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Which is Correct? Me, Myself, or I

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by Kathleen Watson (guest blogger)

Did you as a child ever say, “Me and Billy wanna go for a bike ride!” and have your mom admonish: “Billy and I.”

What about, “Can me and Suzie have a popsicle?” and your mom corrected you, “Suzie and I.”

Mom no doubt was trying to teach you the courtesy of mentioning the other child’s name first, but your brain might have been imprinted to avoid me.

No wonder so many of us steer clear of me in places where it truly is the correct choice. The problem: We’re supposed to know better by the time we grow up and communicate with adults in the business world. These tips will help you get it right.

Subjects and Objects

Let’s start with a brief definition of two terms: subject and object

A subject is the doer of the action in a sentence:
I | she | he | they

An object is the receiver of the action in a sentence:
me | her | him | them

I hear him. She sees them. He called me.

Me and I have another grammatical role: They are pronouns. They refer to and stand in for the name of someone or something mentioned previously. Other pronouns are you, he, she, we, him, her, us, they, them and it.

Me vs. I

The following examples show how difficult it can be to choose the right pronoun when the choice is me or I:

My boss (subject) is taking Sarah (object) and I (oops: subject) to lunch.
My boss (subject) is taking Sarah (object) and me (object) to lunch.

She (subject) demonstrated the new software to Rob (object) and I (oops: subject).
She (subject) demonstrated the new software to Rob (object) and me (object).

The easiest way to choose the right pronoun is to eliminate Sarah or Rob. Your ear will help you decide what sounds right:

no: My boss is taking I to lunch.
yes: My boss is taking  me to lunch.

no: She demonstrated the new software to I.
yes: She demonstrated the new software to me.

In the above sets of examples, my boss and she are the subjects, the doers of the action; me is the object, the receiver of action.

There are other cases where choosing between me and I can be difficult. Which is correct in these examples?

Jeff likes ice cream more than I.
Jeff likes ice cream more than me.

Does the writer mean:
Jeff likes ice cream more than I [like ice cream], or Jeff likes ice cream more than [he likes] me?

Simply adding the implied “do” makes it clear:

Jeff likes ice cream more than I [do].

Some grammarians consider either me or I acceptable in this kind of sentence construction. I’m not one of them, because I believe using me can leave room for misinterpretation.

She knows Steve better than me.
(She knows Steve better than she knows me?)
(She knows Steve better than I know Steve?)
She knows Steve better than I [do].

He loves baseball more than me.
(He loves baseball more than he loves me?)
(He loves baseball more than I love baseball?)
He loves baseball more than I [do].

Me vs. Myself

Have you ever received messages like these:

Call Ryan or myself if you have questions.
Thank you for notifying Claire and myself about the incident.
Myself and my team are meeting his afternoon.

Myself is a reflexive pronoun belonging to a category of words that end in self or selves. Reflexive pronouns often are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same. They also help create emphasis.

I myself would never take an unnecessary sick day.
She allowed herself the luxury of a pedicure.
We ourselves performed the entire symphony.
You yourself will have to decide.
I bought myself a latte.

Here are the correct versions of the first set of reflexive pronoun examples:

Call Ryan or myself me if you have questions.
Thank you for notifying Claire and myself me about the incident.
My team and myself I are meeting this afternoon.

Using I when it should be me and improperly using myself show that frequent misuse can make erroneous grammar almost sound right.

Don’t fall into the “But everyone says it that way” trap. Know your grammar and adhere to standards that reflect positively on your communication competence.

Want to polish your grammar skills? Kathleen’s book Grammar for People Who Hate Rules is excellent. More info at https://ruthlesseditor.com/grammarbook/

 

When to Use an Apostrophe with Numbers and Dates

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Nothing highlights the importance of when to use an apostrophe like a weather report.

by Barbara McNichol

When to use an apostrophe…

Sometimes, “apostrophe confusion” is more apparent than reading weather reports during an extreme cold snap. 

If we can trust Punxsutawney Phil, the end of these sub-zero temperatures should be near…but in case a groundhog isn’t your first choice for meteorological – or grammatical – advice, let’s cover the basics with examples inspired by fellow grammar-guru Kathleen Watson.

