Comments on: It’s not easy being a grammar wizard.

By: Randal

Randal — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:26:40 +0000

@Gez: I never thought insure and ensure can be alternately (mis)used until I read your comment. I had to double check my grammar on this one. Randal Property Management Murrieta

By: Forsvarka

Forsvarka — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:03:04 +0000

Best welding products.

By: обслуживание пк

обслуживание пк — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:46:41 +0000

totally agree with this tabs

By: Taylor

Taylor — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:37:18 +0000

The cartoon is kind of in keeping with the less terminal situations where the grammar police (individuals with perfect grammar, or at least in their own minds), always have this need or feel the responsibility to correct those of us who don’t.

Would make a good Seinfeld episode

By: Harold

Harold — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:41:58 +0000

I'm new here and this is the first post I've found through google. English is just my second language, so guys, is it really not possible to end a sentence with a preposition? Harold My Blog: BWI Parking Coupon

By: laura

laura — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:27:00 +0000

I think it’s a gerund.

By: Scotty

Scotty — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:28:00 +0000

Looking for help on something that should be easy.
I was working with a child on
grammar and this is what puzzled me.
Sentence:
Ben and Dad are going camping.
What are the parts of the sentence
here?

We know "are"is a linking verb or
helping verb working with going.
What is "camping"? Is the verb
construction a type of future
tense hence
"are going camping"
I ran across a rule that says
you can make a future tense
by constructing to be plus to go plus an infinitive but that would be for example:
He is going to swim.
So is "Ben and Dad are going camping"....
the same kind of construction even though we don't have "to camp"
but rather "camping? What else could it be other than part of the verb construction?
Thanks for the help grammar bloggers.

By: Gez

Gez — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:58:00 +0000

We're glad that you're a reader, Ben. No-one here will deny your existence. I understand your point regarding grammar Nazism and to some extent I concur. I do feel however, that the only way to ensure clarity among all speakers of a common language is to maintain standards of "good" grammar.

You might like this post from The Red Pen on insure vs ensure. Historically, your use of the word "insure" is not incorrect but nowadays the word has a specific meaning, separate to "ensure".

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:31:00 +0000

Hey, new time reader, and loving the blog. Anyway I’m to the point that I’d be happy if people can just understand each other. After all I feel that spelling/grammar Nazis are only insuring that grammar dies or stays dead. If I’m wrong I’ll accept that a lot better if your not trying to jump down my throat or deny my existence and indeed I might even learn something.

By: Gez

Gez — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:25:00 +0000

De-plane for example.