Monthly Archives: July 2008
Neither-nor: singular or plural verb?
According to the Chicago Manual of Style, in a sentence with more than one subject, the subject that’s closest to the verb determines the form of the verb: Neither Henry nor his sons have a Prius (sons is plural and … Continue reading
Hyphens in a common phrase
Good morning! This is a great day to take a look at hyphens. Here’s an example, taken from an email message I just received from my niece Laurie: Robert has been canning bread and butter pickles. When I first read … Continue reading
Neither-nor and the Freedom of Choice
I am having so much fun today I can hardly stand it. It’s the 4th of July, and I am celebrating the precious freedom to spend my time as I choose. What does freedom of choice have to do with … Continue reading
Professional Image
Today I rode into town with Marc, a friend, neighbor, and client. We didn’t use any gas or contribute to global warming, because the old Mercedes he bought for $500 runs on vegetable oil. It smells a little strange, and … Continue reading
Neither: an Indefinite Pronoun
Neither sometimes serves as an indefinite pronoun, which the Chicago Manual of Style defines in part as follows: An indefinite pronoun is one that generally or indefinitely represents an object . . . The most common are another, any, both, … Continue reading
Neither-nor: Correlative Conjunctions
Over 30 years ago, I had a British boyfriend named Philip. He was sophisticated, well educated, and played classical music (beautifully) on his grand piano. That alone would have been enough to blind me to his imperfections. But on top … Continue reading
Writing Tips 