Week five--stayin' alive...

This week I really learned a lot about some of the areas in grammar that trouble me. I always considered myself a very competent writer and editor, but this class has really brought me to my knees in humility! I hope that some of you have also experienced the humbling effect of this class, because it really can help you become a better writer. 

I have a very simple tip to share this week, which I am sure that many of you have already read or heard about. It's the me/I, who/whom tip. 

We all know that one person who says "She gave the gift to Karen and I" when really we all know that it should be stated, "She gave the gift to Karen and me." I learned back in middle school that in order to determine whether to use I or me in such a phrase, one should remove the other person from the sentence and see what it would need if it only involved you. For example, it is very obvious that "She gave the gift to I" is definitely incorrect when you strip it down to that, but it could be much more difficult to decipher when there is another name in the mix. 

I have also found it valuable when working with who/whom to replace the "who" or "whom" with a "he" or "him" respectively, or in the answer to the question. 

For example, "They didn't know who the bus driver was." I know to use who there instead of him, because he was the bus driver. One wouldn't say him was the bus driver. 

Alternatively, in the sentence, "I didn't know to whom I should give the gift," it is easy to tell you need whom because I should give the gift to him. I wouldn't give the gift to he. 

Anyways, I hope that as overused and boring as these tips were this week, they may have helped at least one of you! They've certainly been my saving grace. 

Happy editing! 

Kara