 |
| Register | Login | |||||
 |
Main
| Memberlist
| Active users
| Calendar
| Chat
| Online users Ranks | FAQ | ACS | Stats | Color Chart | Search | Photo album |
|
| | ||
|
| Register | Login | |||||
|
Main
| Memberlist
| Active users
| Calendar
| Chat
| Online users Ranks | FAQ | ACS | Stats | Color Chart | Search | Photo album |
|
| | ||
| 0 users currently in Writing. |
| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - Writing - Grammar |
New poll |  |  |
| Add to favorites | Next newer thread | Next older thread |
| User | Post | ||
ShadowTails Grizzo                   Since: 11-20-05 From: C:\My Documents\ShadowTails\My House\My Room Last post: 6318 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| I don't know if this is the right section for this topic, but I figure it will do because, it has to do with writing.
You have probably noticed my grammar isn't been top notch, I haven't been in English class for an entire semester...(I know it's not a good excuse) So I've virtually forgotten all my grammar concepts, I recently got a paper back (it was in my Sociology class) and found out I had many grammar issues. So I'm wondering, where do comma's, periods, and other grammar symbols belong? How do you remember where to put them, and how does one remember this for life? I've been trying to stay on track, but I think it's sad that I have trouble writing in my native tongue. I know I'll be going to English once again starting Tuesday, and I need to make sure I can write properly, I know it seems silly, but I need help in my English... (and grammar check sucks)I don't know if this is the right section for this topic, but I figure it will do because, it has to do with writing. You have probably noticed my grammar isn't been top notch, I haven't been in English class for an entire semester...(I know it's not a good excuse) So I've virtually forgotten all my grammar concepts, I recently got a paper back (it was in my Sociology class) and found out I had many grammar issues. Where do comma's, periods, and other grammar symbols belong? How do you remember where to put them, and how can I remember it so I can’t possibly forget? I've been trying to stay on track, but I think it's sad that I have trouble writing in my native tongue. I know I'll be going to English once again starting Tuesday, and I need to make sure I can write properly, I know it seems silly, but I need help in my English... (And grammar check sucks) |
|||
Silvershield   580    Since: 11-19-05 From: Emerson, New Jersey Last post: 6308 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| Grammar in English is about as broad and complex a topic as you could ask for, but punctuation specifically - basic punctuation, at least - isn't too hard. If you're looking for a treatment of all of the language's intricate details, you'd be better served with a dedicated textbook or a qualified teacher.
Essentially, a period (called a "full stop" in British English) appears at the end of a sentence. It's that simple. When a complete thought has been exp Other symbols, including exclamation points (!) and question marks (?), are used in the exact same places and situations as the period is used, only for a different effect. While the period simply completes a thought, the explanation point gives that thought more emphasis ("There's a robber in our house!") and a question mark indicates that the thought is, of course, a question ("Would you like a sandwich?"). The comma is the last of the simple punctuation marks (with things like colons and semicolons being somewhat more difficult to use properly). One way to look at a comma is that it simply indicates to the reader an instance in which the writer intended a "pause." There are specific conventions concerning when a comma should or should not be used, but those sometimes come secondary to a specific writer's style. Comma use is difficult to explain without resorting to technical terms, but for the moment you can imagine it as a tool that helps to transition between related thoughts within one sentence, or as a point at which the reader should mentally pause so that the sentence reads more clearly. (Read this post and others, and note where commas are used and what effects they create.) I would imagine that it would be pretty difficult for you to learn everything you need to know about grammar over a message board, but maybe this helped a bit. The trick to memorizing the various rules and conventions is simply to write often and in whatever context you're able. Even when you're writing informally, like on a message board, try to use grammar properly - it will reinforce the correct techniques and style. |
|||
|
ShadowTails Grizzo Since: 11-20-05 From: C:\My Documents\ShadowTails\My House\My Room Last post: 6318 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| Well, one great problem I exhibit is I am famous for run on sentences, I guess I should learn to write better, it would benefit myself, and my teachers could tell what I'm trying to get my point across with, instead of repeating things nearly non-stop. you think over 10 years of learning all the basics of English, I wouldn't mess up so darn much... | |||
|
Silvershield 580 Since: 11-19-05 From: Emerson, New Jersey Last post: 6308 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| It just doesn't come easily to some people.
