I use these notes on www.lang-8.com to give advice to Chinese writers of English on specific topics (and for other reasons). They are useful to my readers so I've decided to post them here as a blog.  Most of these represent the most common errors made by Chinese people who write English as a second language. Hyatt先生给中国朋友的一些英文写作建议(不定期更新).

(Revised September 15, 2017).

 

 INDEX

(re-numberded on December 27, 2016; old index at end of page):

1 — Active/passive verbs 2 — A lot 3 — Age and related terms
4 — And (start sentence) 5 — And (a conjunction) 6 — As well as
7 — Alternative wording 8 — Appositives 9 — Because
10 — Besides / Aside from 11 — Chinese/English fonts 12 — Contractions
13 — Corrections 14 — Dashes - short ver. 15 — Dashes - long version
15 — Dependent Clauses (new)
16 - Free English Class; 17 - Howdy
18 - Informal English
19 - Internet 20 - Lang-8 group for ecologists
21 - Intro to Little Things
22 - Nouns/pronouns and numbers 23 - Internet 24 - Nowadays
25 - Numbers one to ten 26 - More on numbers
27 - pH
28 - Plurals
29 - Plurals in Latin
30 - Proper nouns
31 - Punctuation 32 - Run-on Sentences 33 - Semicolons
34 - Technology 35 - That 36 - Time units
37 - Titles; 37(new) -want/would like
38 - Whole vs. entire 39 - Words Series/ Respectively

I use the following note to send the message below to various friends on the internet who are learning English.  Posting it here give me easy access to the note!

See my standard note(s) number(s) 21 at http://www.sedgehead.com/index.php/learn-english/51-suggestions-for-chinese-writers-of-english-and-other-non-native-english-speakers OR http://lang-8.com/330589/journals/206011851518225398980130092611393408720 for more information on this (these) correction(s). These standard notes keep me from writing the same message over and over!

(请看我的准则小记 21 — http://www.sedgehead.com/index.php/learn-english/51-suggestions-for-chinese-writers-of-english-and-other-non-native-english-speakers 或是 http://lang-8.com/330589/journals/206011851518225398980130092611393408720。它给你更多关于我的修改的资料。 我用这些准则小记以便我不用再写一次再写一次再写一次再写一次再写一次再写一次相同的建议。) Also see: http://www.sedgehead.com/index.php/learn-english/8-little-things-are-important

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 1 (Sedgehead 的标准建议一)

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE (a brief but advanced lesson in English)

 

Professional writers learn to use "active voice" and avoid passive verbs.

When I was 40 years old I finally learn the difference between active and passive voice.  Because people who read this (based on my pointing it out to them) are advanced English speakers I want to provide some details usually saved for professional writers.  In short, stories written in the active voice are much more interesting to read than something written in passive voice.  Active verbs show action.  Passive verbs show a state of being or existing.  Examples:

Active verbs: slept, jarred, stood, broke, rushed, grabbed, stabbed.

Passive verbs: was sleeping, was ringing, was standing, is, are, was, were, have been, might be, etc.  Active verbs are ALL the other verbs which never express the state of being (forms of the verb "to be.".

Active verbs: go, run, think, do, smell, taste, fly, ride, drive, answer, swim, sat, did.

I slept soundly last week when the doorbell's ringing jarred me awake.  A strange man stood at the door.

I was sleeping soundly last week.  But the doorbell was ringing.  A strange man was standing at the door.

Professional writers like newspaper reporters and authors strive to you've learned to use the active voice.

Learning to use active verbs will make your writing much more interesting to read. 

***中文 Sedgehead的标准建议一***

一个朋友说: 被动动词 in china。Passive verbs are called 过去进行时.。

第二篇博客:Sedgehead关于英文写作的建议 —— 给我的中国朋友们 —— 行动和被动的动词

厉害的笔者和编者很喜欢用实义动词的动词,不常常用被动的动词。实义动词的动词很有意思的。被动的动词没有很多意思。
励厉害的作家和很喜欢用实义动词的动词,不常常用被动的动词。

实义动词的动词举例来说:go, run, sleep, walk, think, exist, wander, fly, write, tinkle.

被动的动词举例来说:只“to be”, 式是,is, are, was, were, maybe, can be, should be, be, etc.

被动的动词举例来说(没有意思):
The girl was riding her bike. She was sleepy. Many cars were in the road. The girl was peddling slows. One driver was drunk. He was not driving very well. The drunk man might have been sleepy too. The man was also very close to the girl. She was watching him and he was driving straight at her. She was needing to get out of the way. She was driving into the ditch to avoid the drunk man who was running off the road.
动词:was, was, were, was, was, was, have been, was, was, was driving, was needing, was driving, was.

实义动词的动词举例来说(没有意思):
The girl rode her bike. She felt sleepy. Many cars buzzed up and down the road. The girl peddled slowly. One driver had drunk too much beer. He drove very poorly. The drunk man felt sleepy too. The man also approached the girl She saw him and he drove straight at her. She needed to get out of the way. She drove into the ditch to avoid the drunk man who ran off the road.
实义动词的动词举例来说:rode, felt, buzzed, peddled, had drunk, drove, felt, approached, saw, drove, needed, drove,ran.

***别中文***

中文 01: 主动语态和被动语态(英文里简单但重要的一课)


专业写作者会用主动语态,并且避免被动词。

我40岁的时候,终于明白了主动式和被动式之间的区别。

鉴于读这篇文章的人都能流畅地说英文,我准备提供一些

为专业写作者准备的细节建议。简单来说,用主动语态写的

故事读起来,比用被动语态写的那些要有趣很多。主动动词

表现行为,被动动词表现状态。例如:

主动动词:slept, jarred, stood, broke, rushed, grabbed, stabbed.

被动动词: was sleeping, was ringing, was standing, is,

are, was, were, have been, might be, etc.

主动动词是永远不会表达状态的那些。

主动动词: go, run, think, do, smell, taste, fly, ride, drive,

answer, swim, sat, did.

主:I slept soundly last week when the doorbell's ringing

jarred me awake. A strange man stood at the door.

被:I was sleeping soundly last week. But the doorbell

was ringing. A strange man was standing at the door.

专业写作者,比如新闻记者和作家都力求使用主动语态。

学会使用主动动词会让你的文章读起来更有趣。 

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 2 (Sedgehead 的标准建议二)

A LOT

 

The phrase "a lot of" is informal and should be avoided in formal English like letters and resume.  Replace it with: many, a considerable amount of, a large number of, etc.

By the way, until I was in college, I used "alot" as one word! 