Adding an “s” to numbers…

If you’re pluralizing a number, don’t add an apostrophe.

  • Temperatures will drop into the 30s tonight.
  • There were four 747s waiting on the tarmac.Nothing highlights the importance of when to use an apostrophe like a weather report.
  • She said both size 8s were too loose.

Adding an “s” to decades…

If you’re writing about years as decades, don’t add an apostrophe.

  • He teaches a class on rock bands of the 1960s and ’70s.*
  • They worked together to refurbish a vintage car from the 1940s.
  • This is the most snowfall the region has seen since the 1980s.

When writing about a trend in a year or decade…

When a year or decade defines something that could be replaced by another proper noun, use an apostrophe to indicate possession.

  • During Germany’s Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals.
    During 1936’s Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals.
  • Funds raise by Mary Holmes in 2018 surpassed Jane Smith’s efforts in 2017.
    Funds raised in 2018 surpassed 2017’s efforts.
  • The Chicago White Sox were World Series Champions in 2005.
    The Chicago White Sox were 2005’s World Series Champions.

When starting a sentence with a number…

Whenever possible, avoid using a number at the beginning of a sentence unless it’s a year. And be sure to add an apostrophe according to the rules above.

  • 1929’s stock market crash marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
  • 2019 was the most robust year for new car sales in our region.
  • Seventy percent of my day is consumed by responding to emails.

In summary…

Don’t use an apostrophe to pluralize numbers:

Incorrect: “The airline owns a fleet of 747’s.”

Correct: “The airline owns a fleet of 747s.”

Don’t use an apostrophe with a number that indicates a decade:

Incorrect: “The 1960’s were marked by advances in civil rights and space travel.”

Correct: “The 1960s were marked by advances in civil rights and space travel.”

Do use an apostrophe to designate possession.

Incorrect: “Funds raised this year surpassed 2019s target.”

Correct: “Funds raised this year surpassed 2019’s target.”

*Bonus: Use an apostrophe to indicate missing digits.

Incorrect: “Most people look back at the 60s with fondness.”

Correct: “Most people look back at the ’60s with fondness.”

Following the guidelines of good grammar is always important. Why? When you communicate in a clear, correct  manner, your message carries more resonance and credibility.

What are some of the grammar rules that trip you up in your everyday communication? I’d love to know.

Did you find this article helpful? Here are a few more gems.

Poor Writing Means Your Credibility is at Stake!
Active Verbs Motivate Your Reader to Take Action When the Time is Right

Thanks to Kathy Watson for her input to this post. I highly recommend her reference guide Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help you get over the grammar hump with ease.

Who or Whom? Here’s How To Choose Between Them

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by Kathleen Watson

Do you have difficulty when it comes to choosing who or whom in your writing?

Some think whom sounds stuffy and pretentious.

When did proper grammar become stuffy? I think that’s an excuse made by people who don’t know the difference.

who or whom

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Does anyone criticize Ernest Hemingway for using whom in the title of his famous novel For Whom The Bell Tolls?

 

Three Guidelines

Here are three guidelines to help you recognize whether to use who or whom:

  1. Who is the doer of the action.

Who was driving the car?
He was critical of people who didn’t support his decision.
The winner, no matter who she is, will wear the crown for a year.

2. Whom is the object, the person acted on, and it often is preceded by a preposition (at, in, for, from, of, to, with).

Did you speak to her? To whom did you speak?

Who gave you the check? From whom did you get the check?

Did you take a walk with her? With whom did you take a walk?

3. Consider these substitutions as shortcuts to helping you make the right choice:
he, she, they (subjects) = who
him, her, them (objects) = whom

Who was driving the car? He was driving the car.

You invited whom to dinner? You invited her to dinner.

For whom were members of the audience applauding? Members of the audience were applauding for them.

Do you have sentences that you question if who or whom is correct? Submit them here for a reply.

Headline Grammar Errors NOT to Copy

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By Kathleen Watson

grammar headlinesHeadlines provide never-ending examples of incorrect grammar, whether in word choice, word order or punctuation.

Reminder: I define grammar as the words we choose, how we string them together, and how we use punctuation to give them meaning.

