Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

I received this copy from a local university for their help wanted ad:

Requirements: Candidates must be an ABO certified Optician or be a practicing Optometrist (O.D.) and familiar with the ABO standards for certification.

I think it should be as follows:

Requirements: Candidates must be ABO certified Opticians or be a practicing Optometrists (O.D.) and familiar with the ABO standards for certification.

keeping with the plural of Candidates throughout the description, unless the copy was to be reworded in the singular:

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

What is the plural form of fish, salmon, and trout? My daughter has a paper to do, she is arguing with me.

Thanks,

--Julie

A:

Dear Julie,

Those words are all plural, in and of themselves. To put an end to the argument, “fish”, “trout” and “salmon” are the correct plural forms of those words. They can also be singular, but they are definitely also plural, depending on the context.

I see where the argument comes from, though...

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

Is the proper way to notate that an article is in fact an article to put quotes around the title? Do you underline book titles?

--Erica

A:

Dear Erica,

This depends on which style guide you are using, and where you are writing it (such as a magazine, essay, web, etc.)

Generally speaking, underlining has fallen out of favor, since it was mostly used in the days of typewriters. Most style guides would italicize the title. If you can give me more information, I can give you a more definitive answer.

Hope this helps!

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

Which is correct? Onboard or on board?

--Nona

A:

Dear Nona,

I use the Oxford English Dictionary as the final arbitor is such cases, and they say is is "on board" for most instances, and when used as an adjective (for the definitions below) it can also be hyphenated as "on-board":

1. That is on board a ship, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.
2. a. Computing. Designating or controlled from a facility or feature (esp. a memory) incorporated into the main circuit board of a computer or computerized device.
   

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

Is there a rule or guideline for using "anyone" as opposed to "someone"?

--Bill

A:

Dear Bill,

The two are largely interchangeable, practically speaking, but they are not complete synonyms. By the way, it's "any one", spelled out with two words. For some reason, the two never got connected like "somebody".

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

A headline in the Knoxville (TN) News-Sentinel reads: "Child dies
after being drug under truck"

Drug is commonly used as a verb this way in East Tennessee, but is it
correct?

Thanks,

Roy

A:

Dear Roy,

"Dragged" is the correct word.

I would normally call this "brang" syndrome, where people get used to a rhyming pattern and apply it where it doesn't belong, especially "bring, brang, brung" taken incorrectly from "ring, rang, rung".

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

Which is correct?

Sip ‘n See or Sip ‘n’ See?

--Kara

A:

Dear Kara,

Apostrophes in this context are generally used to replace missing letters. This one is tough because there are missing letters on each side, and that just looks odd, which is probably why you're writing :-)

I think the most common convention is to use an apostrophe before the n, but not after. Still, I see it in all possible combinations, including no apostrophes at all and even two hyphens.

Here are some examples you may want to follow:

Bit-o-honey

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

I thought a person's title began with a cap such as:

John Doe
Hospital President

Is there a good rule for when a title begins with a cap and when not?

Thanks,

--Karla

A:

Dear Karla,

You are correct. A title is considered a proper noun, which should be capitalized. There are some instances, though, when a title is not used as a proper noun, for example:

1. President Bush gave a speech today.
2. The president gave a Speech today.
3. The speech was given by the president.

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

When using quotations and punctuations, for example He has no recollection of when he noticed “hard floors;” however.

Should the semicolon be before or after the quotes???

Many thanks,

--Christina

A:

Dear Linda,

Different style manuals will give you different answers on this, but I think that punctuation should come after the quotation marks for "special terms", as opposed to quoted sentences and phrases.

Q:

Dear Grammer Cop,

I have a bet with my boss I hope you can answer.
I wrote, "As of late September, the French government is continuing its' pledge to aid Darfur famine victims."
Is the use of its' incorrect? I thought it could be either its or its'.
Please weigh in.

Thanks

--Marie

A:

Dear Marie,

I'm afraid there's no apostrophe in the possessive form of "it". Rather, an apostrophe is only used for the contraction of "it is". Why it's omitted, I haven't a clue, but it doesn't follow the same rules as other nouns in that respect.