WORD USAGE, PUNCTUATION, COMMAS, DIACRITICS
-------------
WORD USAGE
Word usage is how a word, phrase, or concept is used in a language.
Advance- emphasizes in position 1 in time.
Example: I sent my advance happy birthday greetings to her.
Advanced- implies a forward position in relation.
Example: We are currently taking advanced lessons.
Advise- used as a verb.To give counsel.
Example: Please advise your employees regularly.
Advice: use as a noun. Both in singular and plural form.
Example: Thank you for your advice.
Thank you
for all the advice you gave.
Although/Though
Example: Although many have succeeded, he failed completely,
though he tried hard.
Appraise- to evaluate
Example: He appraise my property.
Apprise/Apprice (British Spelling)- to inform
Example: He will apprise me of the current value of my
property.
In behalf- in the interest of/ for the benefit of
Example: We shall donate our bonus in behalf of the handicapped.
On behalf- as the agent of/ on the part of
Example: On behalf of my colleagues, I welcome you to this
gathering.
Disinterest- impartial; unbiased; objective
Example: The judge gave a disinterested verdict of guilty to
his own son.
Uninterested- not interested at all
Example: He is uninterested in the new product.
Fewer- refers to individual quality, can be counted and
enumerated
Less- refers to collective quantity ir to something abstract;
time; money; distance; weight; height; etc.
Example: I have less than 100 dollars.
Continuously- describe something that occurs without interruption.
Example: The infant screamed continuously for two minutes until
her parents woke up to change her diaper.
Continually- describes something that is frequently occurring
but with interruption
Example: It drizzles continually in the winter months in
Seattle.
Affect- is chiefly used as a verb and its main meaning is to
influence or make a difference to.
Example: The weather severely affected their wedding day.
Effect- a result or influence or the impact something or
someone has on something or someone else.
Example: The effect of the medicine on her illness was
surprisingly fast.
The courts
effected many reforms.
Assume- is to make a guess based on little or no evidence
Example: Based on your questions, I assume you are a recent
college graduate.
Presume- is to make an informed guess based on reasonable
evidence.
Example: I presume you're tired after you drive.
Most- a determiner that can be followed directly by a noun
or by the phrase "of the". It cannot be followed by "of" or
the alone.
Example: Most Chinese live in Asia.
Almost- it means "very nearly". It usually
followed by a number or quantifier (90°/• all). The quantifier can be followed
by the phrase "of the", but not "of" or "the"
alone.
Example: Almost all Japanese eat rice.
Aide- is an assistant or helper (usually in a military or
political settings)
Example: He was her aide and help her to do her work.
Aid- is a noun referring to (1) assistance or (2) something
that assists (e.g. hearing aid) and it's also a verb meaning to assist
Example: She uses visual aid in teaching.
Farther- more often used to refer to "physical
assistance"
Example: Monkey ran farther than turtle.
Further- more often refers to figurative and non-physical
distances
Example: Nothing could be further than the truth.
-------------
PUNCTUATION
Punctuation is used to create sense, clarity, and stress in
sentence.
- Exclamation point (!) - used to express exasperation, astonishment or surprise, or to emphasize a comment or short, sharp phrase.
- Question mark (?) - used at the end of all direct question.
- Colon (:) - expands on the sentence that precedes it, often introducing a list that demonstrates or elaborates whatever was previously stated.
There are rules in using colon:
Rule 1: Use a colon to introduce a series of items. Do not capitalize the first item after the colon unless it's a proper noun
Rule 2: Avoid using a colon before a list when it directly follows a verb or preposition.
Rule 3: When listing items one by one, one per line, following a colon, capitalization and ending punctuation are optional when using single single words or phrases.
Rule 4: A colon instead of semi-colon may be used between independent clauses.
Example: He got what he worked for: he earned that promotion.
Rule 5: A colon may be used to introduce a long quotation.
Rule 6: Use a colon rather than a comma to follow the salutation in a business.
Semi-colon (;) - join phrases and sentences that are thematically linked without being to use a conjunction.
Like colon, there are also rules in using semi-colon:
Rule 1: Semi-colon can replace a colon.
Rule 2: Before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore, that is, i.e. for example, e.g. for instance etc. When they introduce a complete sentence.
Example: When I finish here, I will soon, I'll be glad to help you; and that is a promise I will keep.
Rule 3: Use a semi-colon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.
Example: Bring any two items; however, sleeping bags and tents are short in supply.
- Quotation mark (" ") - use quotation marks to cite something someone said exactly. Use a single quotation when a speech is inside another direct speech.
For example:
"Alden said a while ago that 'Maine is beautiful' and I was like, oh, they really look cute together!" Tidora said
- Apostrophe (') - for contraction; where a noun and pronoun combine. Apostrophe is also added to a noun to show "possession".
- Hyphen (-) - joins 2 or more words together.
Below are the different ways to use hyphen as well as the rules in using it.
Hyphens in number:
Use a hyphen with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine.
