Hyphenating Between Words

Many of us get confused about when to hyphenate between words. For example, should you write nearly-extinct wolves or nearly extinct wolves?

Nearly answers how close to extinct wolves are/were. Adverbs answer the questions how, where, and when.

Adverbs do not get attached to adjectives with hyphens. Therefore, the adverb nearly, like most "ly" words, does not get hyphenated.

Only compound adjectives—adjectives that act as one idea with other adjectives—get hyphenated in front of nouns.

Example: The crowd threw out the barely edible cake.
The word barely is an adverb answering how edible the cake was.

Example: newly diagnosed disease
The word newly is an adverb answering when.

Example: We live in a two-story building.
The word two does not answer how, when, or where. It is acting as one idea with story to describe the noun building. Therefore, two-story is a compound adjective requiring a hyphen.

Example: The announcer offered a blow-by-blow description of the boxers' punches.
Blow-by-blow is acting as one idea. Therefore, it is a compound adjective.

Example: Our building is two stories.
When the description follows the noun, do not hyphenate.





Source: Grammarbook

Commas Before "and" in a Series

In American English usage, a comma should precede and with three or more items in a series.

Example: I would like to order a salad, a sandwich, and dessert.

Newspapers and magazines do not generally use this rule, as print space is too valuable to use on what might be considered extraneous punctuation. However, print publications will use the final comma before and if it is needed to avoid confusion.

Example: Her $10 million estate was split among her husband, daughter, son, and nephew.

Omitting the comma after son would have led the reader to believe that the son and nephew had to split one-third of the estate (each receiving one-sixth), rather than understanding that each relative received one-fourth of the estate.






Source: Grammarbook

Parallel Construction

Sentences and lists are awkward when they contain a series of items with inconsistent grammatical structure. But as your reader scans through a series of items with parallel grammatical structure, the relationships between different items of information become clear. Here’s an example:

Which of the two sentences below is easier to follow?

At the February meeting we will hold a discussion of the new health plan, whether to revise the procedures manual, and then a draft will be developed of the early retirement policy.

At the February meeting, we will discuss the new health plan, decide whether to revise the procedures manual, and draft an early retirement policy.

In the second example, the parallel verb tenses saved space and helped us grasp the ideas immediately. To help your writing flow smoothly and make sense, use the same format for items you present in a series.





HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!




Source: Grammarbook

Demonstrative Adjectives

This/That/These/Those – Demonstrative Adjectives

The demonstrative adjectives—this/that/these/those—tell us where an object is located and how many objects there are.

This/That
This and that are used to point to one object. This points to something nearby while that points to something “over there.”

Examples:
This dog is mine.
This is mine.
That dog is hers.
That is hers.

These/Those
These and those refer to more than one object. These points to things nearby while those points to things “over there.”

Examples:
These babies have been smiling for a while.
These are mine.
Those babies in the nursery have been crying for hours.
Those are yours.











Source: Grammarbook

Happy Mother's Day or Happy Mothers' Day?

Mother's Day is officially singular; it's the day you are supposed to honor your own mother.

Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day an American national holiday in 1914, and it's always celebrated on the second Sunday in May.







Source: GrammarGirl