The Eight Parts of Speech: Pronouns

Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun or reflect back towards a noun.

The word that the pronoun replaces (or the noun that it refers to) is called the antecedent. A common mistake is to use a pronoun that doesn't have a clear reference (without a clear antecedent). An example is, “It is cold.” We may follow up with, “What is the thing that's cold?”, “The wind,” So we might as well have begun with, “The wind is cold.”

There are six types of pronouns

1. Personal Pronouns – These are the common pronouns.
2. Possessive Pronouns – These are pronouns that convey ownership
3. Intensive/Reflexive Pronouns – Intensive and Reflexive pronouns are words that end in -self or -selves. The difference is where they are placed within a sentence and what is their job. An Intensive Pronoun is a word that follows the “I” in a sentence and is used to intensify the “I”. [I myself bought the book].A reflexive pronoun is a word that replaces the 'I' in a sentence. [I bought the book myself.] Please note two things. First, never use -self words in any other way. Use me. Second, do not begin a sentence with a reflexive or intensive pronoun.
4. Relative Pronouns – Are used to introduce adjective clauses (See Adjectives for More Information). They are the same words that are used by interrogative pronouns however, they do not ask questions.
5. Interrogative Pronouns – Are used to ask questions. Who, What, Whom, Which, Whose
6. Demonstrative Pronouns – These are pronouns that point to things. This, that, these, those
7. Indefinite Pronouns – Are words that don't elicit particular things. For example someone, somebody, anyone, nobody, ect. The difficulty with these words are knowing which are singular and which are plural so that you may know which verb form to use.
8. Reciprocal Pronouns – These pronouns refer to specific parts of a plural noun.

Here are some examples of the above pronouns.

1. Personal Pronouns – They always function as noun equivalents
   
   Singular: I, me, you, she, her, he him, itPlural: We, us, you, they, them

2. Possessive Pronouns – Indicate Ownership
   
   Singular: My, mine, your, yours, her, hers, his, itsPlural: Our, ours, your, yours, their, theirs

**Some of these can also function as pronoun adjectives

3. Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns – Emphasize another noun or another pronoun
   
   Singular: Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself
   Plural: Ourselves, yourselves, themselves
4. Relative Pronouns – They indicate subordinate clauses which function as adjective clauses. Sometimes they are used to point back to noun or pronoun it modifies.
   
   Examples: Who, whom, whose, which, that
   * Sometimes the words whichever, whoever, whomever, what, and whatever are considered relative pronouns, however they do not point back to the noun or pronoun.

5. Interrogative Pronoun – Are used to ask questions
   
   Examples: Who, whom, whose, which, that

6. Demonstrative Pronouns – They are used to identify or point to nouns.
   
   Examples: This, that, these, those

7. Indefinite Pronouns – These are words that refer to nonspecific persons or things. Some are singular, some are plural, the trick is to learn the difference.
   
   Examples: All, anything, everyone, nobody, several, another, both, everything, none, some, any, each, few, no one, somebody, anybody, either, many, nothing, someone, anyone, everybody, neither, one, something.

8. Reciprocal Pronouns – These pronouns refer to specific parts of a plural noun.
   Examples: Each other, one another

** Please note, because pronouns can cause so many problems for writers, I'll be going over the three top problems in a different article – Namely the pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun reference problems, and then going over the differences between I and me, and who and whom.

 

** You can click on the image below for a larger picture.

 

The Eight Parts of Speech: Adjectives

        Adjectives are words that modify nouns or pronouns. That's all. An easy way that helps me remember which words are adjectives (so when I know I'm using too many) is that adjectives “ad” to the “subject”. This also works for adverbs (words that “ad” to “verbs”, but we'll destroy that wall when we discuss that topic). Here are a few helpful pointers:

        1) The definite article The and the indefinite article A are both adjectives.

         2) Their, Its, and This are pronouns that can be used as adjectives

         3) They answer the questions:
                - Which one?
                - What kind?
                - How many?

         4) Words that end with the following suffixes are typically adjectives:
                -ful, -ous, -y, -ish, -able, -ial, -less, -isble, -ent, -ing, -ly, - -ar, -ive

Don't Bother me with the Weather

“To those who refuse to see: Please get well soon.”

