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What do you have problems with? Grammar/Spelling etc
Thought I'd start a post with people putting down their grammar/spelling problems. Might be worthwhile, because sometimes I have a query and, because I've just placed one in the last month or so, feel too embarrassed about asking for help again so soon. And as I've seen "my problems", in other peoples posts answered I thought if we put all our grievances/worries/niggles etc in one pile it'll be easier to look through to see if you spot your grievance/worry/niggle etc. Maybe others feel the same... or not?
Right, I struggle with passed/past.
I can understand "past" as far as: past is before today. History. But then the rules change, and we have past being used in all manner of things. Then there's "passed". So what is the difference between them?
Right, I struggle with passed/past.
I can understand "past" as far as: past is before today. History. But then the rules change, and we have past being used in all manner of things. Then there's "passed". So what is the difference between them?
Comments
You can also say, some time has passed, but it would be the same rule -time passes, it can pass, it has passed.
'past' as in 'in past times' is an adjective.(those times have passed away)
When 'passed' becomes an adjective we spell it 'past'
That is supposed to be the rule but...'he passed me by' is ok but what about 'he went past me' ?...I think it is still an adjective...
At the moment I seem to be using more ; in place of commas, but they are in the right places, so I suppose it just says something about how I am writing at the moment.
My word that causes difficulty is discreet and discrete.
Thank you for making me feel normal Dorothy. I really never think about grammatical terms.
I suppose (hopefully) it's one of those spellings that as long as you're consistent?
It may not be exact but it works for me.
'He went past me' is also right. Depends on how you write the sentence. You will see the difference if you don't rush the reading. Says me anyway! It does matter when writing, you do need to get it right.
I had this problem the other day (I was editing my entry for the club competition next month) and I'd originally written 'among the trees'. It just didn't sound right, so I came to either 'amid' or 'amidst', and checked the dictionary- either would do for the context I needed.
As it has to be read aloud it was the ease of saying amid, rather than amidst (which I stumble over saying) that decided it.
http://www.towson.edu/ows/past.htm
An agent I recently had a meeting with, liked my work, but said that I'd have to get it proffessioanlly edited before she would consider submitting the work. she doesn't do any editing herself, so when she said no to taking me on, I thougth it was probably for the best. if only I could do better!
judging from things Ive read it doesnt seem to matter.
But which of these two extracts looks/reads/sounds better/correct?
Its from a story Im re-jigging for a comp which has a theme which exactly suits. A version of this has won minor comp all ready but since the theme is perfect for this comp I may as well give it another outing. Have to post it tomorrow.
She is walking the beach and remembering her childhood... the little ship symbolises several things in the story...
...Each year the hulk of their little ship HAD BEEN less and less visible and every summer in her childhood memory she remembered it BEING further up the beach. The sea had crept inches and then yards up the shore slowly devouring the ageing face of the earth, and their pretty ship had sunk into the soft bed; and then it was gone - as if in stop frame photography - frame by frame - images summer by summer - gone; eaten by the sea in a moment....
==========
...Each year the hulk of their little ship WAS LESS AND LESS VISIBLE. Each summer, in her childhood memory she remembered it HAVING BEEN further up the beach. The sea had crept inches and then yards up the shore slowly devouring the ageing face of the earth, and their pretty ship HAD SUNK into the soft bed; and then it was gone - as if in stop frame photography - frame by frame - images summer by summer - gone; eaten by the sea in a moment....
...their pretty ship HAD SUNK into the soft bed... [ should this be their pretty ship SANK into the soft bed...?]
©
...their little ship was less visible...she remembered it being further up the beach...their pretty ship had sunk...
But what do I know? :)
Where's Jay - he's pretty hot on grammar.
Good luck Bill.
was less visible
being further up the beach
ship had sunk
...Each year the hulk *** do you mean HULL? Hulk sounds odd for a pretty little ship*** of their little ship HAD BEEN *** possibly HAD BECOME *** less and less visible and every summer in her childhood memory she remembered it BEING further up *** is it changing each year? Don't you mean DOWN? *** the beach. The sea had crept inches and then yards up the shore slowly devouring the ageing face of the earth, and their pretty ship had sunk into the soft bed; and then it was gone - as if in stop frame photography - frame by frame - images summer by summer - gone; eaten by the sea in a moment....
==========
...Each year the hulk *** see 1st version comment *** of their little ship WAS LESS AND LESS VISIBLE *** sounds OK ***. Each summer, in her childhood memory she remembered it HAVING BEEN further up *** HAVING BEEN sounds OK, but see 1st version comment ***the beach. The sea had crept inches and then yards up the shore slowly devouring the ageing face of the earth, and their pretty ship HAD SUNK into the soft bed; and then it was gone - as if in stop frame photography - frame by frame - images summer by summer - gone; eaten by the sea in a moment....
...their pretty ship HAD SUNK into the soft bed... [ should this be their pretty ship SANK into the soft bed...?] *** I prefer HAD SUNK ***
© Bill
Past tense, past knowledge etc., are in the Past. Ago. Short and Sweet. Gone.
Everything else has passed away (to pass away), passed you by (it will pass you by), passed overhead (to pass overhead), passed from one to another (Pass it to him). The act of passing. Then you'll hear the sssss as it goes past. (As it's gone)
(None of that probably makes any sense) :rolleyes:
It's a bit like TO and TOO. I used to get mixed up with them until someone told me that TOO is spoken as it sounds; and TO sounds like TUH.
Now, if To and Too is wrong it is glaringly obvious to me.
Just don't get me started on effect and affect!!! I'll avoid them at all costs.
too to two
there their they're
effect affect
=
The acid affected the alkaline
The government has effected a non-effective strategy.
i.e. affect is more personal
effect is more factual.
The problem I had with this extract was that it constantly repeated itself. I like to make my things succinct.
...Each year the hull of their little ship became less visible; in her summery childhood memories, she remembered it being further up the beach. The sea had crept inches and then yards up the shore, and their pretty ship had sunk into the soft bed; and then it was gone - eaten by the sea....
It can be majestic, a heap of timber. :)
Sorry, just a thought...and I'm not writing it so who cares...
The sea figures largely as a theme and there is a lot of deliberate repetition and short/long sentences to reflect rhythm of sea....