A business writing textbook I once used advocated using a period instead of a question mark after what would normally be considered interrogative sentences when the writer was not really offering the reader the opportunity to say refuse the “request.” An example would be “Will you send me the report as soon as possible.”

 

I thought at the time that it was an odd idea to teach writers. I suggested to my students that I thought most people would think they had made an error if they put a period after an interrogative sentence.

 

That same textbook said that the additional “s” after a singular possessive noun ending in an “s” was optional “depending upon whether or not the writer thought the additional syllable were awkward.”  Does that strike anyone else as completely unhelpful and wholly subjective? The Gregg reference manual says the same thing, but it also says over and over again that the coordinating conjunctions are and, but, and or.

 

It’s not a wonder folks are confused.

 

 

That *is* the kind of thing that makes you wish organizations like this one could issue the equivalent of the medieval Church’s Interdiction (can we make the head of ATI kneel in the snow for hours? Ok, analogy taken too far…).

 

At any rate, for what it’s worth, I’d divide those examples into two categories: the Needlessly Draconian, and the Hopelessly Wrong (with (B) and (D) being hard to place):

 

ND:        (A), (F), and (E). (A) makes sense if (and only if) you’re writing for  publishing house whose style guide has already stipulated that you must adhere to the Chicago-style recommendations for which and that. (F) involves the kind of ambiguity that will only create comprehension problems for people who will have trouble with reading the sentence in the first place, or, for that matter, figuring out how wheels work. I actually do like their suggested version, but there’s a very large difference between an “improvement” and a “correction.” Although the original in (E) does sound clumsy, if it occurred in a conversation about the cooking and laundry duties, it could work.

 

HW:       (C) and (G). I particularly like the idea of an imperative modal. Perhaps, in an alternate universe, Churchill commanded the troops into battle by shouting, “Shall you fight them on the beaches….” (G) wins the Grammar Raspberry award, though for the way it requires a writer to discard a viable option in favor of bad punctuation.

 

On those other two – This test is hardly alone in confusing “text syllables” with “real syllables.” It’s sad, but unsurprising. The fact that someone thought (D) was an example of excellent English writing serves as a kind of summary comment on the test itself.

 

 

Bill Spruiell

Dept. of English

Central Michigan University

 

 

A psychologist friend of mine now living in Idaho is coaching nurses for a test they must pass in English skills.  The test used by the state of Idaho for this purpose is called the "Test of Essential Academic Skills" and is published by "ATI" which stands for Assessment Technologies Institute.  In her coaching, my friend is using the official Pre-Test Study Manual published by ATI.

 She has been so shocked by what she has found in the Test Study Manual that she called to ask if I know of an official professional body that might pronounce judgment on a company putting out shoddy, error-filled material.    I don't think ATEG is in the business of issuing such pronouncements, but I wonder if people out there with what are now called "creds" in English grammar and usage would be willing to express themselves on the materials.  Does anybody know to whom one might report ATI?

These examples are all from the ATI-published official Pre-Test Study Manual for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS).  "ATI" stands for the Assessment Technologies Institute.

 Example A:  See Page 175, Item #19

 Original:  The building which was a firetrap was torn down.

 Corrected:  The building, which was a firetrap, was torn down. 

 Example B:  See Page 175, Item #23

 Original:  We expect them moment

                 arily.

 Corrected:  We expect them moment-

                    arily.   [This is supposed to be an example of correct syllabication.]

 Example C:  See Page 175, Item #26

 Original:  May I interrupt you for a moment?

 Corrected:  May I interrupt you for a moment.  [Reason given is that the imperative requires a period rather than a question mark.]

 Example D:  See Page 178,  Example #1: 

 A teacher's work (it has often been spoken), begins when the dismissal bell rings. [This is offered as an example of good English usage.  Note the punctuation.]

Example E:  See Page 184, Item #12

 Original:  On Saturdays, the cooking is done by me and the laundry is done by my sister.

 Corrected:  Saturdays, I do the cooking and my sister does the laundry.

 Example F:  See Page 190, Item #9

 Original:  Mr. Thomas was fired from Washington High because so many students failed the exam.  This was unfortunate.

 Corrected:  It is unfortunate Mr. Thomas was fired from Washington High because so many students failed the exam.  [Reason given is that the referent is ambiguous for "This" in the second sentence of the original.  Is the corrected version much better, though?]

 Example G:  See Page 191, Item #11

 Original:  The meeting lasted all day, and nothing was accomplished.

 Corrected:  The meeting lasted all day, however nothing was accomplished.  [Reason given is that in the first sentence two ideas of unequal importance were joined by a coordinating conjunction.  Can you believe the corrected version?]

 

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