Improve Your Writing: Tips for Punctuation, Capitalization, and Formatting | Fyi

[legacypc46]

Oh, that's right Janet, I'm not that older than you. I forgot, you only look 15 on TV!

(I would kill to have your genes!)

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I have socks and shoes older than you.

 

[pampermejolene]

I'm what most of you would probably consider younger, I'm 26. I just got a text from a friend who is 30 and it read "I am gd busy at wk and wkng on my backyard. jst let me know." Ugh!! It took me like 3 minutes to figure out what she was saying and it only would have taken her extra seconds to add the few letters she cut out! I do use some short cuts when texting (like u instead of you and 2morrow instead of tomorrow) but come on! Leaving out vowels makes me crazy in text and definitely doesn't have a place here. I know some people just starting college and in high school that type their papers like that! Poor teachers! It's getting a little (I am guilty of always typing lil instead of little) ridiculous

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

The topic of abbreviations and acronyms was addressed in The Hitchhiker's Guide to Chef Success, but if the noobs don't read it, well, judging from some of the threads up here lately, they're not reading it.

 

[janetupnorth]

Here is a funny site you'll all appreciate:National Punctuation Day - LettersI think I'll get the ellipsis T-shirt for conference:
Punctuation Products

 

[janetupnorth]

Punctuation FactPunctuation first began to be added to texts because of declining standards of literacy. Readers had become less able to indicate their own punctuation.Funny how that relates to today's society in various forms...wonder what our remedy of today will be?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Here is a funny site you'll all appreciate:

National Punctuation Day - Letters


I think I'll get the ellipsis T-shirt for conference:
Punctuation Products

So, I had to go and check out the site - and found something rather interesting. At least to me it is interesting...

I read this letter that was sent in:

National Punctuation Day - Letters

and it led me to this! Hmmm, I learned something new today! :thumbup:



Welcome to Interrobang-Mks

 

[janetupnorth]

So, I had to go and check out the site - and found something rather interesting. At least to me it is interesting...

I read this letter that was sent in:

National Punctuation Day - Letters

and it led me to this! Hmmm, I learned something new today! :thumbup:



Welcome to Interrobang-Mks

Becky, you are SCARING me again! That's what I found interesting too!

 

[janetupnorth]

I am curious to see if I can use an interrobang in IMs at work...it is needed sometimes. Unfortunately, it won't copy in a message here...

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

A panda walks into a bar. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air.

"Why? Why are you behaving in this strange, un-panda-like fashion?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda walks towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

"I'm a panda," he says, at the door. "Look it up."

The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation.

"Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves."

That's the title of Lynn's wonderful book, East Shoots and Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference! It's the zero-tolerance guide to punctuation.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I am curious to see if I can use an interrobang in IMs at work...it is needed sometimes.

Unfortunately, it won't copy in a message here...

LOL! I tried to copy it in my message here to!

So, in my weirdness, I am not alone? (An interrobang would be appropriate right here, don't you think? )

 

[janetupnorth]

LOL! I tried to copy it in my message here to!So, in my weirdness, I am not alone? (An interrobang would be appropriate right here, don't you think? )

Nope, only if you say:So, in my weirdness, am I not alone?!

 

[chefann]

*cough*nerd*cough*Of course, I have to include myself in that description.

 

[legacypc46]

 

[chefann]

One of my favorite blogs is The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. People send in pics of signs with superfluous quotes. They become really funny when you read them ironically (as if the word in quotes isn't what they actually meant, like when people make air-quotes with their fingers). You can see it at The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks

 

[KateD]

 

[jbachen]

I think everyone here just needs to pay better attention to detial. (If I knew how to put that in a sign held by a smiley, I would have.)

 

[kathijenkins]

LOL! I tried to copy it in my message here to!

So, in my weirdness, I am not alone? (An interrobang would be appropriate right here, don't you think? )

Sadly, I had to go look up interrobang in the dictionary. Guess I should take a refresher course in Grammar.

 

[PampChefJoy]

Not to mention, spelling and usage. Reading some posts is like this:

Tide To Go. (Click on the link.)

PSA: An ellipsis is used to show a drifting thought or omitted words. The ellipsis consists of three dots ... not four, seven, nine or twenty six. Three. No more, no less.

