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Post by NumbuhInfinity on Jun 17, 2007 2:30:35 GMT
This is the thread for when we're stomped on the correct way to spell something (and it's not on dictionary.com) or what is (more) grammatically correct, and, well, you just want to get it out at last and hope someone knows. Let's see how it goes.
I'll start.
- When someone asks a question loudly, which punctuation is more correct: "!?" or "?!"? Or does it matter? Similarly, if you use more than one exclamation mark, is it "!!?", or "?!!", or "!?!"? Or does it matter?
- When you're talking to more than one person, do you say "You should have seen the look on your faces!" (because there's more than one person you're talking about) or "You should have seen the look on your face!" (because a person only has one face)?
- Is it "see if you can do that," or "see if you *can't* do that"?
EDIT: This isn't a game where someone asks something and says "Correct!" or "Wrong!" when answered. These are genuine questions.
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Post by thesuki on Jun 17, 2007 2:34:20 GMT
I can answer the first one!
I've always seen it as ?!, though using either is technically incorrect. So don't use it on homework or anything.
As for why it matters, probably just looks better, or because the statement is a question, so you use the punctuation that would be used without emphasis first.
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Post by The J.A.M., a.k.a. Numbuh i on Jun 17, 2007 3:57:10 GMT
1. Generally, the number of ? and ! should be equal, and the ? go first: "What???!!!" ? always goes first, since it's a QUESTION. The ! is...lol, an "adjective", sort of For aesthetic reasons, it's recommended to have a maximum of 3 ? and !. "What?!?!?!" is also acceptable. 2. All predicate nouns and objective nouns should agree in number with the subject noun, unless you're dealing with collectives: "You (as in you-all) should have seen the lookS on your faceS!" 3. That is a colloquial question. "Can" should be used if you're making a request, "can't" if you're making a challenge. Heh, answers from a Mexican....
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Post by NumbuhInfinity on Jun 17, 2007 4:44:03 GMT
1. Okay. So "?!" is better. I've always been used to typing it as "!?". I think I'll try the other way, then; I've been doing that a little more recently anyway, to get used to it.
(@ JAM) 2. Ah. Never knew it was supposed to be "lookS," with an S, either. Thanks.
(@ JAM again) 3. Interesting. I never thought of that.
I got another one:
What's the difference between using a semicolon as opposed to using a period or a comma? I use semicolons sometimes but I've forgotten or can't easily explain why, when I do it.
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Post by numberunknown on Jun 17, 2007 7:05:38 GMT
A few reasons. One, may be because you are in the middle of a sentence, but need to list something. Like: "I am not sure, but I think that only five people are coming to the party; Jen, Joe, James, John and Jenny." Or something like that.
Also, it is to connect two complete sentences that generally are... *loses her train of thought* Gosh darnit, I forgot. Oh yeah! Like, two sentences that you feel should be combined, but a comma isn't extreme enough. Like: "I like Ian. He is nice." Seems kinda boring, "I like Ian, he is nice." Seems incorrect for a reason that... I don't really know. But "I like Ian; he is nice." Seems better. That wasn't a good example, but oh well.
I am probably wrong, though.
I have a question. When writing a story, you generally write out the numbers one through nine right? And then you put ten and above in numeric form?
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Post by michelledspy on Jun 17, 2007 14:28:39 GMT
I have a question. When writing a story, you generally write out the numbers one through nine right? And then you put ten and above in numeric form? I've always thought that it was the author's choice. Personally, I don't use the numerical forms (unless I was writing a KND fic and I needed to say their numbuh).
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Post by numberunknown on Jun 17, 2007 17:14:23 GMT
I have a question. When writing a story, you generally write out the numbers one through nine right? And then you put ten and above in numeric form? I've always thought that it was the author's choice. Personally, I don't use the numerical forms (unless I was writing a KND fic and I needed to say their numbuh). Oh. Good. Thanks, ;D
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Post by NumbuhInfinity on Jun 17, 2007 22:33:02 GMT
May be wrong on this but I think you're supposed to write up the numbers one through nine (ten?). After that, it doesn't matter, but I think it's better to write numbers above 10 in numerical form (9000 or something), otherwise it would take too long to type. You have to write up the word if it's the first word in the sentence, though. Nine-thousand, like this, as opposed to the next sentence. 9000, like that.
