If you could explain the difference in there and their, the use of "and" instead of "an". . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sally Chirlin" <chirlin@adelphia.net> To: <VACULPEP-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 5:15 PM Subject: Re: [VACULPEP] Lesson for today > There are a couple of tricks you can use to remember when to use "that" > or "who." Would you ever say "THAT married Hugh Jones."? Or would you > say "WHO married Hugh Jones?"? The latter, of course, would be correct > and probably no one ever would make a mistake between the use of the two > pronouns in this case. Another hint is to remember that WHO is used for > people not things. Example: "The chair that sat in the corner of our > living room had been my father's favorite." Again, probably no one > would ever use WHO to refer to a chair. > > I'm a retired English teacher; I've got a million of 'em!!! > > Sally > > > ==== VACULPEP Mailing List ==== > If you wish to unsubscribe from the Culpeper Co., VA mailing list, send only the word UNSUBSCRIBE to VACULPEP-L-request@rootsweb.comor if you are on the Digest list to VACULPEP-D-request@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > --- > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Internet Of Salisbury, Inc.] > > --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Internet Of Salisbury, Inc.]

Oh, boy, what have I gotten myself into. I used to say I'd like a dollar for every time I would tell my college English Lit. and Comp. students some rule or another!! So here goes with Sarah's question about the difference between "there" and 'their," and the use of "and" instead of "an". First, "and" and "an" -- "and" is a conjunction, a joining word. "An" is an article as are "a" and "the." "And" and "a" are never interchangeable as they're different parts of speech and usage. Better to think of "an" versus "a," I think. Use A before most words except those beginning with vowels or vowel sounds. Examples: "I ate AN apple but I'd rather have eaten A pear." OR "It's been AN honor being asked to give you AN English lesson in grammar AND usage." (Remember that you have to "hear" the language; the word "honor" doesn't begin with the sound of h but with the sound of O as in ON. The h is silent.) Second, "their" and "there" and why not "they're"? "Their" is a personal pronoun showing possession as in "The students took THEIR books to the library and put them on the desk over THERE." "There" is used in a number of ways; in the former sentence, it's an adverb showing place. (You can look up any of these words in a good dictionary for multiple meanings and usages.) "They're" is a contraction of the personal pronoun "they" and the verb "are." Example: "They're all going to get good and sick of English grammar lessons if that woman persists in being so wordy!" Last, don't take what I say as gospel; check it out for yourself and see if it makes sense. And always know the context of words you've chosen to write. Once you know what each of them means, it will make it less confusing for you. Now ... anyone for "its" and "it's"???? Sally

Sally; Yes, "its" and "it's" have always been my problem! At least since the old memory flew the coop! Laura -----Original Message----- From: Sally Chirlin [mailto:chirlin@adelphia.net] Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 5:18 PM To: VACULPEP-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [VACULPEP] Lesson for today Oh, boy, what have I gotten myself into. I used to say I'd like a dollar for every time I would tell my college English Lit. and Comp. students some rule or another!! So here goes with Sarah's question about the difference between "there" and 'their," and the use of "and" instead of "an". First, "and" and "an" -- "and" is a conjunction, a joining word. "An" is an article as are "a" and "the." "And" and "a" are never interchangeable as they're different parts of speech and usage. Better to think of "an" versus "a," I think. Use A before most words except those beginning with vowels or vowel sounds. Examples: "I ate AN apple but I'd rather have eaten A pear." OR "It's been AN honor being asked to give you AN English lesson in grammar AND usage." (Remember that you have to "hear" the language; the word "honor" doesn't begin with the sound of h but with the sound of O as in ON. The h is silent.) Second, "their" and "there" and why not "they're"? "Their" is a personal pronoun showing possession as in "The students took THEIR books to the library and put them on the desk over THERE." "There" is used in a number of ways; in the former sentence, it's an adverb showing place. (You can look up any of these words in a good dictionary for multiple meanings and usages.) "They're" is a contraction of the personal pronoun "they" and the verb "are." Example: "They're all going to get good and sick of English grammar lessons if that woman persists in being so wordy!" Last, don't take what I say as gospel; check it out for yourself and see if it makes sense. And always know the context of words you've chosen to write. Once you know what each of them means, it will make it less confusing for you. Now ... anyone for "its" and "it's"???? Sally ==== VACULPEP Mailing List ==== If you wish to unsubscribe from the Culpeper Co., VA mailing list, send only the word UNSUBSCRIBE to VACULPEP-L-request@rootsweb.comor if you are on the Digest list to VACULPEP-D-request@rootsweb.com ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237