News stories and their headlines should be examples of excellent writing. They also should conform to Standard English, defined as the way educated people write and speak. Writing in haste is no excuse for careless headline grammar errors.

1) How To Act When Someone Around You Loses Their Job

In 2017, the Associated Press proclaimed that nouns and pronouns no longer have to match in cases of gender sensitivity. I strongly oppose the change. In this headline, the indefinite pronoun someone is singular, but their is a plural possessive.

Rather than using the awkward someone loses his/her job, the headline could easily have conformed to standard usage if it had been phrased this way:

How To Act When Someone Around You Loses A Job

2) Look At Aaron Rogers Amazing House

Green Bay Packer quarterback Aaron Rogers no doubt earns enough money to have an amazing house, but this headline lacks the apostrophe that shows the house belongs to him. When a name ends in s, show possession by adding an apostrophe:

Look At Aaron Rogers’ Amazing House

3) Students Walkout Across Country to Support Florida School-Shooting Survivors

To walk out is a phrasal verb; a walkout is a noun.

An earlier post, One Word or Two: Use Care With Your Shortcuts, has a list of other word combinations called phrasal verbs — a verb and a preposition that, when joined, often form a noun: set up/setup | break down/breakdown | start up/startup | cut back/cutback … and more. The headline should read:

Students Walk Out Across Country to Support Florida School-Shooting Survivors

4) Parkland Survivor Criticizes Laura Ingraham For Only Apologizing After Advertisers Fled

As so often is the case, the modifier only is misplaced. When only precedes apologizing, it implies that apologizing was not enough. Should she have done more than apologize?

The criticism underlying the report was aimed at the timing of her apology. Some thought Ms. Ingraham should have apologized immediately, rather than waiting until some advertisers withdrew their support of her program. A clearer headline would have been:

Parkland Survivor Criticizes Laura Ingraham For Apologizing Only After Advertisers Fled

5) What Does It Feel Like to Be Wrong? Our strong need to be right and it’s impact on our lives

The first line works, but the subhead is punctuated to read:

Our strong need to be right and it is impact on our lives

People continue to confuse it’s, the contraction for it is, and its, the possessive form of the pronoun it. Here’s how the line should read:

Our strong need to be right and its impact on our lives

I hear from plenty of people who lament the apparent lack of grammar knowledge in some media representatives who are considered professional communicators: print, electronic, and television journalists and commentators.

We’re all judged by the way we write and speak. Don’t let careless grammar or lack of grammar mastery detract from your credibility.

Kathleen Watson has a love/hate relationship with grammar; she loves words and the punctuation that helps them make sense, yet she hates those pesky rules. Knowing others do, too, she wrote an easy-to-use grammar book called Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help  people write with authority and confidence.

Share examples of headline grammar errors you find.

Why Grammar Matters

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by Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

What is grammar? It encompasses the words you choose, how you string them together, and how you punctuate them to give them meaning.

To recognize National Grammar Day, which falls on March 4, this post examines 11 sentences that demonstrate why grammar matters. I point out the grammatical errors in each and offer a suggested rewrite.

Examples are the best teachers.

1) Just today, we actually got a press release that basically said that CreateSpace was disbanding their author services part of their business.

Problems:
Just, actually, the first that, and basically add nothing to meaning or clarity.
CreateSpace is a single business entity, not a “their”

Rewrite:
Today’s CreateSpace press release announced that it will disband the author services part of its business.

2) I personally actually travel a lot, so I plan to bring this alarm clock along with me everywhere I go!!

Problems:
Personally, actually and along add nothing to meaning or clarity.

Rewrite:
I plan to take this alarm clock with me in all of my travels.

3) Eric was told not to go by his boss, ostensibly because he was working too much overtime.

Problems:
“By his boss” could be interpreted as “close to or in the vicinity of.”
It’s unclear which he was working too much overtime.
Ostensibly, which means apparently or purportedly but perhaps not actually, can be more succinctly expressed.

Rewrite:
Eric’s boss told him not to go because of what he considers Eric’s excessive overtime.

4) After briefly mentioning an official’s alleged affair with his staff member earlier in the week, Stephen Colbert took a deep dive into the story Wednesday night.

