Preparing for back to school with an English Teacher

Summer is going by so quickly!  As much as I hate to admit it, we are already preparing for going back to school.  The last month of summer break always seems to fly even more quickly than the rest of the year, doesn't it?




Something you may not know about me is that I am an English teacher by training.  Now, when I say "English teacher," you probably think of someone who teaches literature.  That's what English teachers have become in recent years.  But no--I'm an old-fashioned English grammar teacher.  My degree is secondary education in English grammar.

Now I've made you cringe, haven't I?

But there's an upside to this story.  I'm a bona fide grammar nerd, and I love to share my knowledge of how to use our language.  So I've written a series of posts regarding some points of English grammar that can be particularly troublesome, including:

• how to use its and it's
• how to use use your and you're
• how to use there, their, and they're
• how to use who and whom
• how to use to and too
• how to use I and me
• how to use who and whom
• how to use lie and lay
• how to use bad and badly
• how to use lose and loose
• how to use affect and effect
• how to use the Southern expression "y'all"
• how to use the expressions "a lot" and "all right"
• how to use foreign words and phrases
• how to use semi-colons
• how to use quotation marks
• how to use apostrophes
• how NOT to use apostrophes

. . . and more!

I also wrote a post explaining why good grammar matters; you can read it here.

I've made a new Pinterest board called "Grammar Guru" to include all these posts.  You can check it out here.

And if you (or your children) have any questions about English grammar, I'd be glad to answer them!  (Really!  Answering questions about English grammar makes me happy.)

Now, tell me:  do you care about good grammar?  And what do you do to get ready to go back to school?

I'm joining Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading!

This changes everything

Several weeks ago I had the privilege of watching a skywriter in action. It was great fun to watch as the pilot dipped and swerved and spelled out a wonderful message: "Love God."



The message made me think of Deuteronomy 6, when the people of God are admonished: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." More than just good advice, this commandment makes up part of the Shema and is a central piece of Jewish teaching.

You may remember the story recorded in Matthew 22, when a Pharisee asked Jesus, "What is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40, NKJV).

That pilot picked a powerful couple of words to write in the sky.

But this Eastertide, as I consider the death of Jesus, I keep thinking of how different the skywriter's message would have been if he'd added a comma between the two words. I'm a grammar nerd, I know, but bear with me. Think about it. "Love God" is a good message--worthy of being written in the sky!--but "Love, God" is amazing.

It's no surprise that God would expect us to love him. He's God, after all; he deserves to be adored and worshipped. But that he would love us so much that he would give his son to die for us? That's astounding! Stupendous! Awe-inspiring!

John 3:16 is so familiar to us that it has become almost hackneyed. We look for it on signs in the stands at ballgames or emblazoned on billboards. Read it again today:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

That's the story of Good Friday: the love of God poured out for us. "This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4:9-10, NIV).

Write it in the sky! Proclaim it from the rooftops!

LOVE, GOD

Joining Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading 

and Vanessa and Heather At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday.

English teacher: how to use I and me

It's time for another little lesson from the English teacher.

Several people have asked me to address the use of I and me. These two little words are amazingly useful but are often misused. I've found that mistakes involving the use of these words is a pet peeve of many folks.

I and me are both personal pronouns (words that take the place of nouns). For the most part, the use of pronouns comes very naturally to native English speakers. One troublesome point is knowing when to use subjective pronouns and when to use objective pronouns. Here are the rules for that:

Use a subjective pronoun (I, you, he, she, they) as the subject of a sentence or phrase or following a linking verb (is, am, are, was, were, be).
Examples:

• I love chocolate.
• They left town this morning.
• This is she. (Think about how you learned to answer the phone!)

Use an objective pronoun (me, you, him, her, them) as a direct or indirect object of a sentence or the object of a preposition. Prepositions are the connecting words used to build phrases that usually describe relationship of some kind. Some common prepositions are about, at, before, between, by, for, from, of, on, to, and with. The word or words following a preposition are the objects of the preposition. When you use a pronoun as the object of a preposition, you need an objective pronoun.

Examples:

• Charlie bit me! ("Me" is the direct object of bit.)
• Pam made me a pillow. ("Me" is the indirect object of made.)
• This book is all about her. ("Her" is the object of the preposition about.)

