Hello everyone:

I had someone from the south ask me how basements are built. She had lived most of her life in a state where no one had a basement due to a high water table and she simply did not know.

I explained how the dirt movers come in and hollow out what looks like a deep pool and then how concrete is poured over rebar and how footings are also poured into place. The house is then constructed over the basement. The house is not built and then the basement dug out. Nope, you have to start with a good foundation for the cellar and you go from there.

Writing, especially good writing, is like building a basement. You take the usual rules of punctuation and grammar as your basement and then layer on the house till you get the height you desire. If you have poor grammar or punctuation that is lacking, it is like building your house and then trying to scoop out the basement.

With that method, you will undermine the structure of the house, much like you would undermine the quality of your writing.

That’s why it is so vital that you pay attention to the rules of construction. In this case, you are focusing on the mechanical issues. This will, in turn, produce a house with a strong foundation and a written document that will get a better grade.

Best,

Dr. Sheri