Questions tagged [style-manuals]
The style-manuals tag has no usage guidance.
172
questions
3
votes
2answers
85 views
Hyphenation of compound modifiers that have written-out numeric ranges in them
Is either of these approaches to hyphenation currently more popular than the other one is when it comes to printed publications?
The drug is most promising for three-to-fifteen-year-old children.
The ...
2
votes
2answers
44 views
Question: Is it social democracy or Social democracy or Social Democracy? AP style [closed]
Sentence 1:
Similarily though he carried out many useful administrative reforms, in a vain effort to combat Social Democracy he seriously interefered with the liberty of public meeting and attempted ...
1
vote
0answers
32 views
Participle Phrase vs. That/Which
In recent writing and editing, I noticed that a participle phrase can sometimes be used interchangeably with a that/which phrase, and both options seem equally readable. The following sentences show ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
'Did/does' at head of subordinate phrase
He does have a sense of humour does Mr Marr.
Nigel Williams, 1992
Is this double use of do just doubly emphatic?
Secondly, why can't do be used similarly, for example with a plural proper noun?
1
vote
1answer
82 views
'Miscellaneous': must be followed by a plural count noun
Garner's fourth reads
Miscellaneous must be followed by a plural count noun; it does
not work with an abstract mass noun. Exceptions are set phrases such
as miscellaneous shower/income.
and
An ...
3
votes
2answers
103 views
"Unlike" after negatives
Fowler (1926) criticized the position of unlike in:
M. Berger, however, does not appear to have— unlike his Russian
masters— the gift of presenting female characters.
As with many negatives, the ...
-1
votes
1answer
70 views
Does capitalisation change when a word moves from proper noun to adjective?
For the sake of this question I'll use the word Linux as an example, but I really want to ask about the principle generally.
The word Linux started as the name of an operating system kernel written by ...
5
votes
2answers
366 views
Get married: act vs ceremony
You can use marriage to refer to the act of getting
married, Her family did not approve of her marriage to David.
You don't usually use marriage to refer to the ceremony in
which two people get ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
"Fairly" can't be used with comparatives or negatives
Don't use ‘fairly’ in front of a comparative form, *the train is
fairly quicker than the bus; in more formal writing, you use rather
or somewhat.
https://www.wordreference.com/EnglishUsage/fairly
...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
"Expect": + that-clause vs + to-infinitive
In ‘I expect J will come’, you are simply saying you think
he will, but in ‘I expect J to come’ you will be annoyed or
disappointed if he does not.
Instead of ‘expect something will not’ happen, you ...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
"Numbers": mass noun
Garner reads
Although enough modifies either count nouns or mass nouns, enough
stamina, sufficient should modify only mass nouns, so the usage
problem can be solved by making it sufficient numbers of....
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Comma at the End of a List Following a Colon
Is the following sentence written correctly?
Bob's three favorite colors: black, red, and blue, are Emma's least favorite colors.
Specifically, I'm asking about the comma following blue.
1
vote
1answer
67 views
"A few" + a number : unremarkable quantity [closed]
A few is usually more than two (two often being referred to as "a couple of"), and less than "several". Few emphasises smallness of
number, while a few emphasises some:
He's a ...
5
votes
1answer
99 views
What or who is the source of the proscription on contractions in formal writing?
I couldn't find this exact question, though obviously there are many related questions around using contractions.
I write academic work in a field where contractions are accepted but rare, and no ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Can you ever place a comma ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ the word "which"? [duplicate]
Is there any scenario in which a comma is used right after the word which?
For example, is this sentence correctly written as is — or not?
The sensitivity to material AAA, which, in fact, is ...
0
votes
0answers
140 views
Double comparatives: "more preferable"
Fowler reads
Sometimes the double comparative form more preferable is used.
The word more is of course unnecessary, since preferable by itself
means ‘more desirable (than)’. Like other comparatives,...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
"Magic" in its descriptive role
Fowler reads
Magic(al): The two words compete with one another in all the main senses, ‘relating to magic’, ‘produced by or as if by magic’, and
‘wonderful’, although in certain fixed expressions ...