        If there were ever a train wreck, it happened upon her head. No one was quite sure what it was or why it happened. Purple and green and yellow and orange were splattered and spotted across a fusion of puffy and bristled hair. But perhaps the only reasonable excuse could be mustered in defense against her ruddy face, which was truly an accident. As she paced back and forth across the room, her students head's bobbed like buoys lost at sea.

“Good morning,” said Professor Corrah, finally resting at her lectern.

      What's wrong with the above? A few would say nothing, but there is a large following that would cry foul from the rooftops. They would claim the writer is cheating the reader. Instead of experiencing a great story, the author commits to the easy road and simply narrates. Let's call the predicament, “Showing versus Telling.” When writing a story we find it very tempting to narrate everything. A woman's dress was elegant, swiftly gliding across the dance floor. A man, with a pointy noise and bloodshot eyes, kept glancing at the clock, watching as his essay deadline approached. Maybe something a bit more exotic took place, and we found a student with a bright, smiling face, hand-in his essay on time. In every instance we start walking down a knife point. Do we choose to narrate or do we choose to show? I believe I have an answer: Both.

        It's a cheater's way to begin, but it's true – and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Monopolizing the way an individual writes is perhaps the greatest crime against humanity. No one prefers a statutory book, and no one wants a pamphlet full of fast pace events which end at the last period. Each method tries to tear an amateur writer to their side of the world. But as readers, we all know what we enjoy. What we enjoy is something in-between, a fusion of narrative and experience, a combination of showing and telling. But that's precisely what we need to understand: how can we blend showing and telling?

        There are only a handful of tools every writer must posses. A writer can narrate a scene or be equally creative and use dialogue to probe his surroundings. He may decide to speed up his events or slow them down, holding onto every second of every moment. It's a simple square that writers all over the world pass off for “greater” and “better” things. But lets take a moment and stay principled.
 
        We rain fire on narrations and dialogues alike because we forget what they are for. If we called the narrator the champion of us all then the world would be as lifeless as the whispers of abstract winds as they rustle through trees. If we hailed dialogue as our king, then why do we write books? Stop reading and watch a movie, or, better yet, go see a play. There must be a balance and it is found in our purpose. And that is it. What is the purpose of narration or the purpose of dialogue? It's to convey meaning. We prefer narration when the object of our gaze is our concern. A labyrinthine temple is much more ominous than a character's whimsical thoughts about the arches – unless the purpose is to demonstrate how short-witted your characters are, which proves my second point. Dialogue is always preferable to narration when your characters have a color to splash with. A series of Uh-um's and that's-interesting's may save you from a decent conversation but that won't cut it when you're wasting words on nothing. Yes, that's right. Uh-um's and that's-interesting's even in conversation express only one thing: I've got nothing on that.
       
        But narration and dialogue each posses a special trait that we tend to forget. We narrate because we want to “get on with it,” and nothing more. In a high speed car chase, who cares about the grass? It's about life and death, it's about who has the larger gun or more bullets, it's about me or him. Narration is about mastering the uncanny ability to cut out all excess information, forcing the reader to see the world as one painful point. On the other hand, we can use dialogue to express an intimate moment or to hold an answer in mid-flight. Imagine a mother rushing home because a hooded man tried to grab her in the parking lot. She arrives home to her husband who's waiting at the kitchen table. He looks at her then the door, and asks, “Where's my boy?”

        Timing is another consideration. Stories may be slowed or quickened to heighten effect. But what must be considered is the moment being expressed. A lovely scene becomes more tender the longer it lasts or becomes more bitter, sad, and desperate when it's shortened. Two youngesters holding hands as they take a midnight stroll through the park is a tender moment. The next morning when their town is destroyed by aliens, allowing you to describe their last moment as a battle to stay together as they are separated by storming mobs of people is bitter, sad, and, definitely, desperate. The juxtaposition of both of those scenes flips and magnifies the overall perspective into a tide of criminal allegations from your readers that you're a heartless wretch – they'll thank you later when you reunite them... in heaven. (That's brutal.) What I'll encourage you to do is play with your timing. Stretch it out and see what happens, shorten it and wonder if the effect captures the moment.

