The complete idiot guide part 12 pot

Chapter 7: Multiple-Vehicle Wrecks: Pronoun Reference 93 2. When Dennis spoke to Keith that morning, Dennis did not realize that he might win the lottery by the end of the day. (Again, Keith might just as easily have been the winner.) 3. When the rain started, we pulled out an umbrella and opened it. The rain dampened our spirits for a while, but we decided to stick it out. 4. If you asked Doug to describe Nick, Doug would say that Nick was sly, boring, and cheap and—then Doug would chuckle. 5. Ask Nick about Doug, and Nick would say that, while he couldn't be a gossip, he was sure that Doug had links with the Young Republicans. 6. Nick didn't consider Doug a safe driver, either. Location, Location, Location: Placement of Pronouns Another way to avoid confusing pronoun reference is to go for the squeeze play: Place pronouns as close to their antecedents as logically possible. If too many phrases come between a pronoun and its antecedent, the pronouns may get muddied. This can happen even if the intervening material is logically related to the rest of the sen- tence. Here are some examples: Confusing: The statement that the dog catcher made and that she issued it as a for- mal policy inflamed the city council, who knew it would result in widespread anger. Clear: The dog catcher made a statement and the Mayor issued a formal policy. This inflamed the City Council, which knew this policy would result in wide- spread anger. Confusing: Prehistoric people used many inorganic substances difficult to find at archaeological sites, which included clay and rock. Clear: Prehistoric people used many inorganic substances, including clay and rock, which are difficult to find at archaeological sites. <f Quoth the Maven Place pronouns close to their antecedents. Take My Word for It When you start a new para- graph, repeat the noun from the previous paragraph rather than using a pronoun in its place. Repeating the noun (usu- ally a name) can help your reader more easily follow your logic. % Part 2: Under the Grammar Hammer A Match Made in Writer's Heaven Just as there's a pot for every lid, so there's an antecedent for every pronoun. The pronoun's antecedent must be clearer than the Mississippi River, or your writing will be as murky as the Big Muddy's depths. How to achieve pronoun clarity? Make a pro- noun refer to one specific antecedent. As simple as that. Here are some guidelines to follow as you filter your writing to sift out pronoun errors. Take My Word for It Pronouns are among the most frequently used words in English. Among the top 100 words: he, it, his, I, they, you, she, we, him. $ ^ ^ Quoth the Maven . V/ When the possessive quality is added to a noun, that noun becomes an adjective and is no longer suitable to be an ante- cedent. Not in the mood to put the pro- noun in the possessive case? Instead, you can revise the sen- tence so the noun provides the reference for the pronoun. Possession and Pronouns Don't use a pronoun to refer to a noun's possessive form (the form that shows ownership). You can't use a noun's possessive form as the antecedent to a pro- noun, unless the pronoun is also in the possessive case. This sounds a lot trickier than it is, trust me and read these examples: Confusing: The proctologist's discovery brought him fame. (Because the pronoun him is not possessive, it cannot be used to refer to the possessive proctologists.) Clear: The proctologist became famous because of his discovery. Confusing: Leroy 's report was superb. Does he know that? Clear: Leroy wrote a great report. Does he know that? It's a Lock Be sure the pronouns it, this, that, and which refer to only one antecedent. These four sweet little pronouns are especially prone to unclear pronoun reference. Here are some examples: Confusing: Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world. This is interesting. Chapter 7: Multiple-Vehicle Wrecks: Pronoun Reference 95 (What is interesting? Karate? Bad movies? The relationship between karate and bad movies?) Clear: Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world. This phenomenon is interesting. Confusing: If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving a baby's life, she will choose to save that without even considering if there are men on base. (What will she choose to save?) Clear: If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving a baby's life, she will choose to save the baby's life without even considering if there are men on base. Confusing: According to some sources, a rain of comets lasting hundreds of centuries hits the earth every few million years or so. Maybe that is how the dinosaurs perished in a mass extinction 65 million years ago. Clear: According to some sources, a rain of comets lasting hundreds of centuries hits the earth every few million years or so. Maybe such a rain of comets killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Confusing: I told my friends that I was going to be a circus rouster which annoyed my boss. Clear: My boss was annoyed because I told my friends that I was going to be a circus rouster. Strictly Speaking Avoid using a pronoun to refer to the title of a document in the doc- ument's first sentence. For exam- ple, if the title is "Big Bank's Role in Mutual Funds," the first sentence cannot be "It is important and we must stress it." What's the it? It and They Ever heard, "It said on television that " or "In the office they say "? Such expres- sions are sloppy, imprecise, and confusing. Who are these mysterious "it"s and "they"s? Eliminate this error by using the pronouns it and they carefully. Give it a shot. Repair the following sloppy statements by straightening out the sloppy useof"it"sand"they"s. 1. It said on the radio that it's going to rain tomorrow. 