Grammar Basics: What Are Superlatives?

Can you have two best friends? Someone posted this question on Grammarly Answers. Why a question about friendship? The grammar issue has to do with the adjective “best.” Best is a superlative. Let’s discuss what that means.

Suppose you have three rich friends. Bob has five million dollars. Bill has eight million dollars. Bernice has two million dollars. If you were comparing two friends, you would use a comparative adjective: Bill is richer than Bob. When you want to express the highest or most extreme degree of the quality you are comparing, you need a superlative: Bill is my richest friend.

Forming superlative adjectives is easy. For most short adjectives, you add “est” to the end of the word. Of course, if a single syllable word already ends with E, you only need to add the “st.” To form the superlative of longer words, you put the words “most” or “least” in front of them. Bernice is not the wealthiest, but she buys the most expensive clothes. You will notice that the Y of “wealthy” becomes I in the superlative form.

“Best” is the superlative form of “good.” Remember the definition of a superlative adjective. It expresses the highest degree of the quality. When you talk about a best friend, is it possible to have more than one? You can view the answers given and share your opinion by visiting Grammarly Answers.

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect, also called the pluperfect, is a verb tense used to talk about actions that were completed before some point in the past.

We were shocked to discover that someone had graffitied “Tootles was here” on our front door. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

The past perfect tense is for talking about something that happened before something else. Imagine waking up one morning and stepping outside to grab the newspaper. On your way back in, you notice a mysterious message scrawled across your front door: Tootles was here. When you’re telling this story to your friends later, how would you describe this moment? You might say something like:

I turned back to the house and saw that some someone named Tootles had defaced my front door!

In addition to feeling indignant on your behalf, your friends will also be able to understand that Tootles graffitied the door at some point in the past before the moment this morning when you saw his handiwork, because you used the past perfect tense to describe the misdeed.

The Past Perfect Formula

The formula for the past perfect tense is had + [past participle]. It doesn’t matter if the subject is singular or plural; the formula doesn’t change.

When to Use the Past Perfect

So what’s the difference between past perfect and simple past? When you’re talking about some point in the past and want to reference an event that happened even earlier, using the past perfect allows you to convey the sequence of the events. It’s also clearer and more specific. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

We were relieved that Tootles used washable paint. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

It’s a subtle difference, but the first sentence doesn’t tie Tootles’s act of using washable paint to any particular moment in time; readers might interpret it as “We were relieved that Tootles was in the habit of using washable paint.” In the second sentence, the past perfect makes it clear that you’re talking about a specific instance of using washable paint.

Another time to use the past perfect is when you are expressing a condition and a result:

If I had woken up earlier this morning, I would have caught Tootles red-handed.

The past perfect is used in the part of the sentence that explains the condition (the if-clause).

Most often, the reason to write a verb in the past perfect tense is to show that it happened before other actions in the same sentence that are described by verbs in the simple past tense. Writing an entire paragraph with every verb in the past perfect tense is unusual.

When Not to Use the Past Perfect

Don’t use the past perfect when you’re not trying to convey some sequence of events. If your friends asked what you did after you discovered the graffiti, they would be confused if you said:

I had cleaned it off the door.

They’d likely be wondering what happened next because using the past perfect implies that your action of cleaning the door occurred before something else happened, but you don’t say what that something else is. The “something else” doesn’t always have to be explicitly mentioned, but context needs to make it clear. In this case there’s no context, so the past perfect doesn’t make sense.

How to Make the Past Perfect Negative

Making the past perfect negative is simple! Just insert not between had and [past participle].

We looked for witnesses, but the neighbors had not seen Tootles in the act. If Tootles had not included his own name in the message, we would have no idea who was behind it.

How to Ask a Question

The formula for asking a question in the past perfect tense is had + [subject] + [past participle].

Had Tootles caused trouble in other neighborhoods before he struck ours?

Common Regular Verbs in the Past Perfect Tense

Common Irregular Verbs in the Past Perfect Tense

*The past participle of “to get” is “gotten” in American English. In British English, the past participle is “got.”

Remember When? 6 Grammar Rules From the Past

Merriam-Webster defines grammar quite simply as the set of rules explaining how we use words in the English language. And as language itself has evolved over time, so have the rules of grammar. Given the speed with which written communication has adapted to life in the Internet era, even the strictest style mavens understand that some grammar conventions may no longer apply. Here are some grammar rules today’s writers can usually safely ignore.

Ending a Sentence With a Preposition

The English poet John Dryden proclaimed it “inelegant” to end a sentence with a preposition simply because it wasn’t possible to do so in Latin, the gold standard of the time. In fact, many early grammar rules were heavily influenced by the limitations of Latin. Today, most writers agree with Winston Churchill, who, when asked about the preposition rule, drolly replied, “This is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put.”

Splitting Infinitives

The rule against split infinitives is another relic left over from Latin constructions. In the past, strict grammarians would object to separating the infinitive with a descriptive word, insisting that to quickly run must be replaced with to run quickly. Now it’s universally understood that the writers are free to choose the style that best suits their needs.

