Grammar grab bag
The four-page document, [that/which] the FBI said is inaccurate, had been the focus of weeks of partisan fights.
What is which?
He'll be [alright/all right] after he eats something.
What is all right?
The staff is [comprised of/composed of] 50 journalists.
What is composed of?
This is the generic equivalent of Kleenex.
What is tissue?
The accident occurred at 763 Othello [Dr./Drive].
What is Drive?
Scooby and the gang revealed the culprit to be [who/whom]?
What is whom?
The [everyday/every day] annoyances of rush-hour traffic are many.
What is everyday?
The airline's on-time departures were significantly lower [compared to/compared with] their competitors.
What is compared with?
This is the generic equivalent of Google.
Brenda Smith, the company's [president and CEO/President and CEO], spoke at the conference.
What is president?
Either the orcs or Gollum [is/are] going to stop Frodo from destroying the One Ring.
What is is?
It's been [awhile/a while] since I visited Boston.
What is a while?
Police said the gas station was held up and their only lead was that the [suspect/robber] left in a blue Toyota Highlander with Virginia plates.
What is robber?
This is the generic equivalent of ChapStick.
What is lip balm?
We love shopping at the [farmer's/farmers'/farmers] market every weekend.
What is farmers?
[Whoever/whomever] wins this game gets bragging rights.
What is whoever?
He dropped his child off at [day care/daycare/day-care].
What is daycare?
[Lie/lay] across my big brass bed.
What is lie?
This is the generic equivalent of Velcro (or at least the company's preference).
What is hook-and-loop fastener?
The [United States's/United States'] history is fairly short compared to other nations.
What is United States'?
If I [was/were] the trainer, I would have done this differently.
What is were?
Subjunctive mood is used for a hypothetical or a wishful statement and uses if ... were.
To help remember this, think of "Fiddler on the Roof" ("If I were a rich man...") or Beyonce ("If I were a boy...").
The suspect turned himself [into/in to] police.
What is in to?
The president stood behind the [podium/lectern] to give his speech.
What is lectern?
(You stand behind a lectern and on a podium.)
This is the generic equivalent of Frisbee.
What is flying disc?
The Who [is/are] playing at the halftime show.
What is are?
(Team or group names with no plural forms still take plural verbs.)