Using all the (simple) tools we have
Hello Jihad!
You are welcome to call me Rachel, in fact I prefer it. Thank you for your two interesting posts. We are lucky to have a pharmacist blogging at the moment and I look forward to hearing your comments on health issues in general and swine flu in particular….
You asked about punctuation so I have a suggestion for you which might help…. It is a simple suggestion, so apologies if you are already doing it! Anyway, my suggestion is that you use your word-processing software to give you free-of-charge, detailed feedback on your writing, every time you type. The specific help that your software will give depends on the manufacturer and the version you are using. In Microsoft Word, for example, you can click on Tools in the toolbar and then select Spelling and Grammar. A dialogue box will appear offering several choices. Click on Options and choose the features that you think might help you. If there is a Writing Style drop down menu, click Grammar and Style, not Grammar Only. Click Settings and browse through the features, again, choosing the ones that you think will help (or all of them!).
As an experiment, I copied a paragraph from one of your posts and pasted it into MS Word. Here it is, with the words in bold-faced type showing what the Spelling and Grammar tool underlined in red (grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes) or green (possible style mistakes).
Medically speaking, Most types of influinza, including the swine type, share the same symptoms of the the regular flu and we can't reach an exact diagnosis without laboratory test. Also, the WHO says that the current anti-influinza vaccines and the widely known antiviral drug "Tamiflu" showed little effectiveness against swine flu.Added to that, I'm not sure that using protective musks is adequate to protect ourselves from this virus whish is still classified as the strongest micro organism on earth. Absolutely disappointing!!!!!!! Isn't it?
In MS Word, you can right click, using your mouse, to find out what the software thinks is a better way of writing. These are the changes the software suggested:
influinza = (spelling) influenza
the = (repetition)
can't = (style: contraction) I disagree with the software here because I think contractions are fine in informal writing
Also = (style) you could use the more formal phrase in addition, but again, I think also is fine here
Tamiflu = a new word that Word doesn’t recognise!
flu.Added = (punctuation) space after the full stop
musks = (spelling) masks
disappointing!!!!!!! = (style) Word doesn’t like your multiple exclamation marks, but I do, because they show how strongly you feel!!!!!!!
Isn't it? = (style) Word doesn’t like contractions, but I think they’re fine, though I think you could put the exclamation marks after the tag question, like this Absolutely disappointing, isn’t it?!!!!
This is what MS Word didn’t notice, but that I did:
speaking, Most = (punctuation) speaking, most
share the same symptoms of the regular flu = (word choice) I think that share and the same mean something similar; instead try, share the symptoms of the regular flu or have the same symptoms as the regular flu
without laboratory test = (grammar) without a laboratory test
"Tamiflu" showed little effectiveness = (grammar) because the crisis is ongoing, I think that a present tense or a present perfect tense would be better here. Using the past simple sense makes it sound like the crisis is in the past. For example, "Tamiflu" has shown little effectiveness (present perfect)
this virus whish is still classified = (spelling) which
Absolutely disappointing = (word choice) Disappointing probably isn’t the right word choice because it suggests that you had hopes or expectations of the swine flu epidemic which have not been fulfilled – and I don’t think that this is exactly what you mean. Maybe, incredibly worrying, absolutely shocking, or really frightening would be better???
So, you can see that, while the spelling and grammar tool isn’t perfect, it will help you notice some mistakes in your writing, including some punctuation problems.
I hope this has been useful. Try it and let me know!
I look forward to hearing more from you soon. We may need your advice on simple things we can do to protect ourselves in the next few weeks!
Rachel
Comments
Hello Rachel, You touched the problem of using more than one exclamation mark at the end of a sentence. In one of the grammar books I have got I found the explanation, that there are no punctuation marks like two or three exclamation marks or two or three question marks. Maybe it’s true but how to show how strong you feelings are? That’s why I absolutely agree with you that using multiplied exclamation marks is acceptable. More or less, two years ago in one of my books (now I don’t remember in which one, I've got hundreds of them) I found a dialogue (here only a piece) like: ‘Could you...’ ‘No.’ ‘But I ...’ ‘No!, I said no!!’ ‘Yes, I agree, but...’ ‘I said no!!! No!!!!! No!!!!!!’. All best wishes.
