Grammar tip of the day

[kate]

Because I use these A LOT in my technical writing, thought it might be useful for others out there.

i.e. = "that is" (or, "in other words")
e.g. = "for example"

Memory trick: Imagine that i.e. means “in essence,” and e.g. sounds like "egg sample."

Also, since I'm thinking of it, American dialogue attribution punctuation/capitalization, which only has a few variations but is something people get endlessly wrong. (For American English, punctuation is always within the quotes. Commas before attribution (she said), periods before non-attribution (actions other than saying, asking, exclaiming, etc.).)

"I say," she said.
"I say!" she exclaimed.
"I say?" she asked.
"I say," she said, "this is ridiculous."
"I say." She turned to me and stuck her tongue out. "This is ridiculous."

Comments

[auburn]

I think a big stumbling point between American and other accepted punctuation is the difference between 'quotes' and "double quotes" as used for dialogue. I read UK books that are type set using just 'quotes' for dialogue, and it's just as easy to follow, but I like the "double quotes" used in the US, it avoids confusion with the apostrophe. I'm probably more sensitive to it as a fiction reader, since fiction has a lot more dialogue.

"He said it was 'gross!', not me," she said. "I don't think it's gross at all. I like it."

Instead of:

'He said it was 'gross'! not me,' she said.

If the exclamation point is outside the quotes, then it's modifying everything before it and not just the quote. I don't know if that's the grammar rule, but that's how I remember which way it works.

I'm forever going to use 'egg sample' to remember e.g. anyway. I love little memory tricks like that.

[kate]

Ah - yeah, I totally do the single quotes thing to try and differentiate, too. Or just fuck the rules, because that's what fic is all about amirite?

I love little memory tricks like that tooooooooo!

Hihihihi! <3