Free grammar lessons!

[Breakdown16]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

According to everything I've learned, if the first sound of the word after the article is a vowel (hour, for instance) or, the first letter /is/ a vowel (apple, owl, etc) then you use "an".

Otherwise, go w/ "a"

Actually, I believe it's always based on the sound. For example, which one of the following sounds better?

An UFO
A UFO

The second choice is correct because the first syllable is prounounced "you." That's a consonant sound, not a vowel sound.

Also...

someone solve me the mystery of using

a / an

i have no clue i go with the one that sounds the best

also

saw / seen

good thread i need to read it again

Saw is the past tense. Example: I saw a red car yesterday. Seen is used as a participle. Example: I had seen a yellow car a few years ago with the same license as the red car.

I know, I'm not very good at explaining, but I'm trying my best.

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

It is indeed based on sound. There's no better way to explain it.

A universal health plan.
An understatement.

Same first letter, different sound.

The same goes for what some silly folks do with the letter "h"

A historic event.
An honest answer.

It's not "an historic", but let the people who feel like old english is still the standard live their lives the way they want. They'll die out soon enough anyway.

[Master TAnK Evans]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

what always made me think "WTF" is how things are spelt sometimes..for example I'm going to state a list of words and you tell me what you think about it and ask yourself ...why?

Rude Crude Dude Lude
mood brood shrood food

so why is it that food isn't spelt fude?
brood isn't spelt brude, mood isn't spelt mude, and shrood isn't spelt shrude.

now can anyone answer this question seriously?

Your answers could either be very annoying or very interesting...have a nice day


^_^

Master TAnK Evans

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

There is no "lude". It's spelled "lewd".

There is no "shrood". It's spelled "shrewd".

And "spelt" isn't a word either.

Answering this question is like trying to answer the question of why a chair is a chair, a pencil is a pencil, and a house is a house. There isn't any one real answer I can give. Just roll with it.

[Master TAnK Evans]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Shrood

Shrood\, v. t. [Cf. Shroud.] [Written also shroud, and shrowd.] To trim; to lop. [Prov. Eng.]

and lude is basically the short form of a drug (qualude but i can't blame you for not getting that one for you are too young I'm betting...its probably not even suppose to be written on the forums BUT its not like I'm promoting the bloody pills anyways because drugs suck ^_^ as for spelt ...well ya got me lol Have a nice day

Master TAnK Evans

[Master TAnK Evans]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

AH your a MOD well then nevermind about the too young then heh

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Staff status has nothing to do with age.

My age is right there in my profile.

Graduating from my University this year.

'Shrood' is not in Firefox's spell-check, nor is it a positive result on Google. It even lacks an Answers.com definition link.

All of your words were examples of the 'oo' sound. They're obviously going to be 'oo' words. 'Shroud' is not an 'oo' word.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Uh, Squeek, "spelt" is very much a word. It's the BrE version of the past tense of "spell".

Same with spilled/spilt and a great number of other verbs.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Jaito]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

well i fer 1 think that this is a good idea 4 them noob grammer spelling erorr making peepz who dont know what they r doing



PS - I am being very sarcastic, do not judge my grammar. I can't spell, but hell if I can't make a sentence look very neat and organized!

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Uh, Squeek, "spelt" is very much a word. It's the BrE version of the past tense of "spell".

Same with spilled/spilt and a great number of other verbs.

Not according to Firefox.

[Ozie-Saf]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Unless what my English teachers taught me, the books I've read and all my dictionaries are wrong, "spelt" is definitely the most commonly used spelling of the past tense of "spell" in Great Britain and Australia.

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

I'd wager to say 95% of the members of this forum are American.

So unless you're from Europe or Australia, you really shouldn't be using their convention of spelling. You don't see Americans writing 'colour'. Just because it's not "wrong" doesn't mean it's "right".

[Master TAnK Evans]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

I am Canadian thus i will spell colour like this and it's the proper Canadian way to spell it ^_^ I know Americans drop U's I'm pretty sure "Color" isn't the only word they drop the U in...ey squeek what are other words that drop the U in America, at the top of my head i just can't seem to think of any at the moment


Master TAnK Evans

[Breakdown16]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Flavour vs. flavor, for one. And humour/humor is another.

[Squeek]

Re: Free grammar lessons!

Almost every word with 'or' with the 'err' pronunciation.

color, flavor, favor, favorite, humor, etc.