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Getting a Grip on Grammar

Even professional press release writers occasionally need to brush up on the basics. Whether you write one press release a day or one press release a year, you may struggle with everything from reciprocal pronouns to collective plurals to vernacular that sounds fine but is grammatically incorrect. In an effort to help our readers get a grip on the basics of writing, in this article we will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked grammatical questions that we’ve encountered in the past year.

Q: When are "state" and "federal" capitalized?
A: State and Federal are capitalized when they exist as part of a proper name such as “Federal Reserve Bank”; however, “state law” is not a proper name, so it is not capitalized.

Q: I’ve heard the terms biweekly and semiweekly used interchangeably. Are they really synonyms?
A: A bimonthly appointment occurs once every two months. A semimonthly appointment occurs twice a month. If you’re a gardener, it will be easier to remember the difference between “bi” and “semi” – just think of the term “biennial” and it’ll be a cinch to remember.

Q: How do I use the abbreviations "e.g." and "i.e."?
A: The abbreviation e.g. stands for “exempli gratia,” which means “for example.” The abbreviation i.e. stands for “id est,” which means “that is.” These terms are not interchangeable.
Example 1: There were many different types of plants for sale at the nursery (e.g., hostas, marigolds, azaleas, and gardenias).
Example 2: It can be particularly difficult to pack clothing for springtime vacations; i.e., if you pack only shorts and sandals the weather is likely to be cold.

Q: When is a comma used before the conjunction "and"?
A: A comma should be used before coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or) to join closely related sentences. A comma is optional, but recommended, with and before the last item in a series of three or more items. In most of their other roles as joiners (aside from joining independent clauses), coordinating conjunctions can join two sentence elements without the help of a comma.

Q: How do I know when to use capitol (with an “o”) versus capital (with an “a”)?
A: “Capitol” is always a building. Cities and all other uses are spelled with an “A” in the last syllable.

Q: How do I know when to use "than" versus "then"?
A: “Than” is a conjunction used in comparisons; “then” is an adverb indicating time.
Example 1: “I am older than he is.”
Example 2: “I will pick up the kids and then go to the store.”

Q: I can never remember the difference between “compliment” and “complement.” Please explain.
A: A compliment is an expression of praise, respect, or good regard (e.g., “You are so talented!”) Also, something that is given at no cost is complimentary, such as a complimentary box of tea with the purchase of a tea set. The simplest definition of complement is “something that completes, perfects, or makes up a whole.” There are other, more complicated, definitions having to do with chromosomes and proteins in addition to the definition pertaining to colors on a color wheel—these are not used as often in everyday writing.

Q: What is the difference between “elicit” and “illicit”?
A: “Elicit” is a verb meaning “to draw out, to bring forth; to arrive at.” A question elicits a response. “Illicit” is an adjective meaning “unlawful.” A criminal engages in illicit behaviors.

Q: I’ve recently found another spelling for the word “stationary”—is it correct to spell it “stationery”?
A: Actually, you’ve discovered an entirely different word. “Stationary” refers to something that is standing still. “Stationery” refers to paper that is used for correspondence.

Q: How do I use “its” and “it’s” correctly?
A: “Its” is a possessive form of “it.” “It’s” is a contraction of either “it is” (present tense) or “it has” (past tense).
Example 1: We’ve drained its battery.
Example 2: It’s raining cats and dogs today.

Q: What’s the difference between “their,” “they're,” or “there”?
A: “They’re” is a contraction of “they are”; “their” is a possessive form of “they”; and “there” has many uses the most common of which refer to a place, going toward a place, or at that place or moment.
Example 1: They’re back again!
Example 2: It is their house.
Example 3: Put it there so we can find it again.

Q: I was taught a mnemonic many years ago (“the principal is my pal”) to remember the difference between “principal” and “principle.” Since then, I’ve been learned that “principal” refers to many things. Please elaborate.

A: “Principal” is an adjective or noun that refers to someone or something that is highest in rank, importance, worth, or degree. For example, a principal is the person highest in rank or importance at a school. However, homeowners will be very familiar with the term “principal” as it refers to the amount that is borrowed—certainly the most important and (hopefully) the most substantial amount to be repaid. “Principle” may only be used as a noun, and refers to a basic truth, law or doctrine.

Q: “Affect” and “effect” always confuse me. What’s the difference?
A: “Affect” is a transitive verb (an “action verb” that requires a direct object) and means “to have an effect on,” “to act on the emotions of,” or “to attack.” It can also be a noun when it refers to a feeling or emotion. “Effect” is a noun or a verb and has many meanings: a result or an influence; a scientific law or hypothesis; an advantage; a basic meaning of something; transferable goods.
Example 1: The unexpected promotion affected her lifestyle in many ways.
Example 2: George’s wife was perturbed by his depressed affect after the death of their cat.
Example 3: The effects of the tsunami disaster in Indonesia will be felt for many decades to come.
Example 4: We learned about the Coriolis effect in physics class today.
Example 5: He said something to the effect of, “Go away, Jane, I’m better off alone.”
Example 6: Settlement Meetings have one purpose - to effect a settlement of the
outstanding legal issues involving the clients.

Q: Why should writers proofread their documents when computer spell checkers can do all the work?
A: Computer grammar and spell checkers pick up on many errors; however, they are not perfect. In some cases, a word may be spelled correctly but is used in the wrong context. In other cases, very complicated sentences with multiple clauses may “confuse” the spell check program and may register as a sentence fragment. It is always best to proofread your work even after you have run the spell check program. Even better, have a coworker or friend proofread the text again for you!

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