The complete idiot guide part 12 pot

Chapter
7:
Multiple-Vehicle
Wrecks:
Pronoun
Reference
93
2.
When
Dennis spoke to Keith
that
morning, Dennis did not realize
that
he
might win the lottery by the end of the day. (Again, Keith might just as
easily
have been the winner.)
3.
When
the rain started, we pulled out an umbrella and opened it. The rain
dampened our spirits for a while, but we decided to stick it out.
4.
If you asked Doug to describe Nick, Doug would say
that
Nick was sly, boring,
and cheap
and—then
Doug would chuckle.
5.
Ask Nick about Doug, and Nick would say
that,

while he couldn't be a
gossip,
he was sure
that
Doug had links
with
the Young Republicans.
6. Nick didn't consider Doug a
safe
driver, either.
Location, Location, Location: Placement of Pronouns
Another way to avoid confusing pronoun reference is to go for the squeeze play:
Place
pronouns as close to their antecedents as
logically
possible. If too many phrases
come between a pronoun and its antecedent, the pronouns may get muddied. This
can
happen even if the intervening material is
logically
related to the rest of the sen-
tence. Here are some examples:
Confusing:
The statement
that
the dog
catcher made and
that
she issued it as a for-
mal policy inflamed the city council, who

knew it would result in widespread anger.
Clear:
The dog catcher made a statement
and the Mayor issued a formal policy.
This inflamed the City Council, which
knew this policy would result in wide-
spread anger.
Confusing:
Prehistoric people used many
inorganic
substances difficult to
find
at
archaeological
sites, which included
clay
and rock.
Clear:
Prehistoric people used many inorganic
substances,
including
clay
and rock, which
are
difficult to find at archaeological sites.
<f
Quoth
the Maven
Place
pronouns

close
to
their
antecedents.
Take
My
Word
for
It
When you start a new para-
graph, repeat the
noun
from
the previous paragraph rather
than
using a
pronoun
in its
place.
Repeating the
noun
(usu-
ally a name) can help your reader
more easily
follow
your logic.
%
Part
2:
Under

the
Grammar
Hammer
A Match Made in Writer's Heaven
Just as there's a pot for every lid, so there's an antecedent for every pronoun. The
pronoun's antecedent must be clearer than the Mississippi River, or your writing will
be as murky as the
Big
Muddy's depths. How to achieve pronoun clarity? Make
a pro-
noun
refer
to one
specific
antecedent.
As simple as
that.
Here are some guidelines to follow as you filter your
writing to sift out pronoun errors.
Take
My
Word
for
It
Pronouns
are among the most
frequently
used words in
English.
Among the top

100
words: he, it, his,
I,
they,
you,
she,
we, him.
$
^ ^
Quoth the
Maven
.
V/
When the
possessive
quality
is
added to a noun,
that
noun
becomes
an adjective and is no
longer suitable to be an ante-
cedent.
Not in the mood to put the pro-
noun
in the
possessive case?
Instead,
you can revise the

sen-
tence so the
noun
provides the
reference for the pronoun.
Possession
and Pronouns
Don't use a pronoun to refer to a noun's possessive
form (the form
that
shows ownership). You can't use
a
noun's possessive form as the antecedent to a pro-
noun, unless the pronoun is
also
in the possessive
case.
This sounds a lot trickier than it is,
trust
me
and read these examples:
Confusing:
The proctologist's discovery brought him
fame.
(Because
the pronoun
him
is not
possessive,
it cannot

be used to refer to the
possessive
proctologists.)
Clear:
The proctologist became famous because of
his
discovery.
Confusing:
Leroy
's
report
was superb. Does he know
that?
Clear:
Leroy
wrote
a great
report.
Does he know
that?
It's
a
Lock
Be
sure the pronouns it, this, that, and
which
refer to only one antecedent. These four
sweet little pronouns are especially prone to unclear pronoun reference. Here are
some examples:
Confusing:

Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and
years
of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies
in
the history of the world.
This
is interesting.
Chapter
7:
Multiple-Vehicle
Wrecks:
Pronoun
Reference
95
(What
is interesting? Karate? Bad movies?
The
relationship
between
karate and bad
movies?)
Clear:
Karate is
a
form of martial arts
in
which people who have had years and years
of
training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies
in the

history of the world.
This
phenomenon
is interesting.
Confusing:
If
a
woman has
to
choose
between
catching
a
fly ball and saving
a
baby's
life,
she will choose
to
save that
without
even considering if
there
are men
on
base.
(What
will she choose
to
save?)

