Wow, I had a major hissy fit today. I probably lost a lucrative and prestigious job as a result. But...it's worth it, for the moral value. Isn't it?

How can I explain to you the situation in simple terms, so that you can understand it, without giving away details? I'm not sure. I'll try my best.

Well, I don't think I can at the moment, unless I give away everything. So I'll wait until tomorrow to describe the sordid situation to you. In the meantime...

Here are the answers to the Blog Grammar Quiz:

ANSWERS

1. You are standing among a group of ninth graders.
WHY? Use between only when you are talking about 2 things; use among when you are talking about more than 2 things.

2. I think that hamburger was cooked badly.
WHY? Badly is an adverb to describe cooked. Bad is an adjective and it cannot modify a verb.

3. May I go over to David's house, Mom?
WHY? Use may when you are indicating permission; can refers to having the ability to do something.

4. Hawaii is much farther away than I thought!
WHY? Use farther to indicate a measurable distance; further refers to a greater degree, extent or quantity, or it can mean "in addition to."

5. Can you believe the number of people in this elevator?
WHY? Always use number if you can count the items. Use amount for bulk items such as sand or water.

6. Please don't burst that balloon in here!
WHY? The word bust is colloquial and does not belong in standard English. By the way, the past tense of burst is burst.

7. Your jeans are different from mine; they're baggy!
WHY? The preferred form in standard English is different from.

8. For a beginner, you really drive well.
WHY? Well is an adverb, modifying the verb drive. Good is an adjective and cannot modify a verb.

9. That chameleon is shedding its skin all over the place.
WHY? Its is the possessive form of it. It's represents IT IS. Be careful on this one! You'll see it misused everywhere!

10. I need to lie down until this headache is better.
WHY? The verb lie means to recline. The verb lay means to set something down somewhere. The past tense of lie is lay. (Yesterday, I lay down for an hour until my headache was better.) The past tense of lay is laid. (I laid the money on the counter.) This is one of the most common mistakes we see in usage.

11. The reason a mushroom is a good date is that he is a fungi.
WHY? Simple. The reason is that the word because is never used in this context in proper English speech or writing. NEVER! When you say, "The reason is ... " you are already implying the word "because."

12. Mary is the girl who helped me study for that test.
WHY? Use who or whom when referring to people. Save that for inanimate objects.

13. I make sure I floss my teeth every day.
WHY? The difference between "everyday" and every day" is subtle, but here it is:
"Everyday" implies "ordinary" or "routine," as in "Rain became an everyday event while I was on vacation." Another example would be: "Riding my bike is an everyday exercise for me." As you can see, it is used as an adjective.

"Every day," on the other hand, suggests "each and every SINGLE day." Example: I make sure I floss my teeth every day." Or -- "Every day I walk the dog to the park and back." Here the words are used collectively as an adverb, telling "when."