Questions related to the use of proper writing style in English
0
votes
0answers
29 views
How do I read this format of poem the way the author intended? [closed]
us+shake+the+rattle+to+call+back%22&source=bl&ots=knd6A5_8Bm&sig=dubeTQtHEPk7vc3Ut0byZJbiZ78&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Z5aaUZGgGeSqyAHBwoHwCQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=true
...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
Is it ok if I start an opinion composition with the word 'Indeed'?
I was just wondering, is it's OK to begin an opinion composition with the word 'Indeed' in the first sentence? For example:
Indeed I believe people's consumerism is one of the main causes for our ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
“To go so far as to” — suitable for academic writing?
Is using the phrase "to go so far as to" in an academic context (e.g. in an article in humanities journal) acceptable?
New Example:
I do not know why Mister X went so far as to assert that Mister ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
Goodbye - is it very formal?
I'm writing about cultural differences - not for scientific purposes - and am trying to find out about more and less formal ways of saying goodbye in English.
On a scale of formality (from least to ...
-2
votes
0answers
75 views
The heat makes the them to sweat a lot. A dusty wind blows on them [closed]
The heat makes the them to sweat a lot. A dusty wind blows on them.
I want to rewrite this sentence in one sentence. How can I do that? If you ask why, I'm trying to improve writing skill for ...
-1
votes
1answer
45 views
Conjunction vs comma for creative writing [closed]
Mark is crying, sitting in the middle of the hall.
Mark is sitting in the middle of the hall and crying.
I know both sentences are grammatically correct. But which is good for creative writing?
...
8
votes
3answers
439 views
Bringing word into existence just by calling and using it
Sometimes, when I read essays, I see that writers make up words and by using them, they bring those words into existence.
For example:
In her article "Juban America", Ruth Behar uses the term ...
-1
votes
0answers
63 views
How to write numeral intervals where numbers are percentages? [closed]
If a numeric value is fluctuating between two points, we can write it as "between 10 and 20 hours" or "10-20 hours later". If these values are percentages, which one of the following is more proper in ...
-1
votes
0answers
66 views
Punctuations and “tumbles down the hill”
He jump but hardly reaches the stone and tumbles down the hill. He tries to catch some other edge or stone as he falls and catches a small hole with his two fingers in the left hand.
Something ...
0
votes
1answer
87 views
Avoiding repetition — “hallway” [closed]
In many forums, I have seen people keep saying to avoid repetition of the same word in a paragraph. But in the sentence like below, how do you avoid the repetition?
Suddenly, the dog stands up and ...
-2
votes
0answers
66 views
Order of the phrases matter? [closed]
I'm not a native English speaker. Which of the following is correct? My friend claims, the first one has schematic and logical mistakes and not the way a native English speaker would write. He claims ...
-1
votes
0answers
31 views
There's, He's, there're, you're, what're, they're, she's [duplicate]
There's, He's, there're, you're, what're, they're, she's
vs
There is, He is, There are, You are, What are, They are, She is
While writing a story, like novel, what is the rules in terms of following ...
0
votes
2answers
62 views
Introducing a character [closed]
JOHN MICHAELSON, in his late 40s, is sitting in a couch, reading a
book. He is lean and hard. His eyes look tired and depressed, and
there is a vacuum in his life; we see that in his face.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
When to make compound adjectives with adverbs?
I'm trying to figure out what style guidelines or rules apply to creating compound adjectives when adverbs are involved. Typically you create compound adjectives when there is potential for ambiguity ...
-4
votes
1answer
50 views
Please help me with this MLA outline style question [closed]
According to MLA outline style, which of the following choices should be placed in the tier following: I. Childhood?
A.
(a). linguistic phases
B.
A. linguistic phases
C. ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
Uniformly at random vs. randomly uniformly
In their paper "Handling Churn in a DHT", the
authors use the following sentence:
For each event we select a node to die uniformly at random[...]
Do you think this sentence is unprecise? Or is ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
Availability and Unavailability
Is it right to say - Because of availability of someone meeting is cancelled or should we say Because of unavailability of someone meeting is cancelled.
1
vote
2answers
201 views
Correct form for a page range?
Is, for example, "pp. 1567–93" an acceptable way to denote pages 1567 through 1593? In what contexts must you always write it in long form "pp. 1567–1593" instead? Also, what about in the case of ...
1
vote
2answers
126 views
A better, more academic way of saying 'whether or not'
This is my sentence, and I was hoping to make it sound more academic:
The aim is to ascertain whether or not the actors from the two films analysed can be considered to be heroes
Is there a ...
-1
votes
0answers
39 views
What kind of language should be used when writing a manual? [closed]
When writing a manual that customers who will be paying for, what kind of language is more acceptable?
Eg:
"You can click on this icon to create a file".
OR, the more indirect options,
"This icon may ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Is it good style to factor out the common root word of two (or more) prefixed compound words?
I see sometimes in conjunciton or disjunction, the common root of two or more compound words are factored out, for example, "super- and sub-script" (maybe bad example, but it suffices to describe the ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
What words are commonly lowercase when using Chicago Style Title Case? [duplicate]
My father has a website with over a thousand posts with the titles in UPPERCASE.
We'd like to change the post titles to follow the Chicago Manual of Style Title Case rules.
To speed things up I am ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
How to write in English for international readers? [closed]
How to write in English for international readers?
I'm not a native English speaker but I've been learning the language for many years in many fields (Mathematics, Physics, Mechanical Engineering and ...
-2
votes
3answers
95 views
How to write in a scientific way? [closed]
Could anybody help me in rephrasing these sentences in a scientific way?
Both d1 and d2 perform well under sparse vegetation (LAI<1), for LAI larger than 1, d1 (with almost constant ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
“Remember those times that” or “remember those times when”
I have seen that in certain places the phrase "remember those times that" is used, when I actually find it more natural to say "remember those times when".
