Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
I'm final-editing a very long document and before submitting it to a
desktop publisher need to know why WORD's Spell/Grammar checker "marks wrong" any dialogue that ends with an em dash, a quotation mark, and then two spacebar spaces before the next sentence begins. For example: "Gee, Mr. Gates, I didn't know you're thinking of buying a App--" He swallowed so hard both apples almost went down. If you were to write the above in Microsoft WORD and Spell/Grammar check the file, the checker will stop at each instance where an em dash (represented above by necessity with two en dashes) is succeeded by anything other than another letter. The checker clearly recognizes and identifies sentence fragments, but it makes no distinction between those situations where an em dash is used as legitimate end-mark punctuation and those instances where stuttered or incompletely articulated dialogue (though *intended* as fragments) *may* logically be helped by an ensuing clause. |
#2
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
What version of Word are you using?
When I use Word 2003's grammar checker with its default settings, it complains about the two spaces before "He" (even though the setting for number of spaces between sentences is "Don't check"). It also complains about your use of the article "a" before "App" and correctly suggests replacing it with "an". It does not complain about the em dash at all! -- Regards, Jay Freedman Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. Jules Vide wrote: I'm final-editing a very long document and before submitting it to a desktop publisher need to know why WORD's Spell/Grammar checker "marks wrong" any dialogue that ends with an em dash, a quotation mark, and then two spacebar spaces before the next sentence begins. For example: "Gee, Mr. Gates, I didn't know you're thinking of buying a App--" He swallowed so hard both apples almost went down. If you were to write the above in Microsoft WORD and Spell/Grammar check the file, the checker will stop at each instance where an em dash (represented above by necessity with two en dashes) is succeeded by anything other than another letter. The checker clearly recognizes and identifies sentence fragments, but it makes no distinction between those situations where an em dash is used as legitimate end-mark punctuation and those instances where stuttered or incompletely articulated dialogue (though *intended* as fragments) *may* logically be helped by an ensuing clause. |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
Jay Freedman wrote:
What version of Word are you using? When I use Word 2003's grammar checker with its default settings, it complains about the two spaces before "He" (even though the setting for number of spaces between sentences is "Don't check"). It also complains about your use of the article "a" before "App" and correctly suggests replacing it with "an". It does not complain about the em dash at all! First, thanks for responding. I wasn't aware settings could be adjusted--at all. However, on my Word 2000 Tools/Options/Spelling and Grammar window, "Don't Check" appeared to be the default in regard to the number of spaces after periods/before new sentences. I'm therefore wondering why a two-space "space" before ONLY sentences that ended with em dashes + quotation marks would have caused the checker to check the usage as "wrong." Thanks again. |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
Hello Jules -
I see now that you posted in duplicate, so I wasn't aware of Jay's reply. Had no idea you were using Word 2000, but am not sure that would really make a difference. I think the issue you refer to here; I'm therefore wondering why a two-space "space" before ONLY sentences that ended with em dashes + quotation marks would have caused the checker to check the usage as "wrong." may be due to Word actually looking for what would be, perhaps, better termed as End Punctuation. Apparently it doesn't consider the em dash to be among those characters which qualify. Regards |:) |
#5
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
CyberTaz wrote:
Had no idea you were using Word 2000, but am not sure that would really make a difference. I think the issue you refer to here; I'm therefore wondering why a two-space "space" before ONLY sentences that ended with em dashes + quotation marks would have caused the checker to check the usage as "wrong." may be due to Word actually looking for what would be, perhaps, better termed as End Punctuation. Apparently it doesn't consider the em dash to be among those characters which qualify. Ah! Now *THAT* finally explains it. Thank you! |
#6
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
|
|||
|
|||
EM Dash Used in Quotes (Spell/Grammar Bugaboo)
Glad I had something useful to offer!
Regards |:) "Jules Vide" wrote: CyberTaz wrote: Had no idea you were using Word 2000, but am not sure that would really make a difference. I think the issue you refer to here; I'm therefore wondering why a two-space "space" before ONLY sentences that ended with em dashes + quotation marks would have caused the checker to check the usage as "wrong." may be due to Word actually looking for what would be, perhaps, better termed as End Punctuation. Apparently it doesn't consider the em dash to be among those characters which qualify. Ah! Now *THAT* finally explains it. Thank you! |
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Create macro how to change smart quotes "" with smart quotes ,,"? | Microsoft Word Help | |||
Word will not let me use straight quotes | Microsoft Word Help | |||
How do I stop automatic em dash or ellipses from going over lette. | Microsoft Word Help | |||
using a double dash | Microsoft Word Help | |||
Smart Quotes to straight quotes (apostrophe) | Microsoft Word Help |