OMG, the dot dot dot is my signature verbiage... you know how those profilers can figure out who an anonymous writer is by their style... I could never get away with that because you'd always see my ... all over the place.

I guess I have alot of drifiting thoughts... (hehe) BUT I do not leave twenty-six!

 

[janetupnorth]

OMG, the dot dot dot is my signature verbiage... you know how those profilers can figure out who an anonymous writer is by their style... I could never get away with that because you'd always see my ... all over the place.

I guess I have alot of drifiting thoughts... (hehe) BUT I do not leave twenty-six!

Joy - search for my posts sometime!

There are very few you EVER see without a ... in them.

 

[PampChefJoy]

Common misuse that drives me insane, and all are part of a basic English skill set:

where ware wear ("cookware" not cookwear, "underwear" not underware.)

to, two, too (Too often, people who want to post make two common errors, spelling and usage.)

their, there, they're (When they're posting, there are too many errors in their posts.)

ARRRGH!

There. I feel better now.

Lose/Loose

My boyfriend in high school wrote me a love poem where he said he didn't want to loose me. I know it should have been romantic. I just can't stop thinking "you don't want to loosen me up?"

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Candy is dandy.
Liquor is quicker.--Ogden Nash

 

[legacypc46]

Lose/Loose

My boyfriend in high school wrote me a love poem where he said he didn't want to loose me. I know it should have been romantic. I just can't stop thinking "you don't want to loosen me up?"

LOL! I snorted my wine when I read that. (Hey, I preparing dinner and believe in the Julia Childs method of cooking: a little wine for the pot, a little wine for the cook. :chef: )

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I like to cook with wine.Sometimes, I even put it in the food.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Sadly, I had to go look up interrobang in the dictionary. Guess I should take a refresher course in Grammar.

I had never heard of it until today - And to think, I learned it here on CS! Valuable business advice and tools, and then a punctuation lesson to boot ~ who could ask for more?

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Yeah, it sounds like a technique that uses hookers in Club Gitmo.Did I just type that out loud?

 

[chefann]

I just realized that there's a drug awareness campaign that uses an interrobang as the logo.

 

[janetupnorth]

I just realized that there's a drug awareness campaign that uses an interrobang as the logo.

Interesting...you can use a punctuation mark as a logo?!

 

[chefann]

It's not a trademarked logo, but it's big on the screen at the end of the PSA. Green and orange, I think.

 

[chefann]

Nope, just blue - but it's on their website: Drug Abuse and Substance Abuse Information | Partnership For a Drugfree America - The Partnership For a Drugfree America

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Interesting...you can use a punctuation mark as a logo?!

Well, Prince, when he was The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, had a symbol that could best be described as "Splat."

 

[chefann]

That wasn't a logo, it was his name. Which he did as a ploy to get out of a contract with his recording company.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

It still looked like the remains of a bug on a windshield.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Hi, my name is Jean, and not only am I addicted to nasal spray, I'm also addicted to ellipses (ellipsi? ellipsesses? crap...dots that trail off thoughts).

I have mixed feelings about this thread. I consider myself a very good speller and a semi so-so grammarian. I can match verb tenses, I know the difference between your and you're (and get SERIOUSLY irritated when I see it wrong in public), and if I thought about it a while, I could probably come up with the definition of a gerund. But I also don't think it's fair to rag on people who don't possess these talents. Granted, there is a difference between people who know what is correct and choose to ignore it, and people who, despite years of trying, still don't get it right. Those people know it's a weakness, are probably self-conscious about it, and try their best to overcome it. And whatever the intention, it does sound a little elitist when people criticize people for it.

Yes, you can run things through a spell checker. But there really are no good grammar checkers, dialect checkers, idiom checkers, and everything else. I fully endorse the use of proper grammar in a professional setting, but to me, this isn't it. This is a place for people to come, hang out, learn stuff, get to know each other, and generally have cyberconversations similar to what would be had if we were all in someone's living room.

Everybody's good at something. Everyone's not so good at something. If this were a quantum physics forum, there would no doubt be a thread about how people who didn't understand plain, well, quantum shouldn't post. I would feel bad, because I don't know jack about quantum.

