Grammar-O

Grammar-O Wednesdays
with Ocieanna

Happy Wednesday, grammarians! Ready to test your mad grammar skills?

Each week I (Ocieanna) post a few sentences with grammar, punctuation, spelling, or other writing misdemeanors. Your job is to find the infraction and set it right. If you possess the courage, you’re welcome to post your corrections in the comments, or you may simply keep your grammar to yourself. Then next week, I’ll post the answers.

Have fun!

This week’s new batch:

1) With Christmas in ten-short days, I’ve been thinking about how they celebrated Christ’s birth in year’s past.

2) During World War 2, on the homefront, they had very little with which to create a fancy festivity.

3) While their men—on ships, in the battle fields, or far-away barracks—feasted on the best the military had to offer, which wasn’t much.

4) The folks at home used their ration tickets to buy a bit of sugar and meat, some even created makeshift turkey’s out of sausage!

5) Like the men who served in World War 2, we still have many brave soldiers who will be away from their families’ this Christmas.

Let’s remember to pray for them.


Remember, the point is to hunt out the blatantly illegal, not matters of preference or opinion.

Good luck and have fun!


Here are the corrected ones from last week:

1) I like to recognize the distinction between Advent Hymns, which talk about the coming of the Messiah, and Christmas Hymns, which celebrate his birth.
Correct: I like to recognize the distinction between Advent hymns, which talk about the coming of the Messiah, and Christmas hymns, which celebrate his birth.

2) Traditionally, church’s only sang Advent Hymns until Christmas Sunday when they rejoiced with Christmas Hymns.
Correct: Traditionally, churches only sang Advent hymns until Christmas Sunday when they rejoiced with Christmas hymns.

3) What’s your favorite hymns of the season? Here’s some of mine.
Correct: What are your favorite hymns of the season? Here are some of mine.

4) For Advent, I love O Come O Come Emmanuel. Such poignant Old Testament references!
Correct: For Advent, I love “O Come O Come Emmanuel”—such poignant Old Testament references!

5) My favorite Christmas hymn is What Child is This? The words draw me into the nativity scene, and the haunting melody.
Correct: My favorite Christmas hymn is “What Child is This?” The words draw me into the nativity scene, and the haunting melody appeals to me.


Well, how’d you do? Do you think you fixed all the sentences?

*Disclaimer: I’m by no means perfect at this. I use The Chicago Manual of Style and Webster’s Dictionary as my sources. The sentences to correct are fictitious.