2
votes
0answers
18 views
"Sufficient(ly)": quantitative vs qualitative
Garner's reads
Though both words were originally used in reference to quantity,
adequate now tends toward the qualitative and sufficient toward the quantitative.
However, Fowler says
As an ...
0
votes
0answers
48 views
"One another" when an ordered series of events or stages is involved
According to a traditional rule, each other denotes a reciprocal
relation between two entities, and one another refers to more than
two.
Many people maintain a further stylistic distinction between ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
Sometimes, just thinking about making it would suffice
I am doubting this sentence, and wonder if anyone has a pointer or two.
The context is, you don't necessarily need to make art...
Sometimes, just thinking about making it would suffice.
Sometimes, ...
0
votes
0answers
39 views
"Some day/time" if "some" modifies and specifies a more particular day/time
The adverbs someday and sometime express future time
indefinitely: Let's meet sometime when your schedule permits.
The two-word forms are always used when some is an adjective
modifying and specifying ...
14
votes
1answer
1k views
If I use the word "enumerated", must the list be numeric or can it be bullet points?
If I use the word "enumerated" in writing, must the list I am enumerating be numeric or can it be bullet points?
0
votes
0answers
47 views
Do these phrases require hyphens? "mock-cried" vs "mock cried" [duplicate]
Should the following sentences be hyphenated?
I mock cried into his shoulder.
vs.
I mock-cried into his shoulder.
He smiled at me with his old man charm.
vs.
He smiled at me with his old man-charm.
0
votes
0answers
15 views
Does joining two independent explanatory clauses with only a comma necessarily produce a comma splice?
Recently, I wrote a sentence of the following form:
Yes, you can do that, you just need to press that red button.
A reader took issue with this sentence, as he believed it was an ungrammatical comma ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Is "Each person should do their own work" really not logical to say? [duplicate]
I am taking English Language Studies as my bachelor's. It happened when one of our subjects' professor, Advanced English Grammar professor, said that the sentence "each person should do their own ...
1
vote
0answers
16 views
Is repeating the section title in the first sentence good writing style? [closed]
In a number of structure formats I am very tempted to re-state the title of sections in the first section, i.e. if the given section is “Expected Results”, I tend to want to start by saying “The ...
0
votes
0answers
11 views
Neither (conjuntion): before the first of two or more coordinates or clauses linked by 'nor'
When either is used as a conjunction, no paraphrase with any is
available, and so either is unexceptionable even when it applies
to more than two clauses: Either the union will make a
counteroffer or ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
How is this couplet to be interpreted grammatically?
What follows are two couplets from the final stanza of the poem 'And thou art dead as young and fair' by Lord Byron. I wish to ask how the word 'thus' is being used here.
Yet how much less it were to ...
-1
votes
1answer
158 views
Is "equals to," as in "one plus one equals to two," ungrammatical? [closed]
I study mathematics alongside many Chinese students. They will often use the phrase "equals to," as in "one plus one equals to two." Is this usage incorrect?
-2
votes
1answer
41 views
Is there a standard way of referring to electronic files?
If I'm writing about a specific computer file - let's say a file which looks, in some view, to be named ExampleFile.pdf (which is already problematic, since what you see might depend on the details of ...
3
votes
3answers
226 views
Is it possible to have an interrogative after an imperative connected with coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence?
I know rephrasing, using semicolon, or just splitting it into two sentences are probably the possible options here (the best choice, however, is my side question). Consider the following as examples:
...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
How can I correctly reference a source directly in an article under Harvard-style rules for publications?
I am trying to reference a source directly in an article that I am writing using “Harvard-style” referencing. The source I am using is an article published on a radio station’s “news articles” page. ...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
Role of "that" in the beginning of a sentence?
IN EARLY 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic tearing across the world, most people thought it unlikely that a vaccine would arrive any time soon. And as work to develop vaccines began, there were dire ...
