Transcript LIFESTYLE_LESSON_16

I.e. or E.g.?
Either i.e. or e.g. can be used to clarify a preceding
statement; “i.e.” by expanding upon the idea or
restating it more clearly, and “e.g.” by example.
i.e. = Latin: id est = that is
e.g. = Latin: exempli gratia = for example
My son loves watching cartoons (e.g., Spongebob
Square Pants), and his favorite characters are
Spongebob’s friends (i.e., Patrick, Squidward, Sandy,
and Mr. Krabs.)
A lot or alot? Lots of or a lot of?
RULE: A lot, which means a large quantity, is always two words.
Alot does not exist in the English language!
• I love my dog a lot.
• I have a lot of friends.
• She has a lot of old toys to give to charity.
RULE: Lots of and a lot of are mainly used in informal English.
The former is more informal. Both are used in singular and in
plural sentences.
• A lot of time is wasted.
• Lots of time is wasted.
• A lot of clothes are needed at the pictorial.
A or An?
A and an are articles.
RULE: Use a before words that start with consonants. Use an
before words that start with vowels. BUT:
Use a before words that start with a consonant sound, even if it
is a vowel, and an before words that start with a vowel sound,
even if it is a consonant.
An honorable man
A one-way ticket
All ready or Already?
• All ready – a way of putting emphasis on “ready”. It means
something or someone is completely prepared.
“She is ready.” OR “She is all ready.”
The second sentence puts more emphasis on the fact that she is
entirely ready.
• Already – an adverb used to describe things that have
happened before now (and usually, that have happened
earlier than expected).
I am not tired because I had already slept.
They finished their rehearsals already.
Among or Amongst?
Both are correct and mean the same thing, but
among is more common.
If you’re writing historical fiction or a fantasy
story, you may use amongst.
However, if you’re writing a news article, it’s
better to use among.
E.g. “Living among the desert people taught me
a lot of hard lessons.”
Among or Between?
When there are only two involved, use between.
Mother sensed an enmity between my sister and Sondra.
With three or more, there is a choice. Use between if
you are thinking of the individuals and their relations
with each other.
Mother sensed an enmity between Sondra, Deniece, and my sister.
If you are thinking of the group, use among.
The movie star’s arrival created a stir among the sisters.
Amount or Number?
• Amount refers to quantities that cannot be
counted.
E.g. The bar exams required a great amount of
studying.
• Number is used for quantities that can be
counted.
E.g. A small number of relatives attended the
interment.
Assume or Presume?
• Assume – more closely means to support, or
“take for granted.”
• Presume – is much stronger; it more closely
means to dare, believe, or “take too much for
granted”.
E.g.
John assumed the position of vice president.
The jury was ordered to presume the innocence of the
defendant.
Assume or Presume?
Which one should be used here?
- Charlene (assumes/presumes) she’s the prettiest
candidate.
Answer:
Both can be used. However, each word creates a
different attitude for Charlene. If she presumes, she
is deemed overconfident and even conceited. If she
assumes, we ascribe a humbler character to her.
Bad or Badly?
• Bad (adjective) – used with linking verbs such
as looks, feels, seems, appears, is.
• Badly (adverb) – used with action verbs.
E.g.
She smells bad. (She needs to take a shower.)
She smells badly. (She can’t detect the smell of her
husband’s cologne.)
Between you and I or me?
Although between you and I is very commonly
used, the correct phrase is between you and
me, because the pronouns following
‘between’ are objects of the preposition.
Bring, Take, Fetch, Get
• Bring – use when an object is being
transported toward you
• Take – use when an object is being moved
away
• Get (American English)/Fetch (British English)
– used when speaking about going
somewhere, getting something, and then
bringing it back
Bring, Take, Fetch, Get
E.g.
I’ll bring the road map with me when I go to Rome.
He brought me to this cafe many years ago.
Take this box of books there.
The teacher took the students to the museum.
