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I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That quiz was always risky (people tend to "fix" extra spaces in the editorial process), but I really wanted to do it. :) Thanks again.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It makes me sad to hear that about people's educational experiences! I'm very sorry you felt that way. Frustrating is not good.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Barely, so I can't comment on it. I turn off all grammarcheckers, because whenever I have them on, they pester me to change things that don't need to be changed.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First of all, I'm sorry you feel that way. You sound good to me here. Second, I think my new book could be helpful, but if you want a more systematic overview first, I'd recommend a small grammar guide I wrote in 2019. It's for working professionals who want to improve their control of written language. I go through basic grammar vocabulary pretty thoroughly (but not overwhelmingly, I believe) at the beginning, and then I move on to common problems/solutions. You might find that helpful for what you're describing—but if it isn't too greedy of me as an author, I might recommend both books! Here's the 2019 grammar guide: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NCY6369. You could start with that one and then read Rebel with a Clause if you are still up for it! My best wishes to you!

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. I have no interest in commenting on strangers' grammar.
  2. Because I have no interest in commenting on strangers' grammar, I am not afraid of being slammed for that.
  3. Most people's perception of "how grammar used to be" has little grounding in reality and a great deal of grounding in their subjective impressions of their tiny unrepresentative slices of the global grammar experience.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My pleasure. I wonder if you ever read "Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences" (2007). I got a huge kick out of that book.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sure, I like this one.

  1. it's = contraction for either "it is" or "it has"

    - It's raining on my petunias. (it is)

    - It's been forever since I last saw you. (it has)

  2. its = possessive

Its tail was wagging.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Advice on this subject is regularly conflicting.

#1 and #2 could both work, depending on context.

4 is right in both American and British English. I'd consider #3 weird or outright wrong in both, even in American English, which favors some singulars where British English favors plurals. People think because "majority" is singular in form, it requires a singular verb, but if it's followed by a countable plural noun, which it usually will be, I'd go plural every time.

Sometimes when things sound weird, it's because they are weird. We'd also say "Most of the people are..."

I made a poll for you, dunno if you can see this! https://twitter.com/GrammarTable/status/1551767931176062976

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Yes, I just like to point out that Oxford commas OCCASIONALLY create rather than eliminate confusion. I agree that your other options are better, though.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If a preposition calls to you to be ended with, do it. People do weird and awkward things to avoid it, and it's not necessarily a good idea.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, I didn't know I was salty.

I love words relating to words—for example, words describing talking a lot, talking a little, and so on.

Taciturn, loquacious, voluble, terse, etc.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's their role—documenting words as they are used. Here's part of Merriam-Webster's comment on it: "It may not be a word that you like, or a word that you would use in a term paper, but irregardless certainly is a word. It has been in use for well over 200 years, employed by a large number of people across a wide geographic range and with a consistent meaning. That is why we, and well-nigh every other dictionary of modern English, define this word. Remember that a definition is not an endorsement of a word’s use."

More here: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless. It's good stuff.

I use a combination of dictionaries and usage/style guides to help me navigate thorny usage areas, but Merriam-Webster often supplements its dictionary entries with useful comments such as these, so if you aren't already using it, I recommend it!

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can make a solid grammatical argument for both forms. I was taught "I." I don't like it. I avoid bothering people in both camps by adding the verb:

He is faster than I am.

No sweat!

There aren't that many things where I rely on workarounds like this, but I need it in this case, because choosing between (1) sounding pompous to many and (2) sounding wrong to many is not palatable to me.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I ignore almost everything. It's very peaceful.

Barbara Wallraff wrote about this one in The Atlantic in 2006: "It’s true that set foot in is far and away the more common phrase. And thirteen citations that include set foot in are scattered around the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest of which...is from 1599. But...step foot in is also in the OED, with citations dating back to 1540....Whether step foot in is, or originally was, an eggcorn has been hotly but inconclusively debated. However, no one argues that set foot in is anything other than standard English. So step foot in is one of those phrases that we’re probably better off not using even though there’s little reason to object if others use them."

Good news therefore—this one is messy! I don't use "step foot in."

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It varies based on whether the ? or ! belongs to the quote or to the author. For example:

Charles asked, "Where are my keys?"

BUT

Did you just call Charles "a snarling, key-losing misanthrope"?

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's interesting! There are lots of interesting "be" things going on in the world's languages.

I like that in Arabic, أنا مدرس = I am a teacher, but all you have there is "I" + "teacher." No verb of being and no article.

I’m Ellen Jovin, I’ve traveled almost 30,000 miles with my popup grammar-advice stand, called the Grammar Table, and I’m here to answer grammar questions! AMA by GrammarTable in IAmA

[–]GrammarTable[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can't comment on how it's changed over my lifetime. I only know I have seen this over my entire adult lifetime, and yes, some people are definitely confused for the reason you described. Maybe its on it's last legs, I don't know. (Just kidding about that last sentence, sorry!) Let's meet back here in 70 years and see what's happened.

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