2. In a book they say that animal testing is a bad idea; the animals all get nervous and give the wrong answers. 96 Part 2: Under the Grammar Hammer 3. It said that a Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean a mother. 4. In a company they say that a committee is a group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. 5. The book says that applying computer technology is simply finding the right wrench to pound in the correct screw. Answers 1. The radio announcer said that it's going to rain tomorrow. 2. The author said that animal testing is a bad idea; the animals all get nervous and give the wrong answers. (Better yet, give the author's name.) 3. A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean a mother. 4. Employees say that a committee is a group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. 5. The author says that applying computer technology is simply finding the right wrench to pound in the correct screw. (Better yet, give the author's name.) It Mania It has become a fast-food word, more commonplace than burgers, fries, and a shake. Advice for life: Don't eat too much junk food, wear your galoshes when it rains, and don't overuse it. The word it has three uses: • As a personal pronoun. Chris wants to see how long he can stay in the clothes dryer, but it is broken. • As an expletive. It is fun to eat raw cookie dough and feel sorry for yourself when you're home alone on Saturday night. • As an idiomatic expression for weather, time, or distance. It is cloudy today. It is noon. It is quite a distance to the home. Chapter 7: Multiple-Vehicle Wrecks: Pronoun Reference 97 The unclear "it" problem arises when these uses are combined in one sentence, like this one: Confusing: Because our electric knife was overheating, it came as no surprise that it broke just as it was time to carve the bird. Clear: It came as no surprise that the electric knife broke just as it was time to carve the bird. Confusing: It will be a successful project if the computer doesn't overload its memory. Clear: The project will succeed if the com- puter doesn't overload its memory. Confusing: It is clear that it is not fulfilling its duties. Clear: Clearly, the board of directors is not fulfilling its duties. Danger, Will Robinson Avoid using an unnec- essary pronoun to repeat the sub- ject. Here's a no-no: "The shorter woman, who nodded at me, she knew me." The sentence should be written: "The shorter woman, who nodded at me, knew me." Who's on First? Another confusing issue concerns the pronouns who, which, and that. Here, the rule is a snap: 1. Who refers to people or animals (only animals with names or special talents, like Socks the First Cat or Rex the Wonder Pooch). Here's an example or three: • The student, who was a dope, said, "Professor Zigler, I don't believe I deserve this F you've given me." • The professor, who was a sensible man, said, "I agree, but unfortunately it is the lowest grade the university will allow me to give." • Lassie, who was known for his intelligence and courage, was actu- ally played by a series of collies. That and which refer to things, groups, and unnamed animals. The choice between which and that depends on whether the clause introduced by the pronoun is restrictive or nonrestrictive. Use that or which for restrictive clauses and which with nonrestrictive clauses. Here are some examples: You Could Look It Up A restrictive clause is essential to a sentence; a nonre- strictive clause adds extra mean- ing, is set off by commas, and can be removed from the sen- tence. See Chapter 1 2 for a more detailed description of clauses. 98 PartZ: Under the Grammar Hammer Strictly Speaking Like my thighs, the distinction between that and which is becoming less firm. Some writers still reserve that for restrictive clauses and which for nonrestric- tive clauses. Others don't. • Once, at a social gathering, Gladstone said to Disraeli, "I predict, sir, that you will die either by hanging or by some vile disease." (restrictive clause) • Disraeli replied, "That all depends, sir, upon whether I embrace your principles or your mistress." (restrictive clause) • Sacred cows, which are holy, make the best hamburger, (nonrestrictive clause) Give it a shot. Fill in the blanks with who, which, or that. 1. The car hit me rolled into a ditch and so did I. 2. My car, came from Rent-a-Wreck, had relatively little damage. 3. The concept intrigued the Securities and Exchange Commission involved insider trading. 4. The report I wrote recommended the concept. 5. The woman came to visit me in jail was my former boss. h^_Jy Quoth the Maven _ A clause introduced by that will almost inevitably be restric- tive. Do not use a comma around restrictive clauses, as in this example: "The menu that the waiter handed me made my mouth water." Answers 1. The car that hit me rolled into a ditch and so did I. 2. My car, which came from Rent-a-Wreck, had rela- tively little damage. 3. The concept that intrigued the Securities and Exchange Commission involved insider trading. 4. The report that I wrote recommended the concept. 