RE: Dorky grammar question

Subject: RE: Dorky grammar question
From: "Jones, Donna" <DJones -at- zebra -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 12:12:24 -0500


As David Brown pointed out, it depends. I had to read his explanation a
couple of times before I caught on to what he was saying. I'll put quotes in
the phrase below to help illustrate it for other simpletons like myself.
;-) If I were marking this up for a grammar class, I would circle the
things in quotes and draw arrows to other parts of the sentence to show what
they modify.


Do you have a set of "rules that define [whatever]"--The rules
that define [whatever] make up a set.

OR

Do you have a "set of rules" that define [whatever].--The set
of rules define [whatever].

As others have suggested, if the second is what you mean, I would drop the
words "set of." Rules usually come in sets, so it's redundant.


Nice brain challenge for ending the week! :-) Happy Friday!

Donna


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-152534 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-152534 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of
technical -at- theverbalist -dot- com
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2004 11:20 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Dorky grammar question



Heya Wr-lers
Sorry to bother the list with this, but I can't seem to find an answer in
my usual on-line grammar souces, and my mom (the former English teacher)
isn't home.

So, in the phrase "a set of rules that defines" does the verb "define" get
modified based on the singular noun "set"--making it "defines"--or based
on the plural noun "rules"--making it "define"?

...just some of the fun minutia that makes my job fun ;)
Grammatically,
Mandy


- CONFIDENTIAL -
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential, and may also
be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not
review, use, copy, or distribute this message. If you receive this email in
error, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and then delete
this email.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ROBOHELP X5: Featuring Word 2003 support, Content Management, Multi-Author
support, PDF and XML support and much more!
TRY IT TODAY at http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrl

WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT: New! Document review system for Word and FrameMaker
authors. Automatic browser-based drafts with unlimited reviewers. Full
online discussions -- no Web server needed! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Previous by Author: RE: A New Web Approach?
Next by Author: RE: RE: Dorky grammar question
Previous by Thread: Re: Dorky grammar question
Next by Thread: RE: Dorky grammar question


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads