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October 17, 2000
INTERJECTIONS
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Interjections generally serve as conversational fillers or emotional markers in written communication. Used rarely in formal writing, interjections sometimes can be found in informal writing. Their grammatical function is to express an exclamation.
1. When not used independently, interjections are attached to sentences with commas or dashes:
Oh my, that cat must weigh at least fifteen pounds.
Ouch--that hurts!
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2. Interjections may be punctuated separately as exclamations:
Darn! My dog escaped from the yard again.
Oh. I see what you mean.
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3. Use interjections like these to express emotion:
Oops!
Wow!
Great!
Yes!
No!
Super!
Not again!
Sorry!
So what?
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4. Use other types of interjections as conversational fillers or attention-getters:
Well,
Oh,
Let's see,
You know,
Ooh,
Ah,
Hmm,
My goodness,
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SPELLING OR WRITING TIP
Homonym Quiz
Words that sound alike can be confusing in pronunciation and meaning. Study the list of words below, then decide which word fits the definition.
to receive: accept -or- except
consequence: affect -or- effect
disinterested: board -or- bored
place: sight -or- site
praise: complement -or- compliment
to advise: counsel -or- council
school supervisor: principal -or- principle
demolish: raise -or- raze
also: to -or- too
to put on clothes: ware -or- wear
(Look for answers in next week's issue!)
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NEW WORD OF THE WEEK:
ME-AN-DER: to follow a winding course; to wander aimlessly.
Jerry meanders through each day, without thought for his schedule.
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YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: Thanks for the brilliant, informative newsletter.
Would you help with this please?
The light shines over the entrance TO the manor.
-or-
The light shines over the entrance OF the manor.
This may be an either/or, but I prefer the former construction.
With thanks, Nigel
GRAMMARCHECK: Thanks for your kind words--we receive them warmly.
We agree that the above sentence can be served effectively with either the "to" or the "of." The difference may lie in the statement's semantic value:
The light shines over the entrance TO the manor. (Emphasis is on the function of the entrance--it leads TO the manor.)
vs.
The light shines over the entrance OF the manor. (Emphasis is on the entrance itself, not on what it does.
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QUESTION: I'm unclear about what this verb means. Would you please give another example to explain it?
call off = 1) to call off his wife from work; 2) to call his wife off from work
Thank you.
GRAMMARCHECK: To "call off" means 1) to report that a person will not appear as expected, or 2) to keep something or someone in check (restrained):
(1) Jill's mom called her off school this morning, as Jill had caught the flu.
(1) It was Sam's wife who called him off work when he awoke with a hangover.
(2) Sue called off her dog when it threatened to bite the neighbor.
Hope these help!
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QUESTION: Is this correct?
"When the hurricane is over, the powerful winds and rain stop."
GRAMMARCHECK: If you are asking whether the subject and verb are in agreement, the answer is yes. In this sentence, the plural subject ("powerful winds and rain") takes a plural verb = "stop" (vs. "stops").
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QUESTION: Should there ever be a double period, as in the following?
She told me to meet her at the entrance at 9 p.m..
GRAMMARCHECK: No. The sentence should be punctuated as follows:
She told me to meet her at the entrance at 9 p.m.
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QUESTION: I am a technical writer, but my nine-year-old son is stumping me with his grammar lessons. I must admit to being less than adept at the subject. As far as I'm concerned, I find semi-colons useless. But I am determined to understand them for his sake. He is in the gifted program, but when he brought home an "F" paper for me to sign and return on the subject, I knew it was war. Okay, I admit it. I don't get the point of semi-colons, though I even read his grammar book on the subject. HELP, PLEASE! Susan
GRAMMARCHECK: You're in good company, Susan. Semi-colons are one of the least understood and most frequently misused forms of punctuation. Here's a brief overview on how to use them correctly.
1. Don't use them at all unless you're sure one is needed and you're sure you can use it correctly. Many semi-colons can be avoided, as their usage often depends on stylistic preferences.
2. A semi-colon connects two main clauses to form a compound sentence. Remember that a main clause is the same as an independent clause and can function as a simple sentence if not combined with another of its kind:
EX: The following statements are simple sentences:
Jenny's horse won first prize.
Betty's horse took second place.
When combined, however, they form a compound sentence. These two main (or independent) clauses must be joined (1) by a semi-colon, (2) by a comma used with a coordinating conjunction (and, or, so, yet, but, for), or (3) by a semi-colon followed by a conjunctive adverb and a comma:
(1) Jenny's horse won first prize; Betty's horse took second place.
(2) Jenny's horse won first prize, but Betty's horse took second place.
(3) Jenny's horse won first prize; however, Betty's horse took second place.
Look for more on semi-colons in an upcoming issue.
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