Could you get the bag for me?
He fetched his report and showed her the figures.
Can I or May I?
• Can – implies ability
• May – implies uncertainty or permission
E.g.
Can you give this letter to her?
May I take you to the prom?
My son can drive now, but he may not use my car.
Cannot or Can not?
Some say both are correct – that can not is archaic and
that cannot is more frequently used now. However,
note this subtle difference:
If I can not do something, then I can also do it. I can not write these words if I choose,
but I also can, and am, writing them. What I cannot do is know who will read
them, or what they will think.
RULE:
If you either could or could not do something, then use can not,
because you can leave out ‘not’ if you choose to do so.
If you couldn’t do something no matter how hard you tried or
how much you desired, then use cannot.
Despite or In spite of?
Both are used to show a contrast. The only
difference between them is the ‘of’.
E.g.
Despite my reluctance, he was able to convince
me to accompany him.
In spite of my reluctance...,
Of and From
• Of – mainly used as a possessive
E.g.
She is a student of mine.
The size of the shirt is large.
In conversational English, it’s more common to use the possessive ‘s. Thus:
She’s my student.
The shirt’s size is large.
• From – used to express that something originates from
something else, from somewhere, or some person.
E.g.
Obama comes from Chicago.
This quote derives from the novel of Gore Vidal.
Different from or than?
• Use different from for simple comparisons, as when comparing two
persons or things.
E.g.
My hair style is different from hers.
• Use different than only if the words following it make up a clause,
especially if the clause is elliptical (perteining to an aforementioned
context that is not restated).
E.g. It seems so different than New York.
If different from were used, the city of New York would be the object of
comparison. However, using different than in this case suggests an
elliptical clause., i.e., ‘the way things were in New York’ or ‘what happened
in New York’.
If still unsure, just use different from in all cases!
Done or Finished?
In the past, the rule of thumb was:
“Dinner is done; people are finished.”
In modern speech, however, the two are
interchangeable.
E.g.
I am done with my homework.
I have finished my homework.
Drank or Drunk?
Base form: drink
Paste tense: drank
Past participle: drunk
E.g.
I drank a glass of Chardonnay.
All the beer has been drunk.
Each is or Each are?
When each is used as a subject, it takes a singular verb or
pronoun.
E.g.
Each of the tickets is to be sold a month after it is assigned.
Each of the students takes his turn at answering.
When each occurs after a plural subject with which it is in
apposition, it takes a plural verb or pronoun.
E.g.
The tickets each have serial numbers on their corners.
Everybody and Everyone
Everybody and everyone are interchangeable.
Odd as it may seem, these pronouns are singular because
although we talk of whole groups of people, we still treat
them grammatically as individuals in a group. Thus, we say:
“Is everybody happy?” Not “Are everybody happy?”
“Everyone is welcome here.” Not “Everyone are welcome here.”
Everyday or Every day?
• Everyday – is an adjective that means
ordinary, normal, or commonplace.
E.g. The terrible traffic is an everyday problem.
• Every day – is an adverb which means “each
day”.
E.g. I have to drive through this terrible traffic every day.
Everyone or Every one?
• Everyone – a compound pronoun which
means “all the people”.
E.g. Everyone is ready to start.
• Every one – a non-compound modified
pronoun which puts a greater emphasis on
the word ‘one’ and means “every single
person or thing”.
E.g. The hurricane totaled every one of the homes on
32nd Street.
Farther or Further?
• Use farther for physical distance.
E.g.
“How much farther do we have to go?” the impatient
boy asked his mother.
• Use further for metaphorical, or figurative
distance.
E.g. “If you complain further, I’m going to have to drop
you off,” replied the mother.
Fewer or Less?
Basic Rule: Use fewer with count nouns and less
with mass nouns.
E.g.
There are fewer attendees today.
I had less problems yesterday.
