Grammar Girl

I don't think it's a word I would ever use--it sounds awkward--but the three dictionaries I checked all included "funnily."

I do. I hear there's a big push to start teaching grammar again in Australia, and I believe the SAT recently added a grammar section.

It's very informal, but I've heard much worse from the media.

I covered it recently in my podcast, but I too have found that some people refuse to change despite logic and most style guides pointing to a one-space style: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/spaces-period-end-of-sentence.aspx

Thank you for the clarification. I've been a two space person up until now.

Thanks!

It is perfectly correct. Why do you think otherwise, by the way?

I did a podcast about "went missing" almost two years ago: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/went-missing.aspx

it may be technically correct but "has/have/had been missing, or "was missing" sounds better I think

Well, the use of comma in this stead is to mark the end of a complete word and a contraction. You wont use a comma if there was no contraction. For instance: Doughnut Holding Corporation.

The "AP Stylebook" and the "Chicago Manual of Style" recommend against using commas before "Inc."

I cringe too, but I also occasionally find myself doing it (or something like it). Speech is a more informal situation than writing, and we usually can't go back and edit what came out of our mouths.

I'm terribly sorry for daring to comment here but I believe I do have something worthy of mention to say. The use of with is optional when it is followed by the noun. For example: I had a meeting with my mentor. In verb form, however, with is often (not always) redundant; therefore, it is better to leave it out.

Baby I can hardly wait;
I'm gonna meet you at the gate.

I would take a different meaning from "I am meeting with Shankar" and "I am meeting Shankar."

The first (meeting with) suggests to me that the writer is having a discussion with Shankar. The second (meeting) suggests to me that the writer is being introduced to Shankar or joining Shankar at a specific location.

You're not alone. Lots of people have been buying multiple copies at the book signings to give as Christmas gifts!

Checked of the "to do" list! Hooray for coupons!

this takes toooo long!