第二次:苔草属头的规范的条子

中文 02: A lot"A lot of" 这个短语是不正式的表达,应该避免在信件、简历等正式英文中使用。可以用这些词代替它:many, a considerable amount of, a large number of 等等。

这个用词,“a lot of“, 不是正式;不用“a lot of“跟正式的信件或是履历表一起。用: “many, a considerable amount of,a large number of,” 等等。"A lot of" 这个短语是不正式的表达,应该避免在信件、简历等正式英文中使用。可以用这些词代替它:many,a considerable amount of, very many, a large number of, a great amount of, 等等。

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 3 (Sedgehead 的标准建议三)

AGE TERMS

 

Many words can be used to describe a person's age.  However, many young people will describe themselves as a "boy" or "girl" on Lang-8.  In the US, at college age, people begin to call themselves "men" and "women."  College age students are considered adults, so the words change.  While women will often refer to themselves as "girls" (as in spending a "girl's night out" on the town with friends), if a man calls them a girl, he might get slapped.  Here is a list of English age terms for you to consider.

Newborn: a child up to a few months old.

Baby: 0-2 years old, especially younger.

Toddler: a young child who is learning to walk.

In the terrible two's: a young child who is two years old and demanding to have anything he or she wants.

Youngster: children, mainly up to age 10, but for an older person born in the 1930s, this would include anyone under age 25 or younger than they are. 

Child: any age under 18, but especially under teenage.

Kindergartener: a child in kindergarten, ages 3 to 6. The word comes from German: kinder = child; garten = garden, so a kindergarten is a garden of children.

Primary school age child: grades one to three, ages 6 to 8.  You will notice some terms overlap.

Middle school age child: grades four to six.

Junior high school: usually grades seven and eight, sometimes including grade nine.

Teenager: age 13 to 19 only.

High school student: grades nine (or ten) to 12.

Girl: any age, but especially to age 14 to 15.  Adult women sometimes talk of their girlfriends and call themselves girls at any age. 

Young woman: generally age 14 to 16 up to about age 20 or 30, depending on who is talking.  Same for young lady, but usually said by a mother when she is angry.  "Young lady [or young man] get in here and do these dishes right now!"

Young man: used by mothers for boys of age 13 to 18 more or less.  College age.

Man/woman: age 18 or above.

3:年龄术语

许多词都可以用来形容一个人的年龄。但是在Lang-8上很多年轻人称自己为一个“boy”或者“girl”。在美国,到了上大学的年纪,人们就开始称自己为“men”或者“women”了。大学生已经是成年人,所以称呼会改变。
虽然女性常常用“girls”称呼自己(比如和朋友出去玩会说“a girl’s night out”),但是如果一位男士称她们为“girl”,那个男士可能会挨巴掌。(编者按:因为这样显得对女性不尊重)

下面我列举一些英文中的年龄术语供你们参考。

Newborn:几个月大的新生儿

Baby:0-2岁,特别是偏小的那些

Toddler:学走路的小孩

In the terrible two’s:大约2岁的什么都想要的小孩(编者按:应该就是中文里的“熊孩子”)

Youngster:10岁以下的小孩。不过1930年代出生的老人会把25岁以下的人都称为Youngster

Child:18岁以下的,尤其是青春期的

Kindergartener:3-6岁在上幼儿园的孩子。
这个单词来自德文:kinder = child; garten = garden,所以kindergarten表示小孩们的花园。

Primary school age child:一至三年级、6至8岁的孩子。
你会发现这里有些词意思会重叠。

Middle school age child:四至六年级的孩子。

Junior high school:一般指七八年级的孩子,有时也包括九年级的。

Teenager:只指代13岁至19岁的。

High school student:九(或十)至十二年级的孩子。

Girl:任何年龄都可以,但特别指代14到15岁的时候。成年女性有时会这样称呼她们任何年龄段的女性朋友或她们自己。

Young woman:从14、16岁到20、30岁左右的女性都可以,取决于是谁说的。
“Young lady”这个词也是,不过通常是一位正在生气的母亲这么说。”Young lady [or young man] get in here and do these dishes right now!"

Young man:母亲们用来称呼13至18岁左右的、大学年龄的男生。

Man/woman:18岁或以上的人。

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 4 (Sedgehead 的标准建议四)

AND (part 1) at the start of a sentence

 

"And" is considered too informal for starting formal English sentences in scientific papers, business letters, resumes, etc.

Starting a sentence with "And" is considered informal.  I try to teach formal English like you would use on a resume (=CV) or business letter.  What is better?

"Also," "Therefore," "Furthermore," "In addition," etc.  Scientific journals prefer "Also," because it is shorter.

中文 4: “AND”在句子开头的使用

在一些正式英文里,比如科学论文、商业信件和简历,用“And”

开头是很不正式的表达。 我的这些建议都是针对正式英文的,

以便你们能够在商业信件和简历中使用。“And”不太正式,

那么用什么开头更好?

Also, Therefore, Furthermore, In addition都可以,

科学期刊更喜欢用“Also”因为它更短。


 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 5 (Sedgehead 的标准建议五)

AND (part 2):

A SIMPLE USE OF "AND"... (AND 的简单用法)

 

When using "and" to connect two things, do not use a comma. (用 “and” 来连接两个部分时,不要用逗号。

Correct(对): Roy and I went to the store. We are good friends with the guys in the dorm and some people we go to class with. Sometimes, when I lay awake at night and look at the stars, I wonder what is out there in space. I can't sleep well sometimes and have to count to myself to go to sleep.

Incorrect(不对):

Roy, and I went to the store. We are good friends with the guys in the dorm, and some people we go to class with. Sometimes, when I lay awake at night, and look at the stars, I wonder what is out there in space. I can't sleep well sometimes, and have to count to myself to go to sleep.

A MORE COMPLEX USE OF "AND"... (see also "Words in a Series" below)...(“AND” 更加复杂的用法(请看下面的词汇解析)。)

Do use a comma with "and" when you use words in a series(see the other entry below, number 21, currently).(当出现一连串的词语时要使用“and”和逗号连接。(如果要看其它相关条目,请看下面的第21条)

Correct: Roy, John, and I are good friends.

Also considered correct (but can be misleading at times)(看这个句子是正确的(但是有时候会误认为是错的):): Roy, John and I are good friends.

If a sentence is long and confusing, use a comma before "and" to break up the sentence, or replace "and" with "as well as."(如果一个句子太长了又读起来很晦涩难懂,在“and”前面添加逗号对句子进行分段,或者用“as well as”来代替“and”。

Correct example: Roy and I are good friends and we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda.

Correct AND easier to understand正确使用“AND”使句子更加简单明了):

Roy and I are good friends, and we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda.

Roy and I we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda as well as went swimming later.

05:”AND"的用法(中文)

一个简单用法:用”and”连接两个东西时,不要使用逗号。

正确用法:Roy and I went to the store. We are good friends with the guys in the dorm and some people we go to class with. Sometimes, when I lay awake at night and look at the stars, I wonder what is out there in space. I can't sleep well sometimes and have to count to myself to go to sleep.