Going to vs. Will
The differences between these two forms of the future
are very subtle! The main difference, though, is that
will is sometimes used to emphasize that something
isn’t planned, while going to is sometimes used to
refer to something that is planned.
E.g.
I will watch the parade. (You are at a streetside cafe, and you
heard a marching band play.)
I am going to watch a parade. (As you are walking out the door,
you’re asked by your mother where you are going.)
Good or Well?
Good is an adjective while well is an
adverb answering the question how.
E.g.
They did a good job.
They did the job well. (It answers, “How did they do the
job?”)
Good or Well?
Rule: With the four senses – look, taste, feel, smell – determine if
these words are being used actively to decide whether to
use good or well after them. (Hear is always used actively.)
E.g.
You look good this morning.
This soup tastes good.
He smells good today.
But:
She smells well for someone with a bad cold.
(She is sniffing actively with her nose, so the the adverb is used.)
Good or Well?
Rule: When referring to health, always use well.
E.g.
He doesn’t look well right now.
Mrs. Smith doesn’t feel well today.
Rule: When describing someone’s emotional state,
use good.
E.g.
We don’t feel good about being left out.
Good or Well?
So, how should the question, “How are you?” be
answered?
If you think someone is asking about your physical wellbeing, say, “I feel well,” or “I don’t feel well.” If
someone is asking about your emotional
state, answer, “I feel good,” or “I don’t feel good.”
Alternatively, to avoid this problem, you
could answer, “I feel okay,” “I feel wonderful,” or “I
feel sick.”
Has gone to vs. Has been to
• Has/have gone to – refers to someone who
has gone to a place but has not returned yet.
E.g. The diplomat has gone to the Middle East. (He left
for the Middle East but hasn’t returned yet.)
• Has/have been to – used for completed
visits/trips.
E.g. I have been to Japan. (I am not in Japan at the
moment. I have returned.)
Have got or Have gotten?
When we say, “Claire has got four
Valentino dresses,” we mean that she has
them.
When we say, “Claire has gotten four
Valentino dresses,” we mean that she has
obtained or acquired them.
Have vs. Of in Conditionals
The 1st and 2nd conditionals talk about the future.
With the 3rd conditional, we talk about the past. We
discuss a condition in the past that did not happen.
Condition
Result
Past Perfect
WOULD HAVE + Past
Participle
If
I had won the
contest
I would have flown
to Paris.
If
it had rained this I would have stayed
morning
at home.
Have vs. Of in Conditionals
Some people hear ‘would of’ when people say
‘would have’ and therefore make
grammatically incorrect statements such as “I
would of left early if you told me you weren’t
coming.”
‘Would of’ is never correct!
If or Whether?
• If – used for a conditional idea
E.g. Give me a call if you want to go to the party. (This
means contact me only if you’re going.)
• Whether – used for an alternative or
possibility
E.g. Let me know whether you’ll be coming. (This
means inform me of your plans, one way or the
other.)
In regard(s) to?
Always use in regard to.
E.g. “This reply is in regard to your request dated 25
May 2012.”
Alternatively, you can use as regards.
E.g. “As regards your request dated 25 May 2012...”
Into or In to?
• Into - a preposition that has many definitions, but
generally, they all relate to direction;
• In - by itself can be an adjective, an adverb, or a
preposition;
• To - by itself is an adverb or a preposition;
• Sometimes, in and to just end up next to each other.
E.g.
She regally strode into the living room.
We broke in to the walk-in vault.
It is I or It is me?
• It is I - tends to be used in more formal situations.
• It is me or it's me - used in a more relaxed writing
style, used more often in real and fictional speech.
RULE: When a pronoun follows a linking verb, such
as is, it should be in the subject case. That means it is
correct to say, “It is I,” and “It was she who drove the
car.”
It's her or It's she?
It’s/It is she, that’s/that is he, and it’s/it is
I are technically correct. These are used
in very formal situations. However, it is
okay to use it is me, that is he, or it is I in
everyday language.