Problems:
Briefly mentioning is redundant; to mention is to make a brief reference to.
Did the affair occur earlier in the week? Or was the affair just mentioned earlier in the week?
“An official’s alleged affair with his staff member” is unclear: Whose staff member? The official’s or Colbert’s?

Rewrite:
Early in the week, Stephen Colbert mentioned an affair between an official and the official’s staff member. Colbert delved into the story Wednesday night.

5) Nestled in your opulent guest room with luxurious bedding and special amenities, the Drisco’s thoughtful staff will be there to anticipate your needs and carry out your wishes.

Problem:
Drisco’s thoughtful staff members are not nestled in your opulent guest room.

Rewrite:
As you nestle into the luxurious bed of your opulent guest room and enjoy the Drisco’s special amenities, responsive staff will anticipate your needs and carry out your wishes.

6) Right after we got off the train we were trying to get our bearings and two lovely Chinese girls asked us if we needed help in excellent English.

Problem:
The girls were not asking the travelers if they needed help with excellent English; rather, they spoke excellent English when they asked the travelers if they needed help.

Rewrite:
Right after we got off the train and were trying to get our bearings, two lovely Chinese girls asked in excellent English if we needed help.

7) After speaking to residents, the stranger discovered that animal rescue teams had been attempting to catch a feral dog that roamed the area for five long years with no success.

Problems:
The feral dog had not experienced a lack of success as it roamed the area for five years; those on the animal rescue team had no success in catching it.
What is the difference between five long years, five years, and five short years?

Rewrite:
After speaking to residents, the stranger discovered that animal rescue teams had been attempting — without success — to catch a feral dog that had been roaming the area for five years.

8) Since language is fluid, does it follow that all new usages, since they are not incorrect, can be used in business settings?

Problems:
Since (used twice) means from then until now.
A double negative — are not incorrect — in nonstandard English.
Can traditionally implies ability; may implies permission.

Rewrite:
Because language is fluid, may all new usages — although not yet universally accepted — be used in business settings?

9) The reason why they were furious was because the products Pauley mentioned are half the price and twice as effective as theirs.

Problems:
Reason why is redundant.
There’s a missing preposition: half the price of

Rewrite:
They were furious because the products Pauley mentioned are half the price of and twice as effective as theirs.

10) The report does not dispute that Trump fired Comey because he was unhappy with his continued pursuit of the Russia investigation.

Problem:
He and his are ambiguous: to whom to they refer?

Rewrite:
The report does not dispute that Trump fired FBI Director Comey because the president was unhappy with the director’s continued pursuit of the Russia investigation.

11) When I first mentioned my idea of writing a memoir to David Carr, he told me that I needed to “visit a foreign land where writers live.”

Problem:
The writer was referring to her own memoir, not one about the life and legacy of David Carr.

Rewrite:
When I first mentioned to David Carr my idea of writing a memoir, he told me that I needed to “visit a foreign land where writers live.”

If you don’t pay attention to words, their order and how they’re punctuated, readers might not understand what you’re trying to convey. Mastering grammar makes for clear communication. Consider this resource:

Grammar for People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips from the Ruthless Editor

Grammar is not a set of rules carved in stone; it’s a collection of guidelines that help you communicate clearly.

Kathleen Watson has a love/hate relationship with grammar; she loves words and the punctuation that helps them make sense, yet she hates those pesky rules. Knowing others do, too, she wrote an easy-to-use grammar book called Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help  people write with authority and confidence.

How will you celebrate National Punctuation Day? Share your ideas here.

If Only Writers Would Use “Only” Right

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by Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

Inaccurate placement of the modifier only continues to abound.

I’ve written about only before, and I’ve continued to save examples. Those with a misplaced only far outweigh those where only is in the right spot: closest to the word it modifies. Because the margin is so great, I’m climbing back onto my soapbox.

Why does the placement of only matter?

Only as an adjective or adverb means solely or exclusively, single or solitary, which is the case in most of my examples. It implies limits.

use of onlyConsider these three examples from my book, Grammar for Those Who Hate Rules (p. 29), which show that placement of only changes the meaning of each. Then consider how the placement of only applies to the numbered examples that follow.

