Just for kicks...

[Calum]

quote:Originally posted by void main:


So is punctuation and capitalization. I believe it should be:

Who has the worst spelling on the forums?

But then I'm a gear head so what do I know?      

what's wrong with my capitalisation and punctuation in that example? i know i ran two words together, that's hardly acceptable, but you can't start a sentence with 'and' and therefore that example does not start at the beginning of a sentence and therefore does not need a capital letter (of course that's not correct either, but it's not capitalisation or grammar, actually wait a minute, it is grammar, sorry). And the punctuation i suspect is the period point (full stop) outside the brackets. This is correct, however the USA has it that it is correct to put the period point within the brackets, which is wrong (but is taught as correct in the USA).

By the way, there are at least a few grammatical errors in this very answer of mine!  

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]

[pkd_lives]

I think you should know that the phrase 'and it should be "...".' might, more correctly, read 'Also the correct sentence is...'. A sentence cannot start with 'and' and the first word of any sentence must contain a captial letter. As you had started a new paragraph you must make clear the meaning of the sentence. You used double quotes when in fact you needed to use single quotes, for the production of the text.

Technically the emoticon should be inside the punctuation mark, although I am not aware of any offical guide to the use of Emoticons in the English language.

On a seperate note I would like to state that the graphic put up by Muffin Man was very funny.

Edit : My quote of your text put the quote marks in the wrong place.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Linux Frank ]

[KernelPanic]

quote:Originally posted by psyjax: plain 'ol psyjax:
Interface seems alot snapier on older Mac's. Im on an iMac 333Mhz, and it's diffinetly snappier.

psyjax valiantly tried to spell 'definitely'

[voidmain]

The punctuation within quotes has always confused me. I believe there are cases when the punctuation should be within quotes and there are cases when it should be outside of the quotes depending on the context of the quote. Hopefully someone can help me out here. For instance, if the punctuation is part of the quote like so:

I heard her say "Why are you always on that damn computer?"

Should the question mark be outside of the quotes? If not, should there be a period at the end. I don't even know if the structure of the sentence is correct. Like I said, English isn't my first language being from the backwoods of Illinois and all.

[pkd_lives]

quote: I heard her say "Why are you always on that damn computer?"

 

You are correct in the belief that there should be a period after the speech marks. The sentence construction is acceptable.

There must be punctuation after the close speech marks. Punctuation is okay inside quotation marks, but it only affects the text with quotes.

[voidmain]

So as far as punctuation goes this would be correct?

I heard her say "Why are you always on that damn computer?".

or

Why does she always ask me "Why are you always on  that damn computer?"?

Should there also be a comma before the quote?

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[pkd_lives]

You don't need a comma before the quotes. As ugly as it looks that would be acceptable with question marks inside and outside. The difference in good writing is finding a better way to phrase it, for example.

She always asks "Why are you always on that damn computer?", why does she do that?

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Linux Frank ]

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by Linux Frank:
You don't need a comma before the quotes. As ugly as it looks that would be acceptable with question marks inside and outside. The difference in good writing is finding a better way to phrase it, for example.

She always asks "Why are you always on that damn computer?", why does she do that?

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Linux Frank ]

I know it looked ugly but I was just trying to think of an example and that's all my feeble mind could come up with. As far as your sentence I believe it looks acceptable but I think I would have written it:

She always asks me "Why are you always on that damn computer?". Why does she do that?

To me it seems better in two separate sentences. But again, I really don't know what I am doing.    I have a tendancy to write like I talk, which surely isn't the proper way.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[Kintaro]

quote:Originally posted by Calum:
sorry, x11 is the worst speller,

nd i vot fr mee az best spleling d00d on teh fourms!    

I vote for you, and then quirk as good spelling person, and dont complain as wgat i say round here, i havve not slept for 52 or somthing hours now, and my goal is at 5 days. This is my third day

[cahult]

Who says we must spell perfectly and have perfect grammar? Who is the forum nazi here?      

[xyle_one]

quote: i havve not slept for 52 or somthing hours now, and my goal is at 5 days. This is my third day

May i ask why?
oh yeah,[hillbilly voice] i dont have that tharn gud ofa edumakashun ta speeks of neether. i ken spell tho, ans i ken rite good. [/hillbilly voice]