Now, here's where it gets tricky. When you were very small, you probably said to your mom something like, "Me and Sally are going to ride our bikes." And your mom probably said, "Don't say 'me and Sally'; say 'Sally and I.'" She was trying to teach you that it's polite to say the other person's name first, then say your own name. She was right about that. And she probably had to repeat this rule of courtesy a number of times before you got it. The important part of that lesson was being polite, not using good grammar. But you need to know that you should say "Sally and I" ONLY when you need the subject of a sentence or phrase. If the words "Sally and I" are serving as the object of a phrase, then you need to switch to "Sally and me."

Examples:

• Sally and I are going to the movie.
• Mom baked cookies for Sally and me.
• Please take a picture of Sally and me.
• If you have any questions, just ask Sally or me.

There's an easy way to know whether to use "Sally and I" or "Sally and me." Just take "Sally" out of the sentence for a second. Would you say, "Mom baked cookies for I"? "Please take a picture of I"? Or "Just ask I"? No, of course you wouldn't; you would naturally say "me" instead of "I." So if you would naturally say "me," then you should use "me" in conjunction with the other person's name.

Your mom was right: it IS polite to say the other person's name first. But choose to add "I" or "me" based on how you're using the words in a sentence.

Here's an example: "Let's keep this just between you and I." Between is a preposition, so you need an object of the preposition. The correct wording is "between you and me."

Here's a little quiz for you.

1. My husband and _____ (I or me) just celebrated our anniversary.
2. I love this photo of my husband and _____ (I or me) from our wedding day.

If you answered "I" for number 1 and "me" for number 2, you're right!

Please let me know if you have any questions about English grammar or if there's a particular point you'd like for me to address in one of these little lessons. I want these to be a blessing to you. Leave me a comment if there's a particular point of grammar you'd like for me to address. Feel free to email me (RichellaP (at) gmail (dot) com) if you have a specific question. I'd be happy to help if I can!

English teacher: how to use lose and loose

Time for another little lesson from the English teacher!

Several people have asked me to address the use of the words lose and loose. These words are easy to mix up, and I frequently see them used incorrectly.

First, the definitions of the two words.

Lose is a verb meaning to misplace or to come to be without something.

Examples:

• Did you lose your cell phone?
• I think she's about to lose a tooth.
• It's so sad to hear about a child's losing his mother.

Loose is almost always used as an adjective meaning free, not restrained, not fitting tightly.

Examples:

• I have lots of loose change in my purse
• You have a loose tooth!
• Those pants are really loose on you.

If you're a real stickler, you might also like to know that the word loose can also be used as a verb meaning to free, to unfetter, or to unfasten. This is a fairly old-fashioned use of the word, but it's still correct.

• He will loose the captives.

I think that most writing mistakes with these words come about because of the way the words are pronounced. Lose is one of those English words that breaks all kinds of pronunciation rules. Lose looks as if it should rhyme with nose or hose, doesn't it? It doesn't seem possible that the sound of "oo" could be present in a word that has one "o" and a silent "e." So writers often throw in another "o." That's understandable. But words that have "oo" plus an "se" are pronounced with a hard "s" sound, not a "z" sound, such as moose, goose, noose, and caboose--just like the word loose, NOT lose.

Perhaps the best way to remember to use the word lose is to connect it with two words that are almost never misspelled: loser and lost. I'll bet you've never read about the TV show The Biggest Looser, do you? Nope. Everyone seems to know that the word is loser. And no one ever writes of being hopelessly loost; lost is a word over which no one struggles. So if you find it difficult to remember that the verb you want is lose rather than loose, just remember that you don't want to be a loser. The right word is just the root of the word loser: lose. Or remember this: You'd be lost without the right word. Lose is the root of lost.

So here's a little quiz for you. Fill in the blanks with lose or loose:

1. I need to _______ 10 pounds.
2. These jeans are so tight, and they're supposed to be really _______ on me!
3. Let go of me! Turn me _______.
4. I'm afraid I'll _______ my way in the dark.

If you answered 1. lose; 2. loose; 3. loose; and 4. lose; you've got it!

Please let me know if you have any questions about English grammar or if there's a particular point you'd like for me to address in one of these little lessons. I want these to be a blessing to you. Leave me a comment if there's a particular point of grammar you'd like for me to address. Feel free to email me (RichellaP (at) gmail (dot) com) if you have a specific question. I'd be happy to help if I can!

