Portraits- Nicole, Nicole, and Jack.

Nicole and Nicole

Jack

The Grammar Guide: To, Too, and Two.

In this Grammar Guide we'll be going over something VERY simple! The proper way to use to, too, and two! For the most part any mistakes made in this area are strictly between to and too. Almost everyone knows that two is the number, although, I've seen people use that wrong as well. So here we go!







To is used when talking about an action.
eg:
We are going to the park tomorrow.
I want to swim.
Did you give the necklace to Caitlin?

Too is used when talking about quantity...
eg:
There are too many roses at each table.
OR when meaning also.
eg:
Lucy wanted a bagel too.

Two is simply the number!
eg:
Logan has two dogs.
We own two vehicles.

Comment any questions!

Boston Marathon Bombing...

Today two bombs went off at the Boston Marathon finish line. I'm sure that by now everyone reading this will have heard all about it (if you haven't click here). I felt the need to vent a little, so naturally, here I am! 

When I heard about the movie theater shooting in Colorado I was heartbroken. When I heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook I could hardly stop crying. Today, when I heard about the bombings, I was angry. I was furious. Enough is enough. Why is everyone so violent? What is the problem here? I've heard all about gun control, mental health programs, etc., but none of that seems like the definite answer. Why do these random acts of violence keep happening? I decided to look back at America in years past. We've fought wars and dealt with individual crimes, but I couldn't remember a time in American history when we had this much violence in the form of mass murders. That's when it hit me...the media. Maybe this isn't the whole answer, but it makes a ton of sense to me. We've always had mentally ill and violent people. The difference is that now, if they do something horrible on a large scale, they become infamous. Sure, everyone hates them and they will (hopefully) end up dead, but they're also never forgotten. To a mental ill person who has nothing to live for anyway, being remembered forever seems like a great way to die. 

This incident really got me. All of the other tragedies that have happened lately have been extremely upsetting. Still, this one hit home and scared me way more than any of the others. I guess this is mostly because I've run a marathon myself. Who's to say the next race I run won't be bombed as I'm crossing the finish line? It also just breaks my heart. I can tell you from personal experience that there is almost no greater feeling than crossing that finish line. Today, not only were people robbed of that moment, that they worked so hard for, but a few lost their lives. 

I guess that for now all we can do is pray. Pray for this nation, this world, and everyone in Boston. 

The Grammar Guide: Ending a Sentence with a Preposition.

Today, I'm going to go over whether or not you should end a sentence with a preposition. There are many different opinions on this topic. Technically, you should never end a sentence with a preposition. This is the grammar rule. However, many people agree that there are some cases in which an exception can be made. These people are of the opinion that it is okay as long as it isn't an "unnecessary preposition". So, here's your explanation!

A preposition is generally defined as a word that pertains to time or space.

They create relationships between other words. 

eg of temporal prepositions: before, since, after, following

eg of spatial prepositions: under, over, beside, by 

Now, an unnecessary preposition is one that does not change the meaning of the sentence. 

eg: I will go later on.

The "on" in "I will go later on." is completely useless, therefore, it should not be used. 

However, in some cases it makes more sense to use the preposition. 

eg: What was the book under?

In this case, most people would say that it is okay to end with the preposition. The alternative would be to write "Under what was the book?". While this is grammatically correct, no one speaks that way. 

For the most part, as long as you can justify your reasoning, any professor is going to be lenient on this sort of thing. Still, it may not hurt to ask what their standpoint is on the subject before turning in a big paper. Like I've said, TECHNICALLY you are never supposed to end with a preposition. However, most people (including those in the English community) agree that there can be an exception. 

Comment any questions! 

The Grammar Guide: Their, They're, and There.

The difference between their, they're, and there is very simple. Still, you wouldn't believe how often people mess this up! So I hope that this helps everyone understand how to use the three forms the way they're supposed to be used! Comment any questions!  

Their is used when you're talking about possession. 

eg:

I went to their house for a pool party. 

I love to play with their dog.

They're is the easiest. Just think of it as "they are". 

eg:

They're going to the beach tomorrow. 

They're going to have the report done by Wednesday. 

There is used when you're talking about a location... 

eg:

Shelly's glasses are over there. 

Dan likes to go there. 

OR when their and they're can't work.

eg:

There isn't any more sugar.