Writers face grammatical and punctuation challenges every day. It’s not easy being a writer especially in this age of text messaging and tweeting. We are constantly faced with having to make decisions that could make or break the next great American novel. Or simply what is the best way to reply to a text. I mean seriously, what writer doesn’t feel this way?
And there are choices like: lie, lay, lain, laid; who or whom, effect or affect that must be made, sometimes at warp speed in order to keep with our rhythm to meet today’s word count. Have you ever looked up the definitions of these words? I have and I still don’t know how to use some of them properly. Countless books are available to help navigate through the English language and yet, misused words and phrases end up strewn across our pages every day.
While wasting time yet still attempting to look busy researching this topic, I came across this video, which helped me realize that our efforts as writers to “get it right,” are not in vain. People notice and people care. Please enjoy this writing advice from the great Weird Al Yankovic.
Who knew Mr. Yankovic was such a grammar snob? And now is your chance to share your writing secrets, grammar woes, or comments about anything you wish to share. Don’t be bashful.
Word of the Day: Audiencia
Fun Fact About Me: I have a tendency to write really long sentences.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, February 2015. Video courtesy YouTube and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
This is so awesome!! I SUCK at grammar. But I have a really good editor who teaches me one new rule with every book I write, and she says I’m getting better 🙂
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That’s awesome, Alicia! Never stop learning (or in my case remembering) those golden grammar rules.
Nice to see your smiling face this morning over here at the Edge of Eternity. Have a great week!
Patricia
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That was fun. There are words in there I get confused on. Thanks for a fun way to start a Monday. Hugs!
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Good morning and happy Monday to you as well, Marlene/Paisley. So nice to see you over here this morning.
Grammar is one of those things that you either “get” or you don’t. Like math people “get” numbers; word people “get” grammar, or at least they should. I still get confused, too, but I try.
Hugs back at you pretty lady!
Patricia
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Weird Al on a Monday morning! It just so happens I listened to White & Nerdy this weekend. He may be silly, but he knows his grammar.
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He is indeed silly, Coleen, but this video was right on point. Strange co-inky-dink about your “music” choice this weekend and my blog post today. Hmmm.
Have a wonderful week.
Patricia
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Gotta love Weird Al! My biggest grammar peeve? Its/it’s, and apostrophes in plurals–speaking of which, I don’t usually critique blog posts–mine certainly aren’t perfect–but given the subject, you might want to take a look at the first word in the post… 🙂
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Ha! Love it. Thanks for pointing that out, Jennette. Seems to go with the the nature of the post. Maybe it was intentional? Hmmmm. Let’s go with that – yeah – I did it that way on purpose. Tee Hee.
Thanks for stopping by this busy Monday. Have a wonderful week.
Patricia
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I love this Weird Al song. He’s such a crackup! I put the YouTube video on for the kids and me to dance to. Of course, they can’t read yet, let alone understand what the song’s about, but I get a big kick out of it.
My pet peeve is when I see quotation marks inside a period. I guess that’s the British way to punctuate, but many Americans are doing it and “It’s incorrect.”
“This is wrong”.
Haha! You shouldn’t have asked!
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I hear you Lynn. I have my pet peeves, too. But then again, I’m also guilty of grammar faux pas, so I guess what goes around, comes back around.
Thanks for visiting and enjoying the video with the kiddos. Some day they’ll “get it.” I hope anyway. By then English as we know it may be completely re-written in text and twitter format. Gold help us all.
Patricia
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