错误用法:Roy, and I went to the store. We are good friends with the guys in the dorm, and some people we go to class with. Sometimes, when I lay awake at night, and look at the stars, I wonder what is out there in space. I can't sleep well sometimes, and have to count to myself to go to sleep.

一个复杂点的用法:使用一系列词语时要加上逗号(在第21条建议中也会说到这一点)

正确用法1: Roy, John, and I are good friends.

正确用法2(但是有时会引起误解):Roy, John and I are good friends.

如果一个句子又长又难,可以在“and”前加逗号来断句,或者用"as well as”来代替“and”

原句(表达正确):Roy and I are good friends and we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda.

更好理解的表达:
Roy and I are good friends, and we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda.
Roy and I we went to the store with Marcy and Melinda as well as went swimming later.
 

 

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 Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 6 (Sedgehead 的标准建议六)

AS WELL AS

 

These sentences are their own examples and you will see what I mean as you read. Sometimes, a writer uses good English and has no mistakes on Lang-8.  However, sometimes we tend to use "and" too frequently. This can make a sentence confusing.  Red indicates errors; blue indicates correct sentences. For example:

Tom and Haibo arrived and Ann and Mary were late.

Here, "and" is used too many time.  I would not use "as well as" in this case, but it is a good example of a confusing sentence that uses "and" too many times.  Here's a better version:

Tom and Haibo arrived; however, Ann and Mary were late.

The word "and" can be used too many times and in a way that makes a sentence confusing.

We had potatoes and gravy for supper and pie and ice cream for dessert.

This sentence works better with "as well as."

 

We had potatoes and gravy for supper as well as pie and ice cream for dessert.

As you can see, the second sentence is easier to understand.  Here's a more complex example:

During the experiments we established 40 plots with a radius and within those plots we identified and counted all vascular plant species and also took 5 randomly placed soil samples and measured soil chemistry variables.

This sentence is best broken up with "in addition" or made into two sentences.  But it is clearer with "as well as" in a few places.  As usual, it can be written in several ways as follows:

Using "in addition:"

During the experiments we established 40 plots with a radius and within those plots we identified and counted all vascular plant species; in addition, took 5 randomly placed soil samples and measured soil chemistry variables.

 

Using "as well as:"

During the experiments we established 40 plots with a radius and within those plots we identified as well as counted all vascular plant species and also took 5 randomly placed soil samples as well as measured soil chemistry variables.

 

During the experiments we established 40 plots with a radius and within those plots we identified and counted all vascular plant species as well as took 5 randomly placed soil samples and measured soil chemistry variables.

 

Avoiding using a run-on sentence (see the standard not about "run-on sentences") by using short sentences:

During the experiments we established 40 plots with a radius. Within those plots we identified and counted all vascular plant species. We also took 5 randomly placed soil samples and measured soil chemistry variables.

This last one is probably best!

I also added this comment without realized I'd already written the above text!

Use "as well as" when there are too many "ands" in a sentence. For example, "I like dogs and cats and wild animals such birds and mice" is better if written as "I like dogs and cats as well as wild animals such birds and mice."  As another example, "Climatic data related to mean annual temperature and rain and soil conditions such as pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic matter content were measured" works better when written as "Climatic data related to mean annual temperature and rain as well as soil conditions such as pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic matter content were measured."

The phrases "along with," "while," and some other can be used in this way.  "Climatic data related to mean annual temperature and rain were measured while a soil test kit was used to check soil conditions such as pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic matter content."

It never hurts to have plenty of examples

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 7 (Sedgehead 的标准建议七)

ALTERNATIVE WORDING(同位语用词)

 

Sometimes, a writer uses good English and has no mistakes on Lang-8.  However, there are always new ways to say almost anything.  Rather than make corrections, I may change the wording and say, "This is alternative wording" meaning, "You made no mistakes but here is another way to say that.  For example, here are several ways to say the same thing.(有时候,Lang-8上的作者英语运用的相当好了,也没有错误。然而,总是有新的表达方式来描述相似的意思不是要去改正句子的错误,我会去改正句子的措辞或者语序,“这是个可供选择的用法”。这意味这“你在写句子时并没有犯错误,只是这儿还有另一种方法来描述它”。比如说,下面就展示了很多方式来描述同一个东西。)

The bird landed on the bird feeder outside my kitchen window, grabbed a seed, and flew away.

Outside my kitchen window, the bird landed on the feeder, picked up a seed, and took off.

The bird swooped in and dashed to the feeder, stole a single seeds, headed back to the hills.

A bird flapped into the feeder, landing lightly, selecting a seed, checking it with a tap, and dashed for the protection of the bushes.

As you can see, there are many ways to say that.  As I loved to say in high school, "In math 2 + 2 always equals 4, but in English there are a thousand right ways and a thousand wrong ways to say something." (诚然,有很多方式描绘同种事物。我高中的时候就很喜欢说:“2+2=4,那是数学。在英语里面,这有无数种正确的或错误的方式去表达同种意思”。)

 

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 Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 8 (Sedgehead 的标准建议八)

APPOSITIVES(同位语)

Appositives are strange little things many non-native and native speakers of English never master (hence this note).  What is an appositive?  Who cares?  What I want to know is how to write good English, not a bunch of grammatical terms!(同位语是个奇怪的小东西,很多学习英语的人没有掌握好,甚至一些以英语为母语的人的有也不能很好使用。什么事是同位语?谁在乎啊?我只想知道怎么写好英语作文,不是一个语法分枝。

An appositive is a word or phrase that repeats the noun or pronoun that is provided before the appositive in the sentence. (同位语就是一个名词对另一个名字或者代词进行解释或者补充说明的。

Here's some examples of nouns and appositives.  Then I will use them in sentences to show you how they work.(这里有大量的名词和同位语的例子。我会向你解释这些词如何在句子中使用还有它们起什么作用。

NOUN or PRONOUN (including phrases) -- APPOSITIVE (including phrases)(名词或代词(包括短语)--同位语(包括短语)

black dog -- the dog that bit me

woman -- the one in the red dress

singing frog -- the frog on the rock

iceberg -- the one that would sink the Titanic

As you can, they are repetitive (they repeat the original noun or pronoun). Here's how to use those appositives.(就像你看到的那样,它们重复性很强(它们一直解释说明前一个名词或代词)。这就是同位语的用法。

The black dog, the dog that bit me, has still not been captured.

That woman, the one in the red dress, is my beautiful wife.

The singing frog, the frog on the rock, is calling for a mate.

That iceberg, the one that would sink the Titanic, was probably calved off the coast of Greenland.

