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Sports writer looking for Grammar help

Discussion in 'Writers' Workshop' started by Vincent Miracle, Mar 4, 2016.

  1. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    We still have a handful paid to know these things, but certainly not enough, and not enough time to really "edit" anymore in a lot of cases. I just do not get the difficulty with affect/effect. Seems pretty straightforward in most cases.
     
    HandsomeHarley likes this.
  2. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    Sadly, this was my editor who asked me the question.
     
  3. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    I'm finding the TV news websites in this area are pathetic when it comes to the English language. Just brutal.

    "A Podunk man dies early Thursday morning ..." "The driver was headed towards Podunk..."

    I guess so-called broadcast journalists just have to look good; they don't have to be clear.
     
  4. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    Please tell me this isn't correct AP style....

    "Photos of the fire were posted on online social media."
     
  5. Skeptical

    Skeptical Member

    Redundancy at its finest. ...
     
  6. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    This word usage seems to be questioned on a weekly basis at my shop: dual vs. duel
     
  7. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    A duel is a battle between two people. There are only two people involved.

    A dual is a meet between two teams. If there are three teams, it's a triangular, four teams, a quad.
     
  8. Liut

    Liut Well-Known Member

    Just found this thread. Great stuff, folks.

    Harley, thanks for all the insight and humor.

    I've reached a point of not really giving a shit what the AP style changes are anymore.
     
    HandsomeHarley likes this.
  9. fossywriter8

    fossywriter8 Well-Known Member

    Back when I worked full time — as opposed to being a full-time worker — at a paper, I'd always see last names turned into plurals with an apostrophe, such as the Smith's, Jones' and Kelley's, instead of Smiths, Joneses and Kelleys. I often see the same thing on homes with a sign having the family name, such as The Smith's, instead of The Smiths.
     
  10. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Here's one that I seem to see on a daily basis with the AP.

    "... John Smith has eight his in his last five games ..."

    Unless he is about to die or retired, or the season is over, they were not his "last" five games.

    "... John Smith has eight his in his past five games ..."

    Keep in mind when writing, it's not the last anything unless the season has ended, or someone dies or retires ... or dies trying to retire.
     
  11. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    Good call. I'm probably guilty of this one. Never thought about it in this light before.
     
  12. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Here's one that gets under my skin that I saw today:

    canceled vs. postponed

    If an event was rained out, et al, and will be rescheduled, it was postponed.

    If the event will not be rescheduled, it was canceled.

    And if an event began, but then was rained out, it was suspended.

    They are not interchangeable.
     
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