"Weird Al" Yankovic - grammar lesson

It looks like Weird Al may have joined SPOGG. So what does Grammar Girl have to say about less vs. fewer?

Less and fewer are easy to mix up. They mean the same thing—the opposite of more—but you use them in different circumstances (1). The basic rule is that you use less with mass nouns and fewer with count nouns.

Count Nouns Versus Mass Nouns

Now I'm worried that I've scared you off, but it's easy to remember the difference between mass nouns and count nouns.

A count noun is just something you can count. I'm looking at my desk and I see books, pens, and M&M's. I can count all those things, so they are count nouns and the right word to use is fewer. I should eat fewer M&M's.

Mass nouns are just things that you can't count individually. Again, on my desk I see tape and clutter. These things can't be counted individually, so the right word to use is less. If I had less clutter, my desk would be cleaner. Another clue is that you don't make mass nouns plural: I would never say I have clutters on my desk or that I need more tapes to hold my book covers together.

So, those signs over the express lane at Kroger's ought to read "15 items or fewer" rather than the popular but grammatically incorrect "15 items or less."

Four Main Components for an Effective Outline

This resource from Purdue's Writing Resource Center describes why outlines are useful, what types of outlines exist, suggestions for developing effective outlines, and how outlines can be used as an invention strategy for writing.

Ideally, you should follow these four suggestions to create an effective outline. The examples are taken from the Sample Outline handout.

Parallelism - How do I accomplish this?
Each heading and subheading should preserve parallel structure. If the first heading is a verb, the second heading should be a verb. Example:

I. Choose Desired Colleges
II. Prepare Application

("Choose" and "Prepare" are both verbs. The present tense of the verb is usually the preferred form for an outline)

Coordination - How do I accomplish this?
All the information contained in Heading 1 should have the same significance as the information contained in Heading 2. The same goes for the subheadings (which should be less significant than the headings). Example:

I. Visit and evaluate college campuses
II. Visit and evaluate college websites

A. Note important statistics
B. Look for interesting classes

(Campus and websites visits are equally significant. They are part of the main tasks you would need to do. Finding statistics and classes found on college websites are parts of the process involved in carrying out the main heading topics.)

Subordination - How do I accomplish this?
The information in the headings should be more general, while the information in the subheadings should be more specific. Example:

I. Describe an influential person in your life

A. Favorite high school teacher
B. Grandparent

(A favorite teacher and grandparent are specific examples from the generalized category of influential people in your life.)

Division - How do I accomplish this?
Each heading should be divided into 2 or more parts. Example:

I. Compile resume

A. List relevant coursework
B. List work experience
C. List volunteer experience

(The heading "Compile resume" is divided into 3 parts.)

Technically, there is no limit to the number of subdivisions for your headings; however, if you seem to have a lot, it may be useful to see if some of the parts can be combined.

Introducing Willa Cather & Neighbour Rosicky

You've got an introductory packet now on Willa Cather and the theme of the American dream (available here online, too), but here's an excellent website devoted to Cather and her works.

The Willa Cather Foundation

The assignment sheet is also available online in PDF format if you should need another copy. For now, consider some more quotations from Willa:

"The feeling of the rain on you is sweet. It seems to bring feelings you had when you were a baby. It carries you back into the dark, before you were born." - O Pioneers!

"Men travel faster now, but I do not know if they go to better things." - Death Comes for the Archbishop

"We come and go, but the land is always here. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it for a little while." - O Pioneers!