Writing Glitch #757

Today’s glitch:

What we have here is a failure to make the introductory phrase (One of the most powerful hallucinogens in the garden) fit the rest of the sentence. Change the sentence to this: It is one of the most powerful hallucinogens in the garden, and smoking or ingesting the leaves will leave you a mumbling, giggling, screaming, gasping, confused wreck.

Add a comma after However.

When writing the scientific (binomial) name of something, italicize both words but capitalize only the first one: Salvia divinorum. (The writer of this example misspelled the name.)

Add in before herbal remedies.

Add a comma after digestive problems and another after sore throats.

It is one of the most powerful hallucinogens in the garden, and smoking or ingesting the leaves will leave you a mumbling, giggling, screaming, gasping, confused wreck. However, as a member of the sage family, Salvia divinorum is used in cooking and in herbal remedies to treat digestive problems, sore throats, and colds.

(For what it’s worth, ordinary sage — scientific name, Salvia officinalis — is also used to treat digestive problems, sore throats, and colds, and it doesn’t cause hallucinations, etc., plus it’s darn tasty in breakfast sausage and other foods.)

 

 

About Thomas Weaver

For several years, I’ve been putting my uncanny knack for grammar and punctuation, along with an eclectic mental collection of facts, to good use as a Wielder of the Red Pen of Doom (editor). I'm physically disabled, and I currently live with my smugly good-looking twin Paul, who writes military science fiction and refuses to talk about his military service because he can’t. Sometimes Paul and I collaborate on stories, and sometimes I just edit whatever he writes. It's worked out rather well so far. My list of non-writing-related jobs from the past includes librarian, art model, high school teacher, science lab gofer… Although I have no spouse or offspring to tell you about, I do have several cats. I currently spend my time blogging, reading, editing, and fending off cats who like my desk better than my twin’s.
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1 Response to Writing Glitch #757

  1. *Salvia apiana* is the variety found in my house. We don’t gather it for it’s medicinal uses. The ex is Native and the daughters use it for smudging.

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