1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Sports writer looking for Grammar help

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

  1. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Shutout v. shut out is one of the ones I see most in error in the sports pages.

    And I don't know how many people in the central states region say, "I seen."

    In fact, way too many "for sale" posts begin either, "I am saleing ..." or "For sell ... ."
     
    cjericho likes this.
  2. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    But "should of took" is acceptable, right?
     
  3. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    At my shop, I see so many examples of what Harley listed. Most of them bug the crap out of me but I don't always know the proper way to fix them.

    Also, that's the first time I've seen the 3 for 4 vs. 3-for-4 actually explained, and that makes it easy to remember.
     
  4. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    Great stuff, Harley.

    If I may add one, a transgression of SIDs from Rhode Island to San Diego, it is NOT "second-straight victory." It is "second straight victory."
     
  5. DeskMonkey1

    DeskMonkey1 Active Member

    I think the correct phrase would be "should have taken."
     
    cjericho likes this.
  6. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Like, like, like! My college guy uses hyphens where they don't belong, and omits them where they do.

    That also made me remember this one:

    There is no first annual anything. You can't have an annual something until you've had a second one.

    "The inaugural Podunk 10K race..."
     
    expendable and jr/shotglass like this.
  7. Sports Guy

    Sports Guy Member

    • My 10 CENTS WORTH — Most common misspelled word among journalists: under way
     
    HandsomeHarley likes this.
  8. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    Yes, of course. As well as would of and could of.
     
  9. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    Your 10 cents are wrong

    underway One word in all uses. (Associated Press Stylebook)
     
  10. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Sorry, Gremlin, under way is two words. The AP is wrong.

    Remember, these are the same guys who write present tense in parts of stories and past tense in other parts of the same story.

    "John Smith dies Wednesday night at Podunk Valley Memorial Hospital ..."

    Um, unless he is STILL in the process of dying, he fucking DIED. It happened, it ended.

    The AP sucks.

    That is all. #rant
     
    cjericho and Sports Guy like this.
  11. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    HandsomeHarley likes this.
  12. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Ouch. Got me.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page