(Now, if I knew jack about quantum, but chose to post stuff that I knew was wrong, that would be another story...I would expect people to call me out on that.)

I'm kinda selfish. If it's a topic I'm interested in, I'll read it regardless. I can tell the difference between people who know and choose not to use and people who don't know. And when I read the thoughts of someone who perhaps didn't express themselves in a way that I would have (grammatically, that is), it just makes me all the more grateful that spelling and acceptable grammar is one of my talents. I'm sure the writer has talents that I don't. I choose not to judge. (I'm not implying that the rest of you are judgemental, I just can't think of a less "volatile" word.)

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I've never been popular, so it's familiar territory

 

[chefshawna]

Jean, I fully understand and wholeheartedly agree with your post!

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

This time of year, my biggest pet peeve misspelled word...(hee hee, I love dots too!) is Congradulations! I understand that it can be confusing since we are usually congratulating graduates but it's still misspelled. For short we say "Congrats", not "Congrads". That should help you spell it correctly!

Of course, it's usually on someone's road sign for their business.

 

[pamperedposey]

This time of year, my biggest pet peeve misspelled word...(hee hee, I love dots too!) is Congradulations! I understand that it can be confusing since we are usually congratulating graduates but it's still misspelled. For short we say "Congrats", not "Congrads". That should help you spell it correctly!

Of course, it's usually on someone's road sign for their business.

My SIL had a banner on the front door of the house when I came home from the hospital that said "Congradulations! It's a boy." I was so embarrassed, but hated to just pull it down. Then a few months later she made a collage for my daughter after her big gymnastics event and it just had the word "Congradulations" all the way across the frame with a bunch of pictures from the event around it. It would have been such a nice gesture if it didn't just completely drive me insane every time I looked at it! It's not like we didn't tell her the first time that it was wrong.

 

[lacychef]

Hey, I never knew there was a name for "..." Ha! I use that all the time...& I know what you mean Jean; if it's a topic I'm interested in, I will read through those posts. I try to post properly, because it kind of drives me a little batty too. But, no one is perfect.

 

[SusanBP0129]

One that drives me nuts:
definately instead of definitely.

 

[pamperedlinda]

One that drives me nuts:
definately instead of definitely.

I'm guilty of that one!

 

[heather223]

Hi, my name is Jean, and not only am I addicted to nasal spray, I'm also addicted to ellipses (ellipsi? ellipsesses? crap...dots that trail off thoughts).

I have mixed feelings about this thread. I consider myself a very good speller and a semi so-so grammarian. I can match verb tenses, I know the difference between your and you're (and get SERIOUSLY irritated when I see it wrong in public), and if I thought about it a while, I could probably come up with the definition of a gerund. But I also don't think it's fair to rag on people who don't possess these talents. Granted, there is a difference between people who know what is correct and choose to ignore it, and people who, despite years of trying, still don't get it right. Those people know it's a weakness, are probably self-conscious about it, and try their best to overcome it. And whatever the intention, it does sound a little elitist when people criticize people for it.

Yes, you can run things through a spell checker. But there really are no good grammar checkers, dialect checkers, idiom checkers, and everything else. I fully endorse the use of proper grammar in a professional setting, but to me, this isn't it. This is a place for people to come, hang out, learn stuff, get to know each other, and generally have cyberconversations similar to what would be had if we were all in someone's living room.

Everybody's good at something. Everyone's not so good at something. If this were a quantum physics forum, there would no doubt be a thread about how people who didn't understand plain, well, quantum shouldn't post. I would feel bad, because I don't know jack about quantum.

(Now, if I knew jack about quantum, but chose to post stuff that I knew was wrong, that would be another story...I would expect people to call me out on that.)

I'm kinda selfish. If it's a topic I'm interested in, I'll read it regardless. I can tell the difference between people who know and choose not to use and people who don't know. And when I read the thoughts of someone who perhaps didn't express themselves in a way that I would have (grammatically, that is), it just makes me all the more grateful that spelling and acceptable grammar is one of my talents. I'm sure the writer has talents that I don't. I choose not to judge. (I'm not implying that the rest of you are judgemental, I just can't think of a less "volatile" word.)