It’s vs. Its
• It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.
E.g.
It’s cold outside although it’s high noon.
• Its is the possessive form of it.
E.g.
Do you know its owner?
Please remove its cover.
Its color is beautiful.
Lie or Lay?
• Lie – a verb which means to recline. It doesn’t take a direct
object.
E.g.
I will lie down in the evening.
Let’s all lie on the carpet.
• Lay – a verb which means to place or set down. It always takes
a direct object: the thing that is placed or set down.
E.g.
Lay the newspaper on the table.
I have laid the flowers near the grave.
Like or Such as?
• Like – used when we are talking of large, indefinite fields of
similarity
E.g. Movie like this one are very entertaining.
In this example, like means “similar to”.
• Such as – used when we are talking of specifically named
persons, places, or things included in a small field
E.g. Countries such as the United States and Japan are important to the
world’s economy.
In this example, the use of such as intends to specify those countries as
examples, not just to put them into a broad category of countries that are
important to the world’s economy.
Littler and Littlest
Although sometimes used, both these forms
(littler, littlest) are regarded as juvenile, or
perhaps dialectical.
When size is involved, the better forms
are smaller and smallest; when quantity or
importance is involved, the better forms
are less (sometimes lesser) and least.
Majority is or Majority are?
Many words that mean a group of things — number, total, and majority, for
example — can be singular or plural. Sometimes they mean the group
acting as a whole, sometimes the members of a group.
As with the other “two-faced” words, consider whether these are referring to
the whole or the parts.
A little hint: The before the word (the number, the majority) is usually a clue
that it's singular; while a (a total, a majority), especially when of comes
after, usually indicates a plural.
E.g. The majority is unhappy over the decision. Still, a majority of the
members are hoping for a reconsideration.
May or Might?
• May expresses likelihood
E.g. She may attend the court hearing.
• Might expresses a stronger sense of
doubt, or a contrary-to-the fact
hypothetical
E.g. She might have been able to attend the hearing if
she hadn’t gone to the doctor.
Me, Myself, or I?
•Traditional grammar dictates that “the first person singular
pronoun is I when it's a subject and me when it's an object.”
E.g. The letter had to be signed by both Peter and me.
•The -self pronouns are called either reflexive or intensive,
depending on how they are used in a sentence. In either case,
myself should not be used unless there is an I previously in the
same sentence.
E.g.
I saw the ghost myself.
I consider myself lucky.
Me, Myself, or I?
Note: Don’t use -self pronouns when a nominative
objective pronoun is in order.
E.g.
She gave the award to him and me. (Not myself.)
He and I (not myself) are going to hear mass.
• If you separate each pronoun into its own sentence, it
will be easier to determine which pronoun to use.
•E.g.
They gave the prize to her and _______.
Separate it into: “They gave the prize to her.” and “They gave the
prize to me.” The answer, thus, is me.
Mrs./Ms./Miss
• Mrs. is used to refer to a married woman.
• Ms. is widely used in business and public life to refer to or
address a woman, particularly if her marital status is either
unknown or irrelevant to the context.
• Miss is used to refer to an unmarried woman.
Note: Some women may indicate their preference, which should
be honored. If a woman has a professional or academic title
(e.g. Doctor, Captain, or Professor, for instance), use this
instead of Mrs., Ms., or Miss.
Not only...but also
This can be a difficult correlative conjunction to work with
because of the extra words and their placement in the
sentence.
Just make sure that the parts that follow each set of words are
formatted the same way; i.e., use two verbs that make
chronological sense, two nouns, or two adjectives.
E.g.
Good: He is not only a great speaker, but also a wonderful writer.
Bad: He is not only a great speaker, but also writes wonderful novels.
Note: Make the second example better by rewriting it with two verb clauses:
He not only speaks with ease, but also writes wonderful novels.
Number or Amount?
• Number refers to things that can be counted
as individuals.
