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Proper grammar/puctuation help

"Deposit Please"

"Deposit Please"

New Member
I'm lettering up a van and i just want to make sure we use proper grammar/punctuation. My main concern is the etc. Should i add a few dots before or after etc or is it good as you read it. Seems simple, but i want to get it right. Let me know if anything else is off. thanks


MoonWalks,
Obstacle Courses,
Slides, etc.
222.222.2222
 
thewood

thewood

New Member
The ellipsis is not necessary. You have it correct. The abbreviation for "et cetera" should be preceded by a comma and followed by a period.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Always try to get around it by putting in "and more" if the concern is that profound. Times like this I wish I had kept my grammar book handy.
 
Jillbeans

Jillbeans

New Member
I think you should use the archaic abbreviation:
&ct.
But then again I've been reading a lot of Jane Austen.
Love....Jill
PS
I'm kidding, I agree with post #9.
Whatever you do...DON'T use "& More!" God I hate that.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Jillbeans said:
Whatever you do...DON'T use "& More!" God I hate that.
Click to expand...


I don't like it either, but if it's a choice of that or making a grammatical mistake, which one would be the lesser of two evils? Now, I have put "and more" but that under direction to do so. There is a sign in one of the hick towns around here that did a mistake with a contraction. I doubt most of them notice it, but I hate seeing it every time I have to go in and out of the town(it's on the back side of the town's "welcome sign").

Now, "whatnot" would make me pull my hair out. I hope that was an exaggeration for effect.
 
ddarlak

ddarlak

Go Bills!
The ellipsis would be redundant.
Click to expand...

if someone is using etc on their vehicle, i think they are going for redundancy....

it's advertising, not grammer class. you want to make a point, not teach a class...

its' etc... all the way!!!!
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
ddarlak said:
if someone is using etc on their vehicle, i think they are going for redundancy....

it's advertising, not grammer class. you want to make a point, not teach a class...

its' etc... all the way!!!!
Click to expand...

Bad grammar can take away from the point of the ad. Depends on the target audience, and the grammatical infraction. If it's some esoteric flaw, I doubt that'll get noticed, but if it's an obvious run-on, you might have some issue.

Spelling and grammar are quality control issues in my book. That reflects on the quality of the person that you hired to do the job and on you as well, because you allowed that copy to go to print. But that's just me.
 
Jim Doggett

Jim Doggett

New Member
Take a tip from the world's most successful retailer (Wal-mart Stores). No punctuation is better.

Even in ad copy in magazine, the rule is limit punctuation. It's less visually appealing and appears in some studies I've read to reduce readership. The thought is it breaks it up and thus people find a stopping point sooner.
 
ddarlak

ddarlak

Go Bills!
Spelling and grammar are quality control issues in my book
Click to expand...

given...

i still stand by my point, if your using etc in advertising, you mean more than the written word... more than grammer can justify...

...
 
Edserv

Edserv

New Member
Why not take advantage of this>>>>CALL TODAY?

Or, what I really mean is, bla, bla, bla, ETC>>>>Here's What I Really Mean! Call Now!

Etc, Etc, Etc, Etc,>>>>>>Call Now For 20% OFF Your Next Purchase!
 
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