Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 In a message dated 3/20/01 8:40:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, lleshin@... writes: > >3) My gas mileage is better than your car. > > > Yeah, but I still wouldn't be caught dead driving a Yugo. > > (It should be either " ...better than your car's mileage. " or ... " better > than yours. " ) > but if my gas is better than yours, are we talking gas as in petrol or gas as in breaking wind? Sorry, just couldn't resist the comparative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 I can see the point! Those are terrible sentences! Clear language is essential to communication. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html Need Grammar Police > The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or > superlative modifiers. > > The sentences are: > > > 1) Which is the most fiercer, the lion or the leopard? > > > 2) I feel badly that you are hurt. > > > 3) My gas mileage is better than your car. > > > (Will explain the point of this later, if requested.) > > Judi > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 NO NO NO NO, Granny! Dang it, how would you correct the problems with comparative and superlative usage? (I'll give up that these are from a quiz my son just took in his Advanced English 10 course, there's a little more to the story, but you gotta answer the question first! ;o)) Re: Need Grammar Police I can see the point! Those are terrible sentences! Clear language is essential to communication. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html Need Grammar Police > The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or > superlative modifiers. > > The sentences are: > > > 1) Which is the most fiercer, the lion or the leopard? > > > 2) I feel badly that you are hurt. > > > 3) My gas mileage is better than your car. > > > (Will explain the point of this later, if requested.) > > Judi > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 At 08:49 AM 3/20/2001 , Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote: >The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or >superlative modifiers. > >The sentences are: > > >1) Which is the most fiercer, the lion or the leopard? Neither. I'd go for the gorilla. (It's the " most fierce, " not the " most fiercer. " ) >2) I feel badly that you are hurt. I'm really sorry. Please don't sue me. (It's " I feel bad. " Saying " I feel badly " seems to indicate a neurologic disorder.) >3) My gas mileage is better than your car. Yeah, but I still wouldn't be caught dead driving a Yugo. (It should be either " ...better than your car's mileage. " or ... " better than yours. " ) Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 Oh, all right. I'll correct the sentences for you. 1) Which is the most fiercer, the lion or the leopard? Which is fiercest, the lion or the leopard? 2) I feel badly that you are hurt. I'm sorry you are hurting. 3) My gas mileage is better than your car. My car gets better gas mileage than yours. Now tell me the story behind all this. granny, editor in chief and grammar cop. --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html Need Grammar Police > > > > The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or > > superlative modifiers. > > > > The sentences are: > > > > > > > > > > > > (Will explain the point of this later, if requested.) > > > > Judi > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 Gee, Granny, at least Len's response was FUNNY! The answer to question one is--in the strictest grammar thinking--FIERCER--comparative -er ending because the word is one syllable and because only two items are being compared (sorry Len); however, common usage is MORE FIERCE or FIERCER. Ian said " more fierce " and it was marked wrong. #2-- Although the instructions say to correct each sentence (which makes it logical to conclude that there is a comparative/superlative error in each sentence), there is no such error here. Instead, the sentence uses an adverb (badly) where an adjective should be. In terms of correct C/S, it is the correct form, if not the correct part of speech. Ian couldn't find the C/S error, so he converted " you are " to " you're. " Trick question? I think so. #3--Although the instructions say that there is supposed to be a C/S error in this sentence--there isn't. The sentence isn't logically parallel because the two items compared aren't the same (my mileage vs your car). That may involve comparison indirectly, but not strictly speaking the C/S areas that the quiz is supposed to be talking about. Ian changed YOUR CAR to YOUR'S and got it marked wrong. Although he did add an appostrophe, which I guess should have lost him half credit, except he also has a spelling accommodation that comes into play given that the element being tested was not relevant to spelling the pronoun correctly. An additonal question had the sentence " Jim is faster than anyone on his team. " Again the instruction say look for the error and there isn't one. Ian changed " faster " to " quicker, " apparently taking a stylistic difference with the wording. It is still the correct comparative. It was marked wrong. The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been having problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a number of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, and I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right track here. Len gets a passing 67. Granny failed to follow instructions in #2, used incorrect superlative form in #1, and only gets a 34. I will need to talk to her parents after school. ;o) Judi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 At 10:11 AM 3/20/2001 , Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote: >The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been having >problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced >English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint >filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a number >of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know >literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This >is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, and >I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right track >here. The fact that the actual errors that were supposed to be corrected did not relate to the instructions given are enough for a formal complaint if this grade is a significant factor in the six weeks grade. Which brings up another question: at what point does a parent complaining do actually more harm to the student than the parent ignoring the problem? Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 Student has failed this class for the past 2 grading periods and will probably fail it again. Student wants to go to college. Student is experiencing severe unaddressed academic stress and doesn't want to go to school anymore. At what point does ignoring minor (and serious) problems equate to condoning discrimination and harassment? (It's because you got a D on the quiz, isn't it?) Judi RE: Need Grammar Police At 10:11 AM 3/20/2001 , Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote: >The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been having >problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced >English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint >filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a number >of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know >literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This >is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, and >I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right track >here. The fact that the actual errors that were supposed to be corrected did not relate to the instructions given are enough for a formal complaint if this grade is a significant factor in the six weeks grade. Which brings up another question: at what point does a parent complaining do actually more harm to the student than the parent ignoring the problem? Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 At 10:25 AM 3/20/2001 , Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote: >Student has failed this class for the past 2 grading periods and will >probably fail it again. Student wants to go to college. Student is >experiencing severe unaddressed academic stress and doesn't want to go to >school anymore. > >At what point does ignoring minor (and serious) problems equate to condoning >discrimination and harassment? > >(It's because you got a D on the quiz, isn't it?) No, I've had concerns for my oldest child who has been harassed by one of his teachers. He tends to be a class clown (don't know where he could have gotten that from) and one teacher has him pegged now as a troublemaker, and I've been struggling as to when to intervene. It's not as bad as your situation, but that's why I brought it up. Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 OK, that will bring your grade up to an 85! ;o) Judi RE: Need Grammar Police At 10:25 AM 3/20/2001 , Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote: >Student has failed this class for the past 2 grading periods and will >probably fail it again. Student wants to go to college. Student is >experiencing severe unaddressed academic stress and doesn't want to go to >school anymore. > >At what point does ignoring minor (and serious) problems equate to condoning >discrimination and harassment? > >(It's because you got a D on the quiz, isn't it?) No, I've had concerns for my oldest child who has been harassed by one of his teachers. He tends to be a class clown (don't know where he could have gotten that from) and one teacher has him pegged now as a troublemaker, and I've been struggling as to when to intervene. It's not as bad as your situation, but that's why I brought it up. Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 I can only thank heaven that Ian did not use the term " breaking wind " in any of his corrections! Thank you for providing prospective! Judi Re: Need Grammar Police In a message dated 3/20/01 8:40:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, lleshin@... writes: > >3) My gas mileage is better than your car. > > > Yeah, but I still wouldn't be caught dead driving a Yugo. > > (It should be either " ...better than your car's mileage. " or ... " better > than yours. " ) > but if my gas is better than yours, are we talking gas as in petrol or gas as in breaking wind? Sorry, just couldn't resist the comparative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 In a message dated 3/20/2001 4:37:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, lowenthalrj@... writes: > NO NO NO NO, Granny! Dang it, how would you correct the problems with > comparative and superlative usage? Look, just tell Granny she has failed because she did not follow directions! ;-) Cheryl in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 In a message dated 3/20/01 12:58:20 PM Central Standard Time, bspyle@... writes: > 1) Which is the most fiercer, the lion or the leopard? > > Which is fiercest, the lion or the leopard? > Sorry Granny, when it's 2 it is " fiercer " or more fierce. When there are more than 2 it's fiercest, or most fierce. Jessie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2001 Report Share Posted March 20, 2001 I always thought est had to compare three items--big, bigger, biggest. BTW, fiercer sounds terrible. More fierce is what I was taught. Elaine Need Grammar Police > > > > > > > The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or > > > superlative modifiers. > > > > > > The sentences are: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > (Will explain the point of this later, if requested.) > > > > > > Judi > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2001 Report Share Posted March 21, 2001 I wouldn't wait around to see which of the two was the fiercest - either one could be the hungriest and then I'd get eaten lol Allyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Spent yesterday getting B. S. Pyle to bed. I wasn't about to try and top what Len wrote! This has been an interesting exercise. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html RE: Need Grammar Police > Gee, Granny, at least Len's response was FUNNY! > > The answer to question one is--in the strictest grammar > thinking--FIERCER--comparative -er ending because the word is one syllable > and because only two items are being compared (sorry Len); however, common > usage is MORE FIERCE or FIERCER. Ian said " more fierce " and it was marked > wrong. > > #2-- Although the instructions say to correct each sentence (which makes it > logical to conclude that there is a comparative/superlative error in each > sentence), there is no such error here. Instead, the sentence uses an > adverb (badly) where an adjective should be. In terms of correct C/S, it is > the correct form, if not the correct part of speech. Ian couldn't find the > C/S error, so he converted " you are " to " you're. " Trick question? I think > so. > > #3--Although the instructions say that there is supposed to be a C/S error > in this sentence--there isn't. The sentence isn't logically parallel > because the two items compared aren't the same (my mileage vs your car). > That may involve comparison indirectly, but not strictly speaking the C/S > areas that the quiz is supposed to be talking about. Ian changed YOUR CAR to > YOUR'S and got it marked wrong. Although he did add an appostrophe, which I > guess should have lost him half credit, except he also has a spelling > accommodation that comes into play given that the element being tested was > not relevant to spelling the pronoun correctly. > > An additonal question had the sentence " Jim is faster than anyone on his > team. " Again the instruction say look for the error and there isn't one. > Ian changed " faster " to " quicker, " apparently taking a stylistic difference > with the wording. It is still the correct comparative. It was marked wrong. > > The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been having > problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced > English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint > filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a number > of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know > literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This > is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, and > I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right track > here. > > Len gets a passing 67. Granny failed to follow instructions in #2, used > incorrect superlative form in #1, and only gets a 34. I will need to talk > to her parents after school. ;o) > > Judi > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 Granny edited rather than followed instructions, as if the sentences were being submitted for publication. Mea culpa. I've been an editor longer than I was a student in school. :^) I think you're right about big, bigger and biggest, Elaine. I stand corrected. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html Need Grammar Police > > > > > > > > > > The instructions are to find and replace the incorrect comparitive or > > > > superlative modifiers. > > > > > > > > The sentences are: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > (Will explain the point of this later, if requested.) > > > > > > > > Judi > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 Interesting for me too, Granny. What I learned in my graduate level grammar course was that one syllable words usually take an -er or -est ending, but that there are some exceptions for euphony; that two syllable words often take the more/most, but often take either the ending or the preceding words; and that three syllable always take more/most. My kid's textbook is much more limited--one sy is ending, two or more is always more/most. No explanation of why " funnier/funniest " (2 sy) can exist. Plus, it puts issues related to parallelism and verb complements in the section about comparative degree. Plus, the teacher's lecture notes don't agree fully with the text! No wonder young people's command of the English language has gone to hell. Judi Re: Need Grammar Police Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Spent yesterday getting B. S. Pyle to bed. I wasn't about to try and top what Len wrote! This has been an interesting exercise. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html RE: Need Grammar Police > Gee, Granny, at least Len's response was FUNNY! > > The answer to question one is--in the strictest grammar > thinking--FIERCER--comparative -er ending because the word is one syllable > and because only two items are being compared (sorry Len); however, common > usage is MORE FIERCE or FIERCER. Ian said " more fierce " and it was marked > wrong. > > #2-- Although the instructions say to correct each sentence (which makes it > logical to conclude that there is a comparative/superlative error in each > sentence), there is no such error here. Instead, the sentence uses an > adverb (badly) where an adjective should be. In terms of correct C/S, it is > the correct form, if not the correct part of speech. Ian couldn't find the > C/S error, so he converted " you are " to " you're. " Trick question? I think > so. > > #3--Although the instructions say that there is supposed to be a C/S error > in this sentence--there isn't. The sentence isn't logically parallel > because the two items compared aren't the same (my mileage vs your car). > That may involve comparison indirectly, but not strictly speaking the C/S > areas that the quiz is supposed to be talking about. Ian changed YOUR CAR to > YOUR'S and got it marked wrong. Although he did add an appostrophe, which I > guess should have lost him half credit, except he also has a spelling > accommodation that comes into play given that the element being tested was > not relevant to spelling the pronoun correctly. > > An additonal question had the sentence " Jim is faster than anyone on his > team. " Again the instruction say look for the error and there isn't one. > Ian changed " faster " to " quicker, " apparently taking a stylistic difference > with the wording. It is still the correct comparative. It was marked wrong. > > The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been having > problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced > English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint > filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a number > of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know > literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This > is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, and > I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right track > here. > > Len gets a passing 67. Granny failed to follow instructions in #2, used > incorrect superlative form in #1, and only gets a 34. I will need to talk > to her parents after school. ;o) > > Judi > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 Having grown up in a family of newspaper people, our favorite topic of discussion has always been grammar. We even tell each other grammar