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”