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| "Silverlady" |
If I confess that I graduated from high school fifty-one years ago, will anyone understand that I have trouble remembering all the rules of grammar and spelling that I learned back then?
I attended an all girl catholic high school and the good nuns made sure we learned English, grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and all those good things. We diagrammed sentences and had spelling bees...anything to make sure we were knowledgeable. However, today I find myself totally in a fog about many of the things I knew long ago.
My mother’s favorite phrase was “look it up” and I remember saying the same thing to my children and grandchildren on numerous occasions. Today, I decided why not share the information from some of my trips to grammar references and other resources. Hopefully, these tidbits will refresh your memory and save you the time of “looking it up”. Breeze through it. It'll be painless, I promise.
· To or Too
Use the preposition “to” beginning a prepositional phrase.
Use “too” if you are saying also or referring to an extra or excessive amount.
“I ate too much cake at the party.”
“There were just too many cooks in the kitchen.”
“I’d love to pay fewer taxes, too.”
“I was too tired to cook dinner last night.”
Use the preposition “to” beginning a prepositional phrase.
Use “too” if you are saying also or referring to an extra or excessive amount.
“I ate too much cake at the party.”
“There were just too many cooks in the kitchen.”
“I’d love to pay fewer taxes, too.”
“I was too tired to cook dinner last night.”
· Your or You’re
“Your” is used when talking about something that belongs to someone.
“You’re” is a contraction for you are.
“Is this your purse?”
“You’re going in the wrong direction.”
“Your” is used when talking about something that belongs to someone.
“You’re” is a contraction for you are.
“Is this your purse?”
“You’re going in the wrong direction.”
· There or Their or They’re
“There” is used to describe a place.
“The books are on the top shelf over there.
“Their” is used to indicate possession.
My friends lost their plane tickets.
“They’re” is a contraction for they are.
They’re coming down the stairs now.
“There” is used to describe a place.
“The books are on the top shelf over there.
“Their” is used to indicate possession.
My friends lost their plane tickets.
“They’re” is a contraction for they are.
They’re coming down the stairs now.
· Farther or Further
“Farther” denotes physical distance.
My house is farther from school than yours.
“Further” relates to distance or depth. It is a time, degree or quantity. It is another way of saying “additional”.
The board wanted to have further discussion on the issue.
If gas prices drop further before summer, we can take a road trip this summer.
I need to look further into your complaint before I make a decision.
“Farther” denotes physical distance.
My house is farther from school than yours.
“Further” relates to distance or depth. It is a time, degree or quantity. It is another way of saying “additional”.
The board wanted to have further discussion on the issue.
If gas prices drop further before summer, we can take a road trip this summer.
I need to look further into your complaint before I make a decision.
· Less or Fewer
Use “fewer” with countable, individual things.
I should drink fewer soft drinks.
Use “less” with uncountable amounts, volumes, etc.
I should drink less coffee.
Also use “less” when describing a quantity considered as a single bulk amount.
It happened less than five years ago.
He stole less than $1,000 from him.
The recipe calls for less than two cups of sugar.
Use “fewer” with countable, individual things.
I should drink fewer soft drinks.
Use “less” with uncountable amounts, volumes, etc.
I should drink less coffee.
Also use “less” when describing a quantity considered as a single bulk amount.
It happened less than five years ago.
He stole less than $1,000 from him.
The recipe calls for less than two cups of sugar.
I hope these grammar tidbits refresh your memory, save you time, and give you confidence in your ability to choose the proper wording.
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