here is another doosie that cries out for a serial or Oxford comma.
The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that
"highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector."
Now, to be clear, the serial comma does not always solve ambiguity problems:
They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and a cook –
- They went to Oregon with Betty, who was a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, both a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty (a maid) and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid, and with a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty – a maid – and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with the maid Betty and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with a cook and Betty, a maid. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty as well as a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty and a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, one maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with a maid, a cook, and Betty. (Three people)
We can also look at the grocery list problem:
buying bread, jam, coffee, cream, juice, eggs, and bacon. VS
eating toast and jam, coffee and cream, juice, and bacon and eggs
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Marybeth Shea
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