Tuesday, 23 September 2014

You Better Watch Out: Christmas Carols Aren’t as Grammatically Correct as You Might Think

To hear some people tell it, one of the great hallmarks of the holiday season is singing carols–think Jingle Bell Rock, Silent Night, and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. But interestingly, many carolers don’t actually stop to consider the words of these popular holiday songs.

Commonly misunderstood song lyrics can be hilarious or downright confusing–so as word nerds, the Grammarly team decided to take a closer look.

“Silent night, Holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin, mother and child

Holy infant, so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.”

–Silent Night

“Silent Night” is one of the most popular carols of all time, but many carolers are puzzled by the phrase, “round yon virgin.”  In this case, the lyrics are pretty self-explanatory: “round” in the song just means “around.” “Yon” is a shortened word for “yonder,” meaning “over there.” The lyrics simply state that calm and bright feelings surround the virgin mother and her child. 

“You better watch out You better not cry You better not pout I’m telling you why Santa Claus is coming to town Santa Claus is coming to town Santa Claus is coming to town.”

           –Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Although the song warns listeners, “you better watch out,” grammatically speaking, it should really read, “you’d better watch out.” “You’d” means “you had,” which makes a lot more sense than saying “you better.”

“Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la, la la la, la la la. Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la, la la la la.”

           –Deck the Halls

It might be hard to imagine what it really means to “troll … [a] carol,” but apparently this is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. The sixteenth century definition of “troll” means to “sing in a full, rolling voice; to chant merrily or jovially,” and isn’t that what we are all supposed to do during the holiday season? Some carolers change the word from “troll” to “toll,” thinking that a troll is a little fella found under a dark bridge.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year With the kids jingle-belling And everyone telling you “Be of good cheer” It’s the most wonderful time of the year It’s the hap-happiest season of all With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings When friends come to call It’s the hap- happiest season of all.”

           –It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” uses a lot of made-up words and phrases, including “jingle belling” and “mistletoeing.” Maybe it is true that song lyrics roll off the tongue more fluidly when they rhyme. Accordingly, songwriters may make up words for effect. In this song, we benefit from changing nouns into verbs, for example.

Christmas songs are a great way to bring in the holidays. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Monday, 22 September 2014

How to Use “Complement”

Here’s a tip: A complement is related to completion, while a compliment relates to flattering words or acts.

Everybody loves a compliment. Or is it a complement they love? If there is a published list of commonly confused words, complement and compliment are almost certain to appear. However, these two terms don’t have to be on your personal list of befuddling vocabulary! Here’s the breakdown.

Remember to check your understanding with the Compliment vs. Complement Quiz.

Complement Definition

Complement and compliment used to share some meanings, because they derive from the same Latin root word. Complement used to mean “to compliment,” but that meaning is obsolete. Compliment has an archaic meaning also; it used to mean “gift.”

How can you define complement? If you think complement looks a little like the word complete, that can help you to remember some of its most useful meanings. A complement is something that completes or perfects.

Her dress perfectly complements the shade of her eyes.

They make a great couple; their personalities are a perfect complement to one another.

Here’s an example from the web:

In grammar, it’s a word or group of words that completes a grammatical construction: A complement is part of the predicate of a sentence and describes either the subject of the sentence or the direct object. If it modifies the subject, it is called a subject complement. If it modifies or renames the direct object and follows it, it is called an object complement.

—K12Reader.com

In science, the complement system refers to proteins that circulate in your blood. The name of the system derives from its function. Specific proteins match specific antibodies. In other words, the proteins complement the antibodies. Here is a brief explanation from Washington.edu:

The complement system is a set of over 20 different protein molecules always found in the blood. . . . With an infection, this system of molecules is activated, leading to a sequence of events on the surface of the pathogen that helps destroy the pathogen and eliminate the infection.

Complements also appear in mathematics. A complement is an amount added to something to complete it. In geometry, it’s the quantity that an angle or an arc is short of ninety degrees.

Here are some examples from math websites:

If our universal set is the states of the United States, then a possible subset is the set of the New England states . . . {Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont}. The complement of A would then be the set containing all of the other states that are not part of New England.

—Study.com

When two angles add to 90°, we say they “complement” each other. Complementary comes from Latin completum meaning “completed” because the right angle is thought of as being a complete angle.

—MathIsFun.com

In economics, the definition of complementary goods is interesting. These items have little or no value on their own, but they add value to other items. Investopedia gives hot dog buns as a real world example of this concept. Most people don’t use hot dog buns alone, but they love them filled with hot dogs and all their favorite fixings.