What you need to know is that appositives are "set off" by commas. Use a comma before and after an appositive in a sentence. Then you will be positively right!(你需要注意的是同位语需要和标点符号来使用(如之前的破折号和逗号),同位语的开头和结尾都需要加上标点。然后你就可以写出正确的同位语了。

06:appositive phrases 正面短语 / 同位语 (中文)

同位语是很多人从未掌握的东西,不论是非英文母语者还是英文母语者。(所以有了这条笔记)
什么是同位语?谁关心?我想知道的是怎么写出不错的文章,不是一堆语法名词。

同位语,是一个单词或短语,用来重述这个句子前面出现的名词或代词。

这是一些名词和同位语的例子。稍后我会在句子中使用它们来解释它们的用法。

名词或代词(包括短语) -- 它们的同位语 (包括短语)

black dog -- the dog that bit me

woman -- the one in the red dress

singing frog -- the frog on the rock

iceberg -- the one that would sink the Titanic

就像你看到的,它们是重复的(它们重述原有的名词或代词)。以下是同位语的用法:

The black dog, the dog that bit me, has still not been captured.

That woman, the one in the red dress, is my beautiful wife.

The singing frog, the frog on the rock, is calling for a mate.

That iceberg, the one that would sink the Titanic, was probably calved off the coast of Greenland.

你需要知道的就是同位语是被逗号隔开的,在同位语的前后都使用一个逗号就对了。
 

 

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 Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 9

BECAUSE 

 

The word "because" sometimes creates problems for Chinese writers of English. For example, look at this "sentence."  I say "sentence" because it is not a complete sentence.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data.

This is not a complete sentence because something else is needed.  Here are some ways to make it a complete thought and sentence.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, I've not sent you an email.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, my girlfriend feels neglected.

          I can't meet you for lunch, because I am busy treating some calculated data.

          My dog bit me, because I am busy treating some calculated data.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, I should be able to trick the bank into sending me some extra money.

Obviously, something is happening because of something else.  You can't have one without the other. 

09:BECAUSE (中文)

"Because" 这个词有时会给中国的英文写作者造成一些问题。比如说,在这个“句子”(它并不是一个完整的句子)里:
          Because I am busy treating some calculated data.

这句话还需要别的部分来让它完整,以下是一些补充方法:

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, I've not sent you an email.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, my girlfriend feels neglected.

          I can't meet you for lunch, because I am busy treating some calculated data.

          My dog bit me, because I am busy treating some calculated data.

          Because I am busy treating some calculated data, I should be able to trick the bank into sending me some extra money.

很显然,一件事发生是因为另一件事,你不能只说其中一件。

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 10

Sedgehead的准则小记七条

BESIDES / ASIDE FROM:

 

My Chinese friends sometimes use "Besides" when I know that "Aside from" works better.  In oral English, the two phrases are fairly interchangeable.  But in formal English, "aside from" often works better at the beginning of a sentence.  The two phrases are often interchangeable.  So, I'll just give an example of what I like and don't like.  It is a matter of style.

 

我的中国朋友有时在我认为“Aside from”更合适的时候使用“Besides”。在英语口语中,这两个词基本上是可互换的。但在正式英语中,“aside from”往往更适合用于句首。这两个词经常可以互换。所以,我举个例子来说明我对它们使用的喜恶。没有翻译。

Preferred (我喜欢的使用:):

   Aside from football, I don't watch many sports on TV.

   Aside from her, I don't have any female friends.

   Aside from cats and dogs, I really like having pets.

   Aside from the guy that hit me, I also don't like you very much anyway.

   Aside from supper, I also burned the cake.

Sounds odd to me (我觉得别扭的使用:):

   Besides football, I don't watch many sports on TV.

   Besides her, I don't have any female friends.

   Besides cats and dogs, I really like having pets.

   Besides, I don't like you very much anyway.

   Besides, I burned the cake.

  

10:BESIDES / ASIDE FROM(中文)

我认为“Aside from”更合适的时候,我的中国朋友可能会使用“Besides”。在英语口语中,这两个词基本上是可互换的。但在正式英文中,“aside from”往往更适合用于句首。这两个词通常可以互换。所以,我只举例来说明个人的喜好。这只关乎风格。

我喜欢的用法:

   Aside from football, I don't watch many sports on TV.

   Aside from her, I don't have any female friends.

   Aside from cats and dogs, I really like having pets.

   Aside from the guy that hit me, I also don't like you very much anyway.

   Aside from supper, I also burned the cake.

我觉得别扭的用法:

   Besides football, I don't watch many sports on TV.

   Besides her, I don't have any female friends.

   Besides cats and dogs, I really like having pets.

   Besides, I don't like you very much anyway.

   Besides, I burned the cake.

   

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 11

Chinese and English fonts (also applies to other languages such as Japanese):

SEE "Punctuation"

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 12

CONTRACTIONS

 

I often say "Contractions are our friends!"  Why?  Because my Chinese friends often neglect them and the contractions get lonely as a result!  Ha!

Seriously, use contractions to make your English sound more normal.  Example: I won't do that.

Do not use contractions if you want to emphasize "not."  For example: You want me to kill the kittens so we don't have to find homes for them?  I will not do that!"

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 13

CORRECTIONS/RED/BLUE on Lang-8

 

This note applies ONLY to Lang-8, an external website.  Always for me: Red = corrections; blue = suggestions or alternative wording.  That is, blue text usually replaces perfectly good English words or phrases and just gives you a new way of saying the same thing (or something similar).  Red text usually replaces something that is definitely incorrect in some way, even if the error is minor.  Feel free to ask me for details.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 14

Dashes (short version - for the long version, see below)

 

Hyphen (-): Use for hyphenated words and hyphenate names. Example: wind-up clock; Smith-Jones.

Endash (–): for ranges of numbers or dates (but not for negative numbers and in names such as company names such as Mann–Whitney or Pitney–Bowles.

Correct: May–June, 14 May–20 June, 57–99 m, 2011–2012, or in references, 44(1):355–374.

Incorrect: May-June, 14 May-20 June, 57-99 m, 2011-2012, or in references, 44(1):355-374.

Minus sign: use for negative numbers. Examples: −−−−−− (minus sign) and not –––––– (endash). −42°C, −4°C–2°C (has two minus signs and an endash!), −14 m, −14 m s−1, −14kg ha−1; not endash (–14 m, –14 m s–1)

Emdash (—): for “setting off” phrases in sentences—in this way—much like using an appositive such as the following (dog, and “one [dog]”); the black dog, the one that bit me, is over there.

Figure dash (): the figure dash is used for phone numbers.

Comments: The endash and minus sign are very similar. You can find the minus sign next to the ∑ symbol in MS Word’s symbol list. The minus signs have a tiny space between them if written in a row. They are also placed slightly higher than an endash.

Why?  Because.