E.g. A number of girlfriends, a number of cars, a
number of problems
• Amount refers to a mass quantity; i.e., things
that cannot be counted as separate items.
E.g. An amount of stress, an amount of debt, an
amount of sympathy
OK or Okay?
OK, Okay, or O.K. – colloquial English word
denoting approval, agreement, or
acknowledgment.
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends okay.
The Associated Press recommends OK.
Both of these are acceptable in informal writing;
however, it’s best to avoid these in formal
writing.
On or Upon?
• On and upon are interchangeable, but upon is overly
formal for most communications.
E.g.
The results were based upon their findings. (Too
formal!)
The results were based on their findings. (Better!)
In or Into?
• Into – a preposition that shows both the direction and the
result of the movement.
• In – may be used both with verbs that show movement and
with verbs that do not show movement.
For verbs showing movement, in and on may be used instead
of into and onto , although into and onto are clearer. In
this case, they show both direction and result.
With verbs that do not show movement but show location, use:
in - within, or inside
on - touching the surface of, or topside
In/Into
Study the following examples:
E.g.
Mark jumped into/in the pool. (You may use both, but into
shows both the direction and the result of the movement).
Mark says that the water in (not into) the pool is cold.
Miranda threw her coat on/onto the table. (You may use both,
but onto shows both the direction and the result of the
movement).
Miranda left her coat on (not onto) the table.
All right or Alright?
We have always been taught that “alright is not all
right”.
However, the American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style states:
•
“Alright” as one word “has never been accepted as standard”...but it then also
goes on to explain that “all right” as two words and “alright” as one word have
two distinct meanings.
E.g.
The numbers are all right. (Meaning: the figures are all accurate.)
The numbers are alright. (Meaning: the figures are satisfactory.)
Although alright is now very common, it is still considered by some as a misspelling of,
or less acceptable than, all right.
Shall or Will?
• In Britain: Shall is used to indicate the future if you are using
1st person (I or we); Will is used if you are using 2nd or 3rd
person.
E.g.
I shall have tea with my cousin this afternoon. He will arrive at
around noon.
• Shall is also used to express intention or determination on
the speaker (someone other than the subject of the verb).
E.g.
Tomorrow, you shall be my wife.
Shall or Will?
• In America, will has replaced shall in all except a few
cases – in legal documents, in lofty prose, or in being
polite or offering an invitation.
E.g.
This contract shall take effect on June 1, 2013.
“We shall overcome...”
“...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom...”
“Shall I take your coat, sir?”
Sic
In academic writing, quotations should be copied exactly as they appear in
your reference, but you should also produce a paper that does not contain
grammatical or mechanical errors. A way to ‘handle’ a source that contains
an error is to rephrase the quotation in your own words (while crediting
your reference for the idea). If the quotation will not be given justice if you
rephrase it, however, and you decide to keep it despite the error, then use
[sic] (an abbreviation of the Latin sicut, which means ‘thus’). This would
indicate that the original source is responsible for the error.
E.g.
“I’d rather die then [sic] marry you.”
Since vs. For
• Since – indicates a point in time (since + starting point)
E.g.
I have lived in Winnipeg since I was 11.
• For – indicates the length of a period of time (for + period of
time)
E.g.
I have lived in Winnipeg for 10 years.
I have been living there since a long time – Incorrect
I have been living there for a long time – Correct
So...that, Such...that
• So [adverb/adjective] that
So is paired with that to create emphasis. So (an
adverb) intensifies or modifies an adjective or adverb
in the cause-clause. That follows in the effect-clause
with a remarkable or extraordinary comment.
(Note: very cannot be used in place of so.)
E.g. The wedding was so moving that there wasn’t a dry eye in
the room.
So...that, Such...that
• Such [adjective + noun] that
Such is paired with that to create emphasis. Such
(an adjective) modifies the adjective + noun phrase
in the cause-clause. The that-clause complements
the such-phrase with an effect of extraordinary or
remarkable nature. Such is one of the few adjectives
that occurs before the article (determiner) of the
noun.