Only Danny sang at the party. (No one else sang.)

Danny only sang at the party. (He didn’t dance or play the piano.)

Danny sang only at the party. (He didn’t sing elsewhere.)

Correct Onlys

Now let’s jump into my collection. In these eight examples, only is correctly placed. Note that only follows a verb, clearly indicating what it modifies.

  1. Definitions of plain language that focused only on writing proved too narrow.
  2. For a plural ending in s, x, or z, add only an apostrophe to show possession.
  3. Praise the delivery to Norway of fighter planes that exist only in a video game.
  4. The other defendants were charged only with misdemeanors.
  5. Buckeye still has only about 60,000 people.
  6. He engineered a “smart gun” that could be fired only by an authorized user.
  7. If you get input only from your closest circle, you won’t get the whole picture.
  8. It’s not hard to detect when someone wants to hear only praise and support for their own ideas

Incorrect Onlys

In the next examples, only is placed incorrectly. Note how often it precedes the verb, when it is intended to modify what follows the verb (underlined). Mentally put it in its correct place.

  1. We only have one voice of reason in Alaska.
  2. That could discourage widespread acceptance, especially for a product that may only have limited use.
  3. VA Secretary McDonald has only fired three people for their involvement in the scandal.
  4. On Sunday, the Senate only voted on the two amendments McConnell set up,
  5. Reports from Reuters and Politico indicated that the president would only move to end the program after a six-month delay.
  6. We only have so many weekends.
  7. The U.S. Supreme Court has explicitly ruled that blood can only be drawn from drivers for probable cause and with a warrant.”
  8. The current bills would only apply to new employees.
  9. Starbucks announced plans to open stores that only accept mobile orders.
  10. Google is concerned about SSL certificates, which are supposedly only issued after Symantec takes extra steps to verify the identity of the holder.
  11. Do you still only write by hand?
  12. A favorite Rick Perry flub is his announcement that as president he was going to shutter three federal agencies — and then could only think of two.
  13. This doesn’t mean that you can only send a press release for information that would make the front page of the New York Times.
  14. The tour company will only collect tasting fees for one person for each winery.
  15. You only need 10,000 devoted readers to make a living.
  16. When they run a “find word” search of your work and “that” only appears a handful of times, you already have a leg up.
  17. Why does designer Vivienne Westwood only bathe once a week?
  18. The asteroid was only spotted seven hours before flying past earth
  19. You only have room for one blurb on the front and maybe two more on the back.
  20. He is anticipating opposition from some of his fellow Republicans to a bill that only gives dreamers legal status.
  21. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve could only be built if voters approve the proposed construction.

Look for other examples in articles you read and comment below.

Used with if — if only, as in this post’s headline — only can express a wish (If only writers used only right … ) or regret (If only I’d paid attention … ), or it can mean “if for no other reason” (She told him she’d already done it, if only to stop his reminders).

Pay attention to your onlys. Show that you’re an informed, skilled writer, and set a good example for others. Please share this with colleagues, friends, and family.

Kathleen calls herself the Ruthless Editor. She has created Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help people write and speak with authority and confidence. Kathleen can be reached at kathy@ruthlesseditor.com.

A Distinction Between “Optimal” and “Optimum”?

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by Kathleen Watson

According to merriam-webster.com, scientists in the mid-19th century needed a word to describe the most favorable point, degree or amount; the best condition for the growth and reproduction of an organism. They took “optimus” from Latin to create the noun optimum.

It filled the scientific need, and optimum eventually gained use beyond the scientific community to broadly imply the best or most desirable.

A few decades later, optimum was being used as an adjective as well as a noun. That’s when optimal was coined to serve as an adjective, but the distinction is either not understood or not accepted by everyone.

A popular resource for writers, Garner’s Modern American Usage, prefers “optimum” as the noun and “optimal” the adjective.

Noun Examples: optimum

These examples show how optimum is used as a noun (the best condition or amount):

Professor Albertson was pleased that the soil conditions of the test garden finally reached their optimum.

The pass interception yielded the optimum the coach could have hoped for.

Your thorough preparation resulted in the optimum your job search could have achieved.

