Tag Archives: Grammar

According to the book “Comedy Writing Secrets,” a pun is “the intentional confusion of similar-sounding words or phrases” that is used as the basis of a joke.

In other words, a pun is humorous word play that allows for two possible interpretations at the same time.

Pro Tip: Because puns generally make word plays phonetically, they tend to be better when spoken or heard vs. being written or read.

Here’s are some examples of puns: I recently read an article about a family that got lost in a corn maze for hours and couldn’t find their way out — they actually had to call the police to be rescued.

• Being lost in corn maze at night must have been earie.
• I wonder if one of the search dogs was a husk-y.
• How earesponsible of the parents!
• What did they expect entering a maize?
• The poor kids were probably shrieking to Dad, “Pop, corn!” over and over.
• They had the feeling they were being stalked.
• Hominy idiots does it take to get out?

Puns can also take the forms of double entendres, riddles, and homonyms and near homonyms:

• A double entendre (literally “double meaning” in French) is the use of an ambiguous word or phrase that allows for a second interpretation (warning: frequently risqué!). The idea is that the listener assumes one meaning, and the speaker slips in another meaning. Consider these headlines, taken from YourDictionary.com:
  • Panda mating fails: Veterinarian takes over
  • Miners refuse to work after death
  • New obesity study looks for larger test group
  • Children make nutritious snacks
  • Criminals get nine months in violin case
• A riddle according to Merriam-Webster.com, is a puzzling question to be guessed or solved that usually has a double or veiled answer.
  • What kind of bird writes letters? A pen-guin.
  • What do all inches follow? Their ruler.
  • Why couldn’t the strings ever win? They could only tie.
  • What position does a cat play in baseball? A cat-cher.
• A homonym is two or more words that are spelled and pronounced alike but differ in meaning. A near homonymis two or more words that sound alike due to an intentional mispronunciation.
  • Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine.
  • What do you call a smelly chicken? A foul fowl.
  • Do you want this pasteurized? No, just up to my mouth’d be fine!

What’s your favorite pun?

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

It’s ice cream weather! Whether you’re a cone or a cup person, this heat wave means that either way you’ll need to try extra hard to eat fast before the ice cream melts (this shouldn’t be a problem anyway). Otherwise you’ll end up with ice cream and sprinkles dripping all over your hands!

Let’s take advantage of this scorching heat to lick the problem of when to use compliment vs. complement. If you drip some ice cream on your shirt or lap, does it compliment or complement your appearance? Here’s the scoop:

According to Merriam Webster, a compliment (with an “i”) is an expression of respect, affection or admiration.

• That ice cream on your shirt looks stylish! (Don’t I give the best compliments?) [noun]
• Right after he complimented her on her new dress, she dropped ice cream all over it. [verb]
• The ice cream at the hotel is complimentary, but all they have is Rocky Road! [adjective]

On the other hand, a complement (with an “e”) is something that fills up, completes or makes perfect.

• The ice cream complements the root beer very nicely. [makes perfect]
• The ice-cream store has a full complement of flavors. [completes]
• The waffles came with a complementary scoop of vanilla. [makes perfect]

Pro Tip: If you’re still not sure about when to use compliment vs. complement, it helps to remember that compliments are generally exchanged between people. If a sentence is referencing inanimate objects, then likely go with complement. Your ice cream can’t compliment your shirt!

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Joelk75.

This week is the 37th anniversary of America’s most beloved and paranoia-inducing shark movie of all time — “Jaws”!

Although the movie was filmed in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., the “Jaws” book (and subsequently the movie) was inspired by real events that unfolded on the Jersey Shore in the summer of 1916. It was scorching that year, and droves of people were seeking refuge in the ocean water. In the span of two weeks, four people were killed and one was injured in shark attacks, setting off a frenzy of “man-eater” hunts.

It is unknown what type of shark species was responsible for the attacks, but scholars suspect it was the great white shark or the bull shark.

Which brings us to our rule. Which is correct?

• The attacks were maybe caused by a great white.
• The attacks were may be caused by a great white.

Main Rule: “May be” is a verb phrase (verb + auxiliary); “maybe” is an adverb.

Quick test: Replace the “maybe/may be” with “perhaps.” If “perhaps” makes sense, then it’s “maybe.” If “perhaps” doesn’t make sense, then it’s “may be.”

Example 1:

• Maybe/may be you should get out of the water.
• Perhaps you should get out of the water.

This example passes the “perhaps” test, so the adverb “maybe” is correct.

