Pronouns are Often Not Good to Use

The problem is that pronouns need another word to give them meaning, and that word (the antecedent) can be hard to discern. Here’s an example. What does “it” refer to?

One of Tesla’s biggest critics is funding a Super Bowl ad against it

from The Washington Post

The rule is that pronouns should refer to the closest noun. The ad is against the Super Bowl???

If you have to think to figure out what a sentence means, the sentence is written poorly.

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“These” and “those” are plural, “that” is singular. Second panel.

She should have said “that kind” or “those kinds.” I remember that lesson from grade school. Harrumpf.

I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/

The article is just too good not to share. More the previous five times.

Last but not least, parentheses are a pair of punctuation marks shaped like half circles that are used to enclose text (). Their use is pretty straightforward, but be careful not to confuse them with brackets or braces (more on that below).

How to type parentheses

The left parenthesis is located on the same key as the number nine. The right parenthesis can be found on the zero key at the top of the keyboard.

Remember that you have to press the shift key first to add both types of parentheses to your writing since they’re located on shared keys.

When to use parentheses

Parentheses are used to add extra information or commentary to a sentence or paragraph (such as the definition of an acronym, a funny joke, or a list of examples). Keep in mind that your writing should still make sense even if you remove the parentheses. They just help to clarify. Here are a few examples:

• All Things Freelance Writing (ATFW) is a resource that helps freelancer writers grow their ideal businesses.
• I went to the store to get a few things (a sweater, hat, and pair of socks) for the trip.
• She showed up about 15 minutes late (as per the usual).

Brackets

Brackets look like this [ ]. The edges are squared instead of round. While they look similar to parentheses, they are used to:

• Insert your own words into a quote.
• Insert [sic] into a quote where there is an error.
• Add information within parentheses.
• Add stage direction in a play.

Braces

Braces are on the same key as brackets and look like this { }. These are used to indicate relationships in statistical, mathematical, or chemical equations.

I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/

The article is just too good not to share. More next time and the previous four times.

Oxford commas get a lot of attention. For the unacquainted, it’s the final comma in a series.

Oxford comma example

• I’m going to the store, the gas station, and my friend’s house.

The Oxford comma would be the last comma after “station” and before “and.”

It’s typed as a normal comma and helps to clarify that the final list item is part of the list and independent from other list items.

It has gotten attention because some publications prefer to omit the Oxford comma. Many writers feel strongly about whether or not the Oxford comma should be present or not.

I give credit, though. This is from https://allthingsfreelancewriting.com/blog/punctuation-guide/

The article is just too good not to share. More next time and the last three times.

An ellipsis is a sequence of three dots, which you can type by pressing the period key three times in a row.

When to use ellipses

Clients may ask you to gather quotes from experts to make your writing more authoritative. Although it’s important to accurately represent what your sources say, there might not be enough room in your article to include all of their direct quotes word-for-word.

In these cases, you can use ellipses to shorten quotes without breaching journalistic ethics. To do so, you add the three dots to indicate that unnecessary words or sentences have been removed from a direct quote for brevity. Here’s an example:

• “The biggest risk is not taking any risk…In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” — Mark Zuckerberg

Additionally, writers can use ellipses in their writing to add a suspenseful pause or show that a character’s thought has trailed off.

• To be continued…
• “I’m tired…I think I’m going to turn in for the night,” Martha said.