Since I am not a native English speaker I ...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Is it ok for me to switch from first person to third person here, or can I do this better in first person?
I’m currently trying to update my résumé from my tired old version to something more up to date. I’m currently having a little trouble with wording here:
I’m a self-directed learner who has ...
7
votes
3answers
599 views
meaning and usage of 'teh'
“I wouldn’ say no teh a bit o’ yer birthday cake, neither.”
“He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him.”
—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hagrid’s ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Using Past Perfect after an event
While reading a book, I came across some sentences that used past-perfect "after" an event had taken place. Actually, I've seen many books do this, so this must be the grammatically correct way, but ...
-5
votes
1answer
307 views
How can I rewrite the following sentence with fewer words? [closed]
How can I rewrite the following sentence with fewer words?
The team endeavours to improve its performance constantly.
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Correct use of “proof-of-concept” [closed]
In writing a technical paper, I'm wondering about the correct use of proof-of-concept.
In short, the situation is that we have developed an application/tool to show the feasibility of a new approach ...
0
votes
3answers
79 views
Although correct, is “the above” to be avoided?
Although the phrase the above is not exactly incorrect, should it be avoided?
For example, imagine a letter with a heading "Re: Order for 79 purple cardboard slugs". Should a paragraph in the letter ...
-1
votes
1answer
141 views
What's the correct way to format a date range, time range, and days of week in a single line?
I'd like to write the date and time for an event that runs for one week. Currently I have:
June 3-7, 2013, 8:30am-5:30pm; Monday-Friday
Is this stylistically acceptable? Is there a better way?
...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
What is the name for a comma delimited list with parenthetically labeled items?
Sometimes I run across a list where the elements are parenthetically labeled for future reference. Here is a fictitious example:
The People of the United States established the Constitution to ...
-1
votes
1answer
54 views
Grammaticality of differently worded quotations
In crafting a "homemade" quotation, and after considerable time, I've come up with a few versions. I'm not sure, however, if any of them is correct grammatically, not to mention memorable ...
0
votes
0answers
104 views
When and how to use unusual vocabulary? [closed]
English in particular has an extensive vocabulary, yet it seems the variety of words used in common language is limited. I am told anecdotally by German friends that their everyday parlance is ...
4
votes
1answer
184 views
Is it necessary to begin a new paragraph after a person speaks?
When I was in school, I was taught to always begin a new paragraph after a quotation or after a speaker concludes a segment of dialogue. However, in recent years, I have seen authors abandon this ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
Asymmetric spacing of dashes in interpolated phrases
I have come across a dash-spacing style that I haven't seen anywhere else, and I'm wondering where it may come from. The person who writes in this style asserts that he has learnt it in school in the ...
-1
votes
1answer
125 views
Is it ok to end a sentence with a preposition? [duplicate]
I have a sentence:
It can be derived from either A or B.
But I’m not sure how to ask the following question:
Which one of them can it be derived from?
Is that ok, or would it be better if ...
2
votes
2answers
126 views
Is the word “dorm” acceptable in a thesis?
I'm writing a thesis about students living in dormitories and I would like to know if a dorm is an acceptable expression for a dormitory?
I don't live in GB nor in USA and the thesis is neither ...
0
votes
1answer
210 views
“Nota Bene” in technical writing
I am currently writing my thesis for a MSc in computer science. In some places I came up with short but crucial explanations or remarks that I wanted to show in a stand-out display to emphasize their ...
4
votes
3answers
209 views
Do I use “argued” or “argues”? Past or Present? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What (grammatical) tense to use when doing reference in a paper?
Should I use present or past tense when referring to a (scientific) paper?
“has been raised” or “was ...
3
votes
2answers
120 views
Using articles before titles beginning with articles
What are the rules for the use of articles before titles beginning with articles? Which of the following sentences is correct?
I went to the The New York Times office this morning.
I went to The New ...
-1
votes
2answers
146 views
What's the preferred style for a résumé? [closed]
I’m in the process of converting my CV into a résumé.
I have a few options for the bits about where I worked and what I did.
I implemented X, I used Y to do it, I coordinated Z.
(current CV ...
3
votes
5answers
334 views
Struggling to understand headlines that use ellipsis
I have trouble understanding headlines because they abuse ellipsis. Two examples:
"Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan To Awkwardly Hug, High Five For Next Three Months"
"Scores Dead as Fire Sweeps Through ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
Does this stylistic guideline have a name?
The principle would be something like: Avoid a long modifying clause that creates distance between your subject and verb
For example, according to this guideline, the sentence
One of his uncles ...
2
votes
2answers
57 views
“The more time a person invests” vs. 'the more time a person will invest'
Consider the following two sentences:
Because the more time a person invests into specific interests, the better their results.
Because the more time a person will invest into their specific ...
0
votes
3answers
86 views
“VPN Networks” vs. “VPNs”
I am writing a technical report on a topic which includes a Virtual Private Network. These are commonly abbreviated as VPN.
However it feels strange writing something along the lines of
VPNs are ...
12
votes
3answers
429 views
Is it appropriate to add a postscript to an email?
Wikipedia says:
A postscript may be a sentence, a paragraph, or occasionally many paragraphs added to, often hastily and incidentally, after the signature of a letter or (sometimes) the main body ...
1
vote
1answer
116 views
What punctuation mark should I use? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the proper use of [square brackets] in quotes?
What do brackets in a quote mean?
When I add information beside a word in a Bible verse, what bracket should I ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
“Regards” vs. “Best regards” vs. “With regards” [closed]
Which of the three phrases in the concluding phrase is most appropriate when sending a work-related email?
Could the three be ranked in terms of their overall level of formality?
