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Comment by Marla Sharp on June 4, 2011 at 15:11

Angela, "so-and-so" is hyphenated according to m-w.com. So I'd do Mr. So-and-so.

Comment by Christine Kirley on January 12, 2010 at 9:05

Regarding "follow up" and "follow-up," if you haven't already, you can add to your dictionary an entry with "a follow-up" so that it always trans right. Takes the thinkin out of it on the job. Also, "the follow-up."

Comment by Rosalie DeLeonardis on January 12, 2010 at 6:03

You're welcome, Jennie. I should have put in there it was from The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.

Comment by Jennie Ann on January 12, 2010 at 1:04

Thanks for the GREAT English Tip of the Week, Rosalie. I usually recognize these two words okay, but I do have problems recognizing when "affect" is used as a noun. Fortunately for me, I guess, "affect" doesn't get used very often as a noun.

Two words I see punctuated incorrectly quite often when proofing transcripts today are "follow up" and "follow-up."

Example for "follow up": I will follow up on that lead.

Example for "follow-up": After the meeting, I will send you a follow-up.

Example for "follow-up": The doctor said I need a follow-up examination.

"Follow up" with no hyphen is the verb. "Follow-up" with the hyphen is the noun and/or descriptive adjective preceding the noun.

Comment by Rosalie DeLeonardis on January 10, 2010 at 18:11

EnglishTip of the Week
Effect vs. Affect
Knowing whether to use effect or affect may not qualify you as a genius, but you will be demonstrating an understanding about a grammar issue most people find perplexing. I trust that the strategies offered here will clear up any confusion you have had.

Rule: Use the verb effect when you mean bring about or brought about, cause or caused.

Example: He effected a commotion in the crowd.

Example: She effected a change in procedure.

Rule: Use the noun effect when you mean result.

Example: What effect did that speech have?

Rule: Also use the noun effect whenever any of these words precede it: a, an, any, the, take, into, no.

Note: These words may be separated from effect by an adjective.

Example: That book had a long-lasting effect on my thinking.

Rule: Use the verb affect when you mean to influence rather than to cause.

Example: How do the budget cuts affect your staffing?

Rule: Affect is also used as a noun to mean emotional expression.

Example: She showed little affect when told she had won the lottery.

Comment by Heidi J. Ryder on January 10, 2010 at 18:05

Does anyone have a recommendation for determining affect or effect usage?

Comment by Christine Kirley on January 8, 2010 at 23:17

Jennie,
Thanks for the hypertext on the newsletterr. I will check it out. Have a good weekend.

Comment by Jennie Ann on January 8, 2010 at 4:03

Thanks, Marla, for the reply. I always stumble on these kinds of things when they come up in transcripts. It is nice to have this forum to fall back on for help! :-)

BTW, Christine and Stacy, if you want to get weekly e-mails for the "English Tip of the Week" from Jane Straus, it's FREE: Scroll Down to the Bottom and sign up for FREE Weekly e-Newsletter

Sometimes I do learn new things from this weekly e-mail. I really enjoy it.

Comment by Marla Sharp on January 6, 2010 at 15:06

Jennie, you shouldn't hyphenate "half a dozen." I can't think of a time when you could, even with a noun after it, like "half a dozen donuts."

Comment by Christine Kirley on January 6, 2010 at 8:38

Jenny,
Thanks for sharing the "on" "onto" tip. It's so nice and easy.
How do you get signed up for those grammar tips?

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