tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post650638953903837159..comments2024-03-28T06:59:34.982-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Be My Guest - Terry OdellDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-55120982224784149892012-01-25T04:14:14.839-07:002012-01-25T04:14:14.839-07:00This post is very well written, and it also contai...This post is very well written, and it also contains many useful facts. I appreciate your distinguished way of writing the post. Keep up the good work. ThanksPassForSurehttp://www.itexamstube.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12195578997163371962012-01-24T02:08:00.305-07:002012-01-24T02:08:00.305-07:00Very Nicely Written,
Thanks,
Exam PapersVery Nicely Written,<br />Thanks,<br /><b><a href="http://www.exampapers.me/" rel="nofollow">Exam Papers</a></b>World Famoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12394204930420192832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-10752567986684483032012-01-18T13:12:40.651-07:002012-01-18T13:12:40.651-07:00Great post, Terry. Another common misuse is with d...Great post, Terry. Another common misuse is with decades. The 1960's is incorrect; 1960s is correct (or, simply, "the sixties"). I noticed that Word's spell/grammar check believes both of these are correct, so don't expect any help there. The proofreader in Apple's Pages correctly suggests you remove the apostrophe.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-84836255552267225332012-01-18T10:45:34.142-07:002012-01-18T10:45:34.142-07:00Adrian - when I read the ARC for my next Blackthor...Adrian - when I read the ARC for my next Blackthorne, Inc. book, I noticed I'd used "dotting I's and crossing T's" in the text. Neither my editor or their copy editor had minded, but I did flag it for final edits without the apostrophes. <br /><br />And yes, you're right about it has. That's why I always think of the "missing stuff" rule when I'm dealing with its/it's.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2687664930467320902012-01-18T08:54:45.221-07:002012-01-18T08:54:45.221-07:00Don't forget to mind your ps and qs, too. Hmm...Don't forget to mind your ps and qs, too. Hmm.<br /><br />Also, <em>it's</em> can also be a contraction for <em>it has</em>, as in, "It's been a long day."Adriannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-75924989357921538602012-01-18T08:07:36.895-07:002012-01-18T08:07:36.895-07:00Kathy - I try to work around that question (or wai...Kathy - I try to work around that question (or wait for my editor). But I THINK it's James's and Laura's house. I'd probably just say, "We're going to visit James and Laura" (I'm sure one of the professional editors here will step in with the grammatically correct usage.)<br /><br />I think menus are a goldmine of typos.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-34536790217450956752012-01-17T22:03:54.492-07:002012-01-17T22:03:54.492-07:00I sometimes have to stop and think on it's and...I sometimes have to stop and think on it's and its. I read what I want it to be as in is it possesive or contraction. Question where does the apostrophe go in James and Laura's house? James' and Laura's house? Something I see mixed is homemade vs homemaid. I saw a sign for HOMEMAID tamales and I wanted to tell them no no no it is HomeMADE as in you made them at home. Unless your MAID MADe them hehehehehe.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05983209367295987926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72752016441842261712012-01-17T20:24:24.687-07:002012-01-17T20:24:24.687-07:00Linda - So true - we owe it to our readers to lear...Linda - So true - we owe it to our readers to learn our craft and create as "perfect" a product as possible. (and having a good editor helps, too)<br /><br />Donelle - I'd have to look it up. "til" might be acceptable as a word in itself.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53684643524884089352012-01-17T20:12:34.000-07:002012-01-17T20:12:34.000-07:00I love this post! Just like Elspeth, it's a hu...I love this post! Just like Elspeth, it's a huge pet peeve of mine to see apostrophes misused. I never realized how much of a stickler I was for things like this 'til I got into the online world. Misuse is all over the place here! (That makes me wonder: does til require an apostrophe or not? I think it would fall into the 'replaces stuff' category.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07716190503345068698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66605556399262186792012-01-17T17:54:09.543-07:002012-01-17T17:54:09.543-07:00Great discussion, Terry! These are reminders we al...Great discussion, Terry! These are reminders we all need. It's often "little" things like this that make the difference between enchanting our readers with our well-written work or turning them off with our ungrammatical mediocrity.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-81589377256782619812012-01-17T14:54:28.932-07:002012-01-17T14:54:28.932-07:00thepopeofbeers - You would go to the Woods's h...thepopeofbeers - You would go to the Woods's house. But you'd say, "The Woodses have three children."