Prepositions, the Busy Ps
Grammar Queen, can you please explain what a prepositional phrase is and why it’s important?
Why, of course I can explain. The root word of preposition is position. Thus, a preposition is a part of speech that helps a verb by explaining some aspect of the positioning of the verb. The “pre” is simply alluding to English syntax; other languages have postpositional phrases. Shrug.
A prepositional phrase is the preposition and the verb’s object (a noun) with any modifiers stuck in there to make the sentence descriptive.
I originally learned about prepositions with the mouse and house analogy. A preposition describes a mouse in relation to a house. It can be in the house, on the house, under the house, around the house, etc. This is a little simplistic, but it certainly works for garden-variety prepositions. Is it possible to come up with exceptions? Please, I think I was seven when my mother used this teaching tool.
Why is it improper grammar to end a sentence with a preposition? Well, a preposition is a transitional word connecting the verb and its object (normally a noun). So a preposition without the rest of its prepositional phrase is a bridge to nowhere. However, transformational grammarians (the quantum physicists of grammar) agree that in modern usage, the prepositional object can be implied. They also don’t have difficulties with split infinitives, so take that with a pinch of salt.
Why are prepositional phrases important? They’re the rest of the sentence after the verb.
Oh, and if you want to understand the title of this post, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4jIC5HLBdM
I do not understand why The Powers That Be ever took Schoolhouse Rock off the air. It, well, rocked.
-Val, sometimes a grammar queen, but usually just a grammar geek
Spelling Counts
Misspelling a word can alter the meaning of an entire sentence. The advent of spell-checking software has made accurate spelling easier, but it is not a panacea. When a typographical error or spelling error results in another word, spellcheck is useless.
Take the increasingly common misspelling “loose.” Loose is an actual word, of course, but it’s becoming a common misspelling of the word “lose,” with sometimes humorous results (that were meant to be serious).
For example, here’s a sentence from a review of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow on the Boise Speculative Fiction Writers blog (thank you, w0pht, for permission to use it):
This novel preaches the gospel of open encryption and free speech that this country is rapidly loosing to political fear mongering and civil rights trashing.
A single letter has changed the intent of a serious sentence describing a political climate of increased censorship of word, deed and thought. With the error, it reads (to me) as if open encryption and free speech have been unleashed, like Shakespeare’s dogs of war, to prey upon fear mongering and civil rights trashing: quite the opposite of the writer’s intent, though not a bad idea.
If you’re thinking w0pht is grammar challenged, please rest assured this was simply a typographical error in a blogpost. And buy his short story in the new anthology Barren Worlds from Hadley Rille Press, because I can’t use his typo and not plug his new book. I’m getting an autographed copy at his reading, 2 p.m. on July 26 at the Rediscovered Bookshop.
–Val
CBC Golden Heart Finalists
The Coeur du Bois Chapter would like to Congratulate our members, Tatia and Becky, on their Golden Heart Finals.
And they’re off!
All she could think of was ‘why me?’.
As a first sentence to an ABC story, it is full of potential.
ABC Story Assignment
Here are The Rules
1. The story will be posted to the list, so we must use a distinct subject line so the messages thread correctly. The easiest way to do that is to reply to THIS post for person A (and trim everything but the A sentence), person B will reply to person A’s post (and trim everything but the A and B sentence) So no tag lines or book links, and so on…please TRIM any extraneous material BEFORE sending the reply to create the story post.
2. To keep things moving, each letter should post their sentence within 24 hours of the previous letter (and no more than 48 hours of the letter preceding that one). For example, A posts over her morning coffee, then B posts before lunch, C will have 48 hours from A’s post to get their sentence submitted to the list. After the 48 hour mark, someone else will be given the letter. We will also need volunteers who are willing to jump in on any letter as a substiute poster, if needed.
3. This is a cooperative story, so posters should focus on using elements already in the story. The goal is to draw threads together and create a cohesive story.
4. No altering sentences after the fact. Once you hit “send,” the sentence stands.
5. Digest subscribers who are contributing a sentence may need to follow this thread on the web to make sure they don’t miss their assignment window. Or unsubscribe from digest for the duration of the story.
6. I have the power to edit sentences for grammar, or disallow sentences which are inappropriate, etc.
Let the chaos unfold.
CBC Author Ask and Tell – #2 Charlene Teglia!
“If you haven’t heard of Charlene Teglia, you soon will…An absolute winner.” –Romance Divas
“Charlene Teglia has a knack for creating wonderful stories with characters that will keep readers coming back for more.” –Romance Junkies
This month we’re excited to bring you an Ask and Tell with Charlene Teglia.
Just released in July: Wicked Hot (St. Martin’s)
Also available: Satisfaction Guaranteed (St. Martin’s)
1. Describe your latest project.
If by latest project you mean the book I most recently finished, it’s Animal Attraction, St. Martin’s 2009. Chandra Walker always hoped to find out who her birth parents were; she just didn’t expect the truth to put her in the middle of a shapeshifter war with the power to determine the outcome, complicated by a forbidden love for two mates. Or if you mean the book I’ve just started, it’s a spin-off, Wolf’s Touch, St. Martin’s.
2. What ONE other author do you think readers should read?
You realize there’s no way to answer that, right?
3. Please share a passage from a favorite author of yours, and what do you like about it?
I can’t retype all of “Snowcrash” by Neal Stephenson. I love everything about it.
4. Who would you love to invite to dinner (living or not) and why?
Einstein, because he’d be fascinating to listen to.
