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Tricky Grammar and Language Use
This section makes no claim to be inclusive. Consult a standard grammar
or writing guide for detailed explanations of these issues and others.
Examples included here simply represent some of the problems we see most
frequently in documents that come through the Office of Publications and
Creative Services.
Collective Nouns
Many words—including faculty, committee, board, team, class, public,
group, and now data (see Word List)—can be both
singular and plural. The choice of a singular or plural verb depends upon
whether the writer intends to refer to the group as a whole or to the members
of the group. For clarity, it helps to add members of.
The largest group of pleasure travelers is composed of people between
the ages of 55 and 64. As this group [of individuals] continues
to grow because of the aging population, their importance to wineries
will become critical. This group has the most discretionary income, many
[members of the group] are retired with time on their hands, and
they generally take longer trips than people in other age groups.
The faculty is committed to holding regular office hours. Some faculty
[members] are even holding weekend and evening office hours.
When faculty in our department gather for monthly meetings, they usually
arrive on time, but there are always a couple of stragglers.
The faculty of our department is highly respected in
international professional circles. OR The faculty in our department
are highly respected. (It depends on whether you want to emphasize the
group as a whole or the individuals in the group. Sometimes it matters;
sometimes it doesn't.)
Miscellaneous Tricksters
Between you and me.
It is I. (Necessary only in formal, written prose.)
The person who answered the phone was the receptionist. (Who is
the subject.)
The person whom we hired has exceptional qualifications. (Whom is
the object of the verb.)
Prepositions at the End of Sentences
Most grammar books have done away with the so-called rule that forced people
into saying and writing the most convoluted of sentences when, in fact,
it's often better to let the preposition fall naturally. Normal rules of
good writing apply, of course. If meaning, clarity, and emphasis are improved
by ending a sentence with a preposition, do so. If a preposition at the
end results in clumsy syntax or confused meaning, rewrite the sentence.
Some good examples, from the stylistically conservative Theodore M. Bernstein
(The Careful Writer) include the following:
Where did the quoted material come from?
It's nothing to sneeze at.
You don't know what I've been through.
Split Infinitives
We have no problem with split infinitives. The same reasoning applies here
as to prepositions at the end of sentences. The most fundamental reason
for allowing them is clarity of meaning (as in the first example below).
A more theoretical reason is that, because English is the only language
in which the infinitive can be split, grammarians somewhere in the 17th
or 18th century decided that English infinitives should follow the rule
of "unsplit infinitives" that is logical in other languages. That said,
a sentence is easier to understand if you don't split the to and
the verb with a lengthy phrase (example two).
Good:Analysts expect enrollment in distance learning courses to more than double in
the next five years.
Poor:If you expect to, within the final week of regularly scheduled classes, introduce
five new theories, students are unlikely to understand and remember
them.
That/Which
That defines and restricts; which does not. The way to tell
which one you need is that, if you are using which properly, you'll
usually need to precede it with a comma. (Note that the previous sentence
provides an example of an exception to the rule.)
The story that was printed last night is inaccurate; this morning's version is correct.
The story, which appeared on the front page, has been proven to be inaccurate.
"That which," you may mutter in exasperation as your editor changes
your use of which to that. Although the difference isn't
as important in speaking, in writing, careful writers still observe the
distinction between these two words.
Their
According to the senior lexicographer at Houghton Mifflin, commenting in
Copy Editor newsletter, their is becoming more established
and accepted as both a singular and a plural pronoun. In part, this usage
derives from attempts to make writing nonsexist. Most professional writers,
however, reserve their as a plural pronoun and rewrite copy to avoid
using their as a singular pronoun.
May be passable
Any student who arrives late for the exam must request permission to take
their exam at a later date.
Preferred
Any students who arrive late for the exam must request permission to take
the exam at a later date.
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