Hello everyone,
This is an unrelated post. I just want to make it clear that there is one way and one way only to pass a roll sheet, and that is in a zig-zag formation (unless you're seated in a circle). This means that once you receive the roll sheet and sign in, you pass it backwards (assuming you're seated in the front), then it continues backwards, over horizontally one row, then forwards, and so on. This is the ONLY way that the roll can be effectively passed to all in attendance.
I'll admit that every once in a while when I'm in the back of the classroom and I receive the roll, I'll continue to pass it horizontally - MAJOR faux-pas, I know. But those are special circumstances, and also very infrequent circumstances. So please, if this post is applicable to you, remember the zig-zag.
This is a fairly unrelated link, which ties in nicely with this unrelated post. It's about alternate ways to take attendance, I guess in case the middle-section of the class is constantly marked absent the professor might need some new ideas. This woman's are pretty good, but it would be best if college-level students could simply learn to pass an attendance sheet, just sayin'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiFm_Hg1mTw
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Which witch?
Hiya Papayas!
Today we are discussing "which." I really like this word. I don't know exactly why, but I think it goes along well with "whom," because they are both words that are rarely used correctly. The three "wh" words in one sentence was not intentional, by the way.
I suppose that mostly we should emphasize and explain the difference between "which" and "where." Where is a place. Always. "Where are you going?" "where did you get that coffee?" "I don't know where I am." Every time you use the word "where," you should be describing a physical place.
Which, on the other hand, can be one of many things. It can describe an object, item, or person, and it can even describe a metaphysical place, as in "the part of the book in which the Giving Tree provides shade." You would not say "where," because a part of a book is not a physical place. Hopefully you all know other ways to use "which," like "which watermelon will you get?" and "I don't know which one to pick."
There are other, more complicated rules for using which, but they are less important and more confusing, so for now it is only important to remember that you use "which" when you feel like saying "where," but realize you are not describing a physical place (one that you can stand in, etc.).
Update 11/17/10!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwe3xewYWoc
This link will show you a trailer for the new E! show, "Bridalplasty." As abhorrent as I may find the premise of this show, the point of me linking you to it is that in the last few seconds of the promo, the narrator says "the only show where the winner gets cut." The first (and unfortunately not the only) time I saw this trailer, I had just written this post and realized that they use where completely incorrectly! How do we know this? Because where is a place, of course! So what should the narrator actually say? This: "the only show in which the winner gets cut." Excellent work, Watsons.
Today we are discussing "which." I really like this word. I don't know exactly why, but I think it goes along well with "whom," because they are both words that are rarely used correctly. The three "wh" words in one sentence was not intentional, by the way.
I suppose that mostly we should emphasize and explain the difference between "which" and "where." Where is a place. Always. "Where are you going?" "where did you get that coffee?" "I don't know where I am." Every time you use the word "where," you should be describing a physical place.
Which, on the other hand, can be one of many things. It can describe an object, item, or person, and it can even describe a metaphysical place, as in "the part of the book in which the Giving Tree provides shade." You would not say "where," because a part of a book is not a physical place. Hopefully you all know other ways to use "which," like "which watermelon will you get?" and "I don't know which one to pick."
There are other, more complicated rules for using which, but they are less important and more confusing, so for now it is only important to remember that you use "which" when you feel like saying "where," but realize you are not describing a physical place (one that you can stand in, etc.).
Update 11/17/10!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwe3xewYWoc
This link will show you a trailer for the new E! show, "Bridalplasty." As abhorrent as I may find the premise of this show, the point of me linking you to it is that in the last few seconds of the promo, the narrator says "the only show where the winner gets cut." The first (and unfortunately not the only) time I saw this trailer, I had just written this post and realized that they use where completely incorrectly! How do we know this? Because where is a place, of course! So what should the narrator actually say? This: "the only show in which the winner gets cut." Excellent work, Watsons.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Internet and text Grammar/Spelling
Alright folks,
Today is the much anticipated Internet language post. Sorry to keep you on the edge of your seats for so long, I know the suspension must have been excruciating.
This is the problem with the Internet (did you know that's supposed to be capitalized?): People use it as a forum of limitless grammar and spelling errors. I kind of think of it as the Sodom of all grammar/spelling media; it's like people run wild with "words" like "u" and "r" and "kool," etc. I don't even understand words that are equally (or there is a one-letter difference) as long as their legitimate counterparts, like "right" vs. "rite."
My point is this: There is a difference between a fairly harmless spelling or grammar error online, like saying "it's you're fault" instead of "it's your fault." I understand that these things happen from time to time. I even understand that if you're texting in a hurry, it's easier to spell out "r u coming?" than "are you coming?". But because the Internet is the future - business, social media, magazines, newspapers, even secondary education - we must preserve the art of the English language, and if that means adding "Google" to Webster's as a verb, so be it.
Just don't let the future of all things written be filled with sentence fragments, comma splices, dangling modifiers, and worst of all, unnecessary abbreviations/acronyms. PLEASE. Thank you.
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html
A hilarious blog which happens to feature this post about errors frequently made and then published to the masses online. Enjoy!
Today is the much anticipated Internet language post. Sorry to keep you on the edge of your seats for so long, I know the suspension must have been excruciating.
This is the problem with the Internet (did you know that's supposed to be capitalized?): People use it as a forum of limitless grammar and spelling errors. I kind of think of it as the Sodom of all grammar/spelling media; it's like people run wild with "words" like "u" and "r" and "kool," etc. I don't even understand words that are equally (or there is a one-letter difference) as long as their legitimate counterparts, like "right" vs. "rite."
My point is this: There is a difference between a fairly harmless spelling or grammar error online, like saying "it's you're fault" instead of "it's your fault." I understand that these things happen from time to time. I even understand that if you're texting in a hurry, it's easier to spell out "r u coming?" than "are you coming?". But because the Internet is the future - business, social media, magazines, newspapers, even secondary education - we must preserve the art of the English language, and if that means adding "Google" to Webster's as a verb, so be it.
Just don't let the future of all things written be filled with sentence fragments, comma splices, dangling modifiers, and worst of all, unnecessary abbreviations/acronyms. PLEASE. Thank you.http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html
A hilarious blog which happens to feature this post about errors frequently made and then published to the masses online. Enjoy!
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