Example 2:

• The shark maybe/may be a vegetarian.
• The shark perhaps a vegetarian.

This example fails the “perhaps” test, so the verb phrase “may be” is correct.

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

For this year’s Independence Day, we have three very simple rules on when to write out numbers and when to use numerals:

Rule 1: Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.

• I had two beers before the fireworks started.
• Can you seriously eat 10 hot dogs? Barf!
• She just bought six glow sticks!
• He hung up 15 flags.

Rule 2: Always follow Rule 1 for consistency, even if it means including a numeral and spelled-out number in the same sentence.

• There were 12 waffle balls when this game started, and now there’s only seven. Stop hitting homeruns!
• He made 15 cheeseburgers 20 minutes ago and now there’s only one left.

Rule 3: Ages are always numerals.

• The girl was 2 years old.
• His baby is 8 months old.

Enjoy the food and fireworks! Happy Fourth of July!

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

We’ve just announced The Crowd-Sourced eBook: The Definitive Guide to Social Influencer Engagement and invite you to contribute.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Jim, the Photographer.

President James Madison, author of the War of 1812. Photo via History.com.

200 years ago today, President James Madison and Congress declared war on Great Britain. The reasons behind this decision can be vaguely summed up by saying that Americans were ticked off that they were still under British thumb in terms of military and trade power, and were sick and tired of leftover political ties that had never been severed after the Revolutionary War.

June 18 was the first day of the War of 1812, sometimes referred to as the “second war of independence.” Significant occurrences in this war included the Battle of the Horseshoe Bend and the Battle of New Orleans, where Andrew Jackson made a name for himself as an army general; the Battle of Baltimore, which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the lyrics of our national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner”; and the Burning of Washington, when many public government buildings were destroyed or damaged, including the Capitol and the White House.

By 1815, the war had reached a stalemate, and both sides agreed to sign a treaty, leaving the U.S. as a truly independent nation. The “Era of Good Feelings” followed, which was a time when Americans were surging with pride, patriotism and bipartisanship over the recent victory.

So was June 18 a historic day, or an historic day?

A common misstep here is to think that a comes before consonants and an comes before vowels. It’s not that simple.

Main Rule: Use a before words that start with a consonant sound, and an before words that start with a vowel sound.

The distinction is between consonant and consonant sound, or vowel and vowel sound.

For example, the word historic has a pronounced h sound, so the correct answer is: June 18 is a historic day.

On the other hand, if we look at the word hour, which also begins with an h, we realize that the h is silent in this case, and therefore the first sound pronounced is a vowel. So the correct answer is: British troops were an hour away from the capital.

Quick test: Say the words out loud to see how you naturally use a or an. Your instinct is probably correct. Would you really say an historic day? Awkward.

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

SPOILER ALERT! If you’re a fan of AMC’s “Mad Men” and have somehow resisted watching the finale of season 5, stop reading now.

“Mad Men” is a great telelvision show. It has a little something for everyone, whether you’re a history buff, a feminist, a fashionista, a workaholic, a parent — or a depressive, an egoist, an adulterer or an alcoholic. It’s a show I can watch and enjoy with my father, my grandmother or my friends; it transcends generation, gender and job. That’s probably why it’s so popular! (Well, that and some great-looking cast members.)

This week’s season finale featured some tragic scenes about Layne Price, a character who is caught embezzling money and consequently decides to kill himself. After Layne carries out the deed in his office, his body is discovered by coworkers.

One of those coworkers, Bertram Cooper, informs the others of the bad news. He says, “Layne hanged himself in his office.”

Does that line sound a little awkward to you? It did to me. I’d probably have opted for, “Lane hung himself in his office.”

The clanging sound of “hanged” in Cooper’s line spurred me to look up the rule on when to use “hung” and when to use “hanged,” and it turns out I was wrong. “Hanged” is indeed grammatically correct in his sentence.

Here’s the quick take on the difference between “hung” and “hanged,” according to Merriam-Webster:

• “Hung” means “to fasten to some elevated point without support from below.”
• “Hanged” means “to suspend by the neck until dead.”

Confusion stems from the fact that both words in the present tense are “hang.”

• Faced with prison and humiliation, Layne Price hangs himself.
• Don hangs a picture of a Jaguar on the wall.

In other words, pictures are hung, people are hanged.

There are also some irregular uses of “hang.” For example:

• The student hung onto every word of the professor’s lecture.
• I hung my head in shame.
• The boy hung onto his mother’s skirt.

Again, unless you mean “to suspend by the neck until dead,” always use “hung.”

