English Grammar

[peachexploration]

For our English grammar enthusiast. :D Mambo Italiano raised a question in another thread I thought I would post it here. :)

From Grammarbook.com

Proper use of WHO/WHOM

Rule Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct.
he = who
him = whom
Examples:Who/Whom wrote the letter?
He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct.
For who/whom should I vote?
Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct.

We all know who/whom pulled that prank.
This sentence contains two clauses: We all know and who/whom pulled that prank. We are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct.

(Are you starting to sound like a hooting owl yet?)

We want to know on who/whom the prank was pulled.
This sentence contains two clauses: We want to know and the prank was pulled on who/whom. Again, we are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. The prank was pulled on him. Therefore, whom is correct. :D

[peachexploration]

From englishplus.com/grammar/00000027.htm

Using Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are words which replace nouns without specifying which noun they replace.

Singular: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, little, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something

Plural: both, few, many, others, several

Singular or Plural: all, any, more, most, none, some

Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs or singular personal pronouns.

Correct: Each of the members has one vote.
(The subject, each, is singular. Use has.)

Incorrect: One of the girls gave up their seat.

Correct: One of the girls gave up her seat.
(Her refers to one, which is singular.)

Plural indefinite pronouns take plural verbs or plural personal pronouns.

Correct: A few of the justices were voicing their opposition.
(Few is plural, so are were and their.)

For indefinite pronouns that can be singular or plural, it depends on what the indefinite pronoun refers to.

Correct: All of the people clapped their hands.
(All refers to people, which is plural.)

Correct: All of the newspaper was soaked.
(Here all refers to newspaper, which is singular.)

A Gender-Sensitive Case

The pronouns ending with -body or -one such as anybody, somebody, no one, or anyone are singular. So are pronouns like each and every. Words like all or some may be singular. That means that a possessive pronoun referring to these singular words must also be singular. In standard written English the possessive pronoun his is used to refer to a singular indefinite pronoun unless the group referred to is known to be all female.

Incorrect: Is everyone happy with their gift?

Correct: Is everyone happy with his gift?
(Everyone and is are singular. The possessive pronoun must be singular, too)

Most languages, including English, observe the standard of using the masculine pronoun in situations like this. However, in some circles today the idea of choosing the masculine pronoun sounds discriminatory against women. If this usage bothers you, or if you think it may bother your audience, there are two possible ways to work around this and still use standard English.

1. Use the phrase his or her. It is a little awkward, but OK.

Correct: Is everyone happy with his or her gift?

2. Rewrite the sentence using a plural pronoun or antecedent. Plural personal pronouns in English no longer distinguish between masculine and feminine.

Correct: Are all the people happy with their gifts?

[Claude]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, very kind of yours... :D :D :D

And regarding this:


A Gender-Sensitive Case

The pronouns ending with -body or -one such as anybody, somebody, no one, or anyone are singular. So are pronouns like each and every. Words like all or some may be singular. That means that a possessive pronoun referring to these singular words must also be singular. In standard written English the possessive pronoun his is used to refer to a singular indefinite pronoun unless the group referred to is known to be all female.

Incorrect: Is everyone happy with their gift?

Correct: Is everyone happy with his gift?
(Everyone and is are singular. The possessive pronoun must be singular, too)

Most languages, including English, observe the standard of using the masculine pronoun in situations like this. However, in some circles today the idea of choosing the masculine pronoun sounds discriminatory against women. If this usage bothers you, or if you think it may bother your audience, there are two possible ways to work around this and still use standard English.

1. Use the phrase his or her. It is a little awkward, but OK.

Correct: Is everyone happy with his or her gift?

2. Rewrite the sentence using a plural pronoun or antecedent. Plural personal pronouns in English no longer distinguish between masculine and feminine.

Correct: Are all the people happy with their gifts?

Is there an option 3?

Is everyone happy with one's own gift?

[peachexploration]

Mambo, I'm going to say that your sentence would be correct because of the following:
(Everyone and is are singular. The possessive pronoun must be singular, too).....

There is a little quirk nagging on my English tongue about it though. "One's own" sounds like a double possessive pronoun (if there is such a thing) or if there is a hidden message. Almost like asking: Is everyone happy with one's own gift as opposed to someone else's gift.