Or so I learned from school.
By the way, thanks for the semicolon response!
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Post by numberunknown on Jun 18, 2007 0:35:31 GMT
May be wrong on this but I think you're supposed to write up the numbers one through nine (ten?). After that, it doesn't matter, but I think it's better to write numbers above 10 in numerical form (9000 or something), otherwise it would take too long to type. You have to write up the word if it's the first word in the sentence, though. Nine-thousand, like this, as opposed to the next sentence. 9000, like that. Or so I learned from school. Aah. Thanks No problem ;D
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Post by Shwoo on Jun 18, 2007 3:24:42 GMT
I'm not sure about numbers in writing, but in dialogue, I usually write out the word. They're using a word, after all, and using the numeral just feels like shorthand.
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Post by The J.A.M., a.k.a. Numbuh i on Jun 18, 2007 5:00:26 GMT
Numbuh 0xFF got it right with the semicolons. Usually, the MSWord grammar/spell/punctuation checker will help you with it. According to my high school grammar book (yes, an American one), you spell out the numbers from 0-99. The correct sentence is "Try TO do". However, "try" is an intransitive verb, so it doesn't need anything following it, not even the preposition. "Try AND do" would be acceptable ONLY if the person being addressed is being ordered to make an attempt in general, and then given a list of things to accomplish, i.e.: "Try, AND do..."
Also, Gail, you don't introduce lists with a semicolon, you do it with a colon.
"I am not sure, but I think that only five people are coming to the party: Jen, Joe, James, John, and Jenny."
A comma goes between the final two elements.
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Post by gailoraanf on Jun 18, 2007 18:31:47 GMT
@jam: You don't? Oh... then I've been using a semicolen the wrong way forever...
*raises hand*
I have one. I am writing a poem, and no matter what I do, this line is always incorrect.
"I, who was fragile and timid and would follow you to the end of the world."
Which seems wrong. No matter WHAT I do, it seems wrong.
I tried: "I, who am..." but thats wrong, and "I, who is..." but that sounds pretty wrong as well. Plus, "is" or "am" wouldn't work, because it is past tense.
Also, this line sounds wrong, and I don't know why: "And it is now I who holds the knife to your neck."
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Post by NumbuhInfinity on Jun 18, 2007 22:54:47 GMT
@jam: You don't? Oh... then I've been using a semicolen the wrong way forever... *raises hand* I have one. I am writing a poem, and no matter what I do, this line is always incorrect. "I, who was fragile and timid and would follow you to the end of the world." Which seems wrong. No matter WHAT I do, it seems wrong. I tried: "I, who am..." but thats wrong, and "I, who is..." but that sounds pretty wrong as well. Plus, "is" or "am" wouldn't work, because it is past tense. Also, this line sounds wrong, and I don't know why: "And it is now I who holds the knife to your neck." I think it's, "I, who am fragile and timid, would follow you to the end of the world." But this is based on a line I heard from Apocalypse from X-Men: The Animated Series, who said, "I, Apocalypse, who am immortal, can never be defeated." So I guess it's "I, who am..." But you're right that it still sounds weird. And I think the second line is supposed to be, "And it is I who now holds the knife to your neck." Maybe a comma after 'I,' dunno. But I could be wrong on both accounts, especially since this is a poem you're talking about.
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Post by gailoraanf on Jun 19, 2007 1:13:18 GMT
That would probably work, but "am" is present tense. I was shooting for a past tense sentence.
Oooooh yeah. That sounds much better. Thanks!
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Post by The J.A.M., a.k.a. Numbuh i on Jun 19, 2007 4:27:58 GMT
"I, who was fragile and timid and would follow you to the end of the world." is correct. For clarity, that could read: "I, who was fragile and timid, and would follow you to the end of the world." "And it is I who now holds the knife to your neck." is correct. No comma needed.
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