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 15

Dashes (long version)

 

My main client put out a simple message to explain dashes.  It says:

1. Hyphen, en-dash, and minus sign

Although they all look about the same, hyphens, en-dashes, and minus signs are used in different situations. For example, hyphens are used in compound words (e.g., energy-saving) and in some cases to link prefixes to words (e.g., post-translational). En-dashes are used to connect two things in a range (e.g., 1998–2011) or to indicate an interaction/inter-relationship, and the minus sign is used for negative numbers (e.g., −88°C).

For comparison, they are -, –,—, −, or hyphen, emdash, endash, and minus sign, respectively. I have not figured out how to use alt-keystrokes to enter them on my laptop. For example, a minus sign is ALT+8722 (hold down the ALT key and type 8722 to get a minus sign on some computers (Macs use different keys, not ALT). My guidelines have changed. I try to keep them 1) complete, and 2) simple because I use them for clients in comments on papers. Here’s my guidelines:

Hyphen (-): Use for hyphenated words and hyphenate names. Example: wind-up clock; Smith-Jones.

Endash (–): for ranges of numbers or dates (but not for negative numbers and in names such as company names such as Mann–Whitney or Pitney–Bowles.

Correct: May–June, 14 May–20 June, 57–99 m, 2011–2012, or in references, 44(1):355–374.

Incorrect: May-June, 14 May-20 June, 57-99 m, 2011-2012, or in references, 44(1):355-374.

Minus sign: use for negative numbers. Examples: −−−−−− (minus sign) and not –––––– (endash). −42°C, −4°C–2°C (has two minus signs and an endash!), −14 m, −14 m s−1, −14kg ha−1; not endash (–14 m, –14 m s–1)

Emdash (—): for “setting off” phrases in sentences—in this way—much like using an appositive such as the following (dog, and “one [dog]”); the black dog, the one that bit me, is over there.

Figure dash (): the figure dash is used for phone numbers.

Comments: The endash and minus sign are very similar. You can find the minus sign next to the ∑ symbol in MS Word’s symbol list. The minus signs have a tiny space between them if written in a row. They are also placed slightly higher than an endash.

Why? Because.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note 15NEW

 Dependent Clauses

Some sentences seem like complete sentences, but they are not really complete sentences. They present an idea but lack  an ending. For example:

While some people said that some dishonest activities do not mean harm.

An English teacher would call your statement an "incomplete sentence" or a "sentence fragment" or a "dependent clause."  A dependent clause is not a complete sentence.  Here is a complete sentence.

While some people said that some dishonest activities do not mean harm, I do not believe this is true

I'm a botanist/ecologist/writer/editor and not really an English teacher. But I do know a dependent clause when I see one.  I will let the real English teachers tell why a clause is dependent. My goal is to help you write, not to teach like an English teacher. I take a unique approach. Here are some examples:

Dependent clause examples (not complete sentences):
When I woke up this morning.After I ate breakfast.
Soon after I woke up.
While that dog may look nice.
As the bird hit the window.

In dependent clause examples (complete sentences):
When I woke up this morning, the dog bit me.
After I ate breakfast, I took a nap.
Soon after I woke up, it started raining.
While that dog may look nice, it chased me down the street and tried to bite my leg.
As the bird hit the window, the cat grabbed for it.

Dependent clauses are not complete sentences because the action is not completed.

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 16

FREE ENGLISH CLASSES

 

NOTE: these classes have been postponed for a few for personal reasons.  Based on my health and wakefulness the morning of the class I plan to restart the classes in 2017, ideally on Saturdays at 8 p.m. Beijing Time, but only as my health allows.

Do you want to join my free English class at 8 p.m. Saturday on Skype? 

First, see: http://www.sedgehead.com/index.php/learn-english/35-free-english-lessons for more details.  If so,

I will add you to two groups.  One is the group for announcements (a larger group because the class group is small and I often create a new group for the class each week) and a smaller class group for next week.  For more details see: http://www.sedgehead.com/index.php/learn-english/35-free-english-lessons

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 17

HOWDY! 

 

"Howdy" is an informal greeting use in the south central and southwestern parts of the U. S.  For example, cowboys in Texas still use it almost exclusively.  You might hear it from Alabama west to Arizona and certainly as far north as northern Arkansas and Tennessee.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 18

INFORMAL ENGLISH

 

Some words are too informal for use on resumes, in business letters, and in scientific journals.  They are fine for informal English or spoken informal speech.  They include: got, gonna, LOL, Ha!, and so on.

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 19

INTERNET

 

Sometimes, someone in a position of power makes a mistake.  Then, that mistake gets transmitted to others and language changes.  Microsoft Word capitalizes the word Internet, and that in my humble opinion, is a mistake.  Capitalized words are proper nouns and some words are even exceptions.  For example, we capitalize Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, but do not capitalize the earth, sun, and moon.  Why?  Because they are more common and less exceptional.  The internet is not a brand name like Milky Way candy bars, or a language like Spanish or English.  There are not several different internet so that you have the Chinese Internet, or perhaps (as an exception because it is so isolated, the North Korean Internet).  It is generally one thing, one internet, like the ocean, the land, or a city,  not the Pacific Ocean, Australia, or New York (the latter being proper nouns.  So, in my opinion, do not capitalize the word "internet" in the middle of a sentence.

 

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 20

 

LANG-8 GROUP FOR ECOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS


I have a group on Lang-8 for ecologists and other scientists: http://lang-8.com/groups/1567/

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 21

THE LITTLE THINGS: Word capitalization, punctuation and spaces of English Usage


*** Capitalization (first letter) words

Remember that the first word of each sentence of the first letter should be capitalized, in addition to the first letter of a proper noun should be capitalized.

*** Punctuation and spaces



Behind the English period to use spaces. Do not use spaces in front of the full stop. In there is a space between each word (not two spaces). I like to leave two spaces after each period (which is a more traditional style). Today, many people use only one space after the period, it does not matter.

 

1) 在分号、句号和逗号之前不要加空格


Part II: Why details are important?

Word capitalization, punctuation and correct use of space is very important. In the end how important? Relying solely on modifying these small mistakes, I can earn hundreds of dollars a month. But even more important is that these details are important to you! When you write a letter to a business, when you prepare your resume, or when you apply to college or to participate in the written part of the GRE, these details will suddenly become very important. 

这篇博客的内容有两种版本:简洁版和详细版。

 

简洁版

第一部分:细节包括什么?

单词的大小写、英文标点符号以及空格的使用方法

***单词的大写(首字母)

记住每个句子的第一个单词的首字母要大写,此外专有名词的第一个字母也要大写。

***标点和空格

在英文句号后面要使用空格。不要在句号前面使用空格。在每个单词之间要有一个空格(不是两个空格)。我喜欢在每个英文句号后面留两个空格(这是比较传统的风格)。如今很多人在句号后面只使用一个空格,这也没关系。

第二部分:为什么细节很重要?