Complement as a Verb

As a verb, what does complement mean? In general, it means “to complete, to provide something lacking, or form a complement to.” Here’s one example of complement in a sentence from the web:

“One technology doesn’t replace another, it complements. Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.” —Stephen Fry

Complement Synonyms

  • Addition is a synonym when the amount added completes a whole.
  • A companion is a mate or a match. Some Bible versions use “a helper as [the first man’s] complement” to describe the first woman.
  • Completion is the state of being whole, fulfilled, or concluded.
  • A counterpart is one of two parts that complement or complete one another. In the context of relationships, it often refers to a fitting match.
  • Enhancements intensify or raise the value of something. This definition most closely corresponds to a complement good or service.
  • Makeweights complete a desired weight on a scale. If you had eight pounds of a substance and you wanted to have ten pounds in total, the two pounds that you add to reach the correct weight are your makeweight.

Compliment Definition

How do you define compliment? It’s is an expression of praise, commendation, respect, or regard. It can be a formal act or as simple as a courteous greeting or wishing someone well. Notice these examples:

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” —George MacDonald

“I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet. I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased.” —Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Compliment as a Verb

The verb compliment means to praise, congratulate, or say something admiring to someone. It can also include showing kindness. Compliments may come in the form of a friendly gesture or a gift.

“Compliment people. Magnify their strengths, not their weaknesses.” —Joyce Meyer

Praise is not the only definition of compliment. Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary helps demonstrate how native speakers might use the phrase “compliments of” with some examples. In the first example below, the phrase identifies the provider of something given at no charge. The second example uses the phrase sarcastically to refer to the source of something unwanted.

We were served free drinks, compliments of the casino. I woke up with a stiff neck, compliments of that uncomfortable mattress in their guest room.

Compliment Synonyms

  • Adulation is an excessive form of flattery related linguistically to a Latin word for the way dogs fawn over their masters.
  • Flattery refers to favorable comments about a person, but it can also refer to insincere remarks.
  • Homage is respect or honor paid to a person, sometimes in a public or formal setting.
  • Praise is the act of expressing favor or admiration. Singing someone’s praises is expressing high approval.

Compliment vs. Complement Video Summary

Compliment vs. Complement: Tricks to Remember the Difference

How can you differentiate between compliment and complement? One trick is to give yourself a compliment:

Are you smart, creative, or compassionate? Tell yourself so, and then acknowledge:

I love how smart I am!

When you acknowledge your compliment, you will recall that the letter I is the difference between compliment and complement. These terms are homophones, words that sound alike but have different definitions and spellings. This trick will also help you decide how to spell each word correctly in the proper context. If you are not a fan of tooting your own horn, you could associate the I with insult. An insult is the opposite of a compliment. To remember complement, think of the word enhance when you look at the E. Enhancement is a synonym of complement.

Complimentary vs. Complementary

What about the related words complimentary and complementary? Both of these words function as adjectives. Complimentary means “expressing a compliment” or “favorable.” It can also mean “free” in reference to items or services provided as a courtesy. Complementary refers to enhancing or emphasizing the qualities of another person or thing.

Trump speaks often about harnessing the power of her family name. “The nice thing about the things I’m involved in is that they’re all complementary,” she told the New York Times in 2013.

—Washingtonpost.com

Powell Development Director Dave Betz said the developers behind both projects are “making good headway” toward building complementary projects with a shared-parking agreement.

—ThisWeeksNews.com In medicine, complementary refers to alternative medicine or additional treatment that is administered alongside traditional medicine.

According to a 2012 survey, about 33% of American adults and 11% of children use complementary medicine. Between 2002 and 2012, the usage rates for chiropractors, acupuncture specialists, and yoga classes increased among those lacking insurance coverage.

—PharmacyTimes.com

Compliment vs. Complement Quiz

It’s common to mix up homophones. But homophones with mixed meanings take the cake. Use this quiz to test your knowledge of the homophones “compliment” and “complement.”

Do you love nice compliments? If you are ready to remove compliment and complement from your personal list of confusing words, you deserve one! Good job on mastering two easily confused words!

Friday, 19 September 2014

Grammar Basics: What Is Sentence Inversion?

Besides the question mark, how can you tell a question from a statement? One way is to look for sentence inversion. In statements, the subject usually comes before the verb. Questions invert the subject and the verb. In other words, the verb comes first, as in this example: Are you going to need a ride home from school? Sentence inversion isn’t a foolproof method for identifying a question, however. Statements are sometimes inverted too.