I've never had a problem with run-on sentences, but I would imagine that if you were to try reading aloud what you've written, your ear might be able to detect really glaring problems like that. Another fairly rudimentary idea is simply to note how long a particular sentence is - if it's several lines long, or if you see that it has a whole bunch of commas, you might want to make sure it isn't a run-on. |
|||
Hiryuu Sword Maiden Retired Admin  Since: 11-17-05 From: Nerima District - Tokyo, Japan Last post: 6296 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| Honestly, when I write, it's not because I'm aiming to please everyone with how well I know the English language. If it was all about that then I would probably be writing to get something of mine published, which I'm really not.
I like to write very informally. I find it's more down-to-earth that way. If this is for creative writing, then woo...if it's for a formal/business writing class, well you better have a handbook ready then. To write formally, for me, feels really forced. In fact, when I go into detail just to convey a better picture, it kind of feels awkward but it's to help others better understand the situation they're in. As long as you can be COHERENT is the big thing, I would think. You could have the best knowledge of English in the world but if you can convey a simple topic to someone then it isn't going to mean a damn. (edited by Hiryuu on 01-20-07 01:48 AM) (edited by Hiryuu on 01-20-07 01:50 AM) |
|||
|
Silvershield 580 Since: 11-19-05 From: Emerson, New Jersey Last post: 6308 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| I'm not asking every single person in the world to have a graduate-level grasp of every intricate detail of English grammar - hell, I'm an English major at college and there are plenty of things I don't know - but you talk about it like it's not at all important. The fact of the matter is, if a person on an informal message board like this submits a piece of writing and asks for it to be reviewed and critiqued, and I see that it is horridly constructed (as far as its grammar and mechanics), I'll skip it. Poor grammar doesn't just make a piece harder on the eyes, it reduces clarity. I don't want to have to reread every sentence three times to get its meaning just because a person doesn't understand how to properly use a comma.
Again, I restate, I'm not looking for every average schlub who wanders into a silly little rom-hacking forum to be able to write like a trained professional, but I think it's simply a matter of courtesy to the people who are reading your work to put some effort into making your writing as coherent as possible. You can bet that, if you set foot in a college writing workshop with a story that looks like it's been written by a third-grader, you'll be laughed out of the room (or simply asked to revise it, if the instructor is nice). I reiterate again, I would hardly look for professional-level grammar in a place like this, but if a writer is asking me to give him my time in the form of a thorough critique of his work, the least I could ask of him is to take the time to consult with a proofreader, check a style manual, or do something else that will allow me to really have a grasp of what he's trying to say. Edit: Also, don't confuse "formal writing" with "grammatically correct writing." Just because I'm not writing for a professional business setting or for publication doesn't mean it's suddenly unnecessary to use proper grammar. A person who strives to stick to what's correct isn't just doing it for his own personal amusement or to display his wonderful talents, but to assist his reader. It's a matter of courtesy, frankly, not a matter of holier-than-thou, "I'm better with English than you are" snootiness. (edited by Silvershield on 01-20-07 01:18 PM) |
|||
|
Hiryuu Sword Maiden Retired Admin Since: 11-17-05 From: Nerima District - Tokyo, Japan Last post: 6296 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| Wow. That was cool. What function button do I press to make SS explode like that again?
When did I ever state that it wasn't of importance? I'm just saying I would want coherence over someone being 100% accurate on their job of grammar. As long as you get the message across, it really doesn't matter that much aside from basic punctuation. Sure, I agree with that. The way YOU'RE exploding makes me think you just took what I said and went 'lollers grmmr lol' with it. No need to get testy. I don't really care IF you're a major in the field of English, I didn't really deserve that. I'm merely stating that, nothing more. I don't understand WHY you just exploded on me like that but okay. |
|||
|
Silvershield 580 Since: 11-19-05 From: Emerson, New Jersey Last post: 6308 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| No "explosion" intended. The language probably sounds quite a bit harsher than it was meant to if you took it as an attack, because that was hardly my aim.
But, the fact remains that grammar truly is a matter of courtesy. If a person is writing something for his own amusement, I couldn't care less how much or how little punctuation he uses, whether he dangles his participles, whether he uses active or passive sentences, or whatever else. But if that person is going to submit his work to a public forum and ask me to read it and critique it, I think that person at least owes me the basic revision and proofreading of his own work. |
| Add to favorites | Next newer thread | Next older thread |
| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - Writing - Grammar |
| |