English teacher: how to use there, their, and they're

It's Thursday again, and time for a little grammar lesson!






Several people have asked me to address the proper use of there, their, and they're. These are wonderful words--we use them all the time! And like so many other words, they are no problem for speakers, for they all sound pretty much the same when spoken. But how do you know which one to use in writing? Here's how:

Their is the possessive form of the pronouns they/them. That's it. The only time you should use this word is when to you want to say that something belongs to them.

• Their new house is beautiful.
• Have they shown you their Labrador puppy?
• Their car is parked right outside the door.

**Here's a trick for remembering to use their to indicate possession. See that hidden in the word their is the word heir? You can remember that things belong to the heir. So use their when you need to show that something belongs to them.

They're is a contraction of the two words they and are. You should use this word if you could replace it with the words they are.

• They're leaving for the beach today.
• I'm so glad they're going to join us!
• 
  

There is a very useful little word which indicates place.

• Park your car right over there.
• We'll pass right by there on our way.

**Here's a trick to help you remember when to use there. Hidden inside the word there is the word here, which indicates also indicates place. In fact, you can usually substitute the word here when you you're using there and still make pretty good sense. "Park your car right over here."

Now, there's a special problem with using the word there. In fact, the first sentence of this paragraph illustrates a particular use of the word there. It's called an expletive. No, it's not a curse word--it's an expression that can take the grammatical place of the noun that follows it. I'll bet you use these expressions all the time, just like I did in that first sentence: "there is a special problem." You could rearrange that sentence to say "A special problem is there." You probably wouldn't, but you could, and then you could easily see that the real subject is problem, a singular noun, and that it requires a singular verb. So when you're using there in this way, make sure that you choose a verb that agrees with the noun that follows the word there.

There is only one surgeon I'd want to do that operation.

There are lots of people here.

There are so many choices!

Now here's a little quiz for you.

1. Would you mind to sit over (their/they're/there)?
2. (Their/they're/there) kids are so well-behaved.
3. (Their/they're/there) going to be surprised to see me.
4. (Their/they're/there) is nothing I'd rather be doing.

If you answered there for #1, their for #2, they're for #3, and there for #4, you've got it!
Please leave me a comment with any questions you'd like me to answer or points of grammar you'd like for me to explain. . . or even pet peeves you'd like for me to expose! I want these little lessons to address issues that would be helpful to you. If you have a particular question you'd like for me to answer, feel free to email me (richellap (at) gmail (dot) com). I'd be happy to help if I can!

English teacher

It's Thursday, so it's time for a lesson with the English teacher!

Last week we talked about the use of the words its and it's. Remember: the word it's means "it is." And we never, ever use an apostrophe to form the possessive of a personal pronoun. As I said last week, I think people get confused about this because we DO use apostrophes to form the possessive of nouns. To form the possessive of a singular noun, we add an apostrophe + s. But pronouns are different. The rule for pronouns is to form their possessives simply by adding the s without the apostrophe.

Here's a review question for you. Is the following sentence correct?

I like to have a place for everything and everything in it's place.

Answer: NO! We don't want to have "everything in it is place." The word we need is its. The possessive form of it is its.

Today's lesson is similar to last week's. Several people asked me to explain once again the proper use of the words your and you're.

Just like the word it, the word you is a pronoun (a word that takes the place of a noun). Once again, the rule: Never use an apostrophe to form the possessive of a personal pronoun. So the possessive form of the pronoun you is your.
Examples:

• I really like your haircut!
• Your house is decorated beautifully.
• Could you move your car?

Anytime you want to indicate that something belongs to you, the word to choose is your.
The word you're is a contraction of the words you are. The apostrophe replaces the omitted letter "a." So use the word you're when you mean "you are."
Examples:

• I hope you're coming to the party.
• You're doing a great job.
• We think you're a great hostess.

If you're uncertain whether to write your or you're, mentally replace it with the words you are. Is that what you mean to say? If so, choose you're.
Here's a little quiz for you:

1. Is this (your or you're) house?
2. I think (your or you're) the best baker I've ever met.
3. (Your or You're) not going to believe what I have been through.

If you answered your to #1 and you're to #2 and #3, you've got it!

Please leave me a comment with any questions you'd like me to answer or points of grammar you'd like for me to explain. . . or even pet peeves you'd like for me to expose! I want these little lessons to address issues that would be helpful to you. If you have a particular question you'd like for me to answer, feel free to email me (richellap (at) gmail (dot) com). I'd be happy to help if I can!

Back to school with the English teacher:using its and it's

It's back-to-school time, and I've decided it's time for me to put my English teacher hat back on.

Today I'm going to explain a point of grammar that is troublesome for many people: the use of its and it's. I'm amazed at how many good writers have problems with this one. Lately there seems to be a veritable epidemic of wrong-its-itis. I've spent some time thinking about this, and I think I understand why this one gives us such trouble.

Good writers know that, in order to show that a word is possessive, you must add an apostrophe plus s to the word.

• Have you seen Jen's kitchen? (kitchen belongs to Jen)
• The cat is lying in the dog's bed. (bed belongs to the dog)

The use of the apostrophe DOES NOT, however, apply to personal pronouns. Pronouns are wonderfully useful words, but regular rules of grammar don't necessarily apply to them. To make personal pronouns possessive, sometimes you use a completely different word, and sometimes you add an s--but never an apostrophe.

Pronoun Possessive form
us our
you your
her hers
him his
them their
it its

See? There's really no rhyme or reason to how possessives of pronouns are formed; a writer must simply learn the possessive form.

Now here's the funny part. When reading the work of good writers, you never see errors with the possessive forms of you or her. No good writer ever writes "This package is your's" or "That bike is her's." Those pronouns don't give us any trouble. So why is its so tricky?

I think it's because the word it's is in fact a legitimate word. In fact, we use this word quite often. But the word it's is a contraction of the two words it is. That is the ONLY correct usage of the word it's. So the simple rule is that, if you're not sure whether to use its or it's, you should simply replace the its/it's in the sentence with the words it is. Do you really mean to say "it is"? If so, use it's. But if you mean to say that something belongs to it, then you must not use the apostrophe.

• The cat licked it's paw. (The cat licked it is paw??)
• The door came off it's hinges. (The door came off it is hinges??)
• Put everything in it's place. (Put everything in it is place??)

Do you see? These sentences are all wrong. All these sentences should use its, NOT it's.

So the rule is this:

It's means it is. That is all it can ever mean. Never use it unless you mean "it is."

Its is the possessive form of it; it means belonging to it.

Here's a little quiz for you:

1. (It's or Its) going to be a hot day.
2. That team lost (it's or its) best player.
3. (It's or Its) not a problem.
4. The horse lost (it's or its) shoe.

If you answered "it's" for #1 and #3 and "its" for #2 and #4, you've got it!

Now, will you do me a favor? Will you leave me a comment and let me know what points of English grammar you'd like for me to explain? I really want this series to be helpful to you. If you have a specific question and you need an answer right away, email me at RichellaP (at) Gmail (dot) com; I'll be glad to answer.

If you're new here and you're wondering why on earth I'm talking about English grammar, you might want to read this post.

English teacher: Why does good grammar matter?

Sometimes I get asked if good grammar is worth the trouble. "Why bother?" people ask me. That's a question worth considering.

The truth is that most of us can make ourselves understood when we're speaking. Our grammar might be highly imperfect, but we make up for that with tone of voice, word emphasis, pauses, gestures, facial expressions, etc.

When we're writing, though, we don't have those tools at our disposal. Proper word choice and punctuation are a writer's tools for making her point. And I want to choose my words very carefully here, for I want to make an important statement. Here it is, straight from an English teacher:

Good grammar is not the point.

Really. As much as I love to discuss English grammar--and I do!--I must remember that it's simply not the point. Good grammar is a means to an end, not the end in itself.

So what IS the point? Communication.

When I taught grammar to middle school statements, I made them memorize this dictum:

Language is a gift from God, given only to humans, for the purpose of communication.

Have you ever thought about that? All kinds of creatures communicate with one another in various ways, but humans alone have been given the gift of language. It's a special gift, a tremendously valuable gift. It's valuable because it serves the purpose of communication. Human beings can communicate with one another in vast and powerful ways. Not all communication involves language, to be sure, but a great deal of it does.

