Need help describing Chicago, for a story

[eevee]

Originally Posted by rca215

I would hope that any student in a decent English, Journalism or Education college program would have learned the rules of basic comma usage in high school (of even maybe middle school).

high school just grazes the topic, and, given the poor grammar of some current day high schoolers, it doesn't do that great of a job. it's like saying I don't need to do biology in college b/c I already took it in high school

all grammar nazis, go to the corner, pick up a published book from the shelf, and go to work on those instead of someone's draft if you feel such a need to criticize

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by eevee

high school just grazes the topic, and, given the poor grammar of some current day high schoolers, it doesn't do that great of a job. it's like saying I don't need to do biology in college b/c I already took it in high school

all grammar nazis, go to the corner, pick up a published book from the shelf, and go to work on those instead of someone's draft if you feel such a need to criticize

The grammar nazis were correct though with their critique of the comma usage. A sentence full of unnecessary commas does not read well--you don't have to be a grammar nazi to understand that. I don't think they were trying to be mean at all -- it's called constructive criticism. The only issue I have is that it's irrelevant to the original post.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

...
And if he did, he is probably a heavier-set guy with a beard, is a homebody and has a very dull passive-aggressive personality. That has always been my stereotype for the typical male who lives in, or grew up in, the Chicago suburbs.

Very few of the guys I know who grew up in the suburbs match that description. I think that's more of a description of guys from the small industrial towns in northern Illinois scattered outside of the Chicago area.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

I would say that the parents live in probably Lombard, Schaumburg, Wheaton, or Hoffman Estates...and maybe even Glendale Heights, all of which are out in the Western or Northwestern suburbs. But even then, the demographics and overall "culture" of the Chicagoland area, is somewhat different than the rest of the Midwest. I would say that the boyfriend in the story probably comes from Fort Wayne, or somewhere in Michigan or Ohio. I honestly cannot picture someone named Cole, who comes from the burbs. And if he did, he is probably a heavier-set guy with a beard, is a homebody and has a very dull passive-aggressive personality. That has always been my stereotype for the typical male who lives in, or grew up in, the Chicago suburbs.

Huh? While my name isn't Cole, I am not heavy set, have no beard and I am not a homebody. Who knows, I may be dull and passive agressive though.