        The differences between showing and telling is only paralleled by the predicament of dialogue and narration. Some writers will choke you if you prefer narration and others will burn you at the stake and charge you with treason for favoring the tools of a playwright. The choice is up to you, every tool is free for the taking. Experiment with it, see what happens, and, if fire falls from the heavens, remember what Ray Bradbury said, “If you don't like my books, go write you own.”

Knowledge and Understanding: Plato and King Solomon

Many people have argued that "the Good" of Plato was the God of Christianity. Whether this may be correct or not, I think it is worth considering a parallel that Plato and King Solomon draw between "Knowledge" and "Understanding", though King Solomon has the better advantage ^_^:

"What? Haven't you noticed that beliefs without knowledge are all shameful and ugly things, since the best of them are blind? Do you think that those who have true belief without understanding are any different from blind people who happen to travel the right road?" - Plato's Republic

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for under...standing; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God...That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it." - King Solomon, Proverbs 2:1-17, 20-21

From State to State

      Finally, I'm home. A few hours ago I flew from Texas, one of the greatest states in our Union, and came out in one of the states I've called home. I was greeted with news that made me jump higher than a little boy on Christmas morning or shout louder than a man watching the super bowl. Three years ago the Republican Party made an ultimatum and today they delivered their promise.

      For those who do not remember, three years ago the Republicans and Libertarians pledged that if the Democrats passed a bill through the budget, they would destroy it through the budget. Under reconciliation the Democratic party passed the Affordable Care Act with a strict party-line 51% vote – ramrodding it passed our traditional, super-majority threshold. In the upcoming elections the Democratic party lost the control of the House and gave up several seats in the senate. But the rally to repeal the most destructive bill under the Obama Administration did not end with our elections nor our Tea Party and Libertarian movements. Large Corporations, Big Unions, and our representative government opted out of Obama's healthcare. They pleaded with our president and lobbied our congress to pass exemptions to free them from their economic demise. The fruition of our labors, three years later, is a bi-partisan attempt to defund Obamacare.

     There are some who will read this as adoration and excitement for a government shutdown. Nothing could be farther from the truth; Nothing could cause more grief than to watch our Senate fight so fervently to destroy our nation. I have prayed that the American government would listen to the American people. I have prayed that Americans will understand that Liberty is non-partisan. I have prayed that America will look beyond satisfying our president and seek what is right for our people. And today Congress has stood toe-to-toe fighting for this cause. Today our government placed us before their reputation. Today Liberty became non-partisan. Today Americans and America came together to tell our president that America is worth more than his reputation. If our government is unwilling to hear our voices then our government is undeserving of our funds.


Whether or not the fight against Obamacare is long-lived, a statement was clearly made. The American people are becoming more aware that there are too many politicians too far away from home.

A Candid Response: What Women Talk

        My previous post was written quiet some time ago but my belief that someone, somewhere would take it the wrong way prevented an earlier publication. Now I'm sharing a record of how that conversation went. I'm not here to wave my hand to self-fulfilled prophecy or to usher in an example of hostilities found in debate - I'm simply recording an exchange and hope that anyone who has found offense under the same contentions will have foreknowledge of my position.

The original post may be found here.

The name of the my friend will be left unknown for the privacy's sake.

Sealhy Nendyek -
"Um. Wow. I really have no words. Has it ever occurred to you that gender is secondary to humanity? And that these neatly packaged ideas of how to relate to this absurd creature called 'woman' is possibly irrelevant because we really aren't so different than men? I suppose gender roles, and stereotypes, and adopting an 'us vs. them' mentality, looking at us like we're some sort of novelty behind a glass is just so much easier than approaching us like we are merely another human being just like yourself. If you are having a hard time understanding someone, or are not sure how to relate to them, I always suggest a little open, honest communication, accompanied by an open mind. Funnily enough, this applies regardless of gender, or age, or position, etc. But don't mind me. I'm female. I'm sure I need you to pander to me, and anything more I just wouldn't understand."



Me -

I think you misunderstood the whole point of me writing this. It wasn't a thesis on "womanhood" and why manhood is different or, God forbid, better, if anything, notice that I only poked fun at males. And that perspective (to make fun of your own gender) is typical of these sorts of articles. For example most of these types of articles are written by women, and they poke fun at women. This one was written by a man (or a boy if you prefer) and was designed to poke fun at men.