In years past, most communication occurred via the spoken word. But we citizens of the age of the internet communicate mostly via the written word. Every day we have opportunities to communicate with others. Every day we have chances to make ourselves understood. Every day we can blow those chances if we don't use our language well. Use of the wrong word or lack of proper punctuation isn't really a big deal in and of itself. But if your readers can't understand what you're trying say? That IS a big deal.

Taking the time to use language correctly is, at its heart, a sign of respect for your readers. If you make a mistake, don't fret about it--just correct it and be glad you had the chance to make the correction. Perfection isn't the goal. Communication is the goal.

In short, the question is "Does good grammar really matter?" My answer: It matters if you have something to say. If you have a word of cheer or hope or light, your use of grammar matters. Because the world needs to understand your message.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11).

English teacher: how to use foreign words and phrases

Thursdays roll around awfully fast, don't they? Time for another lesson with the English teacher!

Earlier today I published a special St. Patrick's Day post, and the title of it is actually a foreign phrase: Erin go Bragh. That phrase is Gaelic for "Ireland forever." Well, it's sort of Gaelic. I'm not sure how to spell anything in actual Gaelic; Erin go Bragh is the Anglicized version of the phrase. But writing that phrase reminded me of other foreign phrases that are often used in speech and writing.

I have lots of training in the use of the English language, but almost no training in the use of other languages. That's one of the biggest deficits of my education; I wish I'd learned another language! But I know a few foreign words and phrases, and I like to use them. I'll bet you do, too.

There are a couple of guidelines for using foreign words and phrases in your writing:

• Spell them correctly. Their spelling may not look right in English, but after all, they're NOT English. Don't apply English spelling rules to foreign words.
• Italicize them. When typing, the appropriate way to denote a foreign word or phrase is to italicize it.

Examples:

I bid you adieu.

Bon voyage! Hope you have a wonderful trip!

There are a few foreign words that seem to get used a lot in the blogosphere. Several readers have asked that I write about a word that many of us use when we mean to say "Ta-da! Here it is!" That word is often pronounced "wa-lah" (although I think the accurate pronunciation is more like "vwa-lah"). Lots of bloggers use it when unveiling projects, and some write it the way they would say it. If you're speaking, your listeners will hear the sound "wa-lah," and they'll know what you mean. But if you're writing, you should know that this is the French word voila. It's a great word, and it's a fun word to use. . . you should try it. But spell it voila, not "wa-lah."

Another such word is the Italian word that sounds like "chow." It's a wonderful, useful word that can mean "hello" or "good-bye." It is spelled ciao.

One more Italian word we often use is the word that conveys the thought "Do you get it? Do you understand?" in one word. When English-speakers say this word, it sounds like "ka-peesh." But it's not spelled "ka-peesh," or "kapish," or even "capiche." It's spelled capisce.

To tell the truth, I think that people from other countries probably get a kick out of our using some of their words. But I think that if we're going to use their words, we should be respectful enough to spell them correctly. If you don't know how to spell a foreign word, simply do a quick internet search for it, spelling it however you THINK it might be spelled. You should be able to find the correct spelling pretty easily.

I hope you're finding this grammar series helpful. As always, please let me know if you have questions or if you have pet peeves you'd like for me to address. And if you have a specific question and need a quick answer, feel free to email me (RichellaP {at} Gmail {dot} com). I'm always happy to help if I can!

Ciao!

English teacher: peek and peak

Today's English lesson deals with the pet peeve of one of my readers: misuse of the words peek and peak. These words are, like many others, problems only for writers, not for speakers. They're homophones--that is, they sound exactly alike. Speakers can use the words interchangeably, and their listeners are responsible for hearing the right word. But writers must choose the correct word to use.

Peek is primarily a verb that means "to take a quick look." It can also be used as a noun that refers to the act of taking a quick look something.

Examples:

Peek into the nursery and see if the baby is still asleep.

Take a peek at our darling new puppy!

Peak is a noun that means "the pointed top of a mountain." It can also refer to the highest point of something.

Examples:

We want to visit Pike's Peak.

He is at the peak of his career.

Peak can also be used as verb that refers to reaching a high point or as an adjective describing a high point.

Examples:

The writer's popularity peaked in the 1960's.

