41. THEM and THOSE and the Problems They Pose

Welcome back, all of you grammarphiles! I hope all is well and that each of you is minding his/her beeswax :-) Today's lesson is another one we need especially here in southeastern North Carolina. Of course, we're not alone making these usage mistakes, but I don't believe other parts of the country could "outbrag" us and say this error is heard more somewhere else than here.

So...what is it? This one, unfortunately, is heard way too much-- the misuse of THEM and THOSE. (Have mercy!)

Okay. Let's see what the difference is between these two words:

THOSE can act as either a pronoun or an adjective.

Check out the following examples:

1. Where did you get THOSE sunglasses? (Here, THOSE is used as an adjective describing WHICH sunglasses.)

2. THOSE are amazing sunglasses! ( THOSE is used as a simple pronoun acting as the subject of the sentence.)

Actually, we don't normally have trouble with THOSE...But with THEM? Now that's another story:

THEM is always used as a pronoun...never as an adjective...Notice the following correct uses of THEM:

1. I want to go with THEM to Lake Waccamaw. (THEM is used as a simple pronoun acting as the object of the preposition
of "with.")

2. George told THEM that it would soon be hog killing' weather. (Again, THEM is a pronoun acting, this time, as the direct object.)

Now all of this should be super simple. Nevertheless, we have one little quirk that we need to be aware of, and it is this use that gives us so much trouble. Just because THOSE can be used two ways (as an adjective and a pronoun), it doesn't follow that THEM can also be used two ways.

Again, remember that THEM can ONLY be used as a pronoun.

Take a look at some of the mistakes we hear too much (groan)...

1. THEM boys are so lazy they couldn't say "sooey" if the hogs were eating them.( Because the word in question precedes a noun--boys-- only an adjective will work here and, therefore, only THOSE is correct. THEM can never be used as an adjective.)

2. Do you think THEM hunters will be ready to hunt on Labor Day this year? (Again, the word in question precedes a noun--hunters-- so only an adjective will be correct here. THEM is not an adjective, but THOSE is!)

All right. Here are a few sentences to help you practice your skills. Which word in each sentence is correct?

1. (THOSE, THEM) cats jumped around like monkeys on a barbed wire fence.

2. (THOSE, THEM) are the best boiled peanuts I've had all summer.

3. Betty told (THOSE, THEM) that her car was such a gas guzzler it would pass everything but a fillin' station.

Well, all right! I have a feeling that you did a great job with this little quiz. Here are the answers:

1. THOSE is correct because it is an adjective modifying "cats".

2. THOSE is correct because it is a pronoun acting as the subject of the sentence.

3. THEM is correct because it is a pronoun acting as the direct object.

Once again, we see that this commonly seen and heard mistake is very easy to correct! Just think about it and practice saying and writing it correctly. You'll quickly master this boo boo and be struttin' like a rooster.

Ah, yes, it's again time to close up shop. Thanks so much for your attention and have a wonderful week. Peace, love, and laughter to all! GG

40. The Redundant Blunder

Hello, Everyone! I'm back again today with another rule concerning something we hear and read everywhere, it seems--and this one isn't peculiar only to Southerners :>)

Have you ever noticed how many times we repeat things in conversations and writings? This error is called a REDUNDANCY...or sometimes we'll hear a grammarian say, "Your remark is REDUNDANT!" Webster's defines REDUNDANT as ..." exceeding that which is necessary...excess...using more words than is needed...repetition..."

Now this kind of error is not normally a grammatical error. It is, however, an error that that weakens the impact of good writing and conversation.

So...what are some examples of this blunder? Actually, there are many being used around us all the time and most folks probably don't even realize it. Here are some examples:

One I used to hear quite often in my English classes was the following:

"Please repeat that again."

Okay. Think about it. When you say, "Repeat...again", aren't you repeating yourself? The way to improve this sentence would be to say, "Repeat that, please." Just leave out the repetitious word.

Redundancies can appear as short as two words:

1. New innovation...Just say "innovation". Including "new" with "innovation" is repetitious
2. Necessary prerequisite...Just say "prerequisite". "Necessary" is not needed.
3. Fellow colleague...Drop "fellow". "Colleague" is fine alone.

Redundancies can also appear as longer phrases:

1. We thought we had provided adequate seating with a chair for each person in attendance.
This sentence is wordy. One possible way to improve it would be to say something like this:

1. We thought we had provided adequate seating.
This time you have come straight to the point and not put your reader to sleep.