True, we can diverge into the realm of stereotypes (which I do believe on a macro scale holds some form of truth), but I believe where we seriously diverge from the same path is the notion that humanity is preferable before gender. It's like saying automobiles are more preferable to corvettes or that insects are more noble than the ant. To me it seems that the negation of particularity is the negation of personality - you can't throw one out and hope to keep the other.

But perhaps, since I have gone this far, I must continue to the root of the gender wars: Feminism. The problem with feminism is that it isn't feminine. The problem with feminism is that it is entirely unconcerned with feminism and entirely concerned with masculinity. In one fell swoop and perhaps with a wave of a much more dully colored flag, they usher in Protagoras as their god and cry out, "Man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not." Feminism, with all their secular philosophy, assumes that the fulfillment of womanhood is simply completed by doing what men do, and along the way they drop the divine notion that they were created by God for a much greater, and wholly different, purpose.



Sealhy Nendyek -

Feminists. Evil bra-burners & man haters. Their 'secular philosophy' is what exactly? Social & economic equality? How horrifying. The freedom to define their own femininity that may or may not conform to someone else's 'ideal woman'? How dare they. It's not about who's stronger, or what roles someone needs to be confined to. It's not about defining someone else's femininity or masculinity for them. I was born female. I identify as female. Therefore I am feminine. There is no set standard that I have to conform to in order to claim that. The exact same thing goes everyone else. You think feminists only have a problem when people try to define women? That we could care less about society's rigid gender roles for men? You're right. That's terrible. We should just let well enough alone. Things like rape culture, gender discrimination, male centric standards of beauty don't exist. After all, if we reduce feminism to a ridiculous caricature, then we can convince hordes of people that it means something that it doesn't. Men and women are different. Just like men are different than other men, and women are different from other women. You reduce everyone's individuality to a simple black and white box.



Me -

I apologize Ashley, but if you received the notion that I thought Feminists were man-haters then I misstated. I meant to say that they obsess over men, they think their grass is much too green. Hence my pun to Protagoras about man being the standard for all things. But before I begin I would like to make one thing clear, I'll be responding to feminism's ideals. In otherwords, I'll argue where they erred, I am not providing the solution.

Let's begin with economic equality because that's the most fascinating. If we go back one-hundred years, we'll see a very different America. An America that viewed a traditional set of ideals: men went to work, women stayed at home, children had to learn. When Feminists came to centre stage it revolted against this tradition. But what's fascinating is how they did it.

First, the home was altered from a house to a prison compound. The perception was deftly one-sided - a woman at home is a woman unused. While a man is away exploring the depths of culture and the far-reaches of civilization, the woman was left at home to fiddler with her fingers. The most horrifying blindness of this one-sided approach is that it reduces children to worthlessness. In a conflagration the workplace became important and the home became the burning stake.

Second, the work place was glorified as the chisel against their chains. Again, notice the one-sidedness: give a woman a job and now she's worthwhile. Take away the women from the family, and now the family is complete. How is that? The lie that was eaten was that the world constituted everything outside the home when the opposite is true. It is the home that has made every civilization, and the job to keep it was given to the woman.

And third, the notion of economic equality is false advertising. It's false advertising because no one talks about the role of a job. People get jobs because people need money - we call this wage slavery. And I think rightly so. For feminism's response to this predicament was to give equal slavery to everyone. Again, notice the one-sidedness. They didn't expect the man to come home and be equal parents for their children, they sent the woman to the grinding stone and attack the family.

Next, I'll move to your definition of femininity. It seems as though you're comfortable in saying your feminine because of a certain organ arrangement. I suppose I must have misspoken when I thought that speaking about women was to address a lofty set of ideals, it appears in your case it was some sort of cosmic accident. Either way, your definition prohibits any freedom of the will.

And your last point. It is true, men and women are different from each other, also men are different from other men, but I do believe we have something going for us when we still call all the men in the room men. The ideals of man is to be a protector and provider, the ideals for a woman is to train up and guide. Do we really wish to argue that the protector is worth more than what is being protected? Is the treasure chest really worth more than the treasure?