单 词大写、标点符号以及空格的正确使用是非常重要的。到底有多重要?仅仅依靠修改这些细小的错误,我每个月就能赚到数百美金。但是更重要的是这些细节对你来 说很重要!当你给一家企业写信时,当你准备你的简历时,或者当你申请大学或者参加GRE考试的笔试部分时,这些细节会突然变得很重要。

LITTLE THINGS:

Read this blog to learn to correct little errors (little things) in your use of English: http<colon>//www<dot>sedgehead<dot>com/ index.php/learn-english/8-little-things-are-important.

I use this note several times a day on Lang-8.  Rather than repeat the same information over and over, I found it easier to make a single webpage with the details about the "little things" of capitalization, punctuation, and spacing.

Chinese:,。“”!?《》%¥*() (space is added by the font itself; you do not add spaces). English:,.""!?<>%$*() (To have space, you have to use the space bar like this: With space: , . "" ! ? < > % $ ( ) As a result, in formal scientific papers I edit, I'm constantly removing Chinese fonts and replacing them with English for publication of research papers in scientific journals

You never make mistakes when learning a language.  You just create learning opportunities.  You'll have numerous learning opportunities here.

你在英文上需要練習如何使用空白鍵:

1)逗點和句點前面不需要空白

2)但是在逗點和句點之後需要空白

以下是更多資訊:

如果你讀這篇文章你會學會如何更正你英文的一些小錯誤:

http://www.sedgehead.com/ index.php/learn-english/8-little-things-are-important

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 22

MATCHING NOUNS AND PRONOUNS WITH NUMBERS

 

If you use numbers in a sentence, remember to match the numbers of nouns and pronouns with the number of things you are talking about.  Red text indicates errors.

The boy shared their bikes with his friend. (He only has one bike and one friend).

The boys shared their bikes with his friends. (Now there are more than one friend).

The girl ran the backhoes and the boy dug the ditch.  (One girl cannot operate more than one backhoe).

The researcher counted the eggs in the nest and then recorded the data for the nests in his field notes. (Is there one nest or many?)

The corrected sentences should say:

 

The boy shared his bike with his friend.

 

The boys shared their bikes with their friends.

 

The girl ran the backhoe and the boy dug the ditch.

 

The researcher counted the eggs in the nest and then recorded the data for each nest in his field notes.
 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 23

INTERNET

 

Sometimes, someone in a position of power makes a mistake.  Then, that mistake gets transmitted to others and language changes.  Microsoft Word capitalizes the word Internet, and that in my humble opinion, is a mistake. 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 24

NOWADAYS

 

I've noticed many of my Chinese friends like to use the word nowadays. I consider this word archaic although the British folks may disagree with that. I rarely see it used by Americans and instead tend to say, "these days." 

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 25

NUMBERS

 

In formal English, such as in resumes, business letters, scientific and other research publications, the intergers (=whole numbers) one to ten should be written out.

Correct: On the Christmas Bird Count, I saw four Ospreys, two Bewick's Wrens, seven Harris' Sparrows, and about four and a half million Starlings.

Incorrect: On the Christmas Bird Count, I saw 4 Ospreys, 2 Bewick's Wrens, 7 Harris' Sparrows, and about four and a half million Starlings.

  

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 26

MORE ON NUMBERS

 

1) Numbers with more than four digits should be written with commas:

   Correct examples: 2,143 and 5,382,000 and 19,003.

   Incorrect examples: 2143 and 5382000 and 19003. 

2) Numbers that are written is decimal which are less than zero should be preceded by a zero.

   Correct examples: 0.143 and 0.00000005 and 0.019.

   Incorrect examples: .143 and .00000005 and .019.

3) Reading large numbers. 

Reading large numbers is really easy.  Here's the rules. 

For three digit numbers, say "number hundred and numbery number."

    Examples: 345 is three hundred and forty five; 678 is six hundred and seventy eight.

For very large numbers, add (as needed) quadrillion, trillion, billion, million, and thousand, as needed.  You probably don't need larger numbers, since the national debt won't ready a hextillion dollars any time in the near future.

     Example: $123,456,789,012,345,678,901 is read as one hundred and twenty three quintillion, four hundred and fifty-six quadrillion, seven hundred and eighty nine trillion, twelve billion, three hundred and forty-five million, six hundred and seventy eight thousand, nine hundred and one dollars.

Note that I didn't say "no hundred and twelve billion." Just combine those two rules (in green and red) and you can read any large number easily.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 27

pH

 

In high school, I didn't like my initials, PEH for Philip E. Hyatt, but when I took chemistry I learned about pH (hydrogen ion concentration).  Since it was scientific, I started signing my signature as pH on some things.  I've used it ever since (1960s).  In 1990 I took biochemistry and learned that everything in biology is controlled by pH.  So since pH controls everything, I really like my name now!

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 28

PLURALS

 

Some plural forms of words never take an added S.  As a scientist I run into several such words, which I'll list here.

Correct singular AND plural forms: advice, furniture, research, shrimp, slang, stuff.

Rarely (or never) used as a noun: advices, furnitures, evidence, researches, shrimps, slangs, stuffs.  Correct plural uses (to emphasize the plural: kinds of advice, stacks or types  or rooms full of evidence, styles of furniture, types of research, slang words, kinds of stuff.

Correct uses (but not has nouns): He stuffs the bag full of walnuts. 

 

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 Sedgehead's standard note number 29

PLURALS: LATIN PLURAL FORMS

 

As if things were not bad enough (see last note), scientists have to deal with the plural forms of Latin word.  A few hundred years ago biologists got together trying to decide which language should be the language of science internationally.  Latin was chosen for two reason.  Educated Europeans studied Latin at that time and no one could agree on anything else.  Germans wanted German, the English wanted English, and the French wanted French to be the language of science.  Nobody spoke Latin, so they chose it.  This complicates the plural forms for scientific words.  I'm not going to give you the Latin rules, only a few examples.

Singular form: bacterium, herbarium, aquarium, genus, species.

Correct: bacteria, herbaria, aquaria, genera, species.

Incorrect: bacteriums, herbariums, aquariums, genuses, specie.

Why?  I can answer that in two words.  It's Latin.

 

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Sedgehead's standard note number 30

PROPER NOUNS

 

Capitalize the first letter of proper nouns, but not common nouns.  Examples:

 

Common nouns: city, man, woman, ship, province, country, religion.

 

Proper nouns: New York, Lu Changji, Sally, The Queen Mary, Jilin Province, Malaysia, Bhuddism.

 

Note: the word “province” is capitalized for a single province (Jilin Province) but is not capitalized when more than one province is listed (Jilin and Fujian provinces). This has been corrected throughout this paper.