Using Possessive Pronouns With Gerunds

Purists insist that writers treat gerunds as they would any other noun and precede it with a possessive pronoun. “Mother didn’t appreciate my singing during dinner,” is technically correct, but it is also acceptable to say, “Mother didn’t appreciate me singing during dinner.” In many cases, pronoun choice is more a stylistic choice than a strict rule of grammar.

Not beginning a Sentence With a Conjunction

The prohibition against opening a sentence with a conjunction is one of the most persistent grammar myths of all time. In fact, the “Chicago Manual of Style” estimates that as many as 10 percent of the finest sentences ever written began with a conjunction. Since this practice is accepted by all the major style guides, it’s safe to say it’s okay to start a sentence with a conjunction.

Avoiding Sentence Fragments

Fiction writers recognize the stylistic value of employing a sentence fragment to emphasize a point. In general, it’s still the rule to avoid fragments in formal and academic writing, but employed sparingly and judiciously, the sentence fragment is a powerful tool in prose. Of course, as with any subjective matter in writing, the danger lies in using stylistic tricks to disguise sloppy composition.

Using Gendered Pronouns

Throughout the history of written English, he was the preferred pronoun for generic writing. Today, this is no longer the case, a condition causing fits for the current generation of writers. English lacks gender-neutral pronouns, and it doesn’t seem as though a widely acceptable alternative to he and she will be available any time soon.

Since the major style guides caution against using a generic he, some writers have resorted to using they as a singular pronoun: “The student needs to understand that they are responsible for bringing lunch.” Since most editors are not as comfortable with that construction, it’s best to rewrite the sentence with a plural noun: “The students need to understand that they are responsible for bringing lunch.”

Of course, for the most formal writing, especially in academic situations, it’s best to adhere to strict grammatical constructions. But for other writing, especially where style, point of view, and dialect are important to give nuance to a piece, go ahead and ignore the archaic constraints.

Do you play loose with grammar rules in your daily writing? Which ones annoy or confuse you the most?

5 Alternative Ways to Say “Thank You in Advance”

You just got an email from Susie in accounting asking you to bring three dozen of your famous cupcakes for Dave the office manager’s retirement party. Which, by the way, is tomorrow. Susie signed her email:

Thank you in advance,

Susie

Your reaction to that sign-off will probably depend on the tone and content of Susie’s email. If she politely apologized for the short notice and begged you to please consider whipping up what has become an office favorite (because, really, who doesn’t like cupcakes?), you might get busy baking after work. If she was demanding and unapologetic . . . not so much.

“Thanks in advance” is a rather loaded sign-off. On one hand, a study by the email app Boomerang ranked it as the sign-off most likely to get a response. (Other forms of “thank you” also ranked at the top.) Clearly, gratitude is a solid way to end an email if you want to hear back from the recipient.

On the other hand, “Thank you in advance” can come across as presumptuous and even passive-aggressive. Depending on the context, it could make Susie sound as though she’s saying, “I expect you to do this.”

If you want to steer clear of the potential misunderstandings this popular sign-off might create, here are a few options to try.

1“Thanks”

There’s nothing wrong with a plain ol’ “thanks.” Taking “in advance” out of your expression of gratefulness removes the tone of expectancy and takes some pressure off the receiver. It’s a little vague, though, so if there’s any chance your recipient might find herself asking Thanks for what?, it’s better to . . .

2Use a call to action.

If you want your email to get a response, ask your recipient to do something after he finishes reading it. Let’s use Susie’s cupcake request as an example. After explaining what she hopes you’ll do, she might finish with a call to action (CTA) in the form of a question.

I know this is really short notice—I clearly wasn’t planning ahead! Do you think you’d have time to make us some of your awesome treats?

Susie

“Thanks in advance” can put the recipient in the awkward position of having to say no after you implied that you expected a yes. Using a CTA, however, gives the recipient options rather than expectations. That makes it both polite and effective. Here, Susie asked a direct question. She included a little mea culpa, and she didn’t make assumptions. How nice of her!

3I appreciate your help with ______.

This sign-off works best if someone has already lent you a hand. Or you can use it if you’re asking for assistance and you’re pretty sure the recipient is going to say yes because you’ve had an ongoing dialogue or your working relationship is already cooperative.

4Thanks for considering my request.

This sign-off can work well because it doesn’t presume that the recipient will do anything more than give some thought to what you asked them to do. Pro tip: It’s best to use this type of sign-off in conjunction with a CTA. Otherwise, all the recipient may do is consider your request . . . without ever getting back to you.

5Thanks for your attention. I’m looking forward to your reply.

This one is more businesslike and direct. If you do indeed expect a reply, it conveys a tone that’s firm and insistent. This one’s probably best used by managers communicating with people they supervise. When used by colleagues on the same tier, it could come across as bossy.

Email Request Example

“Thank you in advance” can be useful when you know the recipient is going to do what you’re asking of them, and you want to express gratitude up front. But more often, it’s likely to be misconstrued as demanding, even if you don’t mean it to be.

