The Adjective and the Countable/Uncountable Noun

This weekend, my niece and I played Mad Libs and she asked me to name an adjective. I paused to recall the difference between adjectives and adverbs, so as not to make a fool of myself in front of a 9 year old. I quickly remembered that adjectives are words that describe or modify a person, place or thing in the sentence. Most of us have a handle on this basic rule; however, there are a few tricky adjectives that I’d like us to look at.

First, we need to understand the difference between a countable noun and an uncountable noun. Countable nouns are ones that take on a plural form such as “dog - dogs,” “friend - friends,” “cookie - cookies,” “person - people.” Uncountable nouns usually don’t change in their plural form: “water,” “food,” “deer,” “money,” “air.” We don’t say, “I sold the deers for many moneys” because these nouns don’t change in their plural forms.

For the majority of adjectives, it doesn’t matter whether the noun is countable or uncountable. We say “the dirty dogs” and “the dirty water.” But I mention these two types of nouns, because using a countable or an uncountable noun matters with a few tricky adjectives.

Much or Many
We only use much to describe uncountable nouns:

• A pregnant lady drinks so much water.
• We don’t have much money saved.

We use many to describe only countable nouns:

• Many dogs don’t wear collars.
• The little girl ate many cookies.

A lot of or Lots of
Think of these two adjectives as casual substitutes for what we just went over with much and many. Use them with uncountable nouns when we are using them to mean much and with countable nouns when they mean many. Let’s look at some examples:

• A pregnant lady drinks lots of (much) water.
• We don’t have a lot of (much) money saved.
• Lots of (many) dogs don’t wear collars.
• The little girl ate a lot of (many) cookies.

Little or Few
Just like with much, little describes only uncountable nouns:

• There was little food leftover after Sunday’s dinner.
• It was so hot outside that it felt as though there was little air to breathe.

Likewise, the adjective few modifies only the countable nouns:

• The girl only has a few friends.
• A few people are going to the show tonight.

A little bit of
This adjective phrase is informal and always precedes an uncountable noun.

• There is a little bit of food in the dog’s bowl.
• I’m hoping for a little bit of snow before Christmas.

The tip and trick is: when using any of the adjective or adjective phrases listed above, check whether or not the noun is countable or uncountable and use the appropriate adjective. Have fun modifying!

Top 3 Reasons Why Grammar Matters

Many times over the years, I have been called a “grammar Nazi” for my devout adherence to and championship of grammar rules. Usually these comments just roll off my shoulders. However, a recent comment left on a previous blog started me thinking about why good grammar is so important. I believe that appropriate grammar should not only be important to me, but to everyone — especially in the workplace. Let’s take a look at my top 3 reasons why grammar matters (or should matter) in the workplace:

1. Getting a job. Good grammar and correct spelling are important in getting a job. In a survey of hiring managers, 75% said it was worse for an applicant to have a spelling or grammar error on her application than to show up late or even swear during an interview! In another survey conducted by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, nearly half of all recruitment professionals said that over 50% of the resumes they received contained grammatical errors. What do these errors in your resume say about you? Those reviewing your application may think you’re uneducated, you lack communication skills, or you don’t pay attention to details. This is not the message you want your resume or job application to convey: these messages won’t get you that job you want.
   
2. Keeping a job. Even after you have the job you want, grammar mistakes and spelling errors can be costly (and in some cases even cost you your job). For instance, in 2005 poor grammar and atrocious spelling cost U.K. companies a staggering $25 billion in lost sales. Can your company, organization or office afford to lose that kind of money? Another costly grammar mistake led the Cancer Research Center in Hawaii to lose $8 million in funding: a bill to tax cigarettes established a one-cent tax increase for the next 6 years (a total of 6 cents), but the bill was supposed to designate one-cent per cigarette sold. I definitely would not want to be the person responsible for that costly mistake! In a survey by Office Angels, 84% of surveyed employers believed that excellent work is devalued by sloppy spelling and poor grammar.
   