Interesting.... Any English majors in the SF house? :)

[Capibaribe]

I would like to subscribe to the Grammar Checking Service by Peachy® for all my posts, is that possible? :) I always tend to do the same silly mistakes, I should know better!

[peachexploration]

I would like to subscribe to the Grammar Checking Service by Peachy® for all my posts, is that possible? :) I always tend to do the same silly mistakes, I should know better!

:lol: :lol: I make silly little mistakes too so I'm not sure you would want to do that. ;)

[Ron Obvious]

I would like to subscribe to the Grammar Checking Service by Peachy® for all my posts, is that possible? :) I always tend to do the same silly mistakes, I should know better!

:lol: :lol: I make silly little mistakes too so I'm not sure you would want to do that. ;)

I also usually commit some mistakes... ;)

[peachexploration]

Hi Ron. Good to "see" you. :D

[pr]

Hi Ron. Good to "see" you. :D
Ditto!
Hej Ron! Kul att "se" dig! :D

[ColdSalsero]

Which sentence is more correct in usage of "either" vs "neither":


"X has no spunk, neither above nor below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above or below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above nor below Y."

?

[timberamayor]

Which sentence is more correct in usage of "either" vs "neither":


"X has no spunk, neither above nor below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above or below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above nor below Y."

?

Number 1. Either goes with or, neither goes with nor.

And the meaning is different. Neither mean not X or Y, while either means that one is true, i.e. X or Y true.

[ColdSalsero]

Number 1. Either goes with or, neither goes with nor. And since you are speaking in the negative it's neither.

But then what about the following?:


The issue is grey, it is neither black nor white.
The issue is not grey, it is neither black nor white.

The first one is correct in what I'm trying to say (the issue is not black and is not white). The second one would mean it's not any of those colors, but that's not what I want it to mean in this case.

[timberamayor]

But then what about the following?:


The issue is grey, it is neither black nor white.
The issue is not grey, it is neither black nor white.

The first one is correct in what I'm trying to say (the issue is not black and is not white). The second one would mean it's not any of those colors, but that's not what I want it to mean in this case.

Yeah I know. I edited my response but after you'd already seen it. so look up again and there is a much better explanation

[DJ Yuca]

1 is better however I don't think any of them are quite correct, what about

x has no spunk, therefore he is neither above nor below y.

[!!!]

Which sentence is more correct in usage of "either" vs "neither":


"X has no spunk, neither above nor below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above or below Y."
"X has no spunk, either above nor below Y."

?

Not really enough information to answer, but the first one is the closest.

The first one says "X has no spunk. X's spunk is not above Y and X's spunk is not below Y". I would recommend you join the two parts with a dash instead of a comma there: "X has no spunk -- neither above nor below Y" (and you should consider whether "above" is correct, but there's not enough context to say)

The second one isnt clear as written, but you might get away with it in spoken english - most people would understand it as saying "X has no spunk, but X's spunk is either above Y or X's spunk is below Y".

ps, are you sure the word "spunk" means what you think it does...?

[ColdSalsero]

Number 1. Either goes with or, neither goes with nor.

And the meaning is different. Neither mean not X or Y, while either means that one is true, i.e. X or Y true.

1 is better however I don't think any of them are quite correct, what about

x has no spunk, therefore he is neither above nor below y.

Not really enough information to answer, but the first one is the closest.

The first one says "X has no spunk. X's spunk is not above Y and X's spunk is not below Y". I would recommend you join the two parts with a dash instead of a comma there: "X has no spunk -- neither above nor below Y" (and you should consider whether "above" is correct, but there's not enough context to say)

The second one isnt clear as written, but you might get away with it in spoken english - most people would understand it as saying "X has no spunk, but X's spunk is either above Y or X's spunk is below Y".


Okay, thanks for the help guys!

...
ps, are you sure the word "spunk" means what you think it does...?

Spunk as in spirited and lively, yes, I know what it means...I'll admit my first examples were pretty contrived, and that "spunk" doesn't make much sense in them. A better example would've been


X has no spunk, neither inside nor outside the club.