E.g. It was such a moving sight that we were all speechless.
Such, So
• So + adjective or adverb
• Such + noun (with or without adjective)
So and such are used to add emphasis.
E.g.
It’s so warm today.
It’s such a warm day.
It’s such a pity.
Tall and High
• Tall – greater in height than the average person,
structure, etc.
E.g.
Laurie is very tall for her age.
• High – rising or extending upward a great distance.
E.g.
Mt. Everest is a very high mountain.
RULE: We use tall for people and high for
things/objects.
Than I/Than me?
When the word than comes before a pronoun, what
comes next? I, or me? The answer is both.
E.g.
My mom loves our dog Prince more than I. (...more
than I do)
My mom loves our dog Prince more than me. (She
loves our dog more than she loves me!)
That or Which or Who?
• Use who to refer to persons, not which.
E.g.
They are the ones who left early.
The girl who [not that or which] sang “The Prayer” was named Singer of the
Year.
• That, though generally used to refer to things, may be used to refer to a
group or class of people.
• That introduces essential clauses; which introduces nonessential clauses.
E.g.
The team that sells the most tickets will win the contest.
The cookies, which were left on the table for days, are already stale.
That or Which or Who?
• If this/that/these/those has already introduced an essential clause, you
may use which to introduce the next clause, whether it is essential or
nonessential.
E.g.
That is a problem which you must deal with by yourself.
Those proposals, which we have already presented, are highly popular among
the members.
TIP: You can often streamline your sentence by leaving out which.
E.g.
That is a problem which you must deal with by yourself.
Better:
That is a problem you must deal with by yourself.
Then vs. Than
• Than - used to indicate degree or comparison
E.g.
Her speech was longer than mine.
Andy is much taller than Joseph.
• Then - used to indicate time
E.g.
She then stuttered during her speech and lost the
contest.
They’re, Their, There
They’re, their, and there are homophones. They are
pronounced nearly the same way but they differ in
meaning.
• They’re – a contraction of “they are”.
E.g.
They’re all minors.
(They are all minors.)
I don’t know what they’re up to.
(I don’t know what they are up to.)
They’re, Their, There
• Their – “means belonging to them”.
E.g.
That house is theirs.
Were you able to locate their house?
That’s their problem.
• There – has two uses:
- to mean a place
E.g. Please put the book there.
-Used with the verb “to be”
E.g. There is no more available seat.
Thru or Through?
Through is acceptable in all forms of writing. On the other hand,
thru – an informal spelling of the adjective, adverb, and
preposition forms of through – is only used for informal writing.
E.g.
As an adjective: When will you be through with that project?
As an adverb: Does this train go through New York?
As a preposition: The burglar came in through the bathroom
window.
NOTE: One exception is in the fastfood term “drive-thru”, which
is accepted. Thru is gaining ground these days due to social
networking and textspeak.
To, Too, or Two?
• To - a preposition which begins a prepositional phrase or
an infinitive.
• Too - an adverb which means “also” or “excessively”.
• Two - is a number.
E.g.
I went to a ballet. (preposition)
We like to watch reality shows on TV. (infinitive)
I drank too much. (meaning "excessively")
I’m fond of sushi, too. (meaning "also")
Eighty divided by forty is two. (number)
I own two poodles. (number)
Toward(s), Forward(s)
Although they say ‘towards’ and ‘forwards’ in Britain,
no final s is used in American English. Similarly, it’s
standard practice to not add a final s to forward,
backward, upward, onward, downward, etc.
E.g.
When we encounter problems, we should pick ourselves up and
go forward.
The teenagers were last seen heading toward the forest.
Try and or Try to?
• Try and is colloquial for the phrase try to.
E.g.
Try and finish your work.
Try to finish your work. (preferred)
I am going to try and run 10 kilometers today.
