"Lie"/"Lay" (cf. "Rise"/"Raise","Sit"/"Set"): Usage Errors in Morphologically Related Intransitive/Transitive Causative Verb Pairs  [Education] - 
Part of an Ongoing Grammar Nazi Series
(14 Feb 2008) Something Amiss? Consider the following sentence, from the standpoint of "grammatical correctness": 1a) I was laying around the house all day.* Does all seem well? (Disregard the relative merits and demerits of idleness and perhaps the implied indolence in the ...
Created on 02/14/2008 at 09:59 PM

Where Have You "Went", Past Participle?  [Education] - 
Part of an Ongoing Grammar Nazi Series
(15 Feb 2008) Do You Smell That? Consider the following sentence, from the perspective of "grammatical correctness". 1a) I should have went to Wal-Mart. Does anything smell off? (Please try to subdue any misgivings you might have about Walmart in particular or "big-box& ...
Created on 02/15/2008 at 12:53 PM

Between You and "I", Hypercorrection Makes Me Cringe  [Education] - 
Part of an Ongoing Grammar Nazi Sentence
(15 Feb 2008) Grammar Lessons Learned? To many, the grammaticality of the following sentence should, on the surface, seem obvious from the constant admonitions of their most wise English teachers: 1a) Aunt Helga brought my sister and I many souvenirs from her last trip. That should please ...
Created on 02/15/2008 at 06:22 PM

Animals Fit to Eat  [Food] - 
The Right Number of Legs
"Legginess" and Palatability in the Creatures We Love to Eat I once had the pleasure of conversing with a charming woman who had a delightfully unique way of characterizing her preferences when it came to eating meat. Only meat from animals with four legs was acceptable to her, no ...
Created on 02/16/2008 at 01:47 AM