"Grammar" and "Punctuation" nit's unite! You're "head" will literally explode! - Page 178 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

**private joker** · 10-28-2011, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterc1992

agrument with my friend last nite.Which is it??

There bad language effected me badly

or there bad language harmed me baddly

Neither. It's "They're foul language hurtted me badrealz."

**SGT RJ** · 10-28-2011, 10:07 AM

I'm pretty sure we need to start using the snark, the interrobang, and the exclamation and question commas again. Someone please explain how they ever went out of style.

ToTheInternet · 10-28-2011, 11:33 AM

Yeah that they went out of style is baffling

baumer · 10-28-2011, 04:31 PM

****

this isn't going to be fun.

**SGT RJ** · 10-28-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToTheInternet

Yeah that they went out of style is baffling

Snark me all you want, but the interrobang at least would still be pretty useful, since I see people do "!?!" all the time.

JStunna · 10-29-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussellinToronto

"a limited number of" is a prepositional phrase modifying the subject "fields": hence, "are" is correct.

It may help to think of it this way: if you reduce this sentence to its essential meaning, it becomes: "fields are limited" (not "number is limited").

Just out of curiosity, can you elaborate on this? I thought all prepositional phrases began with prepositions (reducing the sentence to "there [is/are] a limited number you can go into")?

*Edit* Didn't see browser's post until after, but it still doesn't seem definitive to me.

Gordy N. Okam · 10-29-2011, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMan42

Question that arose when checking 12yo son's essay last night. In the following sentence:

"If you don't go to college, there [is/are] a limited number of fields you can go into."

Which is correct? First instinct is "is" based on s/v agreement, but is "a number of something" considered plural even though "number" itself is singular? I think this thread is making me overthink things.

Not to mention ' into' is a preposition. There are a limited number of fields into which you can go.

jjbooey · 10-30-2011, 01:34 AM

Best website to help improve my grammar and punctuation??

ToTheInternet · 10-30-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMan42

Question that arose when checking 12yo son's essay last night. In the following sentence:

"If you don't go to college, there [is/are] a limited number of fields you can go into."

Which is correct? First instinct is "is" based on s/v agreement, but is "a number of something" considered plural even though "number" itself is singular? I think this thread is making me overthink things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JStunna

Just out of curiosity, can you elaborate on this? I thought all prepositional phrases began with prepositions (reducing the sentence to "there [is/are] a limited number you can go into")?

*Edit* Didn't see browser's post until after, but it still doesn't seem definitive to me.

"A [limited] number of" is a quantifier, an adjectival phrase modifying "fields," not a prepositional phrase afaik. It's similar to "few."

"There are [few / a limited number of] fields you can go into."

IE Mike · 10-30-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjbooey

Best website to help improve my grammar and punctuation??

She has a good website/podcast for grammar.

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/

JStunna · 10-30-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToTheInternet

"A [limited] number of" is a quantifier, an adjectival phrase modifying "fields," not a prepositional phrase afaik. It's similar to "few."

"There are [few / a limited number of] fields you can go into."

You are a wealth of information.