Clear:
If
a
woman has
to
choose
between
catching a fly ball and saving a baby's
life,
she
will choose
to
save
the
baby's life
without
even considering if
there
are men
on
base.
Confusing:
According
to
some sources,
a
rain of comets lasting hundreds of centuries
hits
the
earth every few million years

or
so. Maybe that is how
the
dinosaurs perished
in
a
mass extinction 65 million years ago.
Clear:
According
to
some sources,
a
rain of
comets lasting hundreds of centuries hits
the
earth every few million years
or
so. Maybe
such
a
rain of comets killed
the
dinosaurs
65
million years ago.
Confusing:
I
told my friends
that
I

was going
to
be a
circus rouster which annoyed my boss.
Clear:
My boss was annoyed because
I
told my
friends
that
I
was going
to be a
circus rouster.
Strictly
Speaking
Avoid
using
a
pronoun
to
refer
to
the
title of a
document
in the
doc-
ument's
first

sentence. For exam-
ple,
if the title is
"Big
Bank's
Role
in
Mutual
Funds,"
the
first
sentence
cannot
be "It is
important
and
we must
stress
it."
What's
the it?
It
and
They
Ever
heard,
"It
said
on
television

that
"
or
"In
the
office they say
"?
Such expres-
sions
are sloppy, imprecise, and confusing. Who are these mysterious "it"s and "they"s?
Eliminate this error by using
the
pronouns
it
and they carefully.
Give
it
a shot. Repair
the
following sloppy statements by straightening
out
the sloppy
useof"it"sand"they"s.
1.
It
said
on the
radio
that
it's going

to
rain tomorrow.
2.
In a
book they say
that
animal testing is
a
bad idea;
the
animals all get nervous
and
give
the wrong answers.
96
Part
2:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
3.
It
said
that
a Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean a mother.
4.
In a company they say
that
a committee is a group of the unwilling, picked from

the unfit, to do the unnecessary.
5.
The book
says
that
applying computer technology is simply finding the right
wrench to pound in the correct screw.
Answers
1.
The radio announcer
said
that
it's
going
to rain tomorrow.
2.
The author
said
that
animal testing is a bad idea; the animals all get nervous and
give
the wrong answers. (Better yet,
give
the author's name.)
3.
A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean a mother.
4.
Employees say
that
a committee is a group of the unwilling, picked from the

unfit, to do the unnecessary.
5.
The author
says
that
applying computer technology is simply finding the right
wrench to pound in the correct screw. (Better yet,
give
the author's name.)
It
Mania
It has become a fast-food word, more commonplace than burgers,
fries,
and a shake.
Advice for
life:
Don't eat too much junk food, wear your
galoshes
when it
rains,
and
don't overuse it.
The word it has three uses:
•
As a
personal
pronoun.
Chris wants to see how long he can stay in the clothes
dryer, but it is broken.
•

As an
expletive.
It is fun to eat raw cookie dough and feel sorry for yourself
when you're home alone on Saturday night.
•
As an
idiomatic
expression
for
weather,
time,
or
distance.
It is cloudy today.
It is noon. It is quite a distance to the home.
Chapter
7:
Multiple-Vehicle
Wrecks:
Pronoun
Reference
97
The unclear "it" problem
arises
when these uses are combined in one sentence, like
this one:
Confusing:
Because
our electric knife was overheating, it came as no surprise
that

it
broke just as it was time to carve the bird.
Clear:
It came as no surprise
that
the electric knife broke just as it was time to carve
the bird.
Confusing:
It will be a successful project if the
computer doesn't overload its memory.
Clear:
The project will succeed if the com-
puter
doesn't overload its memory.
Confusing:
It is clear
that
it is not
fulfilling
its
duties.
Clear:
Clearly, the board of directors is not
fulfilling
its duties.
Danger,
Will
Robinson
Avoid using an unnec-
essary

pronoun
to repeat the
sub-
ject.
Here's
a no-no: "The shorter
woman, who nodded at me, she
knew
me." The sentence should
be
written:
"The shorter woman,
who nodded at me,
knew
me."
Who's
on
First?
Another confusing
issue
concerns the pronouns
who,
which,
and that. Here, the rule is
a
snap:
1.
Who refers to people or animals (only animals
with
names or special talents, like

