Usage
Q. I work as an assistant editor, and I’ve been having trouble with the phrase “as well as.” In some sentences, it means “in addition to,” as in the sentence “I ate the burger as well as the fries.” In other cases, it is used as a form of comparison, as in “I play the guitar as well as the piano,” meaning that I play both instruments with equal skill. Is one of these uses incorrect? Answer »
Q. What determines the verb of an adjectival clause—the subject of the main clause or the noun to which the adjectival clause most closely relates? Here’s an example: “One of the paradoxes that emerges from studying scientific discovery is . . .” Many years ago, when grammar was still being taught, I learned that the noun “paradoxes” (to which the pronoun “that” relates) would dictate a plural verb, “emerge,” in the dependent clause. I continue to make this kind of change in scholarly editing but oftentimes meet with authors’ resistance. What is your stance on this? Answer »
Q. I’m writing an article for an academic journal. I frequently use the word “effectively,” as in “Effectively, U.S. tax on those earnings could be deferred indefinitely.” I looked the word up in the dictionary, and it does mean something. But does it really add anything to a sentence like that above? Is there any style rule on this or a similar word? I’m thinking of just editing this word out everywhere it appears. Answer »
Q. Greetings. I’m working with the Knowledge Management team in an IT company, responsible for content management and development. My supervisor advised me to write only per, not as per in a sentence. Is it as per the Chicago Manual of Style? Please oblige me with your reply. Answer »
Q. My colleagues are divided in their opinions about “storing data in a computer” versus “storing data on a computer.” Which is correct? Thanks. Answer »
Q. What’s the difference, if any, between the words existing and preexisting ? Isn’t the prefix pre- redundant? Answer »
Q. The assistant editor of my local newspaper wrote the following sentence in a column: “My parents had my little brother and I later in life.” I said I believe it should be “my brother and me.” She remains adamant that she is correct and referred me to your book. How is this possible? Answer »
Q. I’m curious about your equating collective nouns with mass nouns in CMOS 5.8. The explanation at Wikipedia states that it is incorrect to equate the two. Answer »
Q. The author I’m editing has a fondness for making titles syntactic parts of his sentences, e.g., “the chapter on ‘Deconstructing Derrida’ takes up the challenge” and “a final essay too readily excoriating those figures she believes to be ‘Tolerating the Intolerable.’” Being confident that CMOS and other style manuals don’t approve of this practice, I’ve been recasting the offending sentences. Nonetheless, I’d like to be able to cite the relevant CMOS section (which I’m almost sure I’ve come across before) in a note to the author to bestow authority upon what may strike him as capricious and unnecessary changes. But for some reason, unfortunately (not, I hope, because I’ve simply dreamed up the idea that there’s a problem in these sorts of constructions), I can’t find that relevant section. Please tell me it exists and point me to it. Answer »
Q. I am wondering about the order of masculine and feminine nouns in a sentence. For example, is it correct to say, “Bring your daughters and sons to the event”? This seems awkward to me. It seems more appropriate to put the masculine first: “Bring your sons and daughters to the event.” Is this correct? Answer »
Q. “Any . . . is/are” again: If any of these records appears incomplete, report the patient’s name, date of birth. (My doctor asked me about that, from his medical dictation—my answer was “When you mean any one of then you can say is in dictating your notes.” I might have thought longer if I’d had my pants on. But that’s a common problem for copy editors, isn’t it?) Answer »
Q. I think this is correct: “We may recognize whether any of our friendships is truly spiritual.” My boss thinks it should be are: “whether any of our friendships are truly spiritual.” I can’t find a reference to this in the CMOS except that indefinite pronouns typically are treated as singular when followed by a verb. Answer »
Q. Is the word two in the phrase “two codirectors” redundant? Answer »
Q. The author insists on using the word “aforementioned,” which I tell him is strictly lawyers’ jargon. He says that he will abide by CMOS’s arbitration. Answer »
Q. Which is CMOS’s position on the use of the word irregardless? Wikipedia states, “The term ‘irregardless’ has begun to move towards acceptance because incorrect words or grammatical conventions are absorbed by the English language based on common usage.” This logic bothers me. Answer »
Q. Lie vs. lay —I’m just not getting it. I’ve read the Q&A submission about this and the recommended article. And I’m still not sure. Every time lie is used in an example it is always preceded by a person. I want to know if lie can also be used with objects, such as “The adhesive and plates lie flat under the roof shingles.” Answer »
Q. We recently published a letter from our college president that said, in part, “Together, we will work to turn hopes and dreams into reality, and address the challenges that lay before us.” A reader has pointed out that it should be “lie” instead of “lay.” What do you say? Answer »
Q. This sentence was in a script that I was given for a second round of edits: “The identifying information you provided is not valid for a new or an existing card member.” The an had been marked for deletion by the previous editor. I would have chosen to retain it because my understanding is that each adjective used in a series such as this should be accompanied by the article that would be correct if it were used alone. Which is correct? Answer »
Q. Which is correct: “The population is estimated at over 5,000” or “estimated to be over 5,000”? Both drive me crazy! Answer »
Q. When writing a scholarly article, can you use the word that in this context? “It held [that] a nurse’s discretion is not authority exercised in the interest of the employer.” My question is whether that should be taken out, because it seems to be an extra word that is not needed. Answer »
Q. In the following sentence, should the word number have an s at the end? I think it is correct as it is; however, I was asked what the grammatical rule is for it, and I do not know that. Is there a rule? “As the number of pain patients grew, it became apparent that there was an unaddressed need in the area.” Answer »
Q. I work for an insurance company, and one of our beloved underwriters is disputing an exclusion in our policy that specifies “while piloting or serving as a crewmember in a plane.” She wants it to read, “while piloting or serving as a crewmember on a plane.” I can think of ways to defend both, but I’d love to know which is correct. Answer »
Q. I don’t rely on spelling and grammar checks as the final authority, but my program is constantly scolding me for using passive voice. There are times, particularly when I’m editing a nonfiction manuscript, that a sentence just does not seem to work any other way and I allow the author’s words to stand. I’m more concerned with making certain the sentence flows well, makes a transition when needed, and has clarity for the reader. Is passive voice really all that bad? “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” Answer »
Q. When you use parentheses to indicate that a noun might be plural, is it necessary to use them to indicate that the verb might be plural as well? For example, The participant(s) was (were) informed of the procedure in writing. Is there a rule about this, or is it a stylistic choice? Am I justified in adding the second verb to an author’s manuscript? Answer »
Q. On page 221 (15th ed.) Chicago says “media” is the plural of “medium” in re mass communications. Please advise if these sample adjectival constructions are wrong: public media archives, public media community, the new media landscape, public media practices, media companies, media platforms. Often a substitute noun would be singular: senior community, university practices, computer platforms. Answer »