The hotel is always booked during the peak season.

Even when used as a verb or an adjective, peak refers to a high point. Perhaps it will help remember that the word you need here is the one with a high point in the spelling:

peAk

And to peek is something you do with your two eyes, just as there are two e's in the word.

Hope this helps you to keep these two words straight! As always, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. If there's a grammatical issue you'd like for me to write about, please let me know. If there's a particular question you'd like for me to answer right away, email me (richella (at) gmail (dot) com).

English teacher: quotation marks

It's Thursday--time for me to put on my English teacher hat!

Several readers have asked me to explain the correct usage of punctuation marks and quotation marks. Like many of the issues I'll tackle in this series, this particular problem affects only our writing. We have no problem with punctuation issues when we speak--we use our voices to indicate pauses, emphasis, etc. But when we write, we depend upon punctuation in order to communicate clearly.

Quotation marks are used for several purposes, the most common being the enclosing of dialogue. In this case, the use of quotation marks allows the reader to know that what she is reading is a direct quotation from a speaker. Quotation marks are also used to mark special terms that need to be set apart in some way. For instance, you may need to indicate that you're using a term ironically, or that you're using a term that is in fact a quotation from another source, even if you're not citing the source at the time you use the term. And quotation marks are used to enclose the names of small works of writing, such as the titles of songs, articles, and episodes. (Larger works would be marked by underlining, boldfacing, or italicising.)

The problems with the use of quotation marks usually stem from a writer's not knowing how to include ending punctuation marks along with quotation marks. There are a few simple rules to help:

• Place commas and periods (full stops) INSIDE quotation marks.

Examples:

"I'm so glad you can come to the party," said Rachel.

"It sounds like fun," answered Susan. "Thanks for inviting me."

Special note: If you need to include parenthetical material after the direct quotation, simply enclose the words of the quotation in quotation marks, list the parenthetical statement, and then place the closing punctuation. For example: Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

• Place colons and semi-colons OUTSIDE quotation marks.

Examples:

I've never listened to all of "Stairway to Heaven"; I always turn it off before it's finished.

The singer listed four key elements to what she calls "The Road to the Grammies": talent, dedication, perseverance, and good breaks.

• Question marks and exclamation points should be placed inside the quotation marks only if they are part of the quotation (that is, if the actual quotation is a question or an exclamation). If the whole sentence, not the quotation, is the question or exclamation, simply enclose the quotation with no ending punctuation and place the question mark or exclamation point outside the quotation marks.

Examples:

"Can I help you?" asked the clerk.

Does the receptionist always answer the phone by saying, "It's a great day at Johnson's Fitness Center"?

"I can't wait!" shouted the boy.

I am so excited that RCA is going to re-release my favorite Elvis song, "How Great Thou Art"!

• Sometimes you'll want to include a quotation inside a larger quotation. For instance, you may be writing out what a person said, and part of what she said is an item that should be in quotation marks. In that case, you use single quotation marks (same keyboard stroke as the apostrophe) to enclose the inside quotation and regular quotation marks to enclose the entire quotation.

Example:

"Have you seen the 'Serenity Now' episode of Seinfeld?" asked Amanda.

I hope this is helpful to you. As always, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. If there's a grammatical issue you'd like for me to write about, please let me know. If there's a particular question you'd like for me to answer right away, email me (richella (at) gmail (dot) com).

English teacher: how to use affect and effect

Time for another lesson with the English teacher! 



 Today I'll address a reader question:

Q: When should I use the word "affect" and when should I use "effect"?

That's a great question. These two words sound so much alike that they cause a good deal of confusion for writers. Like so many issues I'll address in this series, the words are no problem when spoken; only when written are they troublesome.

First let me explain that these two little words both have primary and secondary uses. First we'll talk about their primary uses. If you can get this usage right, you'll be on target with these words 9 times out of 10.

Affect is a primarily used as a verb that means "to act upon" or "to influence."

Examples:

The number of registrants will affect our decision of where to hold the conference.

The dreary weather affects my mood.

Effect is primarily used as a noun that means "something produced by a cause; a result."

What will be the effect on conference location if we get more than 500 registrants?

This dreary weather is having a bad effect on my mood.

Perhaps the easiest way to remember this rule is with the simple mnemonic RAVEN:

Remember: Affect is a Verb; Effect is a Noun.