Thanks for the suggestion. I was also looking for this. I used to do grammar check. In Microsoft word but never had idea of this writing style options. I am grateful for this. However, while checking with this “grammar and style” option I found some problem e.g when I write something in passive voice it shows passive voice (consider revising). I did not understand how to correct it. Would you please kindly suggest me for this problem? How can I improve or correct. Actually, I was writing a meeting minute, and I used a sentence “the meeting was closed with the notice of next meeting to be held on next week, date and time still to be fixed.” The meeting was closed needs to be revised, I don’t know the problem. Regards,
Hello teacher Rachel, I hope you've had a good weekend. These days the flu has been dominating the news scenery. We have to learn the vocabulary to talk about it. It's good to have you with us this month again. I hope I can participate more. Good bye for now. See you later. Mauricio.
Hello Rachel! Thanks for your tips and links. Last week-end I did some surfing on the net and when I bumped into the cover of the book it occured to me that I had already seen it somewhere. I plan on going to a stocked bookstore soon. I saw Clara's video too. The area where you live seems very peaceful, doesn't it? Have a great day!!
The WHO says that the current anti-influinza vaccines and the widely known antiviral drug "Tamiflu" has shown little effectiveness against swine flu. In the above reporting speech why do we use the reporting verb "says" instead of "said" ?, because WHO already mentioned it which means simple past tense, correct me. With best wishes from, Sreenadh.T
Just one suggestion for those who want to learn British English- MS Word underlines the British spelling as a grammar mistake even though the English (U.K.) has been chosen. So, be careful!!!
Hi Rachel! I’m so glad to have you around one more month. What is your favourite month or months in a year? I’ll give my thump up to May because it teaches me patient, agonies, glories and sweet result. Flowers in May have endured being in dark and intense cold during the long winter and undergone massive pain when it is letting through the hard and rocky soil. When they finally are blossoming out they look so glorious and give me a sweet sense of happiness and hope. Get back to your suggestion, I use the program whenever I write in English, but my fear is if I take any English exams in the future I might be struggling with sure of my writings as I am used to relying on it a lot. That’s all for now, and I am looking forward to next lesson. Have a wonderful day!!!
Hi Rachel, I agree with you on using "spelling and Grammer" tool bar during word processing. I always use it when I word process something but one needs to be careful becasue sometimes you would spell a word correctly but it might not be the right word to be used in that context. As the spelling of the word is correct, the computer does not high light it. So, I would say that if someone is writing important piece of work, it is better to read the whole text and don't rely completly on your computer. Suppose if you word process the word write instead of right, the computer will not highlight it as the spelling is correct. I particularly liked the way you gave different word choices for the word "disappointing". This will help me remember it more. Thanks and take care. Rabail UK
Hi Rachel! I’m so glad to have you around one more month. What is your favourite month or months in a year? I’ll give my thump up to May because it teaches me patient, agonies, glory and sweet result. Flowers in May have endured being in dark and intense cold during the long winter and undergone massive pain when it is letting through the hard and rocky soil. When they finally are blossoming out they look so glorious and give us a sweet sense of happiness and hope. Get back to your suggestion, I use the program whenever I write in English, but my fear is if I take any English exams in the future I might be struggling with sure of my writings as I am used to relying on it a lot. That’s all for now, and I am looking forward to next lesson. Have a wonderful day!!!
While answering Grammar hallenge: reported speech - quiz 2 ; I have faced the following problem Frank said, “we are getting married next year”. The indirect report equivalent (according to your post) is Frank told me that he is getting married next year (because it has yet to happen), but the answers showed that what i choosed was wrong. I will be impatiently waiting for your answer. With best wishes from, Sreenadh.T
Hello Rachel! Just to say I am glad to see you again after a weak long break..have taken all missed materials to read them at home, than you will certainly hear more from me. All best wishes!
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