Adjective examples: optimal

These examples show how optimal is used as an adjective (the most desirable, most favorable, most effective). Note that optimal is followed by the element it modifies:

Once students achieved optimal soil conditions for the test garden, the plants thrived.

The quarterback’s injury contributed to an optimal opportunity for a pass interception.

Because of your thorough preparation, your achieved optimal results from your job search.

I align with those who recognize and appreciate the distinction between optimum and optimal. Consider these pairs of words that follow the same noun / adjective pattern as do optimum and optimal:

bacterium / bacterial

cerebrum / cerebral

cranium / cranial

minimum / minimal

If optimum and optimal mean the same thing — if they are interchangeable — why do both words exist? Choosing one word over another because of its precise meaning or nuance separates the thorough writer, editor, or publication from the rest.

Kathleen calls herself the Ruthless Editor. She has created Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help people write and speak with authority and confidence. Kathleen can be reached at kathy@ruthlesseditor.com.

In your opinion, are these two words interchangeable?

How Hyphens Add Clarity to Your Writing

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by Kathleen Watson

When I had boarded and settled in for a recent flight, I reached for the airline magazine in the back-of-the-seat pouch in front of me.

True to form for this ruthless editor, I selected articles for not only enjoyment but also for illumination, keeping my grammar radar on high alert. How do other writers use words and punctuation?

Two articles — one about Pioneertown, a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles, and one about Fishtown, a residential area not far from Philadelphia’s historic district — were packed with examples of well-crafted, rich descriptions of American burgs and the colorful locals who inhabit them.

Narrowing my focus, I became acutely aware of the number of compound modifiers used throughout. Because examples instruct so well, I’m listing several here.

Imagine these modifiers without the hyphen. Can you see how hyphens add clarity?

  • a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles
  • a cup of high-octane coffee
  • a well-worn Formica counter
  • a pair of steel-toed boots
  • his working-class roots
  • the top-floor music venue
  • a whole-animal butchery
  • the ever-present sound of the overhead train
  • a tight-knit community
  • a cash-only shot-and-beer joint
  • a high-end Italian restaurant
  • role-playing games
  • long-term residents
  • a down-to-earth approach
  • largely blue-collar residential neighborhoods
  • a settlement of fully functional Western-style buildings

Note in the last two examples that modifiers ending in ly don’t require a hyphen: largely blue-collar residents, fully functional buildings.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction or for business or pleasure, reading well-written pieces by others can inspire and instruct. How often do you approach reading through that lens?

Kathy Watson

Kathy Watson has a love/hate relationship with grammar; she loves words and the punctuation that helps them make sense, yet she hates those pesky rules. A self-proclaimed ruthless editor, she prefers standard usage guidelines of The Associated Press Stylebook. Her easy-to-use Grammar for People Who Hate Rules helps people write and speak with authority and confidence.

Compound modifiers streamline the writing and reading experience. Share your own examples here. Request a one-word-or-two reference sheet by emailing editor@barbaramcnichol.com

3 Worst Places to Make a Grammar Error

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Grammar ErrorBy Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

News headlines draw us into a story. Report titles summarize what our readers can expect. Email subject lines should do both. That’s why these are the three worst places to make a grammar error.

Here are three headlines that don’t pass a grammar test and how they could be better:

  1. Bill Nye Only Needs 10 Seconds To Explain The Toughest Science Theories

The problem: misplaced modifier

Modifiers are words that add meaning or clarification. The emphasis of this headline is the minimal amount of time Science Guy Bill Nye needs to explain complex science theories.

Modifiers should be placed close to—preferably next to—the words they modify.

The solution:

Bill Nye Needs Only 10 Seconds To Explain The Toughest Science Theories

  1. France’s Political Parties Are Banding Together To Stop Le Pen

The problem: redundancy

Not all sources agree but I consider banding together redundant.

My test for redundancy: Would the opposite descriptor—in this case banding apart instead of banding together—make sense? Do people ever band apart?

Of course not. So there’s no need to clarify that people—or political parties—band together.

As a verb, band is described this way: to unite in a troop; to come together in a group because of a common purpose or belief

Synonyms are to connect, to join, to unite, to merge.