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I've never been popular, so it's familiar territory

I completely agree with you. Incorrect grammar/ spelling drives me nuts (ask my husband, I am constantly correcting him for it), but this is a place to come and hang out and for ALL of us to give and get advice. JMHO. :chef:

 

[jbachen]

I can see both sides of the issue. While it drives me insane to see spelling and grammar mistakes in a post, I feel this is a casual place to hang out. I agree with the comment about this being more like a conversation in someone's living room than a business meeting. I think it is kind of a personal decision. If you choose to use shortcuts and bad grammar or spelling to an excessive degree in your post(s), I may choose to ignore it!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I do not disagree with Jean DeVries's (or the other Jean's for that matter) comments. All I am saying is that it is hard to read some posts because of punctuation and capitalization. I would hate to miss good advice because someone didn't take the time to try to be understood. A lot of us don't understand this new texting language but everyone who has attended school has been introduced to the rules of the English language.

I have no issue with the occasional misspelling, grammar error, typo, etc. We all do that and you are correct - it doesn't really matter here on this forum. I am just asking that posts be readable.

 

[Jenni]

dyslexiaOk, now I'm feeling horrible! I suffer horribly from dyslexia and grew up special ed my whole life. Sorry if was me who bothered anyone. I can't help it a lot of the time. I mean to spell one word and get another. Just yesterday I read garage when it was garbage, my 14 year old was like Mom. Embarrassing!!

I know I'm not the only one who has grammar and spelling issues. But at times I feel like it!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Ok, now I'm feeling horrible! I suffer horribly from dyslexia and grew up special ed my whole life. Sorry if was me who bothered anyone. I can't help it a lot of the time. I mean to spell one word and get another. Just yesterday I read garage when it was garbage, my 14 year old was like Mom. Embarrassing!!

I know I'm not the only one who has grammar and spelling issues. But at times I feel like it!

I don't know why you feel horrible.

This thread has nothing to do with that. Your post is very readable and I have no trouble with someone posting the wrong word sometimes. We all do that. At least you try! Good for you! I know it's harder for you than for many of us and I applaud you for it! :sing:

 

[jbachen]

All I am saying is that it is hard to read some posts because of punctuation and capitalization. I would hate to miss good advice because someone didn't take the time to try to be understood.

Exactly! This is the consequence I was alluding to when I made the comment about me choosing not to read the posts with excessive bad grammar/spelling/etc. What you have said here was in my head as an addendum to what I had typed, but I just couldn't get it out onto the keyboard without sounding too big for my britches*. Thank you for putting it into words!

*I have two and a half year old twins, so I blame constant sleep deprivation and a constantly growing to-do list for not getting all of my thoughts into my posts.

 

[chefann]

I agree. We're all human. None of us is saying that we should all be perfect, but that we should make an effort. Some people don't seem to know that there's a shift key, a comma, or a period on their keyboard. And that makes their posts hard to read.

 

[jbachen]

I don't know why you feel horrible.

This thread has nothing to do with that. Your post is very readable and I have no trouble with someone posting the wrong word sometimes. We all do that. At least you try! Good for you! I know it's harder for you than for many of us and I applaud you for it! :sing:

I agree, Jenni - your post (at least this one) is in no way difficult to read or understand... Please don't feel horrible!!

 

[c00p]

I have to admit that I was a bit taken aback by the subject of this post and then the contents therein. This is a place of casual conversation, posts, etc. I agree that the mis-use or rather, non-use of periods, capitalization, etc. can be frustrating, but c'mon...it's just a little thing in a world full of much bigger things. Guess this just sort-of struck a wrong chord with me. But, I'm probably on a lot of folks' ignore lists because I like to use "..." in my posts pretty often!! Oh well, I say - POST ON all, post on.

 

[Jenni]

I don't know why you feel horrible.

I mean this to come across polite and friendly... I really do! You don't know why because you can spell well. I now feel like every time I go to post someone is going to be out there with a red pen. That is my own silly problem I am aware. At 32 you would think I would have shaken those growing up with LD issues.

I will continue to post, because I love these boards. But I must say I wonder how many people wont.... after reading this thread.

Oh and yes I used a lot of.... :sing: I love them..... LOL