I am going to try to run 10 kilometers today.
(preferred)
Unique or More unique?
Primarily, unique means one of a kind, or
existing as the sole example; therefore,
something can’t be more unique than
something else.
E.g.
This handbag is unique.
This handbag is more unique than the one you
have. - Incorrect
Until and By
• Until – used when the activity continues throughout
the period until the time limit
E.g.
I’ll work on this experiment until 8:00 p.m. (used as a
preposition)
I’ll stay here until he has finished the exam. (used as a
conjunction)
• By – used to set a time limit for completion
E.g. You have to finish your term paper by Friday.
Whether/If
These two words are often used interchangeably in
informal writing and speech, but in formal writing,
such as in technical writing, a distinction should be
made between them, as the meaning can sometimes
be different depending on which word you use.
• Use if when you have a conditional sentence
• Use whether when you are showing that two
alternatives are possible
Whether/If
 Examples where they are interchangeable:
Sabrina didn’t know whether she would leave on Saturday.
Sabrina didn’t know if she would leave on Saturday.
 Example where they are not interchangeable:
Sabrina didn’t know whether she would leave on Saturday or
Sunday.
(When if is used in the above example, it takes on a different
meaning: In addition to leaving on Saturday or Sunday, she
may not leave at all.)
That vs. Which
• Use that for restrictive clauses.
A restrictive clause limits the possible meaning of a
preceding subject.
E.g. Animals that are endangered should not be
consumed.
(The words that are endangered restrict the kind of animals
you’re talking about. Without them, the meaning of the
sentence would change; you’d be saying that all animals
should not be consumed, not just those that are endangered.
NOTE: Commas are not needed around this phrase.)
That vs. Which
• Use which for nonrestrictive clauses.
A nonrestrictive clause is something that can be
omitted without changing the sentence’s meaning.
E.g. Rubies, which are rare, can sometimes be more
expensive than diamonds.
(The words which are rare may be left out and the sentence
would still make sense. NOTE: Nonrestrictive clauses are
usually surrounded by, or preceded by, commas.)
Who or Whom?
The words who and whom are both pronouns.
First, to know whether to use who or whom, we need to talk about the
difference between subjects and objects, because who is used when you
are referring to the subject of a clause, and whom is used when you are
referring to the object of a clause.
TIPS: If we think about people, the subject of the sentence is the person
doing something, and the object of the sentence is that which is having
something done to them.
E.g. Whom did you stay with?
(If you stayed with Aunt Martha, you are the subject and Aunt Martha is the
object. You use whom when you are referring to the object of a sentence.
Use who when you are referring to the subject of a sentence.
Who or Whom?
• So, when is who used? If you were asking about the
subject of the given sentence, then use who: Who
slept with Aunt Martha?
TIP: If it’s still difficult to determine which one to use, just
remember that like whom, the pronoun him ends with “m”.
Now, ask yourself if the answer to the question would be he
or him. If you can answer the question being asked with
“him”, then use whom.
Whom did you stay with? (The answer here would be “her” – not
she – and the male equivalent of that pronoun would be
“him”. That’s your cue that whom should be used.)
Would rather
• Rather – used as an adverb of degree
E.g.
The croissant was rather tasty. (modifying an adjective)
It happened rather abruptly. (modifying an adverb)
• Rather – also used to express preference
E.g.
I decided to call rather than write you. (comparing parallel structures)
I would rather go to sleep now. (would rather + infinitive without ‘to’)
I’d rather she left immediately. (would rather + pronoun + past tense)
You’re vs. Your
• You’re is a contraction of you are. It has no other
uses, so if you can’t expand it to “you are”, then it’s
wrong.
E.g.
You don’t know what you’re doing!
(You don’t know what you are doing!)
• Your is the possessive form of you.
E.g.
Is this your purse? Yes, I think this is definitelyYou don’t know what you’re
doing!
yours. (It belongs to you.)