Grammar Guidelines

"There," "Their," and "They're"   is a set of words that are so commonly misused that this post is dedicated to providing the definitions as well as some examples of each. There: a place. ~in, at, or to that place or position ( p. 843 The Pocket Oxford American Dictionary of English . New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2002 ). She has lived there for more than fifty years. We decided not to go there over the weekend. Their: a pronoun used to indicate possession. ~ of or belonging to them or themselves ( p. 842 The Pocket Oxford American Dictionary of English . New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2002 ). That is their basket. I don't want to impose on their Thanksgiving. They're: a shorthand version of "they are." ~a contraction of "they are." (a contraction is a shortening of a word-- p. 168 The Pocket Oxford American Dictionary of English . New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2002 ). They'

Quite often, "i.e.," and "e.g.," are thought to be interchangeable. However, they do mean different things. So what is the difference and why aren't they synonymous? "i.e.," is the abbreviation for the Latin "id est," which translates as "that is." "e.g.," is the abbreviation of the Latin "exempli gratia," which means "for example." "i.e.," should be used when you want to clarify something by using different words. "e.g.," should be used when you simply want to give one or many examples of what you are expressing. See the sentences below to get a better understanding of the comparison. The mall is packed with clothing stores, e.g., Nordstrom, Macy's, Cache, and Ann Taylor. Today I'm going shopping at the best store in the city, i.e., Crate & Barrel.

An inference is a conclusion that one makes after being presented with a set of data. This type of exercise requires reading comprehension and memory. Practicing with inferences can improve your ability to understand and retain what you read as well as your ability to think critically. An inference, in its simplest form: All books are made of paper . All paper is made from trees. Therefore, all books are made from trees. Inferences which include false premises can also lead to false conclusions. For example: All geniuses are from Ireland. Bobby Fischer is a genius. Therefore, Bobby Fischer is from Ireland. (false conclusion based on false premises) Try out this inference exercise for yourself: Every afternoon we either roller-blade, hike, or work out at the gym. We only choose one activity per day. The activity that we choose is completely dependent upon weather and daylight. We roller-blade or hike if the temperature is 45 degrees or above. If it is raining

It is astounding the number of people who use the phrase "I could care less." Little do they know, they are saying the exact opposite of what they mean. If they really stop to think about it, they want to get across the point that they could NOT care less. In fact, they care so little that it isn't possible to be more indifferent. Incorrect: could care less Correct: couldn't care less