5. What’s on your playlist right now (music)?
Build Me Up Buttercup – Nofx (punk remake)
I Can Wait Forever – Simple Plan
Take My Hand – Simple Plan
Save You – Simple Plan
6. Have you had any interesting experiences with one of your readers– via blog, book signing, conference, correspondence?
Everybody is polite and lovely, which is plenty interesting for me.
7. Is there anything about being a published author that you wish you’d known before you were published?
If I’d known, I might’ve given up, so it’s probably good that I didn’t.
Charlene Teglia made her first novel sale in 2004. Since then her books have garnered several honors, including 2005 Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Erotic Novel, two CAPA nominations for Best Erotic Anthology, and Romantic Times Top Pick. When she’s not writing, she can be found hiking with her family or opening and closing doors for cats.
To learn more, visit her on the web at www.charleneteglia.com.
Naughty Nights
Anastasia’s Medallion or The ABC story project
This writing exercise is called an ABC story and has been around for awhile. Each person gets a letter of the alphabet and must write one (1) sentence of the story. No editing later of typos, grammar, etc. AND it must be cohesive to the team writing. No going off in a direction or tone that won’t fit in with the rest of the story.
Not sure it teaches a lot of skills but good for kicks and giggles. Our chapter wrote this story during our annual retreat. Three days and nights in a rented cabin, lots of food, and tons of creative energy. Total success.
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Anastasia Holland surveyed the rubble of the church, strewn two city blocks by yesterday’s tornado, and wondered how she’d ever find the medallion that would keep her safe.
“Botheration,” she swore aloud.
“Curses on this wretched weather!”
Daunting as the task appeared, she knelt to the ruined floor with her ruined panty hose and started to dig through the rocks looking for the medallion.
Edmund had told her it boasted a center emerald the size of his front tooth, but she was pretty sure he’d exaggerated.
Firstborn children of the Holland Clan were culled by the Patriarchs and the medallion would act as Moses’ lamb blood marks; death would pass her by.
Gulping down water she wiped the dust from her brow and knelt to continued digging, when a pair of shiny brown loafers appeared before her.
“Hurry, some one’s alive in here,” Anastasia called to the others.
Ingrid Dodge watched Anastasia in her feeble attempt to save Edmund, but it was already too last, she’d made sure Edmund Holland would never stand in her way again.
Justice wasn’t Anastasia’s concern right now, it was all about the search, the solution to her nightmare.
Kansas averaged 30 touch downs per year, but this was Idaho and a tornado was the last thing she had expected to have to deal with.
Laughter bubbled–an inappropriate response to her situation, and she fought the urge as she continued her quest.
Moving the last stone aside she saw the medallion clutched in his hand-as the sun hit it it began to glow spreading jade colored light through the ruins.
No one had ever survived who had touched the medallion except for her ancestors, but as she reached for the glowing treasure, she looked into Edmund’s open lifeless eyes, and wondered who would become its next victim.
Only the prophecy of the Medallion and a chosen one would bring the deaths to an end, of the firstborns and the medallion’s curse, but was Ingrid right – was she the one and could she do what was needed to end it all?
Pounding fear slammed through her as she retrieved the medallion, its heat arcing through her body and sending uncontrollable flashes of fire from her eyes that set the nearby bushes aflame.
Quickly closing her eyes, she used her hands to feel out the loop of gold chain and place it around her throat where it laid against her pale skin and pulsed like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
Ribbons of regret twisted through her, afraid to open her eyes she sat in her self-imposed blackness.
Silence intruded and unable to bear the unknown any longer, she opened her eyes to find the flames out and members of the Holland Clan kneeling in a circle around her.
Throne or not, the unadulterated worship in their eyes made her feel like royalty and she didn’t care for it one whit.
Unfortunately she didn’t see Ingrid amongst them and a zing of fear raced up her spine.
Vindictive bitch, Ingrid would stop at nothing to take the medallion but Anastasia swore on her dead cousin’s Edmunds soul, she would never have it.
“Where are you, Ingrid?” Anastasia screamed, and at that moment, saw her nemesis standing beside her with a jagged knife, her eyes alight with a horrible fire.
“Xenophobia has robbed you of your senses and blinded you to your loyalty,” Anastasia didn’t falter as she closed the distance between them.
Yelling the guttural battle cry that had been in her family for generations and evoked the medallions protective powers.
Zigzagging streams of light emerged from the medallion, engulfing Ingrid in red and purple fire, leaving ashes where the woman once stood-the Holland Clan was safe, for the moment.
To Try, Try, and Try Again
Since no one appears to have any grammar questions at the moment, I’m going to talk about one of my pet peeves: the “try and” construction.
Maybe it’s regional to the Northwest, but it’s one of those minor grammar mistakes that makes my teeth grit every time I read it. And I recently reread several books of a favorite author who uses it frequently, so my jaw is just a bit sore at the moment.
Here’s the technical problem with “try and”: “Try” is a verb. In all but the simplest sentences, a verb needs an object. And some verbs need prepositions to connect them to their objects (other verbs don’t need a preposition). “To” is a preposition, but “and” is a conjunction. So the construction “try and” is nonsensical unless followed by something other than the object of the verb “try.”
For example, in “try and fail,” “fail” is another verb, so “and” is properly joining the two verbs with an implied object (in this case, the implied object would be “to succeed,” but the phrase “try to succeed” is patently redundant).
If the whole parts-of-speech thing gives you a headache (and it does that to many people), here’s another way to look at it. “Try” is a synonym for “attempt.” Does the sentence “Attempt and do something” make any sense? Well, neither does the construction “try and do something.”
Ow! There goes the teeth-gritting again.
Until next time, We remain your humble servant,
The Grammar Queen