3. Giving and receiving respect. Lastly, grammar isn’t about following rules like a robot: it isn’t about blindly following the orders of us “grammar Nazis.” Correct grammar is about being aware of appropriate context and making your voice, your message, your content understood. Appropriate grammar shows respect for the person you are addressing. Good grammar sends a message that will be respected.

Basically, if you want your excellent work to receive the value it deserves and if you want to receive the respect you deserve in the workplace, then grammar matters!

Used to (and Would) vs. Use to

Last week a co-worker and I were discussing our biggest grammar pet peeves over lunch (yes, some of us nerdy-types do sit around and discuss this from time to time) and her biggest grammar pet peeve is when people write use to when they mean used to. There I sat with my fork in hand and my salad in front of me, wondering how often I was guilty of this grammar infraction. To be honest, I couldn’t remember the rules about when to use used to and when to use use to. I went back to work and did a little research and decided to share this with you as this week’s Tips and Tricks topic: when to use “used to (or would) vs. when to use “use to” (without the ‘d’).

Used to (or would)
1. When we say something used to happen, we are talking about repeated events and actions in the past, which usually are things that are now finished and no longer happening. (For this use of used to you can also use would.)

• When Suzy was a child, she used to collect Barbie dolls. (When Suzy was a child, she would collect Barbie dolls.)
• During the Great Depression, my grandfather used to sell scrap metal. (During the Great Depression, my grandfather would sell scrap metal.)
• I used to go out a lot before having children. (I would go out a lot before having children.)

From the examples, we can assume that Suzy no longer collects Barbie dolls, my grandfather no longer sells scrap metal and I no longer go out a lot.

2. We also use used to when talking about repeated habits in the past (Here we cannot use would).

• My cat used to hiss at squirrels.
• My husband used to smoke.
• I used to be a tribal administrative assistant.

These sentences imply that my cat no longer hisses at squirrels, my husband no longer smokes and I am no longer a tribal administrative assistant.

Use to (without the ‘d’)
The only time that we should use use to (without the ‘d’) is when it follows “did” or “didn’t” in a sentence. (Here we also cannot use would without changing the meaning).

• Did you use to work in the same office as Sally?
• Didn’t we use to go out?
• What sort of games did your children use to like?
• Sally and I did use to work together.
• Due to the snowy winters, we didn’t use to go out much.

To spare my co-worker from the annoyance of her pet peeve, please remember this general tip: when “did” or “didn’t” is in the sentence, use use to (without the ‘d’), but when there is no “did” or “didn’t” in the sentence, use used to.

Run-On Sentences

Often it's thought that a run-on sentence is a very long sentence that cannot be spoken in one breath. Not true! A run-on sentence has two or more independent clauses (groups of words that communicate complete thoughts — an independent clause could stand alone as its own sentence) placed together without the correct punctuation. By this definition, a run-on sentence can be very short.

People use run-on sentences when speaking, but by using changes in vocal tone or in tempo (pauses, speaking slower, etc.) the meaning is easily understood. In writing, correct punctuation must be used so that the reader does not become confused.

Run-on sentences can be corrected by:

• Inserting a semicolon between the independent clauses
• Making the clauses two separate sentences
• Inserting a comma and then a conjunction (and, but, or, yet, for, nor or so)

Now, let’s look at some examples and how we might correct them.

(Short) Run-on: That little girl didn’t seem happy she was crying.
Correct Option: That little girl didn’t seem happy; she was crying.

Run-on: Karen was upset with Jenna about what she said however, she appreciated her honesty about the matter.
Correct Option: Karen was upset with Jenna about what she said; however, she appreciated her honesty about the matter.

Run-on: Jessie’s dog was sick this morning, Jessie had a bad day at work.
Correct Option: Jessie’s dog was sick this morning, so Jessie had a bad day at work.

Run-on: I found my keys in my roommate’s purse, she mistook them for hers.
Correct Option: I found my keys in my roommate’s purse. She mistook them for hers.

*It’s important to note that even though a lengthy sentence might not be a run-on sentence, multiple sentences might be easier to understand.