Socks
the First Cat or Rex the Wonder
Pooch).
Here's an example or three:
•
The student, who was a dope,
said,
"Professor
Zigler,
I don't believe I
deserve
this F you've
given
me."
•
The professor, who was a sensible man,
said,
"I
agree,
but unfortunately it
is
the lowest grade the university will allow me to
give."
•
Lassie,
who was known for his
intelligence
and courage, was actu-
ally
played by a

series
of
collies.
That
and
which
refer to things, groups,
and
unnamed
animals.
The choice
between
which
and that depends on
whether the clause introduced by the
pronoun is
restrictive
or
nonrestrictive.
Use
that or
which
for restrictive clauses
and
which
with
nonrestrictive
clauses.
Here are some examples:
You

Could
Look
It Up
A
restrictive
clause
is
essential
to a
sentence;
a
nonre-
strictive
clause
adds
extra mean-
ing, is set off by
commas,
and
can
be removed
from
the
sen-
tence.
See
Chapter
1
2 for a
more

detailed
description of
clauses.
98
PartZ:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
Strictly
Speaking
Like
my
thighs,
the
distinction
between
that
and which
is
becoming
less
firm.
Some
writers
still
reserve
that
for
restrictive

clauses
and
which
for
nonrestric-
tive
clauses.
Others
don't.
•
Once,
at a
social
gathering, Gladstone
said
to Disraeli,
"I
predict, sir, that you will
die
either
by
hanging
or by
some vile
disease."
(restrictive
clause)
•
Disraeli replied,
"That

all depends, sir, upon
whether
I
embrace your principles
or
your
mistress."
(restrictive
clause)
•
Sacred cows,
which
are
holy, make
the
best
hamburger,
(nonrestrictive
clause)
Give
it a
shot.
Fill
in the
blanks with
who,
which,
or
that.
1.

The car hit me
rolled into
a
ditch
and so did I.
2.
My
car, came from Rent-a-Wreck,
had
relatively little damage.
3.
The
concept intrigued
the
Securities
and
Exchange Commission
involved
insider trading.
4.
The
report
I
wrote recommended
the
concept.
5.
The
woman came
to

visit
me in
jail
was
my
former
boss.
h^_Jy
Quoth
the
Maven
_
A
clause
introduced
by
that
will
almost inevitably
be
restric-
tive.
Do not
use
a
comma
around restrictive
clauses,
as in
this example: "The menu

that the
waiter
handed
me
made
my
mouth
water."
Answers
1.
The car
that
hit me
rolled into
a
ditch
and so
did
I.
2.
My
car,
which
came from Rent-a-Wreck,
had
rela-
tively
little damage.
3.
The

concept that intrigued
the
Securities
and
Exchange
Commission involved insider trading.
4.
The
report
that
I
wrote recommended
the
concept.
5.
The
woman
who
came
to
visit
me in
jail
was
my
former
boss.
The
Least
You Need to Know

•
Make
a
pronoun clearly refer
to a
single
antecedent.
•
Place
pronouns close
to
their antecedents.
•
Make
a
pronoun refer
to a
definite antecedent.
Chapter
How to Write and
Speak
Good:
Adjectives
Versus
Adverbs
In
This
Chapter
•
Explore the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees

•
Learn about irregular adjectives and adverbs
•
Cope
with
adjectives and linking verbs
•
Deal
with
double negatives
You know it's going to be a bad day when
•
Your
twin
forgets your birthday.
•
You open the newspaper and find your picture under a caption
that
reads:
"WANTED:
DEAD OR ALIVE."
•
You have to figure out whether to use
bad
or
well
in a sentence.
That
last scenario is the
real

killer.
,1
™
4,
100
PartZ:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
You learned in
Chapter
4
that
adjectives
and
adverbs
are describing words; the former
describes a noun or pronoun; the latter, a verb, adjective, or
other
adverb. Here, you
learn how to use these words
with
skill and confidence so you'll never
again
face the
dreaded
bad/well
dilemma.
They

Walk
Alike,
They
Talk Alike:
You Could
Lose
Your
Mind
Both adjectives and adverbs are
modifiers—words
that
describe
other
words. For example:
Adjective:
The
quick
fox jumped.
Adverb: The fox jumped quickly.
Ah ha! you
say.
Adverbs end in -ly; adjectives
don't,
so
that's
how I can tell these suck-
ers
apart. Not so fast, kemosabe.
Some
adverbs end in

