Grammar Guidelines

Wander: go about from place to place aimlessly; talk or think incoherently (The Oxford Pocket American Dictionary of Current English. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2000: p. 919). Example: She wandered the streets of New York with no particular destination in mind. Wonder: desire or be curious to know; to be filled with wonder or great surprise (The Oxford Pocket American Dictionary of Current English. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2000: p. 937). Example: I wonder who is responsible for the recent crimes committed downtown.

"Imply" and "Infer" are often thought to mean the same thing. Nevertheless, they cannot be used interchangeably. "Imply" means to suggest something. "Infer" means to deduce something. Examples: Agreeing to a second date implies that you were actually interested in the guy. Because you agreed to a second date, the guy will infer that you felt a connection.

It drives me a little nuts when people use the phrase "would of" [but probably not nearly as much as when I hear "could care less" (see my first post... http://grammarguidelines.blogspot.com/search/label/Could%20Care%20Less )]. What they really mean when they say "would of" is "would have." I realize habits are hard to break. That's why people should think carefully before they speak. If they do, they will reduce the likelihood of misspeaking. It is embarrassing to make mistakes when speaking to someone, particularly if they are intelligent. And yes, I do make mistakes when speaking. When writing, not so much--that is editable. Sometimes, though, you don't even realize what you are saying because it is something that you've heard your entire life. For me, I tend to say "sump'n" instead of "something." Maybe it's a Southern thing like "ain't." Of course, I don't write it that way and ne...

The proper use of "lie" and "lay"   is tough for English speakers to grasp. We get it wrong all of the time. We use forms of "lie" when we mean "lay" and forms of "lay" when we mean "lie." Lie: "to assume a horizontal position on a supporting surface" or to tell a lie. Lay: "to place on a surface." What does it mean to "conjugate?" "To give the different forms of a verb." Let's conjugate "lie" and "lay" so we can understand what form to use when speaking or writing. Conjugation of "lie:" Present                 Past (to take a horizontal position/to tell a lie) (I) lie                                lay/lied (You) lie                          lay/lied (He/She) lies                   lay/lied (We) lie           ...

Direct Object: a word or group of words that receives the action of the verb. Indirect Object: a noun or pronoun that specifies to whom or for whom the action is done; indirect objects come before direct objects in sentences. Examples: She threw the ball. ( "ball"  is the direct object because it is what is being thrown) She threw him the ball. ( "him"  is the indirect object because it indicates to whom the ball is being thrown)

I find it interesting how often people incorrectly use "then" and "than." I've seen and heard erroneous sentences like: "I'd rather do this then that." "Then" and "than" have completely different meanings. "Then" is used when talking about time or sequence. "Than" is used when comparing things. Correct Sentences: Jack Russell Terriers are more hyperactive than most types of dogs. My dog Chloe ran around the yard, and then she dug a hole in the flowerbed.

"A whole nother" is a commonly used phrase. It is a habit that people don't even realize they are doing. The following is an example of the phrase being used in a sentence: She is living in a whole nother world. "Nother" is not a word. To correct this error, you could use "another," "a whole other," "a completely different," "an entirely different," etc. Correct sentences: She is living in an entirely different world. She is living in another world.