0
votes
1answer
224 views
Which is the proper way to use (and mark) nested parentheses?
I found some posts on whether it is acceptable to nest parentheses (e.g. here) but there is no discussion yet about which parentheses should be used when nesting, and how.
These are some alternative ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Is "Black" correct, incorrect, or could it be used as either "Black" or "black"? [duplicate]
I was reading an article that I was assigned by my professor, and I came across the following:
“We’re the ones getting killed,” Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who is Black, said in an ...
0
votes
1answer
134 views
"People" was not to be preceded by a number, as in "Fewer than 30 people showed up"
From WordReference I discovered the following usage note
At one time, some usage guides maintained that people could not be
preceded by a number, as in Fewer than 30 people showed up.
WordReference
...
2
votes
1answer
41 views
It has been used correctly this phrase in this paragraph?
I am wondering whether the following paragraph is clear. I am particularly concerned about the last phrase (emphasized).
Joined work with local authorities to find alternatives to confront
climatic ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
What's the reason for using quotations with titles of works?
I have seen that in some styles for documenting sources quotations marks are used for the titles of short works.
What's the reason for setting this as the convention? This seems like a use-mention ...
1
vote
2answers
276 views
"Two Fewer Items" or "Two Items Fewer"?
If I have 10 items in my bag and my friend has 12, which of the following do I say?
I have two fewer items than they do.
or
I have two items fewer than they do.
In this page from CMOS, they say:
...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
How to highlight model or category names in scientific text (if they are ordinary words)?
For example, there are two sentences
The government is considering that the crisis will follow a soft scenario ...
Dr. Jones has calculated soft and hard crisis scenarios. The input data was ...
In ...
0
votes
2answers
50 views
Is there an implied be verb in the sentence "American workers facing or are facing"?
American workers facing a less prosperous future than their parents’ generation have gotten the message—or at least a version of it.
Can anyone please explain the structure? Is there any implied be ...
0
votes
1answer
72 views
All (*of) the students/contracts [duplicate]
According to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English
Although some object to the inclusion of of in such phrases as all of the students and all of the contracts and prefer to omit ...
0
votes
3answers
151 views
Whilst or while, etc - Oxford Spelling
I am writing an academic paper and would like to use the Oxford spelling throughout. (I am native British.) I read that Oxford spelling generally follows British English other than a few exceptions, ...
0
votes
0answers
84 views
Can we use quotation marks to refer to a specific term on a website?
Here's the paragraph:
My first inclination is to find the search bar and type the word “Graphic design”. But, there is no search bar. On the top left panel, there are 3 tabs : “Courses”, “Programs”, ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Do you write "AT 123.com", or "ON 123.com"? US English
US English
I have read other answers on this very question, and no one seems to be able to come up with a clear cut grammatically correct solution.
For a website/platform is it:
A) At 123.com, you ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
"Enact Change" - Is it correct?
"How to enact change in..."
"We enacted change by..."
I've seen this used in quite a few contexts, but it doesn't seem to make much sense when I look at the word "enact" in the dictionary.
From ...
1
vote
2answers
51 views
Recommended way to format copyright?
I'm working on a website and want to have a short mention of the copyright of said website in its footer. What is the recommended formatting for such a thing?
I've seen "© YYYY Company", "© Company, ...
4
votes
3answers
359 views
What can I call a longer passage in an academic work (text equivalent to "Figure")?
I want to number blocks of texts in my work (parts of a movie script or something the creators said) so that I can refer to them throughout the essay. Is there an equivalent to 'Figure' to label these ...
0
votes
0answers
86 views
Should the asterisk of a postscript correspond in size to the first asterisk, or be the same font size as the postscript's lettering?
The former makes sense in terms of its intent--which is to take off where it leaves off, the reason why an asterisk is used on both ends--but perhaps this is trumped by the importance of font size?
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Has "which were" been omitted before " noted" in this text?
Has "which were" been omitted before " noted" in this text?
But there is no other evidence that the Persians of this period were the slaves of any such superstitions as that noted by Ammianus.