Rule 1: Generally, hyphenate 2 or more words when they come before a noun they modify and as a single idea.
Rule 2: The adverb 'very' and adverbs ending in -ly are nit hyphenated.
Rule 3: Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things.
Rule 4: Never hesitate to add a hyphen if it solves a particular problem.
Rule 5: When using numbers, hyphenate spaces or estimates of time, distance, or other quantities.
Rule 6: Hyphenate most double last names.
Example:
Mrs. Marie Claire Duque-Cruz.
Mrs. Maine Mendoza- Faulkerson
Hyphens with prefixes and suffixes.
Prefixes
Rule 1: Hyphenate prefixes when they are before proper nouns ir adjectives.
Rule 2: For clarity, many writers hyphenate prefixes ending in a vowel when the root word begins with the same letter.
Rule 3: Hyphenate all words beginning with the prefixes self-, e- (i.e. former), and all.
Rule 4: Use a hyphen with the prefix re- when omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.
Suffixes
Rule: Suffixes are not usually hyphenated. Those which are hyphenated are the exceptions: -Style, -elect, -free, -based.
Brackets and Parentheses
Brackets [ ] are used for special purposes such as in technical manuals.
Rule 1: used to explain or comment on the quotation
Rule 2: When quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term "sic" in italics and enclose it in non-italic brackets.
Rule 3: In formal writing, brackets are often used to maintain the integrity of both a quotation and the sentences others use it in.
Parenthesis ( ) are used when we want to add firther explanation, an afterthought, or comment.
-------------
COMMAS
List
Example:
- Saturday morning started with a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and French toast.
- The art department offers beginner classes in sculpting, watercolor, macrame, and jewelry, and metal-craft.
Direct Speech
Example:
- Steve replied, " No problem!"
- "Stop him!" she shouted.
CLAUSES
Example:
- Having had lunch, we went back to work.
- I first saw her in Paris where I lived in the early 90s.
- Passengers, who have young children, may board the aircraft.
COMMAS CAN BE USED IN SERIES OF
-Adjectives
-Nouns
-Verbs
-Places
Example:
Series of Adjectives
- She was young , beautiful, kind and intelligent.
- She is wearing a bright red shirt.
Series of Noun
- For dinner, I had soup, fish, chicken, dessert, and coffee.
- My favorite singers are Taylor Swift, Bryan Mcfadden, Delta Goodrem, the Kpop girl group F(x) and SNSD Taeyeon.
Series of Verbs
- Tony ran towards me, fell, yelled,,and fainted.
- The boy leapt, spun, twisted, and dove into the water.
Series of Places
- Cleveland, Ohio is a great city.
- I came from Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
TAG QUESTIONS
Example:
- She lives in Paris, doesn't she?
- We haven't met, have we?
Interjection
Example:
- Yes, I will stay longer, thank you.
- Ouch, that hurts.
- No, she isn't like other girls.
Appositive
Example:
- Harold, hot tempered tennis player, charge then umpire, and tried to attack the poor man's skull.
Introductory Adverbs
Example:
- Lazily, I picked up the remote.
Dates as Noun
Example:
- It was June 24, 2014 when I was hospitalized.
- It was in Sun's June 5, 2003, edition.
Offset Negation
Example:
I saw a duck, not a baby seal, when I went running.
In addressing:
(1) Good morning towel.
(2) Good morning, towel.
(Refferring to the examples above, sentence 1 is pertaining to the a noun which is the "good morning towel" itself. However, in sentence 2, using a comma to separate the unit "good morning" and another unit "towel", it seems like the speaker is talking to the towel.)
Numbers and Dates
Example: 1,000 ; 10,000 ; 100,000
However in writing a year, we should not use a comma:
Example: 1989 ; 1994 ; 1996 ; 2000
FIXING A COMMA SPLICE
Formula: Main Clause + , + M.C.
1. Capitalization
Example:
Fanning the slice of pizza with a napkin, Jolene waited for it to cool, she had already burned the roof of her mouth with the fried cheese sticks.
2. Comma and coordinating conjunction
3. Semi-colon
4. Subordination
-------------
DIACRITICS
Diacritics are mainly used to change the sound values of the letters where they are added.
Acute accent (◌́) - marking long vowels
Ex: cliché, elité, beyoncé, resumé
Grave accent (◌̀) - indicating silent vowel
Ex: blessèd, warnèd,
Circumflex (◌̂) - indicating omitted /s/
Ex: hôtel - came from the word 'hostel'
Breve (◌̆) - indicating short vowel
Ex: kroužek,
Macron (◌̄) - indicating lengthened vowel
Ex: Māori
Diaeresis ( ) - indicating 2 separately-pronounced vowels
Ex: coöperation, Chloë
Cedilla (◌̧ ) - indicating /s/, not /k/
Ex: Français
Tilde (~) - integral part of n
Ex: Español
-------------
Mga Komento
Mag-post ng isang Komento