 

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Sedgehead's standard note number 31

PUNCTUATION: CHINESE AND ENGLISH FONTS

 

My Chinese friends have often not been taught to avoid the use of Chinese fonts when writing English.  I get paid RMB 65 to edit English research papers written by Chinese scientists and much of the work often involves removing the Chinese fonts. What do they look like?

Chinese fonts:?,》,《,“,:,},{,】,【,=,+,_,),(,*,&,^,%,$,#,@,!,~,(note that I’ve coreectly added NO space with the Chinese symbols)。

English fonts: ?, >, <, ",:, }, {,], [, =, +, _,), (, *, &, ^, %, $, #, @, !, (note the correct use of a space after every symbol.

As you can see, they are often quite different.  Chinese people who write English often forget to put a space after a period or comma,for example,like I just did.This makes their writing look childish (see my "Little things" blog for details). Chinese periods and commas have extra space,and also look different,(like you can see in this sentence)。The Chinese period is a circle and looks like this 。so avoid using it with English.  It looks really bad on resumes to mix Chinese fonts with English.  It immediately shouts to the reader “I'm not really good at writing English。”Avoid mixing Chinese fonts with English like I did intentionally in this paragragh.  Also, use a space after a period or comma (and before and after parenthesis) as required.

As a professional editor, Chinese writers of English often fail to put a space behind a comma, period, or other punctuation like we do in English. Instead, they pay me $10 a page to fix their errors, sometimes more and sometimes less. Chinese fonts have their own space made into the character itself. If you move your cursor over a Chinese or English character for punctuation, you will see English fonts need you to hit the space bar, but Chinese fonts for punctuation already provide extra space.  You don't have to hit the space bar. English punctuation:,;.!? Chinese punctuation:,;,!? In the English punctuation I provided, I have not added any spaces. English punctuation with spaces: , ; . ! ? As an editor of scientific manuscripts I'm constantly having to look for Chinese fonts that have been left in manuscripts written in English. Scientific journals will want all the Chinese fonts removed. It's a good lesson to learn in both languages. That is, use Chinese for Chinese and English for English.

 

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 Sedgehead's standard note number 32

RUN-ON SENTENCES

 

Many Chinese writers of English have been taught, incorrectly, that long sentences are better than short sentences.  What is true is that well written long sentences are better than poorly written short sentences.  My topic here is not long sentences but "run-on" sentences.  The easiest way to explain a run on sentence is to write one.  Here's a good example of a run-on sentence.

This sentence, an example of a run-on sentence, is far too long, this is because I have used commas to separate sentences instead of period, so that by writing many phrases and connecting them with commas, I am creating a run on sentence; sometimes you can use a semicolon correctly to separate independent like I'm doing here; that can create a run-on sentence too, as you can see this run on sentence still has no end because it keeps running on and on and on and on and on which gets very tedious after a while because your mind wants the sentence to end, and it never does seem to end, that's because the author has used incorrectly to connect a variety of phrases that should end with periods.

Here are some better ways to make sentences long.  Also see my note below on the use of semicolons.

1) If connecting two complete sentences into one, a semicolon often works; this sentence is a good example.

2) If only one part of the sentence has a full subject and verb and the rest are dependent clauses, that can work well.  Here's an example: The boy waited, his hands dripping water, the sweat on his head making wish he was next, watching the boy in front of the line grab the rope, swing over the water, and dive into the river, like he himself wanted to do again.

 

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Sedgehead's standard note number 33

SEMICOLONS

 

Use a semicolon (;) to separate two "independent clauses."

An independent clause is a clause that can be a sentence.  Examples:

Dependent clauses (cannot be sentences by themselves):

     The boy in the blue hat . . .

     . . . sat on a log.

     . . . because he was lonely.

     . . . and then it started to rain.

Independent clauses:

     The boy sat in the blue hat sat on a long because he was lonely.

     And then it started to rain.

     The boy sat in the blue hat sat on a long because he was lonely; and then it started to rain.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 34

TECHNOLOGY

 

One of many reasons I retired early was because of technology.  Many of my coworkers complained, "I can't get my field work done because everyone wants to send me email and expects me to respond."  Technology has its benefit, but it also consumes a terrific amount of time.  If you can't get your work done because you are on the computer, something is wrong.  For example, The U. S. Forest Service released their computer support staff and now makes everyone manage their own computer.  While I like computers and had accepted a writing job within the agency, I ended up spending too much time doing non-productive "work."  That was a big part of my decision to retire early from my government job.  I was getting less and less real work done and spending more and more time on my computer doing things that were not productive.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 35

THAT

 

The word "that" can often be deleted without changing the sentence's meaning.  Professional writers for magazines and scientific journals tend to remove it.

Compare these sentences.

I don't believe that!  The study included a method that used freezing temperatures.  I do believe that rich people are usually not that happy.  I think that you should learn from this experience.  He did it so that his girlfriend would be happy.  I have something that will keep you smiling.

I don't believe what you said!  The study included a method using freezing temperatures.  I do believe rich people are usually not very happy.  I think you should learn from this experience.  He did it so his girlfriend would be happy.  I have something which will keep you smiling.

Note: The word can be used.  But often it is not needed or the meaning is clearer if some other word is used.  Professional writers avoid it.  Editors cut it out to save space.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 36

TIME UNITS

What is a time unit? Anything that describes time  can be considered a time unit. Some words that represent time units are quite obvious:   today, tomorrow,  yesterday,  in a few minutes, in an hour or so, and so on.   Other time units are not as obvious.  For example, I also consider the following phrases to be time units: anyway,  some time, after a while,  later, and so on.  When writing in English  you should separate time units from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Time units usually go at the  beginning or the end  of a sentence, but are often correct anywhere in the sentence. Here are some correct examples:

Yesterday, I went to the store.   I went to the store, yesterday. I went, yesterday, to the store. Tomorrow, I will go to school. Anyway, I'm waiting for the weekend.  Someday, I hope to go to China.

Time unit 是什么?全都是描述与时间有关的 time unit。有些 time unit 有明显的时间概念,例如:今天,明天,昨天,几分钟等等。有些 time unit并不明显,如:anyway, sometime, after a while, later等等。一个人写英文的时候想用逗号隔开time units。通常time unit出现在句首或句末。然而time units常常无论在何处都是正确的。比如: Yesterday, I went to the store.   I went to the store, yesterday. I went, yesterday, to the store. Tomorrow, I will go to school. Anyway, I'm waiting for the weekend.  Someday, I hope to go to China.

Time units include introductory words such as:

Today, I am writing a blog.
Tomorrow, I will write a blog.
Yesterday, I wrote a blog.
Last week, I kissed a dog.
Sometime, I should wash my lips.
Anytime, you can kiss me!

This rule also applies to introductory words. These act like time units and are also normally separated by a comma within a sentence.

