Seriousness What about commas? - Page 2

lene1949 · 10-10-2010, 04:45 AM

I'm reading a lot of books by self published authors, and sometimes there's half a page without a comma in sight. If they don't know their grammar, I would suggest they read the sentence, and put a comma, where they would breathe in...

Apostrophes have me extremely confused, as they're not really used in my native language. 'My daughter's husband', I believe, have and apostrophe in English, but not when translated to Danish. I guess, I'll never work it out...

GraceKrispy · 10-10-2010, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

Apostrophes have me extremely confused, as they're not really used in my native language. 'My daughter's husband', I believe, have and apostrophe in English, but not when translated to Danish. I guess, I'll never work it out...

Apostrophes are very easy, actually (much easier than commas!).

Use them in contractions, when you have taken away one or more letters after combining words. you are becomes you're (the a was taken away). (I know you know that one down pat)

Use them when making a noun (proper or common or plural nouns) possessive. You do not use them with possessive pronouns. So it's "his books, Joe's books, the boy's books, the children's books."

NEVER use them when pluralizing a word (biggest mistake)! Ugh, hate that. It's not "I saw some dog's"-- because then you have to ask "some dog's... what? some dog's ....bowl?"

Other big mistake- using an apostrophe in "its" when it's possessive. So you say "it's a nice day" but you say "the dog sat by its bowl." For its, if you can't substitute "it is" in there, do NOT use an apostrophe.

There are a few more distinctions, but if you know those rules, you are better off than half the people I communicate with via writing.... (and several of the books and signs I read!)

(Hawaiian doesn't use apostrophes either. Well, it uses a similar symbol, but that symbol is a letter and doesn't operate like an apostrophe in English. Possessives are done differently, with a "marker" word. So Kimo's book becomes "ka Kimo puke" the ka here is the possessive. Or Kimo's house is "ko Kimo hale" where the ko is the possessive. It is tricky to learn new rules when the ones you are so used to are so different!)

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

I'm reading a lot of books by self published authors, and sometimes there's half a page without a comma in sight. If they don't know their grammar, I would suggest they read the sentence, and put a comma, where they would breathe in...

Apostrophes have me extremely confused, as they're not really used in my native language. 'My daughter's husband', I believe, have and apostrophe in English, but not when translated to Danish. I guess, I'll never work it out...

are they not allowed to 'breathe out', too ?

TGS · 10-10-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

Apostrophes have me extremely confused, as they're not really used in my native language. 'My daughter's husband', I believe, have and apostrophe in English, but not when translated to Danish. I guess, I'll never work it out...

What about "My daughters' husbands" in Danish - where you have several daughters and each has a husband - doesn't an apostrophe come in there somewhere?

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 08:02 AM

and then we can have

My daughters' husbands' workplaces .....

HarryT · 10-10-2010, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

Other big mistake- using an apostrophe in "its" when it's possessive. So you say "it's a nice day" but you say "the dog sat by its bowl." For its, if you can't substitute "it is" in there, do NOT use an apostrophe.

Or sometimes "it has". Eg, "Do read this book; it's got an excellent plot."

TGS · 10-10-2010, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

and then we can have

My daughters' husbands' workplaces .....

Or even

My daughters' husbands' workplaces' Christmas parties' aftermaths

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 08:09 AM

only one 'aftermaths' ? :snortle:

kennyc · 10-10-2010, 08:14 AM

my head's exploding!

TGS · 10-10-2010, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

only one 'aftermaths' ? :snortle:

No several aftermaths - one for each daughter who has a husband who has a workplace which has a Christmas party each of which has an aftermath - but none of the aftermaths possess anything so don't need an apostrophe...unless you know different...

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 08:16 AM

the aftermaths' effects.

TGS · 10-10-2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

the aftermaths' effects.

Indeed
My daughters' husbands' workplaces' Christmas parties' aftermaths' effects

kennyc · 10-10-2010, 08:19 AM

now my heads're exploding!

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 08:19 AM

We could even have more than one Christmas !?

GeoffC · 10-10-2010, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

now my heads're exploding!

you have more than one head

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10-10-2010, 04:45 AM	#16
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	I'm reading a lot of books by self published authors, and sometimes there's half a page without a comma in sight. If they don't know their grammar, I would suggest they read the sentence, and put a comma, where they would breathe in... Apostrophes have me extremely confused, as they're not really used in my native language. 'My daughter's husband', I believe, have and apostrophe in English, but not when translated to Danish. I guess, I'll never work it out...

10-10-2010, 08:02 AM	#20
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	and then we can have My daughters' husbands' workplaces .....

10-10-2010, 08:09 AM	#23
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	only one 'aftermaths' ? :snortle:

10-10-2010, 08:14 AM	#24
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,903 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	my head's exploding!

10-10-2010, 08:16 AM	#26
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	the aftermaths' effects.

10-10-2010, 08:19 AM	#28
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,903 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	now my heads're exploding!