A Note on Grammar
For quite a few months I typed my documents with the grammar checker turned on. Whenever grammar checker told me to change something, I did my darnedest to do it.
Actually, grammar checkers can be down right tyrannical. Sometimes I would paste text from an acknowledged master of the English language into a document and the grammar checker would recommend butchering the sentences. That ought to be a warning.
The really bad part of it was that I felt as though my high school English teacher was looking over my shoulder all the time. I stopped being me when I wrote. I couldn't say stuff like shitfire, fingerfuck, or fuckstick!
I ain't using grammar checkers anymore. If I lapse into the passive voice, then tough shit. I'll keep Strunk and White handy for those times when I feel self conscious about my writing.
But I ain't using grammar checkers anymore. We'll all just have to deal with it in our own way.
posted by Lynn @ 11:32 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Ah yes, grammar checkers really pounce on the passive voice, and if you use "which" they suggest "that" and visa versa.
I always try to use that unless it sounds blatantly wrong. When which must do, I get confused about the punctuation. So, generally, I throw in a comma because it looks cute. However, I get so confused. Two years of Latin and a mighty fine high school English class education were, apparently, wasted on me.
But I ain't using grammar checker any more.
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