Grammar Discussions

[JohnM]

Regarding the number of spaces after a full stop - sure, I am from the era where we were taught to use two and I realise that one is the new normal. It is habitual for me to use two - but I also prefer the look of two, despite proportional fonts.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Don't most iDevices capitalise automatically after a period? In fact - and Android is much the same - there is a 'smart' initial capital, i.e. once you type a period and space, the next character is automatically capitalised (shift-lock is enabled), but then subsequent letters are not (shift-lock is disabled). This works really well for starts of sentences, but not so well for after periods which are not at the ends of sentences, e.g. abbreviations, in which case a manual override of the auto-shift-lock is required.

my idevices provide auto-captalisation after a full stop. That's the way they defaulted. How come yours doesn't, or can it be switched off? If so, why would you?

showing I'm willing to consult with internal and external stakeholders I just tried my ipad and it won't capitalise the start of sentences! it will capitalise 'I' but that's about it!

I even tried the double space thing that used to work for my blackberry, but not on here it seems. I'm guessing there must be a way.

I could also try and start every sentence with 'I' from now on! :shock:

 

[JohnM]

showing I'm willing to consult with internal and external stakeholders I just tried my ipad and it won't capitalise the start of sentences! it will capitalise 'I' but that's about it!

I even tried the double space thing that used to work for my blackberry, but not on here it seems. I'm guessing there must be a way.

I could also try and start every sentence with 'I' from now on! :shock:

Hmmm - a very self-centric iPad .

 

[anat0l]

showing I'm willing to consult with internal and external stakeholders I just tried my ipad and it won't capitalise the start of sentences! it will capitalise 'I' but that's about it!

I even tried the double space thing that used to work for my blackberry, but not on here it seems. I'm guessing there must be a way.

I could also try and start every sentence with 'I' from now on! :shock:

I'm not sure if you have to change a keyboard setting to enable auto-capitalisation for sentences.


And here is an example (old one, now) where proof-reading might be a good idea (yes, the true story was a drug lab was busted, not a lab used to crunch numbers...):

 

[Deleted member]

I know it's not a grammar issue BUT. I detest Maroan instead of maroon

 

[Pushka]

It's interesting. Authors are still required to double space after a period for proof reading.

 

[Jack_OC]

showing I'm willing to consult with internal and external stakeholders I just tried my ipad and it won't capitalise the start of sentences! it will capitalise 'I' but that's about it!

I even tried the double space thing that used to work for my blackberry, but not on here it seems. I'm guessing there must be a way.

I could also try and start every sentence with 'I' from now on! :shock:

Bizarre! I've had numerous iPhones and two iPads so far, and all of them automatically capitalised the first word of each sentence. I can only assume you have somehow disabled this feature?

 

[Jack_OC]

Bizarre! I've had numerous iPhones and two iPads so far, and all of them automatically capitalised the first word of each sentence. I can only assume you have somehow disabled this feature?

I've found how to turn this on/off: go to Settings/General/Keyboard and the first option is "Auto Capitalisation". I'm pretty sure it's on by default, but I'm guessing you will find it switched off.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've found how to turn this on/off: go to Settings/General/Keyboard and the first option is "Auto Capitalisation". I'm pretty sure it's on by default, but I'm guessing you will find it switched off.

Oh! That seems to have. Done the trick!!

 

[ALH]

Not sure if it's been covered or not. I was taught to never start a sentence with 'and', 'but', 'so' or 'because'.

I guess I'll always use two spaces after every sentence, a gap between paragraphs and capital letters to start every sentence. I learned touch typing in 1972

 

[JessicaTam]

If you press 'space' twice in quick succession on an iDevice it will put in a full stop and one space. The next letter will also be capitalised.

I was taught two spaces after a full stop (which I have given up on an iDevice, as in theory I am pressing the space button twice anyway). The editor of a magazine I write for keeps grumbling at me for two spaces after a full stop. If I keep it up long enough he may start printing it the way I type it.

Incidentally, AFF strips any more than one space or line break from posts.

 

[JessicaTam]

Not sure if it's been covered or not. Never start a sentence with 'and', 'but', 'so' or 'because.

I also struggle with 'dove' instead of 'dived'.

I guess I'll always use two spaces after every sentence, a gap between paragraphs and capital letters to start every sentence. I learned touch typing in 1972

It is generally accepted now that a sentence can start with a conjunction.

 

[SeatBackForward]

So my almost 5yr old son is busily listening to a Mr Bump story about his slaying of some dragons. Only at the end did he ask "But why was Mr Bump taking the dragons to Santa?".

The joys of English.

 

[anat0l]

It is generally accepted now that a sentence can start with a conjunction.

I wouldn't get too casual doing this, however, especially "and".

"Also" and "because" seem quite common; in some cases replacing a set of words that achieve the same thing. For example:


The boss cannot see you right now as he is on an important teleconference at the moment and cannot be interrupted for at least another hour. Also, your issue is of relatively minor overall importance at the moment.

You could replace the "also" with "in addition" and it would still work just fine, as well as a bunch of other words / phrases.

Starting a sentence with "because" seems more common with sentences with the following structure in this example:

Because we didn't catch a single fish today, we had to pick up some meat on the way home for dinner.

Once again, there are a few words which could replace the "because" and of course you could also merely rearrange the sentence.

 

[TheEmu]

It is generally accepted now that a sentence can start with a conjunction.

And I think we covered that one earlier in the discussion.
You should never end a sentence with one, but (punctuation very important here).

 

[JessicaTam]

<snip>
I hadn't actually looked at the race calendar. Maybe we could have a race afternoon for the next Aust GP. In SYD for those not going?

I don't know why but haven't sounds better in that sentence.

I think the distinction is that "hadn't" is part of 'I hadn't looked before you mentioned it even though I have now...' and "haven't" is part of 'I haven't looked and still haven't...'

Watching the GP at the moment, so I will give some thought to a better explanation in due course.

 

[anat0l]

I think the distinction is that "hadn't" is part of 'I hadn't looked before you mentioned it even though I have now...' and "haven't" is part of 'I haven't looked and still haven't...'

Watching the GP at the moment, so I will give some thought to a better explanation in due course.

hadn't = had not
haven't = have not

So you're pretty much on the money with your explanation.

 

[medhead]

hadn't = had not
haven't = have not

So you're pretty much on the money with your explanation.

Indeed. Past and present tense. Not sure about you. But word is always at me for writing in passive voice. Yes word, past tense, third person is how I'm expected to write things.

 

[Warks]

Indeed. Past and present tense. Not sure about you. But word is always at me for writing in passive voice. Yes word, past tense, third person is how I'm expected to write things.

I can remember those green squiggly underlines every time I wrote up a report on an experiment. All that blah about "passive voice" gave me the #$%^s. There is/was no other way to write something in the past tense. I haven't seen that pop up in years though - I thought they must have changed it.

 

[medhead]

I can remember those green squiggly underlines every time I wrote up a report on an experiment. All that blah about "passive voice" gave me the #$%^s. There is/was no other way to write something in the past tense. I haven't seen that pop up in years though - I thought they must have changed it.

I get it occasionally now. There was a way to turn it off. But now when it happens I can only "ignore once". Meaning the same thing will be flagged next time I open the document.