A Parenthetical Puzzle

A Parenthetical Puzzle A Parenthetical Puzzle A Parenthetical Puzzle By Mark Nichol Writers sometimes trip themselves up when they try to introduce a parenthetical element in a sentence without ensuring that the main clause of the sentence remains grammatically coherent. Here’s a troublesome example of this type of error, with a discussion of possible revisions. In the sentence â€Å"Smith was one of, if not the first, female members of the organization,† the writer is attempting to communicate two related ideas too early in the syntactical structure: Smith was one of the first female members of the organization, and she may have been the first female member of the organization. The preceding sentence is a possible revision, but the two thoughts can be expressed more concisely. To untangle the original sentence, revise it so that if the parenthetical element what is positioned between the commas (or a pair of parentheses or dashes) is deleted, what remains stands as a coherent sentence. The sentence without the parenthesis, â€Å"Smith was one of female members of the organization,† is not grammatically sound, because â€Å"the first† is expected to bear the responsibility of serving both points of the sentence. With the parenthesis, â€Å"female members† is expected to apply both to â€Å"one of† and â€Å"the first,† but the phrases are not parallel in structure. How about aligning the two points by using â€Å"the first† in each phrase? â€Å"Smith was one of the first, if not the first, female members of the organization† is closer to correct, but the parenthetical phrase still doesn’t agree with â€Å"female members.† (I’ve also seen constructions like â€Å"Smith was one of the, if not the, first female members of the organization.† The sentence is valid if the parenthesis is deleted, but the full sentence, again, is not parallel in structure.) Let’s try moving the phrase â€Å"female members† before the parenthesis: â€Å"Smith was one of the first female members, if not the first, of the organization.† That’s better, but it still reads awkwardly. How about moving â€Å"of the organization† before the parenthetical, too? (â€Å"Smith was one of the first female members of the organization, if not the first.†) The parenthetical is no longer a parenthetical it’s just a truncated phrase tacked onto the end of the main clause that implies the wording â€Å"if not the first female member of the organization† but the grammatical architecture is now sound. Sometimes, as in this case, a sentence is flawed in form it just won’t support a parenthetical element and must be restructured. This post analyzes three similarly impaired sentences. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating ConjunctionsTop 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)Forming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

How to Get a Job in HealthCare Administration

How to Get a Job in HealthCare Administration if you look around at industries that have weathered the recession with few losses in jobs and pay, the healthcare professions are at the forefront. and the best news is, not every job in health care requires advanced medical training or degrees. there are literally hundreds of opportunities in different aspects of the field, both clinical and otherwise. here are five strategies to get your foot in the door- a crucial first step toward getting your career off the ground.1. pay attentionparticularly when trying to break into a new and complicated industry, it’s crucial to do a good deal of research. what are the driving issues of the moment? who are the important companies and names to keep in mind? bone up until you can speak intelligently about the industry. then figure out who’s hiring, and start staking out networking opportunities.2. minglenetworking is going to be your best friend here. remember that the most important factor when changing careers is who you know ( not what you know). volunteer, get active in social media discussions, ask friends of friends to introduce you to their contacts. show your eagerness and willingness to the right people and eventually you’ll find your in.3. assess your skill setyou may think you’re starting at the bottom rung with nothing, but most likely you have a number of skills under your belt that are totally transferrable into your new health care career. experience in sales, it, marketing, client care, administration- all of these can be extremely valuable. when in doubt, find an entry-level non-clinical position that can get you through the door, then work your way further into the field from that position.4. be humbleyou may be a 5- or 10-year veteran in the workforce, but if you have 0 years medical experience, you might want to take a step back and consider taking a job that might otherwise be beneath your current stage in life. remember that an entry-level gig in your brand-new medical car eer might serve you 10 times better (and much faster) than any position in current field. do what’s right for you, but remember to maintain some perspective.5. ask for helpfinding a mentor can be just the thing to help you on your quest. once you get your first gig in a hospital or office, even if you’re barely just answering the phones, you can absolutely seek out an experienced veteran and ask them to help steer you in the right direction. you’ll never go wrong emphasizing your willingness to learn, to put in the hard work and effort, and your keenness to keep advancing in your field.interested? Â  apply here