Here's another example of a longer redundant phrase:

2. Although Frank tried to keep his thoughts to himself, he suddenly thought out loud to the startled group.
Another wordy sentence. Try something like this to improve it:

2. Although Frank tried to keep his thoughts to himself, he suddenly spoke to the startled group.
Much better!

Becoming aware of redundant words and phrases will probably take some effort since we're so accustomed to hearing and seeing them, but if you work on it and stay alert, you'll greatly improve your speaking and writing.

Here are some more to think about:

REDUNDANT PHRASE EXPLANATION

absolutely certain... There's no room for doubt...It's absolute...
a.m. in the morning... If occurring in the morning, it has to be a.m...
and also... Use one word or the other...not both.
and etc... Etc. is Latin for "and so forth."
as an added bonus... If something is a bonus, it must be added.
ATM machine... ATM means Automated Teller Machine.
autobiography of my life... Aren't you writing it?
close proximity... You can't have "far" proximity. Delete "close."...
exactly the same... If something is exactly the same, it must be exact.
honest truth... If something isn't the truth, it isn't honest.
Kleenex tissue... Kleenex IS a tissue. Delete "tissue"
sum total... If you have a sum, you have a total. Delete one word.
true fact... By definition, a fact must be true. Delete "true".
Xerox copy... Xerox IS a copy. Delete "copy."



Well, that brings us to the end of today's lesson. There are many, many more examples of REDUNDANT words and phrases (and I've just used one--but here, it's for emphasis, and using them this way is occasionally acceptable if not overdone.) We'll look at some more of them later. Meanwhile, let me know if you hear any not mentioned here. I'm sure you have seen some of these in newspaper, magazine and sign ads. These types of expressions most certainly illustrate the "less is more" adage and should reinforce the necessity of our developing good writing and speaking skills.

Have a great week, enjoy doing lots of fun things, and remember that I love hearing from you. Peace and happiness to all! GG

39. Is It Five PAIR or Five PAIRS of Socks?

Greetings again, all of you grammar lovers and I hope you're all doing well.

Today, I have decided to tackle another one of those very common errors we constantly hear that, I must admit, is going through some transition today. As I've said many times before, our language continues to change and certain expressions we hear many times today may have been considered terrible mistakes fifty years ago, for example. For this reason, Webster's now includes words in our dictionaries that are becoming semi-acceptable, and this is so because they are used so often. However, this doesn't mean that we should include these expressions in our own speech. After all, there are plenty of folks besides English teachers who cringe at the use of some of these bloopers.

One such error that is slowly creeping into the common use file today is the misuse of PAIR and PAIRS. Now we all know that A PAIR of something generally means ONE of a group of items:

ONE PAIR of shoes means exactly what it says.

ONE PAIR of shoes sit under the bed...meaning there are two different shoes under the bed--one for the right foot and one for the left foot...but together they are called ...A PAIR or one group.

However, if you were to say...

FIVE PAIR of shoes sit under the bed...you would be implying that there are ten different shoes under the bed, but you're not saying it correctly. Here, you should say...

FIVE PAIRS of shoes sit under the bed...an S is needed on PAIR to make it plural!

Remember how Webster's defines PAIR: two corresponding things designed for use together as one thing.

All you need to remember is to use the plural (PAIRS) when there are more than one groups of items, things, etc. Pretty easy, huh?

Advertisers in newspapers and on television quite frequently use these two words incorrectly. Watch out for ads that say something such as...


THREE PAIR OF PAJAMAS ON SALE FOR $ 19.99...or...

TWO PAIR OF PANTS FOR $14.95...0r...

FOUR PAIR OF GLOVES TODAY FOR $9.99.


Groan...Where have these writers been all their lives? All three of these sentences are incorrect because each pair refers to more than one group of items! Just place the S on the end of PAIR and you'll be correct.

Well, all right! What a simple rule to learn! Just remember that an S on a noun means it is plural and that's what you mean when you say...

I bought three PAIRS of overalls to wear when I work in the fields...AHHHH...such music to my ears!

Have a great week doing what you enjoy most. Peace and happiness, GG

38. BEING THAT, BEING AS, and BEING AS HOW

Hello, again, all of you Grammar Lovers! Today, as we continue looking at some of the most common errors in English--both the spoken and written word among us Southerners, in particular- we will examine the misuse of some oft-heard expressions: BEING THAT, BEING AS, AND BEING AS HOW. It's probably true that these conjunctions were once considered correct expressions, but with the constant changes in language, they have gone out of formal usage in today's world. Actually, some grammarians still consider the use of these expressions to be acceptable in informal conversations, but since I know you want to express yourself correctly at all times, you will want to jump on this rule like bees on a watermelon rind.

