Basically, this is a guide to help with language formation such that the Wiki is kept as grammatically sound as possible. Should there be any modifications needed, feel free to edit this Guide. When in doubt, consult this Guide when forming sentences. Note that grossly ungrammatical edits may be deleted if necessary.
If there are any specific requests regarding grammar issues, feel free to post it on the Talk Page and I will get to adding information :)
Adjectives[]
When using a series of adjectives to describe a single object, follow the order as stated below:
- Quantity or number of
- Quality or opinion
- Size
- Age
- Shape
- Color
- Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
- Purpose or qualifier
Followed by the object/subject.
Also, when there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and should be placed between the two adjectives, and a comma ( , ) should be placed between multiple adjectives from the same group, with the and only used between the last two adjectives.
Example[]
There were five clean huge three-year-old rectangular green, orange and pink Chinese shelving units.
Of course, not all 8 groups of adjectives have to be used to describe a single object. Such is the case with the following:
There were five huge rectangular shelving units.
Ampersand ( & )[]
Ampersands should be avoided in use as much as possible if they are to replace and. Exceptions include, of course, proper nouns like book or song titles with & in them.
Alot[]
It's not alot. It's a lot if you are trying to say "a lot of ______". This a lot translates to many, or one lot of something. Allot is a different word which means to assign, e.g. time allotted. alot (without the space) is not a word.
Alright[]
It's not alright. It's all right if you are trying to say "We are all right" or "This song is all right". "All right" can also mean okay or It's all good. "Alright" is not a word as "alright" and "all right" don't follow the same rules as "already" and "all ready". Using the word "alright" is considered slang and bad grammar. Note this does not apply to proper nouns such as songs of the same name or lyrics quoted directly from the Just Dance games.
Articles[]
Should you use a, an or the in a sentence?
a[]
a is strictly used for one noun, or one collective noun (like group). It is also used mostly with words starting with consonants, with a few exceptions (like unicorn - you don't say an unicorn because the u is pronounced).
For example, I have a friend coming over tonight, I have a group of friends coming over tonight, and My friend is a unicorn!
an[]
an is also strictly used for a single noun or one collective noun (like area). It is also used mostly with words starting with vowels, with a few exceptions (like honor - you don't say a honor because of the silent h).
For example, I have an answer to this problem, I own an area of corn crop, and It is such an honor to meet you!
the[]
the can be used for multiple items and multiple collective nouns. It can be used with words standing with constants or vowels. Another condition for the to be used is that the subject or object it is used for has already been established.
For example, The schools of fish in my tank are dying!, The oddity of this scenario is that no one is alive, A: The chocolates you gave me are delicious! What are they made of? B: Poop., and The same thing over and over again.
Consonant/Vowel Exceptions[]
Essentially, all words with a silent h followed by a vowel, and all words with a u pronounced as yew are exempted from the normal rule.
But/However[]
But and however mean relatively the same thing. However, there are rules as to how you should use them. But should only be used in the middle of a sentence. (e.g. I wanted to go, but my parents didn't let me.) However, however, can be used virtually anywhere in a sentence, as long as the context makes sense. (For example, However, I couldn't go.; I wanted to go; however I couldn't.; Though I wanted to go, I couldn't go however.) Take note, though, that how ever and however cannot exactly be used interchangeably.
Commas or Dashes[]
Any information between two commas or two dashes (not to be confused with hyphens) is considered to be "extra" and should not affect the rest of the sentence.
Basically, to see what should come after the comma or dash, strip off the entire chunk of information between the commas or dashes.
For example:
- A -
a girl- is thin. (You wouldn't say A - a girl - she is thin.) - Ben,
with the boys over there, is going to the restaurant. (You shouldn't say Ben, with the boys over there, are going to the restaurant.)
Oxford Comma[]
As this Wiki follows American spelling and grammar, Oxford commas are generally used in front of the word and to separate terms, for example Just Dance 2014, Just Dance 2015, and Just Dance 2016.
Common Language Errors[]
have or of[]
Don't use might of, could of, should of etc.; they're not grammatically correct. The correct phrase is might have, could have, should have (respectively).
me, myself and I[]
- Use I as the subject, and me as the object. For example, I am going somewhere and Jim is going somewhere with me.
- An easy way to figure out whether to use me or I is this: Take out any other names in the clause.
- For example,
Jim andIaream going to New Zealand. andJim andmeareis going to New Zealand. By removing Jim and, and switching the verb to whatever's relevant, you can see that the latter sounds "off". - Conversely, My mom is bringing
my brother andI to Australia. and My mom is bringingmy brother andme to Australia. By removing my brother and, you can see that the former is ungrammatical.
- For example,
- An easy way to figure out whether to use me or I is this: Take out any other names in the clause.
- Use myself when referring to yourself in a polite or more formal manner. For example, say Be myself instead of Be me!, I love myself instead of I love me!.
their, they're, there[]
- Their is a possessive pronoun and indicates that two or more people own something, as in Their cat is a munchkin.
- Similarly, theirs works almost the same way. For example, The munchkin cat is theirs.
- They're is a contraction for they are. For example, They're (They are) going to London.
- There indicates position. For example, The cherry tree is over there!
- There also works as a statement word, as in, There are fifty apple trees in the orchard!
your, you're[]
- Your is a possessive pronoun and indicates that the person you are having the conversation with owns something. For example, Your cat is so cute!
- Yours works in a similar way. For example, A: Is that cat yours? B: No, it is yours!
- You're is a contraction for you are. For example, You're (You are) sick!
Comparatives and Superlatives[]
Comparatives are words such as better which take a step of magnitude past the root adjective (i.e. good). Superlatives are words such as best which take an even further step of magnitude past the rood adjective.
Usage[]
Basically, assuming A is good, B is better and C is the best of the three, you wouldn't say B is more good than A or C is the best than A. Instead, the following are correct: B is better than A, and C is even better than A, or C is the best compared to A.
Fewer or Less[]
Fewer is used for countable nouns (see below). Less is used for uncountable nouns (see further below). Lesser isn't used as frequently as Less - you wouldn't say lesser gas or lesser water, as much as you would say less gas or less water.
Words without comparatives/superlatives[]
For these words, like joyous and intelligent, more and most are used as the step of magnitude. For example, in a formal case, you wouldn't say joyouser and intelligenter or joyousest and intelligentest. You would, instead, say more joyous (than) or the most intelligent. This also works conversely with less and least (less joyous; least intelligent).
Countable and Uncountable Nouns[]
There are two main types of nouns: countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
Countable Nouns[]
Countable nouns are nouns which can have a, an or a number in front of them, like queen and water fountain. (Collective) nouns like group and liter can also be used to make uncountable nouns "countable".
For example, a queen, an addiction, a liter of kerosene.
Uncountable Nouns[]
Uncountable nouns are nouns which cannot be, in linguistic terms, counted. These nouns include water, sand and rice. However, (collective) nouns like group and liter can be used to make these nouns "countable".
For example, water not waters (the latter refers to bodies of water), ice not ices (the latter may refer to multiple types of ice), but a cube of ice and a jug of water.