Jerald M Powell

Ooh lord, have I wanted to say this to the world of email

While it might seem a petty issue to some... there are distinctions in
this English language (as well as in other Latin-based tongues)
between things that can be measured by volume or weight and things
that can only be counted. There can only be a NUMBER of people, never
an amount of people. A number of days, rather than an amount of
days. Conversely, there may be an amount of water (volume), an amount
of sand (volume or weight), an amount of food (volume or weight), an
amount of lead (weight).

And... NEVER an amount of racers in a pack!

Jerry

On May 24, 2009, at 8:36 AM, Joel Morrissette wrote:

> And while we're at it:
>
> 's = possessive. EX: Heather's grammar
> s = plural. EX: OBRA races.
>
> Exception: its/it's is backwards:
> it's = contraction EX: It's going to be nice today.
> its = possessive EX: OBRA has its schedule posted on the web.
>
> -J
>
> On Sun, May 24, 2009 at 7:23 AM, Heather VanValkenburg > wrote:
> First of all, don't slam the correction. Accept it and be a learner.
> I've seen much of this lately. I tell my students that often THEIR
> (not there) writing will be the first impression someone gets of them.
>
> THEIR- indicates that something belongs to someone. EX: That is
> THEIR house.
> THERE- shows where something is. EX: Their house is over THERE.
> THEY'RE- a contraction of the two words, they are. EX: THEY'RE going
> to their house over there.
>
> YOUR- indicates that something belongs to you. EX: I like YOUR shirt
> YOU'RE- a contraction of the two words, you are. EX: YOU'RE a rock
> star.
>
>
>
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>
> --
> __o "It never gets easier,
> _ \<_ you just go faster."
> (_)/(_) -- Greg LeMond
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