jokes. You're right about the grammar of our kids these days. Communication is so important, yet it's like we all speak different languages. My youngest son brought home a handout from his junior high language arts teacher setting forth what was expected of the students that term. It was filled with split infinitives, dangling participles and sentences that ended in prepositions. I was appalled! I corrected it and sent it back. granny --- " Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost. " -- Walt Whitman http://www.bspyle.com/granny.html RE: Need Grammar Police > > > > Gee, Granny, at least Len's response was FUNNY! > > > > The answer to question one is--in the strictest grammar > > thinking--FIERCER--comparative -er ending because the word is one syllable > > and because only two items are being compared (sorry Len); however, common > > usage is MORE FIERCE or FIERCER. Ian said " more fierce " and it was marked > > wrong. > > > > #2-- Although the instructions say to correct each sentence (which makes > it > > logical to conclude that there is a comparative/superlative error in each > > sentence), there is no such error here. Instead, the sentence uses an > > adverb (badly) where an adjective should be. In terms of correct C/S, it > is > > the correct form, if not the correct part of speech. Ian couldn't find the > > C/S error, so he converted " you are " to " you're. " Trick question? I > think > > so. > > > > #3--Although the instructions say that there is supposed to be a C/S error > > in this sentence--there isn't. The sentence isn't logically parallel > > because the two items compared aren't the same (my mileage vs your car). > > That may involve comparison indirectly, but not strictly speaking the C/S > > areas that the quiz is supposed to be talking about. Ian changed YOUR CAR > to > > YOUR'S and got it marked wrong. Although he did add an appostrophe, which > I > > guess should have lost him half credit, except he also has a spelling > > accommodation that comes into play given that the element being tested was > > not relevant to spelling the pronoun correctly. > > > > An additonal question had the sentence " Jim is faster than anyone on his > > team. " Again the instruction say look for the error and there isn't one. > > Ian changed " faster " to " quicker, " apparently taking a stylistic > difference > > with the wording. It is still the correct comparative. It was marked > wrong. > > > > The story behind this is that Ian (capd, ld label, included) has been > having > > problems with this class all year, even though he got a B in Advanced > > English last year. The teacher has denied him accommodations (complaint > > filed), been nasty to him, and refused to grade or provide input on a > number > > of projects he's turned in. My impression is also that she may know > > literature, but doesn't know much about language or how to teach it. This > > is one of the few papers with a grade that he's brought home this year, > and > > I was interested in whether I was being too picky or I am on the right > track > > here. > > > > Len gets a passing 67. Granny failed to follow instructions in #2, used > > incorrect superlative form in #1, and only gets a 34. I will need to talk > > to her parents after school. ;o) > > > > Judi > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 In a message dated 3/22/01 9:04:40 AM Central Standard Time, lowenthalrj@... writes: > No wonder young people's command of the English language has gone to hell. > > Judi > Not only young people's. Jessie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 In a message dated 3/22/01 9:34:21 AM Central Standard Time, bspyle@... writes: > I was appalled! I corrected it and sent it back. > > granny > I'll bet that went over big. I'm glad you did! Jessie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 " B. S. Pyle " wrote: It was filled with split infinitives, dangling participles and sentences that ended in prepositions. ....dangling participles...wasn't that a Simon and Garfunkle song? Karla in Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 In a message dated 3/22/01 7:32:03 PM Central Standard Time, JB66111@... writes: > > No wonder young people's command of the English language has gone to hell. > > > > Judi > > > Not only young people's. Jessie Now Jessie are you referring to me lololol I haven't been in the adult work world for YEARS. I'm surround by children soooooo my grammar is suffering. With me having such a busy or filled life this is one of the things I don't sweat. I have been to soooo many funerals and never have I heard any wispers that so and so had awful grammar lolol Kathy mom to Sara 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 In a message dated 3/23/01 9:35:38 AM Central Standard Time, B4alltoday writes: > > Now Jessie are you referring to me lololol I haven't been in the adult work > world for YEARS. I'm surround by children soooooo my grammar is suffering. > With me having such a busy or filled life this is one of the things I don't > sweat. > > I have been to soooo many funerals and never have I heard any wispers that > so and so had awful grammar lolol > > No, Kathy I wasn't referring to you or anybody on the list. I was just thinking of adults in general. A huge percentage of people seem to have no comprehension of proper grammar. (or a lot of other things) . I often give a choice of which way to turn, particularly at a certain corner, and one day I said, " It don't make me no never mind. " One of my favorite awful expressions. I said, " I know that's awful grammar. " and he said, " But I love her! " HUH? He meant his grandma. Grammar? Grandma? I had a hard time explaining that one. LOL Jessie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 Reading my messages, you seem to perhaps be taking a shot at we whom endeavors to apply the right English usages and mechanical correct writing. This appears downright unfairerly and it just ain't right! I know you wasn't meaning to make us feel badly, but Please to have a little morer consideration for us'uns feelin's. signed the Grammer Poleese (how many errors can U find?) Re: Need Grammar Police " B. S. Pyle " wrote: It was filled with split infinitives, dangling participles and sentences that ended in prepositions. ....dangling participles...wasn't that a Simon and Garfunkle song? Karla in Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.