Those are the primary meanings of the words. If you can keep those squared away, you'll be doing great!

As for the secondary meanings, the usage is reversed.

Affect can be used as a noun. It's a term used in psychology and psychiatry regarding a feeling or an observed emotional response.

Example: He presented with a flat affect, prompting his physician to suspect a mental illness.

Effect can also be used as a verb, meaning "to bring about."

Example: We are hoping the switch to computerization will effect real improvement in our record-keeping.

Does that clear up the affect/effect question for you? If not, let me know in the Comments section and I'll take another stab at it. And as always, I ask you to please let me know if you have other grammar questions. I'd be happy to help you if I can! You can leave me a comment or email me at RichellaP (at) gmail (dot) com.

English teacher

You may already know that I spent last week at the Blissdom conference in Nashville. I want to tell you about a little moment that thrilled my English teacher's heart.

I was talking with a beautiful woman, Melissa (from the funny yet sublimely lovely blog A Familiar Path). I mentioned my weekly grammar series, and Melissa told me that she was once an English teacher. You can imagine how my ears got all pointy like a retriever's. She went on to say, "My pet peeve is that so many people use a subjective pronoun in the objective case." At this point, my heart swelled within my chest; I think I may have danced a jig on the spot and embarrassed Melissa.

Pronouns are some of the most useful little words in the English language. Can you imagine trying to get through the day without ever using such words as I, me, you, he, she, we, or they? Gosh, our speech would be so stilted without these words!

For the most part, the use of pronouns comes very naturally to us. But Melissa was right: the one troublesome point is knowing when to use subjective pronouns and when to use objective pronouns. Here's the run-down on that point:

You need to use a subjective pronoun (I, you, he, she, they) as the subject of a sentence or phrase or following a linking verb (is, am, are, was, were, be).
Examples:

• I love chocolate.
• They left town this morning.
• This is she. (Think about how you learned to answer the phone!)

Use an objective pronoun (me, you, him, her, them) as a direct or indirect object of a sentence or the object of a preposition. Prepositions are the connecting words used to build phrases that usually describe relationship of some kind. Some common prepositions are about, at, before, between, by, for, from, of, on, to, and with. The word or words following a preposition are the objects of the preposition. When you use a pronoun as the object of a preposition, you need an objective pronoun.

Examples:

• Charlie bit me! ("Me" is the direct object of bit.)
• Pam made me a pillow. ("Me" is the indirect object of made.)
• This book is all about her. ("Her" is the object of the preposition about.)

Now, here's where it gets tricky. When you were very small, you probably said to your mom something like, "Me and Sally are going to ride our bikes." And your mom probably said, "Don't say 'me and Sally'; say 'Sally and I.'" She was trying to teach you that it's polite to say the other person's name first, then say your own name. She was right about that. And she probably had to tell you this rule of courtesy a number of times before you got it. The important part of that lesson was being polite, not using good grammar. But you need to know that you should say "Sally and I" ONLY when you need the subject of a sentence or phrase. If "Sally and I" are serving as the object of a phrase, then you need to switch to "Sally and me."

Examples:

• Mom baked cookies for Sally and me.
• Please take a picture of Sally and me.
• If you have any questions, just ask Sally or me.

There's an easy way to know whether to use "Sally and I" or "Sally and me." Just take "Sally" out of the sentence for a second. Would you say, "Mom baked cookies for I"? "Please take a picture of I"? Or "Just ask I"? No, of course you wouldn't; you would naturally say "me" instead of "I." So if you would naturally say "me," then you should use "me" in conjunction with the other person's name.

Your mom was right: it IS polite to say the other person's name first. But choose to add "I" or "me" based on how you're using the words in a sentence.

Here's an example: "Let's keep this just between you and I." Between is a preposition, so you need an object of the preposition. The correct wording is "between you and me."

Here's a little quiz for you.

1. My husband and _____ (I or me) just celebrated our anniversary.
2. I love this photo of my husband and _____ (I or me) from our wedding day.

If you answered "I" for number 1 and "me" for number 2, you're right!

Do you have a grammar question you'd like for me to answer or a grammar pet peeve you'd like for me to address? Please let me know! I'd love for these lessons to be a blessing to you.