Simply put, all you need to remember is just DON'T use these expressions! Rather, use BECAUSE or SINCE. Here are some examples of the wrong use and then the correct use:

BEING THAT it's you, the price is nothing. (Just say...SINCE it's you...or... BECAUSE it's you...)

...or...

I just happen to recollect, BEING AS you speak of raccoons, that mine ran away last week. (Just say...SINCE you speak... or... BECAUSE you speak...)

...or...

BEING AS HOW you weren't at the meeting, you don't get to vote. (Say...SINCE you weren't...or BECAUSE you weren't...)

The present participle BEING is most often used safely as part of a main verb, such as in the following sentence:

Jack is BEING as low down as a snake in a wagon track. (Of course, saying "Jack is as low down..." also works.)

Used as a conjunction, it can sometimes create awkward sentences, so just remember to use SINCE or BECAUSE instead of one of the BEING expressions!

However, as a final note, let me remind you that BEING is also used other ways...correctly...

As a noun: ...a human BEING...

As an adjective: ...for the time BEING...

So... now that we have looked at the misuse of the BEING expressions, I hope you have learned something that you'll use from now on--in both your speech and writing. Have a great week and thanks so much for the good ideas. Keep passing them on! Peace and happiness to all. GG

37. You GRADUATED What?

Welcome back, Everyone! Today's topic always seems to rear its head every year around the time of graduation-and Wow! Do we have all kinds of graduations nowadays--not only from high schools and colleges, but from kindergartens, primary schools, middle schools, and junior highs. I've even heard of graduations from day care centers...and, of course, graduations occur at all times of the year nowadays. Guess we like to start out early struttin' our stuff.

All right. If we're probably going to hear this word used more and more, we should give a good look at the awkwardness of using it the way our ancestors used it back in the nineteenth century. Back then, the common way to use this word was as follows:

Even though Homer couldn't blow his nose if his brains were dynamite, he graduated eighth grade yesterday. (not as preferred today...graduated from...)

...or...

The Class of 2009 will graduate Whiteville High School as soon as they finish and pass their last courses next spring. (not as preferred today...graduate from...)

...or...

I graduated Southeastern Community College five years ago with a nursing degree. (not as preferred today...graduated from...)

More than a century ago, the commonly accepted use of this verb was, indeed, NOT TO USE from in front of a form of graduate. Today, however, the preferred way is TO USE from before a form of graduate.

Filling out a resume for a job that included a sentence such as...

I graduated UNC in 2002...

is considered awkward and archaic in today's world, so don't be misled when you hear the occasional use of this verb. You are correct to say...

Jack graduated FROM NC State two years before his sister did.

This lesson's so easy you should have absolutely NO trouble remembering it! Also, we see here the constantly changing nature of our language and how rules that were once cast in stone are no longer in force. Just check your Webster's and you'll see how many uses that once were forbidden are now making headway into our speech and writing. Don't forget, though, that some words seen in the dictionary are NOT generally accepted in Standard English or polite society.

I'm signing off for this time. Hope your day is great! Happiness and peace to all. GG

36. The AFFECT - EFFECT Disconnect

Hello, again, all of you! I hope you're continuing to practice good grammar all over the place, whether you're writing or speaking. Maybe we can slowly eliminate the bad grammar practices we hear and see daily by modeling Standard English for our friends and neighbors...and maybe even the media will start paying attention to some of these much needed changes! The water won't clear till you get the hogs out of the creek, as we have heard around these parts of North Carolina :-)

Today's lesson addresses a major mix-up we see frequently with AFFECT and EFFECT, so let's tale a look at the differences between them.

Now, both of these words sound very much alike, which is probably one of the reasons we hear them confused so much. They are, however, very different in meaning, so check out the following explanation:

AFFECT is a VERB that means "to cause a change in" or "to influence." Here's an example of its correct use:

Insulting an alligator before you cross stream may AFFECT your health. ( Better get out of the water first !)

EFFECT, however, may be either a NOUN or a VERB, and this, very likely, contributes to even more confusion.

EFFECT used as a NOUN means "result" and here's an example of its correct use:

Passing the time of day with your family will have a good EFFECT on your relationship with them. (But only if everybody is bound and determined to be nice :-)

And, finally, EFFECT is used as a VERB when it means "to bring about" or "to accomplish". Actually, this use isn't as prevalent today as the other two uses, but we still see and hear it at times. Notice the correct use here:

Never drowning in his own sweat EFFECTS a negative opinion from Tom's boss that he's too lazy to work. ( Being lazy as a tarred dog won't work!)

