What does that really mean?

Susan Pierotti, Creative Text Solutions Sometimes, to save space, I’ve mistakenly left out necessary words in a sentence. As an editor, I see that it happens to other authors as well. It is a good idea to read aloud what you have written before publishing it, as the ear can pick up things that the eye doesn’t. Squinting while writing The mention of eyes brings me to the topic of this blog – the squinting modifier. Yes, there is such a thing. Here are a few examples: “Couples who fight frequently get divorced.” Sounds plain enough, until you realise it can be read in two different ways – and it’s not possible to work out which way is meant. Does it mean that all couples who fight frequently will eventually end up in the divorce court? Or does it refer to couples who fight often who get divorced?   Here’s another one: “Bill greeted the woman with a smile.”So is Bill smiling or the woman?   It’s called a squinting modifier because the sentence can be looked at both ways but we still don’t see clearly what it means. Strange headlines To save on copy space, headlines are designed to be punchy and brief. Unfortunately, it can result in the following:

• Kids make nutritious snacks. (Are kids eaten as snacks?)
• Stolen painting found by tree.  (Did a tree find the stolen painting?)
• Lung cancer in women mushrooms. (Are there women mushrooms?)
• Two Soviet ships collide, one dies. (Did one of the ships die?)

So, be careful when you chop something out that you haven’t reduced the meaning as well. If you are still unsure about your writing, the services of a professional proofreading and copyediting service will assist you with accurate and comprehensible punctuation. Contact www.creativetext.com.au for further assistance.