Grammar Police (What ticks you off?)
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I don't think your interpretation is necessarily wrong, but I think 3 and 4 mean the same thing to most people because it's not reasonable to assume that a person does just one single thing. It doesn't make any sense to think Jane drives a car on the sidewalk and that's all she ever does. I think if you wanted that interpretation you'd have to explicitly state she does that one thing in her life and nothing else.
One of my pet grammatical hates is the misuse of the words "less" and "fewer". Broadly speaking, less is correct when the subject is singular or generic - eg: less money, less rain - and fewer is correct when the subject is plural - eg fewer dollars, fewer raindrops.
I hate reading or hearing things like "there are less fans here tonight" or "I wish this recipe included less ingredients".
Let's hear it for the word fewer. It's in danger of extinction!
I hate reading or hearing things like "there are less fans here tonight" or "I wish this recipe included less ingredients".
Let's hear it for the word fewer. It's in danger of extinction!
ConanTheBarber
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I couldn't care less aboot Canuckionics!
Well.. Unless they are generously speakin' the "International Language", in my bed... ;-)
This is exactly right. Certainly, one says, "My present car has had fewer [not "less"] mechanical problems than its predecessor," and "My present car has less [not "fewer"] room in the trunk," but if one is talking about the capacity of the fuel tank, one would say, "It holds less than [not "fewer than"] 15 gallons." Even though gallons are countable, in this instance one is talking about an amount of fuel rather than a number of units.
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ConanTheBarber
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AB, it really wouldn't hurt you to speak like the ruling class. Get with it, dewd.
Huh? You told me I sounded like I was drowning.
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ConanTheBarber
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And I didn't die. It's all fun to you, rite, AB?I like the *gurgling* sounds you make...
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And I didn't die. It's all fun to you, rite, AB?
That was the best part of it!...
PS: "right" not "rite"!... lol
A/B
I have been reading some (ahem, adult) stories on the internet written by amateur writers.
Why is it that I often see writers - and assuming art imitates life, people cannot differentiate the meaning of the nodding and the shaking of the head?
In most places - the nodding of the head i.e. the head moving in an up and down motion, indicates agreement or willingness.
The shaking of the head i.e. the head oscillating left and right, indicates disagreement or unwillingness.
Unless the events are taking place in Greece and the characters are Greek, I cannot see how anyone can mix up the two. For those interested, in Greece, and a few other nearby countries, a sharp tilt of the head upwards indicates the negative.
Apologies, for this is not quite a matter of grammar, but I just have to get it off my chest.
Why is it that I often see writers - and assuming art imitates life, people cannot differentiate the meaning of the nodding and the shaking of the head?
In most places - the nodding of the head i.e. the head moving in an up and down motion, indicates agreement or willingness.
The shaking of the head i.e. the head oscillating left and right, indicates disagreement or unwillingness.
Unless the events are taking place in Greece and the characters are Greek, I cannot see how anyone can mix up the two. For those interested, in Greece, and a few other nearby countries, a sharp tilt of the head upwards indicates the negative.
Apologies, for this is not quite a matter of grammar, but I just have to get it off my chest.
"Sarah moved sexily across the room." Not only is this poor writing ("sexily" is so vague that it's useless) but "sexily" is a very lazy word.
"Linda crooked her finger at Bob." Is "crooked" the right word to motion somebody to come over? Is there such a word, or must you describe the action? "Linda made a gesture of repeatedly hooking her finger to signal Bob to come closer" is verbose and technical.
"Linda crooked her finger at Bob." Is "crooked" the right word to motion somebody to come over? Is there such a word, or must you describe the action? "Linda made a gesture of repeatedly hooking her finger to signal Bob to come closer" is verbose and technical.
