Download - Grammar for journalists
Grammar for journalists
A quick and dirty guide to a writer’s most common problems
What’s wrong?
• The Peabody School Committee decided last night that they would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12.
Singular/plural agreement
• The Peabody School Committee decided last night that they would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12.
• The Peabody School Committee decided last night that it would hire a new superintendent by Nov. 12.
What’s wrong?
• The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold their annual retreat this coming weekend.
Watch your antecedents
• The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold their annual retreat this coming weekend.
• The Winchester Board of Selectmen will hold its annual retreat this coming weekend.
What’s wrong?
• The first team which crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream.
Essential/nonessential
• The first team which crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream.
• The first team that crosses the finish line will be rewarded with free ice cream.
What’s wrong?
• Thomas R. Smith and his wife Bertha Gilooley appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace.
Essential/nonessential
• Thomas R. Smith and his wife Bertha Gilooley appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace.
• Thomas R. Smith and his wife, Bertha Gilooley, appeared in court on a charge of disturbing the peace.
What’s wrong?
• The ball which rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.
Ambiguous
• The ball which rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.
• The ball, which rolled across the street, ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.
• The ball that rolled across the street ended up on a neighbor’s lawn.
What’s wrong?
• The runs were scored by the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning.
Passive voice
• The runs were scored by the Red Sox in the top of the seventh inning.
• The Red Sox scored the runs in the top of the seventh inning.
What’s wrong
• The choir will perform it’s encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission.
Dave Barry Rule of Apostrophes
• The choir will perform it’s encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission.
• The choir will perform its encore, a Gershwin medley, after a brief intermission.
What’s wrong?
• A quiet, unassuming album on the surface, Bob Dylan reveals his true intent in “Modern Times” only after several listens.
Dangling modifier• A quiet, unassuming album on the surface,
Bob Dylan reveals his true intent in “Modern Times” only after several listens.
• A quiet, unassuming album on the surface, “Modern Times” reveals Bob Dylan’s true intent only after several listens.
What’s wrong?
• The company said yesterday that it would soon unveil a new line of products.
Personification
• The company said yesterday that it would soon unveil a new line of products.
• Angela Sanchez, a company spokeswoman, said yesterday that the company would soon unveil a new line of products.
What’s wrong?
• The political figure to who the threat was delivered quickly fled the country.
Subject/object
• The political figure to who the threat was delivered quickly fled the country.
• The political figure to whom the threat was delivered quickly fled the country.
Reference materials
• “Reporting for the Media,” Appendix B– Photocopy it and put it in your AP Stylebook
Reference materials
• “Reporting for the Media,” Appendix B– Photocopy it and put it in your AP Stylebook
• AP Stylebook– Why is “Reporting for the Media” in quotation
marks and AP Stylebook is not?
Reference materials
• “Reporting for the Media,” Appendix B– Photocopy it and put it in your AP Stylebook
• AP Stylebook– capitalization … datelines … possessives …
essential/nonessential phrases and clauses … “A Guide to Punctuation”