Messages

16

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Which is correct: "go inside" or "get inside"?

« on: December 19, 2020, 09:14:00 PM »

I have a 3-year old neighbor who's being the source of joy of everyone in our compound. Whenever he starts getting naughty, though, one of my neighbors would admonish him and say that he "go inside" their house. My mother maintains -- privately to me -- however, that it it should be "get inside." Should I have debated with her about that, Sir?

Thank you.

17

Getting to Know English / Re: How to reduce adjective clauses to adjective phrases - 1

« on: October 26, 2020, 04:22:27 PM »

What happened here is that the adjective clauses were reduced into adjective phrases. Indeed, whenever possible and desirable, an adjective clause that uses the relative pronouns “who,” “which,” and “that” can be reduced into an adjective phrase.

Does this mean that it is still okay if writers don't get to reduce adjective clauses to adjective phrases, Sir?

18

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Re: Physical Distancing vs. Social Distancing

« on: June 14, 2020, 11:20:40 AM »

You have a point.

I've just been hearing the two terms interchanged every now and then, prompting me to ask.

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Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Physical Distancing vs. Social Distancing

« on: June 10, 2020, 11:09:21 AM »

I didn't give the term "social distancing" much thought until I read Mr. Howie Severino argue that it should be referred to as "physical distancing" in a graduation speech. Is he correct, Sir? I thought "social" was used in that terminology in the same sense Aristotle had when he said "man is by nature a social animal."

20

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Dangling modifier?

« on: February 07, 2020, 09:56:51 AM »

Sir, isn't the phrase "because even if love makes the world go round" a dangling modifier in this Facebook post of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (https://www.facebook.com/dole.nwpc/photos/a.813049018719008/3066395866717634/?type=3&theater)?

"Because even if love makes the world go round, February 14 is still not a holiday"

Thank you.

21

You Asked Me This Question / Re: Precisely when do we use “request” or “request for”?

« on: November 24, 2019, 05:02:26 PM »

After reading the sixth paragraph, I thought you would just prescribed putting the name of the person being addressed. Is that not possible, Sir?

22

Use and Misuse / Re: Confusions till now

« on: October 09, 2019, 10:33:50 AM »

Thank you, Sir!

I'll keep in mind from now on that "the correct grammatical basis for using tense in reported speech is when the reported action actually happened" and "something that happened in the past happened in the past and there isn't anything that we can do to change that fact."

Thank you agin!

23

Use and Misuse / Confusions till now

« on: October 08, 2019, 01:40:31 PM »

Till now, I would be thinking twice whenever I have to write something. Isn’t it just correct to use the present tense if the subject of the sentence is still “alive and kicking”? But what if that sentence is included in a paragraph that has already happened? Should I strictly observe one kind of tense only?

Also, I’ve come to think that you cannot use an adverb in a progressive tense. That “I also am just grabbing an opportunity” should be “I also am grabbing an opportunity.” But why does “I also am just grabbing an opportunity” sounds better? Is it simply just my perception or I really am just wrong?

24

Use and Misuse / Re: On writing acronyms

« on: August 11, 2019, 10:44:29 AM »

Thank you, Sir!

I know I should have just checked which letters have been successful so I wouldn't have to bother you regarding this anymore. But then I thought, there could be other factors if my emails are taken seriously (such as the online publication I'm writing for or the topic at hand).

Thank you again!

25

Use and Misuse / On writing acronyms

« on: August 09, 2019, 03:09:44 PM »

I've been wondering about this for quite some time now: should acronyms be defined in emails (example: AVM for arteriovenous malformation)?

You see, I've been unable to walk properly again after my second brain operation. Only through emails can I request for interviews and discuss issues.

To explain these issues, though, words that could be shortened to acronyms would be mentioned. That's when I would think twice whether I should define the acronyms! I might sound officious and turn the person I'm talking with off if I do it. I might also seem unknowledgeable if I don't. Knowing what I should exactly do when confronted with this grammatical quandary could lighten things up for me.

26

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Re: "18 years old and above" or "18 years old and older"?

« on: July 03, 2019, 10:37:54 AM »

Thank you, Sir!

I think I'd prefer to hear the statement “This contest is open to participants who are at least 18 years old” the next time around.

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Badly Written, Badly Spoken / "18 years old and above" or "18 years old and older"?

« on: July 02, 2019, 02:17:56 PM »

I grew up hearing this particular requirement in contests: "Open to '18 years old and above' only." Lately, though, I heard a contest "open to '18 years old and older' only." Does this mean that one is right and one is wrong?

28

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Re: Do people travel for work or to work?

« on: June 10, 2019, 08:47:10 PM »

Thank you for your reply, Sir! I'm also glad that I was able to visit your site again.

I checked the recent activities of the celebrity who had delivered that line in a commercial. It did not entail "a lot of trips, transport, or vehicular movements to get to so many different destinations" on her part.

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Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Do people travel for work or to work?

« on: June 09, 2019, 05:22:44 PM »

I wonder which is correct: "I travel for work a lot" or "I travel to work a lot". I think it should be the latter, though. Right?

30

Badly Written, Badly Spoken / Re: PBGen for a brigadier general

« on: April 07, 2019, 10:06:04 AM »

Thank you as well, Sirs!