Mrs. Bluezette's
GRAMMAR YAMMER
"A PBS mind in an MTV world."

Mrs. B will return from holiday on Monday, January 18

Friday, January 2, 2009

Mrs. B wants you to avoid doing what our soon-to-be former secretary of state did:

The reason why there might be some elements of continuity is that what we've tried to do is to arrange or organize international groupings that can first manage and then resolve these very difficult problems in a multilateral way. (Condoleeza Rice in an interview with Financial Times, 12-28-08)

The combination of reason and "why" is redundant. The correct sentence is:

~The reason why there might be some elements of continuity is that what we've tried to do is to arrange or organize international groupings that can first manage and then resolve these very difficult problems in a multilateral way.

Another word Mrs. B wants you never to use with reason is "because." If you use any word with reason, make it that. For example:

~The reason I was late is that I forgot to set my alarm clock.

Or, simply:

~The reason I was late is I forgot to set my alarm clock.

And Mrs. B sends you back to work with this thought:

~The reason your copy reads better is that you read Grammar Yammer.

Or

~The reason your copy reads better is you read Grammar Yammer.

Or, even more concise...

~Your copy reads better because you read "Grammar Yammer." At least that's what Mrs. B hopes.

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