Posts in category: Uncategorized

February 23, 2006: Issue 128

We’re ditching a rule that we know has rankled you: You no longer have to list cities with toll phone numbers. Company name and phone number are sufficient.

Or you can list cities. It’s up to each title editor.

However, consistency is important. Either list the cities throughout your issue or don’t list them at all.

INDESIGN TIP: Are you frustrated when InDesign changes the text wrap above a word or sentence you’re altering? That feature is called Adobe Paragraph Composer, and it plays heck with copy-fitting. But you can turn it off. Pull down the Type menu and select Paragraph. Click the arrow at the upper right corner of the Paragraph box, then choose Justification. In the Composer window, select Adobe Single-line Composer.

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February 16, 2006: Issue 127

Apostrophes denote letters or numbers that have been omitted:

the ’50s
snap ’em up
singin’ the blues
Guns ‘n’ Roses

Please note that an apostrophe goes the same direction as a single closing quotation mark, not an opening quotation mark. This is a distinction Microsoft Word and InDesign don’t understand, so you’ll have to manually create the apostrophe when it comes at the beginning of a word: Type option-shift-].

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February 9, 2006: Issue 126

Somewhere in your past, an English teacher probably told you never to start a sentence with a conjunction. But it’s OK. (See?) You can start sentences with conjunctions, and we won’t put any marks in your permanent record. Our teachers were no doubt repeating what they were told in school, but this has never been a grammatical rule.

Just remember that you don’t need to set off the conjunction with a comma:

incorrect: But, the scope of the project quickly grew.
correct: But the scope of the project quickly grew.

incorrect: Or, sort through your own attic or basement for outdated art.
correct: Or sort through your own attic or basement for outdated art.

incorrect: And, that was a compromise the homeowners could handle.
correct: And that was a compromise the homeowners could handle.

Use a comma in that position only when it sets off a word, phrase, or clause within the sentence:

correct: But, as the old cabinets came down, the scope of the project quickly grew.
correct: Or, in a pinch, sort through your own attic or basement for outdated art.
correct: And, happily, that was a compromise the homeowners could handle.

One caveat: Go easy on starting sentences this way. The more often you use this construction, the less effective it becomes.

MICROSOFT WORD TIP: Tired of arguing with Microsoft Word about whether you need that comma? If you’d rather not deal with Word’s suggestions, turn off the grammar checker: Under the Word pull-down menu, select Preferences. Click on Spelling and Grammar, then make sure the “Check grammar as you type” and “Check grammar with spelling” boxes are unchecked. Now the only pesky grammar suggestions you’ll get will be from copy editors.

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February 2, 2006: Issue 125

When someone uses a maiden name or a family name as a middle name, omit that name on second reference:

Designer Leah Jones Allen quickly diagnosed the problem: a severe deficiency of color. The quickest cure, Allen told the homeowners, was an infusion of reds and gold.

When a last name is hyphenated, use both parts of the name on second reference:

On this tiny lot, architect Andrea Barrett-Keith knew the only way to expand was up. “A new upper level was the Sepulvedas’ chance for a real master suite,” Barrett-Keith says.

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January 26, 2006: Issue 124

Not sure whether to set off a phrase or clause with commas? You might need a quick refresher in essential and nonessential information, also called restrictive and nonrestrictive.

If the information is essential, or restrictive, it is essential to understanding exactly what person or thing you’re describing; it restricts the number of people or things fitting that description. Whether a word, a phrase, or a clause, it doesn’t need commas:

Her co-worker Julia served as a sounding board.
A door that was salvaged from the Thorkelsons’ old home adds old charm to the entrance.

(“Her co-worker” and “a door” define broad categories. “Julia” and “that was salvaged from the Thorkelsons’ old home” narrow the fields.)

Nonessential, or nonrestrictive, information provides additional detail but doesn’t identify the person or thing more specifically. Set off these words, phrases, and clauses with commas.

Her oldest sister, Julia, served as a sounding board.
The Thorkelsons’ front door, which was salvaged from their previous home, adds old charm to the entrance.

(She has only one “oldest sister”; the Thorkelsons have only one “front door.” “Julia” and  “which was salvaged from their previous home” don’t narrow the descriptions any further.)

That which confounds us

The essential/nonessential question also determines whether you use “that” or “which.” Essential information uses “that.” Nonessential information uses “which.”

One of the houses that I saw yesterday needs some work.
Ali’s house, which I saw yesterday, needs some work.

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January 19, 2006: Issue 123

Spell out state names unless they’re part of a mailing address. In mailing addresses, use the two-letter postal abbreviation (all caps, no period).

correct: She bought the two-story Colonial in Kenilworth, Illinois, in 2003.
correct: For more information, write to the Upper Illinois Orchid Society, P.O. Box 2702, Kenilworth, IL, 60043-2702.
correct: For more information, call the Upper Illinois Orchid Society, Kenilworth, Illinois, 847/555-1257.

And remember, when you use a city and state name together, set off the state name with commas before and after.

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Update 10/23/18: See grasses.

January 5, 2006: Issue 121

Here’s a change in SIM style: We’re closing up all turfgrass and lawngrass names, even when they include a proper name, to be consistent with industry usage. (Keep the capital letter from the proper name.)

Some examples:

Bahiagrass
Bermudagrass
Zoysiagrass

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December 29, 2005: Issue 120

Combine pronouns with verbs and auxiliary verbs to form contractions.

correct: She is an architect.
correct: She’s an architect.

correct: He has built four other homes in the neighborhood.
correct: He’s built four other homes in the neighborhood.

correct: They will soon welcome their third child.
correct: They’ll soon welcome their third child.

But don’t combine nouns and proper nouns with verbs. An apostrophe-s can easily be mistaken for a possessive instead of a contraction for “is,” and other forms are downright clumsy.

incorrect: The home’s been in her family for 120 years.
correct: The home has been in her family for 120 years.

incorrect: Dave’ll try any project once.
correct: Dave will try any project once.

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December 22, 2005: Issue 119

For people, use “who.” For animals and objects, use “that” or “which”:

incorrect: The guest rooms are a necessity for empty nesters that frequently keep their grandchildren overnight.
correct: The guest rooms are a necessity for empty nesters who frequently keep their grandchildren overnight.

incorrect: Three Great Danes who track in plenty of mud were the inspiration for the dark, mottled flooring.
correct: Three Great Danes that track in plenty of mud were the inspiration for the dark, mottled flooring.

The exception (and of course there is one) is animals that we name.

correct: The couple’s poodle, Fifi, who quickly claimed the window seat, is a fixture in this sunny room.

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December 15, 2005: Issue 118

We usually don’t hyphenate words that end in “like”: businesslike, paintlike, petallike. But there are three main exceptions:

• Hyphenate when not doing so would result in three l’s in a row: doll-like, wall-like.

• Hyphenate when “like” is joined to a proper noun: Paris-like, Austen-like.

• Hyphenate compound words that could be ambiguous or misunderstood without the hyphen: spa-like, multi-ply, re-creation.

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