Location, location, location

Add comment May 30th, 2009

I write a lot about choosing the right word, but picking the right spot can be just as important. Notice the difference in the two statements below, for example, when the article “a” is moved.

“Smith said there was a nearly four-hour meeting Wednesday night.”

“Smith said there was nearly a four-hour meeting Wednesday night.”

The first one says the meeting ran almost four hours.

The second suggests the meeting didn’t quite happen. And since it apparently was scheduled to last four hours, maybe that would be a good thing.