Yes, I agree with Becca. One would hope that the people in this community would be civil when giving constructive criticism in the 'go on I can take it' option, but as in all website communities there is always the odd troll. I hope they will be dealt with harshly if this is the case.

Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons, something Nell said on another thread got me thinking. She said that she was lucky enough to have been educated when grammatical standards were considered of extreme importance and work was failed if it didn't meet those. (Words to that effect, sorry Nell). Would it be possible to have a Grammar Group, whereby experts can crit on grammar only? I know this is a huge undertaking but if there was some sort of reward, ie. Discounted membership etc for the grammar expert it might work. What do you think? Am I just talking rubbish? Let me have it.

Julie

sounds good to me, a real bricks and mortar service.
Becca.

Becca can you have an unreal bricks and mortars service

sorry just being mildly pedantic in view of the previous post by Jubbly



take care

david

Jubbly, we've been considering something like this for a while- many writers need their work checked before they send it out and let's face it, spell and grammar checking on the computer can result in some deeply weird sentences.

Becca, with regards to the levels of criticism, we've introduced in partly due to demand- and of course, there is always a risk that the odd (hopefully very rare) person will interpret 'be tough' too brutally. But we'll be on the case if they do, and in the meantime, let's hope it makes things simpler for people who want to be very precise about what they want. But you've raised a good point and we will be vigilant!

It may be something to come back to in a few months. If by then no one has selected the first two options, that may prove Becca and Nell's fears are correct.

If someone wants only the grammar checked, would it not be a possibility to add in another option in the new 'type of comment' section. i.e. if someone wants any option other than 'none' I would assume they would want grammer looked at in addition to whatever - the grammer only would kinda be between the mildest crit and none.

Just a thought.

I am slightly suprised at the demand for a grammar check. Word has this facility and whilst it is not infallable it does highlight i guess 99% of the areas which require attention.

David, Word is not good with grammar, not for a modern writer. It would have everybody's work looking exactly the same. I keep my grammar check switched off. Neither is it good with spelling. It told me the other day that 'I can't bear it' was wrong, and when I right-clicked I was told I should have used the word 'bare.' Okay if you don't want to get naked, but not much use otherwise. So don't trust it, it's altogether too fond of playing tricks.

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P.S. I think Julie's idea for a grammar/punctuation group is a brilliant one.

David, LoL.

A good grammar / punctuation group sounds like an excellent idea. Grammar is something that I know is a bit of a weakness of mine. I really wish now that the rules of good grammar had been drilled into me at school.

I agree that Word is at best moderately helpful at spotting grammar problems, and sometimes it gets it completely wrong, with its dreaded green squiggly lines.

As well as the possibility of a group, does anyone know if there are any good English grammar books you can buy? Even better does anyone know if there are courses you can do? The kind of course I envisage being good is one where the teacher is so scary and strict that you have to take some clean underwear, and you are not aloud under any circumstances to go home until you get it right. Or do such things only exist only in the Victorian age and my easily excitable imagination?

Sounds to me like there could be a story in that Sam - and the research could prove useful ....

I think a grammar group is a great idea. I’m from a generation (and a school) where grammar was of great importance and I think – hope – I’ve retained the basics. While there are one or two areas where I’m a little unsure, on the whole I feel confident about advising on grammar.

Having said that… I know, when I am writing fiction, my grammar has a very different style to when I’m, say, writing a letter to the local council. Sentence construction can be a very subjective animal in fiction. You can break lots of rules. Sentences with no verb, for instance.
How would we handle that?

We could help with some very basic mistakes that people make which are really not negotiable (I think I may have just made a negotiable one there with ‘that/which’… ) although most of the ones that spring to mind are spelling errors: its/it’s, their/there, your/you’re, should have/should of - and so on.

Hmm… this is getting complicated!

Dee.

Ps – just seen Sam’s post and added another to my list: aloud/allowed. Thanks Sam x

Any time Dee!

(or is that anytime - bugger it...)

Nell

I don't have a problem with Word, but perhaps that is because we are of a similar age and our grammar was drilled into us, thus word highlights things and if I don't agree or know the offered correction is incorrect, I ignore it.

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Also of course depends with word what you set your defaults too as well.