Your best bet is to explain what you’re hoping the recipient will do, include a CTA, and offer a quick thanks. Using that format, Susie’s cupcake request might look like this:

Hi Joe,

Dave, our office manager, retires tomorrow. I’ve been busy planning his send-off party. I noticed you RSVP’d to the invite—thanks!

This morning, someone asked me whether you’d be bringing your famous cupcakes, and it dawned on me that I completely forgot to ask you about them. We’d need about three dozen for the party.

I know this is really short notice—I clearly wasn’t planning ahead! Do you think you’d have time to make us some of your awesome treats?

Susie

Because Susie was polite and played her cards right, there’s a good chance of cupcakes at the party tomorrow. Huzzah!

Watch Your Words in the Job Search!

The Grammarly team collected 500 active job postings, including marketing and engineering jobs, from the top 100 most profitable companies in the United States. We then assessed how each company used language in these listings to express hiring priorities.

• Hiring companies do not want someone who views a “job” as “work”
• “Experience” is more highly valued by hiring companies than “skills”
• Job seekers should use their cover letter and resume to talk about instances of teamwork vs. individual contributions
• Hiring companies still prefer candidates with a degree versus relevant experience

 

We’ve summarized our findings using this handy infographic:

Watch Your Words in the Job Search

To embed our infographic into a blog post, paste the following HTML snippet into your web editor:

When applying for a new job, choose your words wisely. Your cover letter and resume are excellent places to show off your understanding of the job requirements.

The Importance of Providing Books in High Poverty Classrooms

Guest post by Debra Hannula, J. D. Bookmentors.org

As the daughter of two retired public school teachers and an attorney for thirty years working on behalf of and representing the poor, the lack of proper books in high poverty schools is an issue that is near and dear to me.

Research shows that the amount of books students read affects their reading levels and their ability to perform well on standardized tests.

Studies repeatedly affirm that access to print materials directly relates to students experiencing life in a positive way—behaviorally, academically, and psychologically.

There is a constant supply of fantastic children’s and young-adult literature and numerous authors with the creativity to inspire and charm young readers! Yet, many classrooms are relegated to old, tattered, out-of-date books—not ones that students want to read, or teachers want to teach from.

With budget cuts across the country, access to books in high poverty classrooms continues to be a growing problem. The ratio of books to children in middle-income neighborhoods is about thirteen books per child, while the ratio of books to children in lower income neighborhoods is approximately one book to 300 children.

Esther Patrick, a close friend, social worker, and BookMentors.org donor, says:

I grew up in nothing but ‘high poverty schools’ with few books at school and none at home. I grew up without the ability to read well, which still haunts me. My home-life was marred by domestic violence as a kid — how I would have loved to escape in a good book, like I do now as an adult.

Some well-intentioned donors and organizations attempt to help the problem by donating piles of used books. However, these used books are often not relevant to the teachers’ curriculums — with new Common Core Standards, teachers often need text sets of related titles, like a whole group of books on the Civil War. They are often also in mediocre shape or worse, and with titles and subject matters that are old-fashioned or unengaging. Schools have come to call these “book dumps.”

New not-for-profit organizations are attempting to remedy this by providing new books chosen by the teachers for their students with titles that are funny and engaging. For reluctant readers, a bright new book, specifically chosen by a teacher for them can make a huge difference to motivation.

One teacher I know hit the nail on the head: “It just takes one just right book to hook a student as a reader for life.”

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Debra Hannula is the co-executive director of BookMentors.org, a site that uses micropatronage to solve book access problems in high-poverty schools. BookMentors connects teachers, librarians, and students in need of books with donors supporting literacy, reading, and education. Debra has worked as a public defender, a Judge Pro Tempore, and as the Director of Legal Services for a battered women’s shelter. She is also the chair of the Kelly Ann Brown Foundation of the Marin Community Foundation.

Offline and Online, Poor Spelling “Spells” Trouble for Men Looking for Love

Is grammar a game changer for people who are looking for love?

Imagine you’re sitting at a bar and an attractive stranger passes you a hastily scribbled note on a napkin. In addition to that person’s phone number, the note includes one of the following messages:

Its destiny that we met.

UR my soul mate.

Your beautiful.

Their isn’t a doubt in my mind that we will spend the rest of our lives together.

Although we’re generally fans of the handwritten letter, the Grammarly team is sticklers for spelling. So, we asked nearly 650 of our Facebook fans for their opinion on which of the mistakes above would be the most offensive on a bar napkin love note. Can you guess which spelling slipups are the worst?

Prefer to avoid the bar scene? New research from eHarmony and Grammarly suggests that poor spelling is also detrimental to men who are looking for love online:

• Spelling errors in a man’s online dating profile damage his prospects significantly. Poor spelling by a woman, on the other hand, does not seem to have any impact on her chances of a positive love match.
• Women are sloppier writers in their online dating profiles. Women make nearly twice as many grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors per 100 words than men in their online dating profiles.
• Men don’t “sell themselves short” in online dating profiles. While men are usually the more succinct writers, they tend to be wordier than women in their responses to questions in online dating profiles.

Check out our recent press release about this data for a full methodology.

Has an unfortunate spelling mistake ever cost you an otherwise promising relationship? Share your story in the comments!