Inversion is common when a sentence begins with an adverb phrase: On the windowsill were her two cats, Penny and Percival.

It’s also common when the sentence begins with and is modified by a negative adverb or adverb phrase: Never had she read such a sad book as The Coldest Tear. No sooner had he closed his eyes than his alarm clock rang.

Sentences are inverted with conditionals that omit the word “if” and use had, were, and, should: Had I arrived five minutes earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the train. Should he ask, tell him the reservations were made for Monday.

Inversion is also common after the preposition “so” + an adjective + that: So hilarious was the comedian that the audience laughed for ten minutes after the show ended.

Sentence inversion distinguishes questions from statements. When used with statements, it adds variety to writing. However, it can sound rather formal or awkward. Use it with caution!

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Office Snacks that Will Lead to Better Writing

You may not think about it much, but having a brain and using it requires a lot of energy.

Despite making up just 2 percent of the average adult’s body weight, the brain uses more than 20 percent of the body’s total energy. There’s no 80/20 rule at work here; the human brain is far and away the most energy-consumptive organ in the body.

And that’s not all.

According to brain studies, the amount of fuel needed for your brain is constant, meaning your brain is always hungry.

Despite the significant energy demands of your brain—not to mention the other 98 percent of you—it’s not a given that if you eat enough, you will improve brain function, write better, and take over the world. In fact, poor food choices throughout the day often derail your productivity rather than fuel it. Healthy food choices will do much more than simply feed you and your brilliant brain—they will make it easier for you to concentrate, increase bloodflow to your noggin, boost your mood, and keep you satiated.

There are a lot of scientific reasons that unhealthy food can be so damaging while healthy food can be your gateway to becoming the next superhuman (or something like it). Most of the difference comes down to vitamin and mineral content per calorie and how quickly your body metabolizes the food. We won’t get too much into the science here, but we can give you some guidelines and ideas to take your snacking game—and performance—to the next level.

How to Snack Like a Productivity Genius

Follow these simple guidelines to choose healthy office snacks that will power your creativity and productivity.

  • Avoid high carbohydrate foods or simple carbohydrates. To prevent blood glucose and insulin spikes, pass on foods like baked goods, candies, sugar, etc. Peaks and troughs in your blood glucose and insulin levels in the short-term will leave you hungry, craving more, and likely distracted. In the long-term, there’s mounting evidence that sharp fluctuations in insulin levels contribute to the development of a number of metabolic disorders like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even cancers.
  • Eat your vitamins and minerals. Whole-food fruits and vegetables of a variety of colors pack a powerful nutritional punch with a small caloric load. Even cooler? Some of these components can improve blood-flow, prevent oxidation, and improve memory in the short-term. Fiber in these foods also keeps hunger in check while boosting happiness. Fiber feeds a healthy gut microbiome, which is responsible for the majority of serotonin production in the body.
  • Prioritize quality protein and fat to avoid feeling hungry. Protein and lipid metabolism take longer than carbohydrate metabolism. Combining healthy proteins and fats like nuts, canned fish, or avocado with your snacks and meals keeps hunger at bay. As a bonus, your brain thrives on the healthy fats found in whole-food fish, grass-fed meat, and vegetables.
  • Chow down regularly. This doesn’t mean you necessarily need to increase your daily caloric intake. What it means is that you should remember to eat regularly, rather than skip breakfast and lunch in order to get work done. Trust us, your writing and work will improve with food.
  • Choose food products with a handful of ingredients. Generally speaking, fewer ingredients is synonymous with health because it often means fewer preservatives, dyes, sugars, and fillers.

  • Stay hydrated. Obvious right? Not necessarily. Your body needs to be hydrated to work correctly, and few people actually consume enough hydrating food and drink. Stick to fresh fruit and vegetables along with water or tea to ensure that you’re getting enough H2O.

Insanely Good-for-You Snack Ideas to Try this Week

While there are a lot of unhealthy options disguised as health food, there are some really amazing food products that make nutrition and busy schedules work together—deliciously. From traditional standards like nuts and fruit to new interesting meal-replacement options, we’ve got some brilliant snack inspiration for you.

1Go nuts.

Nuts and seeds are a traditional staple of healthy snacking that remains one of the smartest snack choices you can make, assuming you select carefully. Raw, low-salt options are loaded with healthy fats, fiber, and minerals that will keep you feeling full and deliver a satisfying crunch.

