Sites that cover writing and grammar skills.

Okay, I admit it. I'm kind of a grammar nerd. ("Hi, I'm Dee. I'm a grammar nerd."winking smiley So I figured I'd put this here so we'd have a start to an archive of resources about this topic.


[grammar.ccc.commnet.edu]
Developed by Capital Community College in CN, this extensive site covers it all.

[grammar.quickanddirtytips.com]
Grammar Girls gives daily tips. Recent ones include:
Who Versus Whom, Advanced; Alternate Versus Alternative; "Because," "Due To," "Since," and "As"; “Where” Versus “In Which”; Adverbs Ending in -ly;
“Which” Versus “That"; How to Use Italics; “Diffuse” Versus “Defuse.”

[mzbworks.home.att.net]
Grammar: MZB's Pet Peeves

[www.bartleby.com]
The original 1918 version of Strunk's "The Elements of Style."

[itotd.com]
Hypercorrection-Taking the rules of language too far...

Lynch's Guide to Grammar
[andromeda.rutgers.edu]

[itotd.com]
Style Guides-I'm Okay, You're Okay...

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2009 08:05PM by dee shops.

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This post was in response to HReid's ridiculous sniper rant. He has been deactivated and had his posts removed. As such, I deleted it.

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2010 08:33AM by dee shops.
I have always liked to write. I did enough papers in college. My one problem is spelling. I spell like I learned to read with "phonics". Speedwriting did not help either. Now to my question. Is there an on line dictionary? I do not trust spell check when and if I can find it.

Dee, you come up with a lot of interesting sites that have a lot of information. Thank you
dictionary.com

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
As an alternative, you can always type "Define:" before any word into Google and it will bring up a bevy of definitions, or suggest an alternate spelling if your spelling is not correct.

Macs have a built in spell checker for text boxes and a Google window build into the included web browser, and for a PC you can download Google toolbar that gives you all of that as well. Highly recommended for saving time on forms.
Firefox spell checks as we type. I also like [www.google.com], which can be referred to, or added to the Google toolbar.
Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Firefox spell checks as we type. I also like
> [www.google.com], which can be
> referred to, or added to the Google toolbar.


I tried Firefox with another laptop I had and they did not like each other and I had to delite it. I did not try it with this one. Believe it or not I do not have a Google toolbar and I very seldom use Google for anything unless I don't realize I have used it. I do have Google Earth and love it.
I, too, consider myself a "word nerd!" I love spelling, language, writing, etc. Needless to say, I do pretty well on my MS narratives smiling smiley

MSPA Gold Certified. Shopping Appleton, Northeastern WI and Door County WI
One of my favs...Taylor Mali, "The The Impotence of Proofreading."
[www.youtube.com]

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
I have just started using Firefox and really like it. The spell check helps out even a good speller like me! ;-0 It seems to run faster and is lighter than IE. I do have a problem opening some of the prophet shopping sites with Firefox though, but I really like how it handles the user names and passwords on all of the sites for me! ;-)
A great email that you can receive about one time a week is called "ProofreadNOW". Just go to ProofreadNOW.com and register for free emails

It has a weekly challenge of usually 10 words with multiple-choice definitions, Weekly Grammar Tips (Example: anytime, sometime; on, up on, upon) and Word of the Week, with its pronunciation, Function (or sentence part, verb, noun etc), country of origin, date and finally definition.

Another is www.jansfreecontent.com, this site covers everything pertaining to grammar and spelling and proofreading.

Sorry about the soapbox. I am a retired teacher, daughter of two retired teachers. And sorry about the typing.

I just lost sight in one eye. Good news yesterday from Cincinnati Eye Institute, I have regained a tiny amount of sight and Dr. Golnik says there is no brain or nerve damage only bruising and since some sight has returned he is confident it will all return in time. Maybe weeks or months, but the good news is it WILL return! Praise God!!
I am another retired teacher. I am appalled at the way the current crop of students read, write, and think. Or, rather, don't read, can't write, and don't think.
I am very picky about spelling and grammar, and still disappointed that no one seems to know (much less care) about gerunds. It is probably the most misused form of noun. ("He came to watch me swimming." means he came to watch ME and I happened to be swimming. "He came to watch my swimming." means he came to watch the swimming that I was doing.) You modify nouns with adjectives. Simple, but a common error.
I have finally given up on the old "split infinitive." It was based on the fact that Latin infinitives are one word ("esse" is "to be"winking smiley. So old grammarians decided that you should not splite infinitives. Bad: "I vow to never split an infinitive." Good: "I vow never to split an infinitive." While I don't call people on it, I still have a mental wince and I never do it myself from force of habit.
So how's about youse (as they say in South Philly)?
I'm pretty sure I split mine in everyday communication...but not in formal writing. I cannot believe what some of my students turn in as "formal writing."

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
This is another good site for grammar. It is a free 'rater' site that gives explanations of the feedback it gives you. It's far better than MS word, but not as good as the paid programs. I use it a lot when correcting student essays and refer them to it.

[www.paperrater.com]

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2010 09:06PM by dee shops.
Here is a funny cartoon about it's and its....
[www.angryflower.com]

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
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