Topics

1

You Asked Me This Question / "use by" and "use of"

« on: June 04, 2015, 06:43:10 PM »

Dear Sir:

May I please ask which of the two sentences below is the correct one to use:

1. This version is exclusively for use of students and teachers of (name of school).
2. This version is exclusively for use by students and teachers of (name of school).


We had quite a confusion here as to which sentence is the more appropriate one to use.  Please enlighten me. Thank you very much!

Respectfully yours,

english editor

2

Use and Misuse / When to use "in the blank" and "on the line"

« on: May 06, 2015, 10:51:43 AM »

Dear Sir:

Good day!

It's been a long time since i last posted a question here. Anyway, I just need clarification on the correct usage of "in the blank" and "on the line." I was hoping you have some guidelines or rules on when to use these phrases. I am a textbook editor and when editing exercises, especially for grade school books, i always come across these phrases. I just need to know if i am right in using "in the blank" below:

Fill in the blank with the correct answer. Choose your answer from the words in the box.

1. My dress was __________ by my mother.


AND if i am right in using "on the line" below:


Answer each question in one sentence only. Write your answer on the line.

1. What do you think will the teacher do upon learning that Mary did not do her homework?

________________________________________________________________________________


We have been using this style/format in our textbooks. But somebody told me that there is not much difference between the two, thus, we can use these phrases interchangeably. Please enlighten me on this. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you very much.

english editor

3

Use and Misuse / When do we use FOOD and FOODS?

« on: November 22, 2012, 10:59:05 AM »

Dear Sir:

May I please be enlightened as to the correct usage of the words FOOD and FOODS? I know that "food" can be a countable or an uncountable noun, depending on the usage. However, confusion sets in when I encounter the word "foods." Please see examples below taken from the manuscript I am currently working on:

1. That is why you need to know healthful food from unhealthful food. (Does "food" here mean a certain group of food," meaning, say, fruits and vegetables that are good for the health?

2. Healthful foods that come from animal sources help you grow. (If the premise above is correct, how come "foods" was used here?)

Can you please tell me the reason for the discrepancies in the sentences above. They appear on the SAME

4

You Asked Me This Question / Is or Are?

« on: January 17, 2012, 09:56:58 AM »

Dear Sir,

Greetings!

May I please be enlightened as to which verb is the correct one to use here:

                      There (is, are) cake and some balloons in the house.

We have a compound subject here and my first impulse is to use "are." However, I am confused: I do not know if I should add "a" before "cake" (There is a cake and some balloons in the house) or use "are" (There are cake and some balloons in the house). In the first place, should "cake" be treated as a non-count noun here?

Thank you very much.

English editor

5

You Asked Me This Question / Question within a question

« on: July 07, 2011, 01:41:46 PM »

Good day, Sir. Which between the two questions below uses the correct structure? I've always thought  number 1 is the "correct" question. I always edit the work of my authors whenever they use the second structure. But more often than not, they choose to retain their original question and "undo" my edits. They always ask for my source but I could not give them any. All I know is that my "style" is grammatically correct because the 2nd structure has two questions, like having a question within a question. Am I correct in saying this then? Thank you very much.

1. If it could talk, what do you think it would tell?
2. If it could talk, what do you think would it tell?

6

You Asked Me This Question / compound terms

« on: May 27, 2011, 06:26:54 PM »

Good day, Sir.

Which of the following compound terms should be hyphenated and why?

1. street dancing competition
2. public speaking contest
3. much-awaited event
4. fund raising activity

We at the office are quite "confused" as to when to hyphenate these. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, we hyphenate a compound term when it is used as an adjective before a noun (as in the case of number 3?) However, our "confusion" sets in when the term is composed of a noun and a gerund. We editors have different interpretations of the guidelines given by Chicago Manual of Style. I hope you can enlighten us on this. Thank you very much.