Beware, however, that not all nuts are “healthy” options. Heavily salted varieties, just like a bag of chips, will mess with your hunger signaling and increase the chance of overeating. Additionally, roasted varieties are often roasted in unhealthy vegetable oils that increase oxidation in the body. Wilderness Poets supplies a large variety of seeds, nuts, and nut butters that are raw, organic, and minimally processed.

2Be “berry” productive.

Try replacing some of your sweeter, lower-vitamin fruits—we’re looking at you apples and bananas—with more berries. These amazing fruits of the forest consistently rank as superfoods, taste delicious, and are easily accessible for most Americans.

For example, if we compare apples to blackberries, the difference is impressive. Just 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of blackberries provides 35 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C, 25 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, and 32 percent of your daily requirement of manganese. In contrast, the same weight of apples provides only 8 percent, 3 percent, and 2 percent, respectively.

Wow.

Different berries have slightly different profiles, but they all pack a similar nutritional punch. Raw berries are best, but dried berries without added sugar can be a healthy addition as well. Sunset Valley Organics, for example, supplies clean, simple dried blueberries—the fruit linked to better brain circulation and improved memory! A note of caution, however: many berries require a lot of pesticides (bugs want vitamins too!). When possible, buy wild berries or wash produce thoroughly to limit pesticide exposure.

3Choose quality protein.

Most of your healthy proteins should be in your meals, simply because it’s usually easier. However, there are some decent protein-rich snack options. Personally, I’m addicted to EPIC’s meat bars and snack strips. The meat bars, something between jerky and sausage, are flavorful and several options are sourced from wild or grass-fed stock. Plus, they’re a wonderful blend of fat and protein that keeps me going no matter what.

If chowing down on animals makes you squeamish, have no fear. Quest Bars are a solid vegetarian option. And they don’t kid around. Their bars have 20+ grams of protein while maintaining a low carbohydrate profile (read no blood-sugar spikes), and come in more than twenty-two flavor options. Though these bars fudge the “fewer-ingredients-is-better” guideline, when eaten in moderation they can really help fuel your work without issue.

4Feel “fat-tastic.”

Fat has gotten a bad rap over the years. The demonization of saturated fat took down healthy fats with it. Luckily, appreciation for fat as a health food is starting to pick up; there are a lot of delicious options for snackers looking for lipids. With nine calories per gram, however, fatty snacks add up quickly. Watch your portions so you’re not OD-ing on any one kind of fat.

As always, the best kind of snacks are whole foods. Foods rich in mono- and poly-unsaturated fats make excellent snacks and include raw nuts, avocado, and olives. If you’re brave enough, reach for a tin of cod liver—rich in omega-3s and vitamin D. Just eat it in a ventilated space; it’s quite fishy. Healthy sources of saturated fats include boiled eggs, some cheeses, and coconut.

If something grab-and-go is more your style, try coconut chips, crunchy moon cheese, or even a bulletproof coffee.

5Dig into “performance enhancers.”

And by that we mean: caffeine . . . and friends.

Caffeine in coffee, tea, and dark chocolate helps boost alertness and focus—as long as you don’t overdo it. If you become jittery, agitated, or distractible after consuming caffeine, try cutting back or trying a coffee alternative.

If you and caffeine don’t play well, there are many other healthy substances that help improve brain function, memory, and alertness. Low-caffeine green tea, ginseng tea and ginko tea, are some of the most preferred.

I’ll leave you with one last thought. Feeding your body and mind for success is as much about choosing the right foods as getting rid of the wrong ones. Excessive sugar combined with low-nutrient density foods steals vitality from your body. When choosing healthy snacks, it’s a good idea to try to replace unhealthy options with healthy ones. If you struggle to make the switch, start with one food or food group and use the guidelines above to decide.

What is your go-to healthy snack?

Tuesday, 16 September 2014

When Do You Use a Comma Before “Because”?

Most of the time, you should not use a comma before because when it connects two clauses in a sentence. Because is a subordinating conjunction, which means that it connects a subordinate clause to an independent clause; good style dictates that there should be no comma between these two clauses. An exception can and should be made when the lack of a comma would cause ambiguity.

Because has a straightforward job to do in the English language. It is one of several words and phrases used to introduce a “clause of purpose.” A clause beginning with because answers the question “Why?” and that clause is automatically subordinate to an independent clause. There should generally be no comma between the two.

Michael went to the forest, because he loves walking among the trees.

Michael went to the forest because he loves walking among the trees.

Mom went on a shopping spree, because I told her I was having a baby boy.