Until next season then… RIP Layne!

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

June is National Adopt-a-Cat Month, and today (Monday) is Hug Your Cat Day, so of course this is the purr-fect excuse to distract you with pictures of kitties while teaching you a grammar rule.

This week, we’ll learn how to use “who” vs. “whom,” and also discuss the relevancy of “whom” in general. Is “whom” fading into hiss-tory?

Rule 1: Use the subjective “who” when the pronoun is associated with an action or description. That is, when the subject is receiving the action.

Helpful tip: Test grammaticality by determining whether the answer to the question would take him or he.

Example 1: Quit lion — who wants a kitty hug?

Test 1: He wants a kitty hug!

Example 2: Who is the suavest kitty?

Test 1: He is the suavest kitty!

Rule 2: Use the objective “whom” when the pronoun is the target of someone else’s action.

Example 1: Whom have you upset?

Test 1: You upset him. He is paws-itively furr-ious!

Example 2: Whom did you awake?

Test 2: You awoke him. He is not feline early mornings.

Discussion: Should “whom” still be used in everyday communications, or is it old-fashioned and obsolete?

There is an increasing number of people who oppose use of the word “whom” in everyday language because it sounds “awkward” or “stuffy.”

I’d recommend always using “who” in everyday speech, but trying to use “whom” correctly in writing, particularly formal writing. Do you agree?

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

image 1 via Imgur

image 2 via Flickr user swanky

image 3 via Flickr user mseckington

image 4 via Flickr user Bill Kuffrey

May is the month of proms. Any Friday or Saturday night this month you might overhear a conversation like this one:

“May I have this next dance?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“I’m not sure I should try,” she answered. ”I’m afraid I might fall in these four-inch heels.”

“Well, you may,” he mused. ”But I’ll be here to catch you if you do.”

“You might not get to me in time,” she suggested. ”We might cause a scene.”

“What’s the risk?” he chuckled. ”It’s so crowded in here, we may not even make it to the floor.”

Did you notice the use of may and might in this exchange? The words mean essentially the same thing — they indicate possibility or probability — which probably explains why many people are confused about when to use may and when to use might.

Use “may” when something is likely to happen and “might” when something is unlikely or less likely to happen.

Note: Might is the past tense of may, so always use might if you are referring to the past.

Probability

• Sally may go to prom with Tommy. (more likely)
• Sally might go to prom with Tommy. (not as likely)

Possibility

• May I go to the prom with Tommy? (more forceful)
• Might I go to the prom with Tommy? (less forceful)

Might can also be used to signify obligation, in statements containing mild reproof:

• You might show your parents some gratitude for buying you a dress.

So you might fall at prom, but at least now you may actually know the difference between these words!

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Water under the bridge. (Literally.)

“Literally” is a word that gets people very upset. Why? When used improperly, the minds of word mavens explode and the grammar gods unleash the seven plagues.

Maybe that’s a dramatic rendition of the truth. Misuse of the word “literally” makes a few of us blow a gasket, bite someone’s head off, get up in arms, fly off the handle, go through the roof, see red or (my personal favorite) throw a wobbly.

You get the idea.

That’s because these phrases are really meant figuratively. Unless you actually unhinged your jaw and ripped someone’s head off with your teeth (and don’t look at me if you can do that), then you’ve never literally “bitten someone’s head off.” Take pity on others and try not to say “I literally bit his head off!” unless, of course, you’re a scary female praying mantis.

But know too that such loathsome misuse of the word “literally” has been around since the 17th century. According to a Slate article, just about everyone from James Joyce to Jane Austen seems to have slipped it into their prose at one time or another. That’s about 400 years of professional and amateur writers flouting the rules.

So the question grammar cognoscenti like us should be asking is: at what point does a colloquialism become accepted as mainstream? If James Joyce, arguably one of the most influential writers in the 20th century, used “literally” to mean “in effect” or “all but,” rather than “in reality” or “to the letter,” isn’t that good enough for you?

Maybe yes and maybe no. If you were to say, “I hate how Bill says ‘literally’ all the time. It really makes me see red!” Do you really see red when Bill uses it? Does your blood pressure rise to a point where the hemoglobin begins to tint your vision? Some English speakers have a special hatred for the word “literally,” but there doesn’t seem to be any particular vendetta against the word “really.”

When someone starts huffing and puffing over your use of the word “literally,” tell them there are at least two meanings of the word, and James Joyce is on your side.

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Image courtesy of Flickr user SD Dirk.