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Sexism - Other Solutions

Other tricks can help you avoid the problem of sexist writing:1. When you need a possessive pronoun, don’t write his or her. Instead, use an article so that the need for a pronoun goes away. The writer should submit his manuscript. The writer shou...

2. Reflexive Pronouns - The -self Words

Myself and Other MistakesThese are the reflexive ‑self pronouns, and we use them in the objective function to handle situations where the subject and the object of the sentence are the same person. (As discussed below, we also use these words as in...

2. Intensive Pronouns - The -self Words

Pronouns that EmphasizeFinally, the ‑self words also serve as intensives, structures enabling us to emphasize. We use them to repeat the noun referred to. In formal style, we put the ‑self word directly after the noun. In less formal settings, we...

3. Indefinite Pronouns

One, Each, Somebody, and Many OthersOodles of indefinite pronouns enable us to refer to any one, any two, several, or all in a group or class of persons or things or ideas. As shown in the list below, some of the pronouns have possessive forms. Unlik...

“They-Their-Them”

In the future, it will likely be regarded as correct to use third-person plural pronouns they-their-them to refer back to singular indefinite pronouns. In fact, the trend shows that they-their-them will correctly refer back not only to singular indef...

“None”

None Can Be PluralThe indefinite pronoun none requires some separate discussion. A myth has emerged that none always requires a singular verb.Not true.The word none can take the singular or the plural. In the words of New Fowler: It is a mistake to s...

“Each”

Each Is SingularUnder the traditional rule, the indefinite pronoun each is always singular and takes a singular verb.Thus: Each of the golfers wants to win the PGA. Each of us wishes for success. Some usage panels disagree. Consider this usage note ...

4. Demonstrative Pronouns

Four Important Words: This, That, These, and ThoseThese four words can serve as demonstrative pronouns or as demonstrative adjectives. This, That, These, Those - Pronouns We have four demonstrative pronouns in our language: this and that and their pl...

5. Relative Pronouns

That or Which? Who or Whom?Smart people get confused over relative pronouns. They use which when it feels good and that when it sounds right, and totally come apart when trying to sort out who-whom-whose.That, Which, Who, Whom, and WhoseAmber, Igor, ...

“Whose” and “Of Which”

When a possessive form is called for by the sentence, the word that has to bow out and rely on which to borrow a preposition to show possession. An example will show what I mean: Congress passed the statute, the purpose of which was to lower taxes. T...

Who, Whom, Whose

Who or Whom?Amber, Igor, and Miss Hamrick dreamed up that and which when they wanted to refer to inanimate objects and abstractions. But they also dreamed up a set of relative pronouns (who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose) to refer to people. These w...

“That” Can Refer to People

We use who-whom-whose to refer to humans and that-which to refer to inanimate objects and abstractions. Thus: The woman who became CEO was admired by all. The idea that she suggested ultimately succeeded. The report that she wrote sealed the deal. ...

That vs. Which

Which Is It? That? Or Which?Now we open the proverbial can of worms.Some people on earth know the differences between that and which. I’m one of them. So is your boss. Maybe.Enough discerning readers out there do know the differences. So it’ll pa...

6. Interrogative Pronouns

Amber, Igor, and Miss Hamrick had lots of questions they wanted to ask, so they convened the Grammar Committee and devised ways to interrogate members of the tribe. First, they decided to form questions by including an auxiliary verb and then putting...

7. Reciprocal Pronouns

Each Other and One AnotherWe have only two of these pronouns, they come in pairs, and they typically appear as objects: each other and one another. We use them to show some sort of a relationship between two or more people or larger groups. Like this...

Fear of Using Pronouns

Pronominal PhobiaAs we conclude our discussion of the seven kinds of pronouns, I should pause to point out a problem with the writing styles of many people, particularly professionals. For some unknown reason, professional people like to repeat profe...

A Summary of Pronouns

We have seven types of pronouns: (1) personal, (2) reflexive and intensive, (3) indefinite, (4) demonstrative, (5) relative, (6) interrogative, and (7) reciprocal.You must commit to memory some of the basic rules governing the correct use of p...

Conjunctions - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples

WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on conjunctions. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Conjunctions - Words That Join. At the bottom of each topic, you’ll find links to “Next” and to “Previous.” So start with t...

Conjunctions - Words That Join

In this section, we’ll learn all about conjunctions. Great writers wisely and frequently use conjunctions to create parallel structures in their prose. And all great writers start sentences with conjunctions. After you read this section, you will t...

1. Coordinating Conjunctions

BOYFANSWe have seven coordinating conjunctions, and you can remember them by referring to the acronym BOYFANS. B O Y F A N S But Or Yet For And Nor So These conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. As we’ll discuss more fully be...

Parallelism

Rule of Parallel StructureNote: We devote an entire section to parallel structure in the eBook Developing a Powerful Writing Style. We urge you to read it. We also deal with parallel structure in more detail below.Notice in the examples above that ea...

Serial-Comma Rule - Red, White, and Blue

When you use a coordinating conjunction to join two elements of a series, no comma comes before the conjunction. But when you join three or more elements, the preferred rule requires a comma before the coordinating conjunction.This is called the seri...

Conjunctive Adverbs - “However,” etc.

Watch OutAnother word that can join two independent clauses is the conjunctive adverb. You probably use these words in your writing style: however, therefore, furthermore, nevertheless, and others.If you use a conjunctive adverb to join two independe...

2. Correlative Conjunctions

Power WordsThe second kind of conjunction is the correlative conjunction, which comes in pairs of words. Here are the most commonly used:Correlative Conjunctionseither . . . or neither . . . nor not . . . but not only . . . but (also) both . . . andP...

3. Subordinating Conjunctions

Starting Dependent ClausesThe third and final type of conjunction introduces subordinate clauses. We have a rather long list of these words, called subordinating conjunctions. Notice our friend, the word that. As a subordinating conjunction, it intro...