Grammar slam

[Lord Bracknell]

lovin' this thread.

Brighton used above in the commentary context is a single entity [club / team] - the same as the town. If you're referring to the players, it would be plural.

The use of the apostrophe was made simple to me at school, use it when ever you remove letter(s) from a word. They are [they're], we were [we're], fish and chips [fish 'n' chips] etc.

One last one for you A* grammar peeps - how would you address a memo to two people of the same name, eg. John
Dear Johns
Dear John's
Dear Johns'
Dear John(s)
Dear John & John
or some way else?

Dear John and John.


I have some married friends who I shall call, for the purpose of this related question, Nick and Mary Brown. Mary is a doctor. How should letters intended for both of them be addressed?

Dear Mr and Mrs Brown
Dear Dr and Mr Brown
Dear Mr and Dr Brown

 

[Nottseagull]

It started with "onto". It was drummed into me at school that there is no such word. It now seems that there is.

Inexplicably, as well has started to go the same way.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

A really challenging set of questions now (and I remember being asked what the answers are - and why - by a group of Italian school students, who were facing an exam in English and had read their grammar book) ...

When is it correct to use "I will do that tomorrow" and when is it correct to use "I shall do that tomorrow"? And why is the answer different when the options are "You will do that tomorrow" and "You shall do that tomorrow" or "He will do that tomorrow" and "He shall do that tomorrow"? And what about "We ...."?

 

[Nottseagull]

The use of the apostrophe was made simple to me at school, use it when ever you remove letter(s) from a word. They are [they're], we were [we're], fish and chips [fish 'n' chips] etc.

How on Earth willn't got morphed into* won't is anybody's guess (or should that be anybodies' ?)

*This preposition is in my 1969 Oxford dictionary; I have never used in to.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

"Amn't" is alive and well and living in Wolverhampton. Not just with "I", though. Often in the form "Amn't yow going to watch Wolves tomorrow?"

 

[dougdeep]

Dear John and John.


I have some married friends who I shall call, for the purpose of this related question, Nick and Mary Brown. Mary is a doctor. How should letters intended for both of them be addressed?

Dear Mr and Mrs Brown
Dear Dr and Mr Brown
Dear Mr and Dr Brown

Do you often put "Dear" in addresses?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Do you often put "Dear" in addresses?

Whenever I'm being polite, dear.

 

[Brovion]

"Amn't" is alive and well and living in Wolverhampton. Not just with "I", though. Often in the form "Amn't yow going to watch Wolves tomorrow?"

As a contraction of 'am not' My old Scottish Granny used to say amn't as well.

 

[Nottseagull]

As a contraction of 'am not' My old Scottish Granny used to say amn't as well.

It's preferable to aint, I suppose.


Dougdeep what to you put instead of Dear, or do you only write to The Times and put Sir?

 

[Caveman]

Effect or Affect always effects me, anyone else?

 

[Caveman]

It's preferable to aint, I suppose.


Dougdeep what to you put instead of Dear, or do you only write to The Times and put Sir?

do!!

 

[Sam-]

Imply and Infer are different.
Brought and bought. People who say "I went into town and brought a t-shirt" grrrrrrrrrr.

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

As I posted last year

View attachment 45572

The Malcolm Tucker School of Grammar Correction

 

[Trufflehound]

Dear John and John.


I have some married friends who I shall call, for the purpose of this related question, Nick and Mary Brown. Mary is a doctor. How should letters intended for both of them be addressed?

Dear Mr and Mrs Brown
Dear Dr and Mr Brown
Dear Mr and Dr Brown

Surely if they're really your friends, 'Dear Nick and Mary' would suffice?

 

[ringmerseagulltoo]

A really challenging set of questions now (and I remember being asked what the answers are - and why - by a group of Italian school students, who were facing an exam in English and had read their grammar book) ...

When is it correct to use "I will do that tomorrow" and when is it correct to use "I shall do that tomorrow"? And why is the answer different when the options are "You will do that tomorrow" and "You shall do that tomorrow" or "He will do that tomorrow" and "He shall do that tomorrow"? And what about "We ...."?

Back when Methusala was a young man, my English teacher drummed into me the declension;

I shall

You will

He/she will


We shall

You will

They will

He also taught me the meaning of pedant

 

[KingKev]

Er, yes. I'm not quite with quite with you, that's exactly what I was saying. As 'Brighton' is a collective noun it conjugates as 'They lose'. If we go down King Kev's American route of it being a singular noun it would be 'It loses', so it would be 'Brighton loses the ball on the edge of its own penalty area'

I disagree with this, and think our American brethren are correct in seeing the 'team' etc as a singular noun. One team, one club, many players....the team is, the club is, the players are. You don't say "The government are...", or rather if you did then you would be wrong - so why do it with any other organisation or single collection of people?

Interestingly, have also heard Yanks use subjunctives in everyday speech / writing way more than Brits.

 

[Brovion]

I disagree with this, and think our American brethren are correct in seeing the 'team' etc as a singular noun. One team, one club, many players....the team is, the club is, the players are. You don't say "The government are...", or rather if you did then you would be wrong - so why do it with any other organisation or single collection of people?

Interestingly, have also heard Yanks use subjunctives in everyday speech / writing way more than Brits.

Yeah, well, *sticks out tongue* I think you're wrong! And I DO say "The government are" as in "The government are wrong to gas badgers". Likewise I'd say "the team are playing well". I have noticed though that your incorrect construct is, sadly, gaining ground over here.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Back when Methusala was a young man, my English teacher drummed into me the declension;

I shall

You will

He/she will


We shall

You will

They will

He also taught me the meaning of pedant

Correct.

But he probably also taught you:-

I will
You shall
He/she shall
We will
You shall
They shall

And he will have explained the difference.


A clue:- "You shall go to the ball, Cinderella!" is the line we remember from the pantomime, not "You will go to the ball, Cinderella".

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Do you often put "Dear" in addresses?

Yes, when addressing the people within the body of the letter, as opposed to the address on the envelope.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You think English is easy??

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture..

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6)I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

7) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?