Mom went on a shopping spree because I told her I was having a baby boy.

I can’t make my favorite sandwich, because we are out of peanut butter.

I can’t make my favorite sandwich because we are out of peanut butter.

When to Make an Exception for Clarity

If a sentence will be ambiguous without a comma before because, it is better to insert one and avoid misleading your reader. The most problematic sentences containing because are often those that begin with a negative statement. Take this example:

Alex didn’t win the race because of his level of ability.

This sentence might imply that Alex won the race, but that ability was not the most important factor contributing to his victory. Perhaps Alex has an extraordinary ability to dig deep and persevere over long distances.

Alex didn’t win the race because of his level of ability. He won because he knows how to dig deep and keep running no matter how hard it gets.

Or perhaps Alex is a rascally scoundrel and won for completely different reasons.

Alex didn’t win the race because of his level of ability. He won because he cut across a farmer’s field.

Either way, without a comma before because, it can be implied that there was no relationship between Alex’s victory and his level of ability. However, if your intention is to convey that Alex’s level of ability was the primary factor that secured his win, insert a comma to make the causation clear.

Alex didn’t win the race, because of his level of ability.

With the comma in place, it becomes clear for the first time that Alex was in fact not the winner of the race, and that his ability is probably not at a sophisticated level. This sentence might lead to another sentence supporting the idea that Alex’s running ability is quite low.

Alex didn’t win the race, because of his level of ability. I’m hoping that he will improve with practice and keep trying hard.

See what a difference a comma can make?

Monday, 15 September 2014

10 Words You Need to Know for the GRE

Whether you’re studying for the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations test) or just want to improve your vocabulary, these are ten words you should learn how to use right now.

Replete: filled or well-supplied with something. Our cupboard is replete with canned soup.

Harbinger: A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something. Some people believe that crows are harbingers of death.

Obdurate: Stubbornly persistent, generally in wrongdoing; refusing to reform or repent. She grew increasingly obdurate during her high school years.

Reprieve: To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially an execution; the cancellation or postponement of a punishment. He had resigned himself to his fate but was granted a reprieve at the last minute.

Obfuscate: render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible; to bewilder someone. Sometimes it’s helpful to abbreviate long words. Other times, the abbreviations obfuscate the meanings of the words.

Crepuscular: of, resembling, or relating to twilight. A crepuscular light filled the ballroom, creating an atmosphere of hushed anticipation.

Temper (verb): To moderate or control; to strengthen or toughen a material, especially metal, by heat treatment. He tempered his feelings in order to give a civil reply. After the fire had been extinguished, they discovered that the heat had tempered the metal beams.

Plumage: Feathers, either covering a bird or used ornamentally; finery or elaborate dress. The bird’s plumage was exquisite: red, yellow, and orange feathers that shone like the rays of the sun.

Bolster: To brace, reinforce, secure, or support. She bolstered the team’s mood with a short pep during the break.

Epicure: A person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink. He is an avid epicure and tries to go to the opening of every new restaurant in town.

Do you have tips for learning new vocabulary words? Share them in the comments!

Friday, 12 September 2014

Are you passionate about grammar? March forth with us on National Grammar Day!

March 4th is National Grammar Day in the United States. Each year we rally all the grammar-loving troops to raise awareness about the value of proper grammar and about good writing overall. This year we have some exciting initiatives to get everyone thinking about good grammar!

The Grammarly Grammar Nerd Personality Quiz

Every English language lover knows that not every grammar fiend is created equally. Starting from March 3rd, Grammarly will be actively promoting our fun personality quiz to help you find out if you are a pedant’s best friend or a grammatical non-conformist. You don’t have to wait until March 3rd, however; the quiz page is live now!

To share this quiz with your readers, embed this in your blog post by pasting the following HTML snippet into your web editor:

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Extra content to celebrate National Grammar Day

In addition to the quiz, we are encouraging our large, active social communities to talk about grammar more during this week. Starting on March 1st, we’ll be sharing a series of engaging examples of why #GrammarMatters. Along with each post, we’ll ask fans to share images or statuses that show exactly why grammar and proper writing are important. Our goal is to make #GrammarMatters a trending U.S. hashtag on March 4th!

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Additional information To document our celebration of this fun, educational holiday, we will be tracking social response metrics and summarizing our findings in an infographic during the days following Grammar Day. If you would like to be notified of this infographic, please email your request to nbaron@grammarly.com.

National Grammar Day is a relatively new holiday, having been designated only seven years ago. The day was established by Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.

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