The solution:

France’s Political Parties Unite To Stop Le Pen

  1. Stabbing At Flint Airport Deemed Potential Act Of Terrorism By FBI

The problem: This wording could be interpreted as the FBI having committed a potential act of terrorism.

The solution:

FBI Deems Flint Airport Stabbing Potential Act of Terrorism

FBI Deems Stabbing At Flint Airport Potential Act of Terrorism

News cycles rapidly, and writers are under pressure to publish stories in minimal time. Yet when I read these headlines, it took me just seconds to recognize better ways to compose them without a grammar error.

Whether you’re reporting the news, writing a title for a report, or crafting an email subject line, allow time to review what you’ve written. You’ll be more likely to catch these kinds of oversights that avoid detection when you write in haste.

If you see silly or questionable headlines, please note them here or send them to mailto:contact@ruthlesseditor.com

Kathleen calls herself the Ruthless Editor. She has created Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help people write and speak with authority and confidence. Kathleen can be reached at kathy@ruthlesseditor.com.

When to Use Can vs. May vs. Might

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by Kathleen Watson

Either at home or early in your school days, did you learn about a difference between can vs. may?

Can you (do you have the ability to) have your book report done by noon?

May I (do I have your permission to) read your book report to the class?

According to www.RuthlessEditor.commerriam-webster.com, can still is the verb of choice for ability, but both can and may are acceptable to express permission.

But at oxforddictionaries.com, there still is a widespread view that using can to ask for permission is wrong and that it should be used related only to ability or capability:

Can you speak fluent French?

The wrestler can pin any opponent he chooses.

Other sources claim there’s only a minor difference between the two verbs: One sounds more polite than the other.

Can we come over and swim in your pool?

May we come over and swim in your pool?

If I can, I’ll ask you a few questions about your job.

If I may, I’ll ask you a few questions about your job.

Moving on to may and might

Now that we have can and may settled — sort of — what is the difference between may and might?

I’ve struggled with this for years, and I’ve conducted multiple Google searches, never feeling satisfied that I fully understood or agreed with what I found.

Some sources say that may and might normally can be interchanged without a significant difference in meaning. Although both convey that there is a chance something is true or there is a possibility of something happening, some sources claim that might implies less certainty:

I wouldn’t talk to Jess right now. He may still be angry about his team’s loss.

Ella is so talented, I think she may win the competition.

Although it might rain later, let’s take a chance and make a tee time.

If I can get my project done, I might go to a movie tonight.

I fail to see enough of a difference in the nuance of may or might to have concerns about which to use.

May versus might in academic, technical writing 

I have found that may, rather than might, is used almost exclusively in the academic writing I’ve edited. However, the near-universal use of may raises potential for misinterpretation.

For example:

This research may be used for teaching purposes.

Is the author, despite holding the copyright for the material, giving broad permission for its use in a classroom?

Or is the author implying there’s a possibility the research could be relevant to include in developing curriculum?

One may use the entire set of data for projecting results.

Again, does this imply permission to use the data for determining results?

Or does it imply that using all of the data will yield appropriate projections of results?

Two editors, one in technical and one in academic writing, avoid may:

“In editing technical writing,” says the first, “I never allow ‘may,’ because it is too ambiguous:

“Other programs may be started during installation.”

Does this mean the installer can initiate other programs that are part of the installation process? Or does it mean the installer can begin to watch “Game of Thrones” as the installation runs?

The academic editor says, “I habitually edit “may” to “might” for possibility and “can” for ability.

The choice is yours

Reflecting on the websites I’ve visited and the explanations and examples I’ve found, I still am not convinced there is enough difference between may and might to worry about in most usage.

However, as a professional writer and editor, I will continue to watch for potential misunderstanding with may: There could be a significant difference in meaning when it is not clear whether it implies permission or simply possibility.

I trust you can figure out which to use, but you might still have questions. If that’s the case, you may contact me.

Kathy Watson

Kathy Watson has a love/hate relationship with grammar; she loves words and the punctuation that helps them make sense, yet she hates those pesky rules. A self-proclaimed ruthless editor, she prefers standard usage guidelines of The Associated Press Stylebook. Her easy-to-use Grammar for People Who Hate Rules helps people write and speak with authority and confidence.

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