What Women Talk

There is nothing worse than an unsophisticated male spending a night reading article upon article on how women should understand men. Women need to understand that men need their space; Women need to understand that men could care less about emotional rollercoasters; Women need to understand that men care even if they don't say so; Women need to understand that men only need six objects in their bathroom (toilet paper being three of them... For those who are guessing a toothbrush, tooth paste, and deodorant complete the six necessary objects.) And the list goes on and on and on. What I propose is to write a male's take upon this nasty subject. What I propose is that a male should try to understand a woman. No, on second thought, I propose something less sophisticated than that. I propose to take a moment of silence, and then read a few topical paraphrases on some common sense male perspective. As the old adage goes, “Let us know thine enemy.”

 

Empty Calorie Talk:

Men, you're going to have to roll with me on this one. The empty calorie talk will seem like the longest, most unfruitful talk of your life – but I promise you it will become the largest bomb ever dropped if you don't recognize it when it happens. Imagine yourself having a graceful moment with death and you want to realize how fortunate you really are to be alive. True, deciding to use your dad's rickety ladder on the first story roof to get to your second story roof wasn't a smart idea. But now you're on the ground. You're happy, satisfied, and need nothing more to complete your moment. However, up walks a woman you know and she begins saying, “You wouldn't believe how horrible this is!!! My Bff's brother's girlfriend who's long lost cousin was at a bookstore who somehow got there by mistake because her aunt didn't respond to her text because she was out town because her husbands sister's bff has an amazing summer house and invited the entire family... blah blah blah.” You've already tuned out everything she's saying because you're simply satisfied with embracing the simple beauty of life. After relating this dreadfully awful story, you know an obvious solution to her uncanny predicament. DON'T SAY IT! If it's an obvious answer, then it's a sign that you've been lead into an Empty Calorie Talk. Your response is simple. You look her in the eyes, pause (for effect), and then say, “I understand, and that's really terrible.” Yes. That's right, then entire hour it took for her to convey her story could be answered in one sentence. She doesn't want a solution, she wants understanding. And that's why it's the empty calorie talk – no answers, no opinions, just understanding... You can even bring up some similar situations from your past to justify your position.

The Tea Time Special:

This is the talk between talks, so it's a bit more special and a bit more devastating if you get it wrong. These are those short phone calls or sporadic text messages. No woman wants a fully committed conversation during these moments. She simply wants to know that you're “there”. No, I didn't say, “alive”. I said, “there”. Where? “There”. No one knows where that is, but it exists and you need to be there... No, not here, but there.

The Hot Cocoa with extra whipped cream sit down:

This is the semi-sweet small talk that every man is afraid of. Buckle yourself up and prepare for me to use the f-word: feelings. Guys have them, and women want to know about them. No, not always in a personal way, but in a feely sort of way. Let me explain. You watch a movie and she asks, “How did you like the movie?” You reply, “It was good.” WRONG! Obviously it had to be somewhat good or else she would be telling you how bad it was and it would become an empty calorie talk and she would only want you to understand and agree. What she is actually asking is, “How did this movie impact your normal thought-pattern in a new, improved, and, perhaps, deeper way? How do you 'feel' about the movie?” Make sense? Of course not, but it's true. Try to emphasize a feeling, an event, and then a past correlated event. Process – every man's dream.
 

The Midnight Snack:

The question of all questions, the question every man will ask, but no man will have an answer (spoiler: I don't have the answer either) is, “Why did you wait until I was asleep to talk about this?” Now guys, I know there are only two popular options: we continue to ask this question over and over again expecting a new answer or we do the infinitely worse thing by rolling over and going back to sleep. This goes for anything (text messages and nap-times are included). The midnight snack talk is exactly as it sounds – it can be quick and painless (if the food is available) or it could ruin the rest of the night (when you find out that your brother ate the last of the ice cream that you bought). And that's the decision you'll have to make. Something will be sacrificed. By the end of snack time you will have either lost fifteen minutes or fifteen hours (oh yes, if you manage to go back to sleep she'll be waiting for you in the morning. And it doesn't matter if you don't remember.). Oh, and this goes for any female in your life: friend, sister, or mother.

Things Not to Do:

1) The Monte Cristo – Being a Monte Cristo is effective only if you wish to execute vengeance on an entire social class and hope to escape unnoticed. As part of being a man is also being known. This may be more difficult for those that are shy and unwilling to entertain the idea of going out and starting a conversation. However, there is hope. When a conversation is started, express likes and dislikes. Maybe you give the one-liner and not the story, backstory, sub-plot, inspiring events, and the day you were born. Those may become important, but not now - Simply be known. The man behind the veil is a great stage performer – not a great life experience.

2) Don't lose an argument – Yes, you read this correctly. I said DON'T lose an argument. Every man knows what I mean, and every woman will understand in a moment (Perhaps you didn't know this ^_^). Ask yourself this question, “When you're in a heated discussion, has throwing up your hands and saying, 'Fine! You're right,' ever help the situation?” Doesn't that always produce the intended result? Doesn't she always reply, “Oh. Thank you for acknowledging my position and conceding your right to being correct. Would you like to forget that this argument ever happened?” Of course not. She then debates you on why you dropped the argument and assumes that you simply want to end the discussion. Or, most infamous of them all, she says, “So that's how it's going to be?” Yeah, every man knows that the discussion is about to get real. By the way, that deep sigh and rolling of the eyes won't help you in the long run.

Here's what you have to do: you have to fight like you're fighting a marlin. To win you have to lose, to lose you have to win. You pull in your big guns, and then let them fail. You pull in more of you big guns, and then let them fail. You pull in more of your big guns, and then let them fail. Do you understand the picture? If you hook a marlin, you can't simply reel it straight out of the water. You have reel her in, then let her swim out, then you have to reel her in, and then let her swim out, then you have to reel here in, and then let her swim out. How long must you do this? Well, there isn't a specific standard, but I can tell you it won't take eight hours. Simply repeat the process until saying, “Fine, you're right,” comes out naturally. She'll be happy, you'll be happy, the world will be happy, and, most importantly, the point you wanted to communicate is communicated.

Things to Do:

1) By-Cause – Men, we are all infamous of this. The original English words for because were By Cause. Later, this useful phrase became a contraction and wrote as By-Cause. And now, by-cause of the words popularity, we use the word Because. But let us go back in history and remember our former friend, By Cause. This is the point that makes all conversations worth having. No one is really interested in the fact that Christ rose from the dead, we are more interested, much more interested, in the reason why, or the by-cause, that lead to His crucifixion and eventual resurrection. We are not merely interested in being fired from our job, but desire to understand by-what-cause got us fired. Or perhaps when we decided to have that second ice cream without asking, we can justify our actions by-cause of our hard work. In any case, this old friend of ours is a cherished relic that won't be leaving us any time soon.

So what does this have to do with us men? We need to begin using this word more often – at least in our heads. When a woman walks in and says, “I've been shopping all day.” A simple, “Oh, that's nice.” isn't the most gratuitous act. If a woman we're infatuated with walks in and says, “I've been shopping all day,” simply replying, albeit much more emphatically, “Oh, that's nice!” still isn't the most gratuitous act. The problem isn't how emphatic, but in wondering why she was shopping. Most women trick us into this by walking into the door and asking, “Guess where I've been all day?” See what happened there? She's inviting you into the exhilarating experience of thinking the by-causes of her day. But why wait for the invitation? When a woman walks in and says, “I've been shopping all day,” think, for a moment, “Do I know all the by-causes in her shopping experience?” Of course not! Simply ask, “Why did you go to the store? Why did you buy spaghetti noodles and popcorn? Oh! Is that chocolate bar for me?” Okay, some questions are best left unasked, but do you understand the point? Because is the infinite reservoir of conversation and interest. As long as there is someone doing something and someone interested in why, the word because will exist. Use it.

The End:

And lastly, but definitely not least, is the truth. If you have read to the end it's because you're a female. If you happen to be a male, either you're in a tough situation (by which you are now desperately scourging google to find the answer and happen to fall upon this article) or you're being forced and you're trying to do the right thing. And that's exactly my point. Men already know this, they already know the right thing to do. But what makes a man a man (and not a woman) is that they know exactly what to do, ponder doing it, and then do the exact opposite. Fathers, I know you've looked at your son and have said this countless times. I know because I'm a son, and my father has given up saying it. He simply laughs and joins in – the true art of manship.