Specifically, I should not have said that.
However, I already said it.
Therefore, my wife probably won’t kiss me.
In addition, the cat won’t lick me.
Moreover, I don’t think I want to kiss the dog again.
Anyway, I hope you understand.

 

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 37

TITLE FORMAT

 

Title format: short and sweet!  Long titles are tedious. My Chinese friends use a variety of informal titles for blogs. I tend to teach the formal use of English. Formal titles  are what would be used for scientific journal articles, magazine articles, and newspaper headlines. the rules are fairly simple.  Titles should be short, rather than long and should usually not ask questions.  There are exceptions to every rule.  The major words in a title should be capitalized.  Here are some examples from today's newspaper.

Israel Strike Kills 11 Civilians (contains an error!)

EPA Turns Down States' Request for Ethanol Waiver

School Official Loses Appeal on Sexual Abuse Reporting

Norfork Council Sets Meeting Agenda

Library to Close for Thanksgiving

Consumers Hesitant to Upgrade to Windows 8

Note the use of capital letters on most, but not all, words.  The error?  It should be Isreali Strike Kills 11 Civilians. 

The rules are never set in stone, and this is especially true for poetry.  Some people will capitalize the first letter of ALL words in a title.  Others will only capitalize the first letter of the first word and of proper nouns.  It is your choice, since it is a matter of style.

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Sedgehead's Standard Note Number 37 (new)

Want, will, and would like

 

This note is about a finer point of English, providing more detail than most.  I want to explain the meanings of "want," "will," and "would like."

The word want in English can be a little strong in formal English, but the meaning can change based on how you say something.  I might say, "I want to go to the store later," and it simply expresses that desire.  If I tell someone loudly in a strong voice, "I want your wallet," it implies that I am a thief and I will force you to give me your wallet if you don't hand it to me."  I might say, "I want some ice cream," and it simply tells you want I want to eat.  However, if you first tell me, "We are out of money.  We need to get out of the store," and I say, "But, I want some ice cream" it means, "I don't care if we can't afford it.  I want it anyway!"

The word "will" is a little stronger.  "I will get some ice cream anyway," expresses my desire to buy it despite the fact we can't afford it.  However, it does not always have a strong meaning.  the word "will" is part of the contraction "I'll."  So, if I say, "I'll go to the store later," I'm just stating a fact.  However, if you tell me we can't afford ice cream and I say, "Well, I will buy it anyway," it means I am going to use my own power, my will, to override the fact we can't afford it and I will by it anyway, whether you like it or not.  I'm told the Germans use "will" in this way and use "mochte" to say "I would like."

That brings us to our third phrase, "would like."  If you are writing a letter or trying to be extra polite, use "would like."  If we are in the store, and I tell my wife, "But I would like to buy some ice cream" it means, "I know we can't afford it, but it is my desire to buy some ice cream if you would agree."  So, if you write, "I want to introduce myself . . . ." in a letter, you can make it more polite by saying "I would like to introduce myself. . . ."

 

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Sedgehead's standard note number 38

WHOLE VS ENTIRE

 

Sometimes I have difficulty explaining why one word works and another does not.  This is true for "whole" and "entire."  I think the concept is one of informal vs formal English.  In my editing of scientific research papers I often find myself replacing "whole" with "entire" simply because "entire" sounds better.  I don't know why!  Example:

This whole group of species is crepuscular.

This entire group of species is crepuscular.

When I'm talking about a group of anything in scientific writing, I tend to use "entire" and not "whole" although both words work fairly well.  I come across this often enough on Lang-8 that I added to my list here.  While it is partly my style, I think "entire" is used more frequently in this context.  I hope my entire group of Lang-8 friends enjoys this list of suggestions for non-native speakers of English. 

 

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Sedgehead's standard note number 39

WORDS IN A SERIES and RESPECTIVELY

 

2) Words in a series: Words can be written in a series correctly in two ways. The last comma in the second group is called "the serial comma" (or “Oxford comma”) but I only say that in case the authors want to search for more info on this topic on the internet.

a) The preferred method:

           Dogs, cats, and mice eat meat, mice, and grain, respectively.

           The twin girls, Obama, and Putin danced all night.

b) Also considered correct (but sometimes confusing):

           Dogs, cats and mice eat meat, mice and grain, respectively.

           The twin girls, Obama and Putin danced all night.

Why is the first method preferred? You could read the second meaning (blue text) to mean "Cats and mice both eat mice and grain" which is not the meaning you intended. Also, the second sentence could mean Obama and Putin are twin girls who dance all night or that four people dance all night (the meaning is confusing).

RESPECTIVELY:

Note the word "respectively" allows you to match up two series of words.  Based on the sentence you know dogs eat meat and mice eat grain.

Why not say "Dogs eat meat, cats eat mice, and mice eat grain?"  The word respective is used to save space and make the meaning more clear. This is especially true in long and complex scientific writing.  Consider the following example, with and without the use of "respectively."

Shorter, clearer, and better: The results show the Arkansas Ozark Mountain, Arkansas River, and Missouri Ozark Mountain plant communities received 35, 30, and 43 inches of rain each year and 4-10, 0-2, and 4-10 inches of snow each winter, respectively.

Longer, confusing, and not as good (but still correct): The results show the Arkansas Ozark Mountain plant community received 35 inches of rain each year and 4-6 inches of snow each winter, the Arkansas River plant community received 30 inches of rain each year and 0-2 inches of snow each winter, and the Missouri Ozark Mountain plant community received 43 inches of rain each year and 4-10 inches of snow each winter.

Both sentences use the same ideas, but one is much shorter.  BUT be careful to not use "respectively" if you are not using a series. 

Incorrect use of "respectively: The results show the Arkansas Ozark Mountain plant community received 35 inches of rain each year and 4-6 inches of snow each winter, respectively.

In the incorrect example, there is no series of items that is being connected.

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OLD INDEX (starting on July 4, 2015):

 

1 - Active / passive verbs; 2 - A lot; 2A, Age and related terms; 3 - And (to start a sentence); 4 - And (as a conjunction); 5 - Alternative wording; 5A - Appositives; 6 - Because; 7 - Besides / Aside from; 8 - Chinese and English fonts; 9 - Contractions; 10 - Corrections; 11 - Dashes - short version; 12 - Dashes - long version; 13 - Free English Class; 14 - Howdy!; 15 - Informal words; 16 - Internet; 17 - Intro to Little Things; 17A - Capitalization of titles; 18 - Nowadays; 19 - Numbers one to ten; 20 - Numbers, part 2; 21 - pH; 22 - Plurals; 23 - Proper Nouns; 24 - Punctuation; 25 - Latin Plurals; 26 - Run-on Sentences; 27 - Semicolons; 28 - Technology; 29 - That; 30 - Time units; 31 - Titles; 32 - Whole vs. entire ; 33 - Words in a Series and Respectively.