Pretty simple, I hope. Okay, so let's see if you've mastered these little words.

1. Will the cashier's being as slow as cream rising have an (AFFECT, EFFECT) on how many people use that check-out lane at Food Lion?

2. Johnny's trifling behavior at the beach last night (AFFECTED, EFFECTED) changes in my opinion of him.

3. Myrtle's ability to catch more flies with honey than vinegar when speaking to others (AFFECTED, EFFECTED) the Nominating Committee's decision to choose her to represent them .

All right! How did you do? Here are the answers:

1. EFFECT is correct because it is used as a NOUN and means "result".

2. EFFECTED is correct , but this time because it is used as a VERB and means "brought about" or "accomplished."

3. AFFECTED is correct here because it is used as a VERB and means "causes a change in" or "influences."

All right, way to go, all of you Grammar Stars, if you made a perfect score! If you missed one or two or (heaven forbid!) all three, just review the rules above, think about it, and try to apply the rules to some sentences of your own. Never fear. You'll get it! Practice really does make perfect.

Okay, Y'all. Time to finish up and wish you each a wonderful day with much happiness!. Do continue giving me great ideas for lessons and thanks for sharing your favorite grammar peeves. Peace, GG

35. LIKE, AS, and AS IF : Are they alike?

Hey! Today's lesson reviews problems we seem to have quite frequently with LIKE, AS and AS IF. Have you ever wondered whether to use LIKE or AS in a sentence such as the following?

Marti thinks (LIKE, AS) I do about iced tea - we both prefer a little tea with our sugar...

or...whether to use LIKE or AS IF in a sentence such as this one?

Jeff acts ( LIKE, AS IF) he knows everything there is to know about all 5,000 snakes in North Carolina.

If you chose LIKE in the first sentence, join the crowd of many folks who mistakenly use the wrong verb...

and... if you also chose LIKE in the second sentence, you're there again.

Here's why:

Standard English requires us to use LIKE (and its forms) only as a VERB, such as the one seen in the following sentence:

Kelly and Anthony LIKE to attend all of Brennan and Brady's ballgames...

Or as a PREPOSITION such as the one seen in the next sentence:

Robert drives LIKE a maniac.

That's pretty simple, huh? Just remember that LIKE should be used only as a VERB or a PREPOSITION.

NOW, what about AS or AS IF?

AS and AS IF are SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS when they introduce clauses in a sentence. As we've studied before, a clause is a group of words with its own subject and verb and sentences can contain more than one clause.
In the first example sentence above...

"Marti thinks..." is one clause...

"...as I do about iced tea..." is another clause...and...

"...we both prefer and little tea with our sugar"...is a third clause--all in the same sentence.

Our main concern, however, is the second clause that indicates new subjects and verbs are being used in the sentence - not "Marti thinks...". and...

that new clause is "...I do about iced tea..." Since this is also a separate clause, a subordinate conjunction must appear at its beginning - hence, AS is correct, not LIKE. Remember that LIKE is considered just a VERB or PREPOSITION and since you just learned that AS is a subordinate conjunction when it precedes a clause, you know that AS is the correct answer.Well, all right!

Okay. So let's take a look at the second example sentence:

"Jeff acts..." is the first clause...

"...AS IF he knows everything ...in North Carolina" is the second clause.


So how do you prove that AS IF is correct? You should have no problem recognizing that AS IF precedes a clause. It's just that simple! .

Now it's time to give you a chance to show how much you know. Choose the correct answer in the following sentences:

(1) (Like, As) all children, Davy wanted a bike.

(2) Homer and Tony believe just (like, as) their daddy does about the dinner bell always being in tune.

(3) Junior looks (like, as) the hindquarters of bad luck.

(4) That man looks (like, as if) he's been hit in the face with a wet squirrel.

(5) Sally felt (like, as) her boyfriend did about deer season needing to be a national holiday.

Wasn't this easy? Here are the answers:

(1) LIKE is correct since there's no clause following it. LIKE is also used as a preposition.

(2) AS is correct since there IS a clause following it.

(3) LIKE is correct since no clause follows it. LIKE is also used as a preposition.

(4) AS IF is correct since there IS a clause following it.

(5) AS is correct since there IS a clause following it.

My hope is that you all made 100 on this little quiz and will never again make these mistakes! Celebrate!

Well, it's about time to close up shop and rest a spell. Y'all have a wonderful week and be as happy as you can as often as you can. Peace and happiness to all, GG