5. The woman who came to visit me in jail was my former boss. The Least You Need to Know • Make a pronoun clearly refer to a single antecedent. • Place pronouns close to their antecedents. • Make a pronoun refer to a definite antecedent. Chapter How to Write and Speak Good: Adjectives Versus Adverbs In This Chapter • Explore the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees • Learn about irregular adjectives and adverbs • Cope with adjectives and linking verbs • Deal with double negatives You know it's going to be a bad day when • Your twin forgets your birthday. • You open the newspaper and find your picture under a caption that reads: "WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE." • You have to figure out whether to use bad or well in a sentence. That last scenario is the real killer. ,1 ™ 4, 100 PartZ: Under the Grammar Hammer You learned in Chapter 4 that adjectives and adverbs are describing words; the former describes a noun or pronoun; the latter, a verb, adjective, or other adverb. Here, you learn how to use these words with skill and confidence so you'll never again face the dreaded bad/well dilemma. They Walk Alike, They Talk Alike: You Could Lose Your Mind Both adjectives and adverbs are modifiers—words that describe other words. For example: Adjective: The quick fox jumped. Adverb: The fox jumped quickly. Ah ha! you say. Adverbs end in -ly; adjectives don't, so that's how I can tell these suck- ers apart. Not so fast, kemosabe. Some adverbs end in -ly, but not all. Further, some adjectives also end in -ly, such as lovely and friendly. As a result, the -ly test doesn't cut the mustard. Instead, the key to telling the difference between adjectives and adverbs is understanding how they work: • Adjectives describe a noun or pronoun. • Adverbs describe a verb, adjective, or other adverb. As you learned in Chapter 4, the only dependable way to tell whether you should use an adjective or an adverb is to see how the word functions in the sentence. If a noun or pronoun is being described, use an adjective. If a verb, adjective, or other adverb is being described, use an adverb. Here's an example to refresh your memory: He is a skillful driver. (The adjective skillful describes the noun driver.) The cabby drove skillfully. (The adverb skillfully describes the verb drove.) Graphic Proof Use the following table to keep adjectives and adverbs straight. That way, we'll all be reading from the same sheet music as we play together in the rest of this chapter. Chapter 8: How to Write and Speak Good: Adjectives Versus Adverbs JOl In the Know: Adjective or Adverb? Modifier Adjectives Adjectives Adverbs Adverbs Adverbs Function Describe nouns Describe pronouns Describe verbs Describe adverbs Describe adjectives Example The busy bee never rests. (The noun is bee.) She felt disappointed. (The pronoun is she.) The child cried bitterly. (The verb is cried.) The child cried very bitterly. (The adverb is bitterly.) The child was truly annoyed. (The adjective is annoyed.) I'm Ready for My Close-Up Now, Mr. DeMille Reality check: Are you still with me? Find out by taking this little quiz. Identify the underlined word or words in each of the following sentences. Hint: The answer will be either "adjective" or "adverb." Those are better odds than you get in Vegas. 1. My school colors were "clear." 2. Question: How many surrealists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer: Two. One to hold the giraffe firmly and the other to fill the bathtub with brightly colored machine tools. 3. If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell her that she has the right to remain silent? 4. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should have been insulted when the mind reader charged me half price. 5. For three days after death, hair and fingernails continue to grow slowly, but phone calls taper off. 6. Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" until you can find a big rock. 7. Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny? 8. Murphy's Oil Soap is the chemical most commonly used to clean elephants. 9. Giraffes have no vocal cords. 10. A man ordered a taco. He asked the server for "minimal lettuce." The server said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg. 102 Part 2: Under the Grammar Hammer Answers 1. Adjective 2. Adverb, adjective 3. Adverb 4. Adjective 5. Adverb 6. Adjective 7. Adverb 8. Adverb 9. Adjective 10. Adjective Three Degrees of Separation Often, you'll want to compare things rather than just describe them. Not to worry; English has this covered. Adjectives and adverbs have different forms to show degrees of comparison. We even have a name for each of these forms of degree: positive, com- parative, and superlative. Let's meet the whole gang. Strictly Speaking What do these three words have in common: childish, yellowish, and flowery? They are all adjec- tives created from nouns. Creating adjectives from nouns: another hobby you might want to consider. • Positive degree: the base form of the adjective or adverb. It does not show comparison. • Comparative degree: the form an adjective or adverb takes to compare two things. • Superlative degree: the form an adjective or adverb takes to compare three or more things. The following table shows the three degrees of com- parison with some sample adjectives and adverbs. Comparative Levels of Adjectives and Adverbs Part of Speech Adjective Adjective Adjective Adverb Adverb Adverb Positive low big fat highly widely easily Comparative lower bigger fatter more highly more widely more easily Superlative lowest biggest fattest most highly most widely most easily . an ante- cedent. Not in the mood to put the pro- noun in the possessive case? Instead, you can revise the sen- tence so the noun provides the reference for the pronoun. Possession . Example The busy bee never rests. (The noun is bee.) She felt disappointed. (The pronoun is she.) The child cried bitterly. (The verb is cried.) The child cried very bitterly. (The adverb. Two. One to hold the giraffe firmly and the other to fill the bathtub with brightly colored machine tools. 3. If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell her that she has the right to remain