-ly,
but not all. Further, some
adjectives
also
end in -ly, such as
lovely
and
friendly. As a result, the -ly
test
doesn't cut
the mustard. Instead, the key to telling the difference
between
adjectives and adverbs
is
understanding how they work:
•
Adjectives
describe a noun or pronoun.
•
Adverbs describe a verb, adjective, or
other
adverb.
As you learned in
Chapter
4, the only dependable way to tell
whether
you should use
an adjective or an adverb is to see how the word functions in the sentence. If
a
noun

or pronoun is being described, use an adjective. If
a
verb, adjective, or
other
adverb is
being described, use an adverb. Here's an example to refresh your memory:
He is a skillful driver.
(The adjective skillful describes the noun
driver.)
The cabby drove skillfully.
(The adverb
skillfully
describes the verb
drove.)
Graphic Proof
Use the following table to keep adjectives and adverbs straight.
That
way, we'll all be
reading from the same sheet music as we play together in the rest of this chapter.
Chapter
8:
How
to
Write
and
Speak
Good:
Adjectives
Versus
Adverbs

JOl
In the
Know:
Adjective or Adverb?
Modifier
Adjectives
Adjectives
Adverbs
Adverbs
Adverbs
Function
Describe nouns
Describe pronouns
Describe verbs
Describe adverbs
Describe adjectives
Example
The busy bee never rests.
(The noun is
bee.)
She
felt disappointed.
(The pronoun is
she.)
The child cried bitterly.
(The verb is
cried.)
The child cried very bitterly.
(The adverb is
bitterly.)

The child was truly annoyed.
(The adjective is
annoyed.)
I'm Ready for My
Close-Up
Now, Mr.
DeMille
Reality
check: Are you still
with
me? Find out by taking this little quiz. Identify the
underlined word or words in each of the following sentences.
Hint:
The answer will
be either "adjective" or "adverb." Those are
better
odds than you get in Vegas.
1.
My school colors were "clear."
2.
Question: How many surrealists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer:
Two. One to hold the
giraffe
firmly and the other to
fill
the
bathtub
with
brightly
colored machine tools.

3.
If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell her
that
she has the right to remain silent?
4.
Maybe you're right. Maybe I should have been insulted when the mind
reader charged me
half
price.
5.
For
three
days
after death, hair and fingernails continue to grow slowly, but
phone
calls
taper off.
6. Diplomacy is the art of
saying
"nice
doggy"
until you can find a big rock.
7.
Is it
true
that
cannibals
don't
eat clowns because they taste funny?
8. Murphy's Oil Soap is the chemical most commonly used to clean elephants.

9. Giraffes have no vocal cords.
10.
A man ordered a taco. He asked the server for "minimal lettuce." The server
said
he was sorry, but they only had iceberg.
102
Part
2:
Under
the
Grammar
Hammer
Answers
1.
Adjective
2.
Adverb, adjective
3.
Adverb
4.
Adjective
5.
Adverb
6. Adjective
7.
Adverb
8. Adverb
9. Adjective
10.
Adjective

Three Degrees of Separation
Often,
you'll
want
to compare things rather than just describe
them.
Not to worry;
English
has this covered. Adjectives and adverbs have different forms to show degrees
of
comparison. We even have a name for each of these forms of
degree:
positive,
com-
parative,
and
superlative.
Let's
meet
the whole
gang.
Strictly
Speaking
What
do
these
three
words have
in common: childish, yellowish,
and

flowery?
They are
all
adjec-
tives created
from
nouns.
Creating adjectives
from
nouns:
another
hobby you
might
want
to
consider.
•
Positive
degree:
the base form of the adjective or
adverb. It does not show comparison.
•
Comparative
degree:
the form an adjective or
adverb takes to compare two things.
•
Superlative
degree:
the form an adjective or

adverb takes to compare
three
or more things.
The following table shows the
three
degrees of com-
parison
with
some sample adjectives and adverbs.
Comparative
Levels
of
Adjectives
and Adverbs
Part
of Speech
Adjective
Adjective
Adjective
Adverb
Adverb
Adverb
Positive
low
big
fat
highly
widely
easily
Comparative

lower
bigger
fatter
more highly
more widely
more
easily
Superlative
lowest
biggest
fattest
most highly
most widely
most
easily