Poll: Yo grammer nazis, help you're boy out.
- Thread starter Pimppeter2
- Start date
Would go with one or two or well this is also fine.Evil Top Hat said:
Also in the title you said "you're" it should be "your"
"you're" refers to "you are" while "your" signifies belonging.
One of the oldest philosophical debates known to mean is the question; of** which has the greater influence upon an individual: nature, or nurture?Pimppeter2 said:
**word is entirely optional
You're asking a rhetorical question, the question mark helps the reader read it smoother. The semicolon prepares the reader for your hypothesis, allows for clearer understanding instead of trying to separate the clauses by themselves. My edit were made with ease of reading and understanding in mind, with my model of communication prioritizing clarity first.
That said, out of the 3 options I would go with 2 for effect. This usage of the colon is more modern: much more people are using it to link clauses. I've always viewed language as constantly evolving, we demand more and more from it; it will have to change over time to accommodate our demands. However, the phrase after the colon is not a "complete sentence" per se, so academics may have a problem with it.
Option 1 is a safe bet for traditional sentence construction. It's still a bet though. The earlier trims proposed are fine after the corrections posted by their writers.
3 is grammatically correct, but all of them are passive sentences and, therefore, not that great anyway.
I would pick 2.
But it looks too long to me. I prefer shorter sentences.Is it about history or about the question? what's the important part in that sentence?
"Which has the greater influence: nature or nurture?
This question is one of the oldest...(go on writing about the history of the debate)"
If the history doesn't matter:
"Which has the greater influence: nature or nurture? Some will claim...(or whatever)"
edit: I need to find something better than "influence upon an individual" or just skip it like i did in the current version - assuming the title(or something else) gives a context
But it looks too long to me. I prefer shorter sentences.Is it about history or about the question? what's the important part in that sentence?
"Which has the greater influence: nature or nurture?
This question is one of the oldest...(go on writing about the history of the debate)"
If the history doesn't matter:
"Which has the greater influence: nature or nurture? Some will claim...(or whatever)"
edit: I need to find something better than "influence upon an individual" or just skip it like i did in the current version - assuming the title(or something else) gives a context
Reading all these people flat-out refusing to read the OP in their haste to correct the grammar of the title makes me all happy.
Well, my point is that he did that intentionally to attract attention of grammar nazis so you are either very spiteful or very easily manipulated. Possibly both. But thanks for taking the time to post in a help thread saying you won't help and wishing the worst on a complete stranger for a petty reason.SecondPrize said:
Spite has nothing to do with it and were I easily manipulated, I would have helped him, wouldn't I have? Actually, how did you even get there? How does one read this and conclude that the intentions of the OP were to manipulate someone into NOT helping him with his title?Necromancer Jim said:
As far as a poor grade on a project goes, I hardly think that is the worst. I'd ask you to tone down the hyperbole but you're all in with the grammar Nazis so I guess that wouldn't help.
Yes. Yes I am. The use of colons is not limited to just "lists".Ghonesis said:Indeed, it's not number 1.
But are you sure it's number 2? I know colons start lists, but is 'nature or nurture' a list? :/
I doubt it, but I could be wrong.
From the link in the post I quoted previously -
"The most common use of the colon is to inform the reader that what follows the colon proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded it.
The Bedford Handbook describes several uses of a colon. For example, one can use a colon after an independent clause to direct attention to a list, an appositive, or a quotation. Also, it can be used between independent clauses if the second summarizes or explains the first.
Syntactical-descriptive
In this sense the colon introduces a description; in particular, it makes explicit the elements of a set.
I have three sisters: Daphne, Rose, and Suzanne. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colon_%28punctuation%29
Firstly, the title alone made me want to stab you immediately.
Secondly, I would choose number three at a push, but I hate all of them.
Nature or nurture isn't a list (or a set as has been pointed out), it's a statement and as such a colon wouldn't fit and plenty of people have pointed out that a semi-colon is a no go.
I would rewrite it.
Secondly, I would choose number three at a push, but I hate all of them.
Nature or nurture isn't a list (or a set as has been pointed out), it's a statement and as such a colon wouldn't fit and plenty of people have pointed out that a semi-colon is a no go.
I would rewrite it.
So, just for laughs, I ran all three options through Grammarly. It found no problems with any of them. I now trust Grammarly about as far as I could throw myself.
I will say it again: THE RIGHT ANSWER IS NUMBER TWO. This is not opinion. This is not conjecture. This is SPAR--er, fact.
I will say it again: THE RIGHT ANSWER IS NUMBER TWO. This is not opinion. This is not conjecture. This is SPAR--er, fact.
Out of the options 2 or 3 from what I can tell.
If this is something someone will grade, I'd go with colon--it makes you seem smarter.
If it's an option, think about revising slightly.
If this is something someone will grade, I'd go with colon--it makes you seem smarter.
If it's an option, think about revising slightly.
Can I just point out that the title of this thread is hilariously ironic?
(Nevermind, his post indicated it was intended. Great job )
Further, the real issue here is the passive sentence structure. If you get to grad school level writing, you will get creamed for this.
Rather than that debacle, try something like:
"One of humanity's oldest philosophical debates is whether nature or nuture has more influence on an individual's development."
(Nevermind, his post indicated it was intended. Great job
)Further, the real issue here is the passive sentence structure. If you get to grad school level writing, you will get creamed for this.
Rather than that debacle, try something like:
"One of humanity's oldest philosophical debates is whether nature or nuture has more influence on an individual's development."