<br /><br />Or I'd just say, "I'm going to visit Tom and Mary."<br /><br />You can look at this <a href="http://painintheenglish.com/case/223" rel="nofollow"> link</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90237596722346996992012-01-17T14:37:04.202-07:002012-01-17T14:37:04.202-07:00So I'm friends with a married couple with the ...So I'm friends with a married couple with the last name of Woods.<br /><br />Would I refer to them as the Woodses? Or just the Woods? Woodi?<br /><br />And how do I possessive-ify it? Woodses'? That looks really awkward to me :(thepopeofbeershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521786347590273573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65930492932368825912012-01-17T14:20:01.260-07:002012-01-17T14:20:01.260-07:00Well, Chris, you could go by Christopher, right? I...Well, Chris, you could go by Christopher, right? I just checked my spreadsheet for character names in the current WIP. None end in S. I think the avoidance is now ingrained.<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-85146176547112726192012-01-17T14:11:25.454-07:002012-01-17T14:11:25.454-07:00I go out of my way to avoid creating characters wi...I go out of my way to avoid creating characters with names that end in 'S' as well ... sure wish my parents would've, too.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-46711006407589336092012-01-17T12:42:28.176-07:002012-01-17T12:42:28.176-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21903627649907506202012-01-17T12:42:27.641-07:002012-01-17T12:42:27.641-07:00Thanks, Cleo - and there weren't many apostrop...Thanks, Cleo - and there weren't many apostrophes in your comment, but glad you were aware of them!<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29797924491293241272012-01-17T12:31:06.326-07:002012-01-17T12:31:06.326-07:00Wonderful post, Terry. I'm glad you brought up...Wonderful post, Terry. I'm glad you brought up the issue of possessive apostrophes with names ending in S. I've gone back and forth on whether I prefer the apostrophe alone or the 's and (like you) I lean toward keeping it simple with just the apostrophe.<br /><br />Wow, I don't think I've ever been more aware of how many apostrophes I typed into a blog comment. :)<br /><br />~ Cleo <a href="http://www.coffeehousemystery.com/" rel="nofollow"> Coffeehouse Mystery.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/cleocoyle/" rel="nofollow"> Cleo Coyle on Twitter</a>Cleo Coylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15557517506340986862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-18765101305581688322012-01-17T11:05:17.391-07:002012-01-17T11:05:17.391-07:00Fennel Giraffe: If people follow rule 2, though, t...Fennel Giraffe: If people follow rule 2, though, they should understand that you're is "you are" and who's is "who is" (apostrophe replacing extra stuff, rather than possessive. At least that helps me make sure I've got the right word in there.<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-71886853841733536842012-01-17T10:57:48.068-07:002012-01-17T10:57:48.068-07:00The trouble with rule one is that sometimes posses...The trouble with rule one is that sometimes possession doesn't use an apostrophe. All <b>nouns</b> need one, but <b>pronouns</b> don't. There isn't much scope for confusion with <i>my</i>, <i>our</i>, <i>his</i>, or <i>her</i>, but then you come to <i>your</i> (not <i>you're</i>), <i>its</i> (not <i>it's</i>), <i>their</i> (not <i>they're</i>), and <i>whose</i> (not <i>who's</i>).Glendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16398768058741213496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-52424252287301462252012-01-17T09:50:28.753-07:002012-01-17T09:50:28.753-07:00Elspeth - bugs the heck out of me, too. It's n...Elspeth - bugs the heck out of me, too. It's not THAT hard to learn those two rules. <br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-5837709047639874342012-01-17T09:42:41.072-07:002012-01-17T09:42:41.072-07:00Apostrophe misuse ranks near the top on my persona...Apostrophe misuse ranks near the top on my personal urk-meter. This is a great post, Terry.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9047214622304224232012-01-17T09:12:53.172-07:002012-01-17T09:12:53.172-07:00So true, Dani. I think we're conditioned to se...So true, Dani. I think we're conditioned to see apostrophes when people use family names. <br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-43895250000373628692012-01-17T09:05:42.389-07:002012-01-17T09:05:42.389-07:00All those holiday greetings addressed to The Greer...All those holiday greetings addressed to The Greer's. Sigh. But I have to say, it's so ubiquitous online, sometimes I catch myself throwing one in where it doesn't belong and I'm sure it's just a subtle form of programming from seeing it used incorrectly. It's easy to confuse aging people. ;)Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.com