syntax: (2b): The department of grammar which deals with the established usages of grammatical construction and the rules deduced therefromsister: (1): A female in relationship to another person or persons having the same parents. --OED, 1971ed.
Welcome to the Syntax Sisters' blog! We areDaniele Berman Jackson and Meredith Berman Ellis. As college composition instructors, we've both learned to find humor in our work...just think of us as the "Click and Clack" of the English language! If they can make car repairs funny, just imagine what we can do with grammar! Ask us anything; you'll see...
Quick Reference: a Guide to the Confusing English Language
Your and You're:
Can't remember which is which?
Your: Possessive pronoun. It shows ownership. e.g. I'm glad your questions are getting answered! (you own the questions)
You're: Contraction. It's a combination of you and are. e.g. You're sure lucky to have a site like ours!
To and Too:
Same problem?
To: Usually a preposition. e.g. I am going to the post office soon.
Too: Usually an adverb, e.g. I am typing too quickly.
Its and It's:
See March 11th, 2008 post "Its Versus It's."
There, Their, and They're:
There: Shows location. Remember, in every there, there's a here (t"here"). e.g. There is a nice picture of us on this page.
Their: Demonstrative pronoun. Shows possession. e.g. The sisters are in their element when they discuss grammar.
They're: Contraction, made up of they and are. e.g. They're going to be famous some day.
Want to know others? Email us at syntaxsisters@yahoo.com
Contact us!
Do you have a question for the syntax sisters? You can email us at syntaxsisters@yahoo.com.
We're just sitting around waiting to answer YOUR questions...
Recommended Reading:
Dowling, Dave. _The Wrong Word Dictionary: 2,000 Most Commonly Confused Words_. Oak Park, IL: Marion Street Press, 2005.
Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. _The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed_. New York: Pantheon, 1993. [N.B. This one is odd, but if you're not a fan of traditional grammar books, you might like it!]
O'Conner, Patricia T. _Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English_. New York: Riverhead, 1996.
Strunk, William, Jr. and E.B. White. _The Elements of Style_. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1979.
Truss, Lynne. _Eats Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation_. New York: Gotham, 2003. [N.B. A recent bestseller, a rare accomplishment for a grammar book!]
Walraff, Barbara. _Word Court; Wherein verbal virtue is rewarded, crimes against the language are punished, and poetic justice is done_. New York: Harcourt, 2000.
Zinsser, William. _On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_. 6th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1998.
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