Susan B. Kline ~ Business Communications
              Sending professional messages that are clear, concise and correct

4

Which is correct?
A. Each editor has a list of guidelines that has been prepared.
B. Each editor has a list of guidelines that have been prepared.
 

Logic dictates that it’s the singular noun list (singular) that has been prepared – so has is correct. Because the word guidelines is located in a prepositional phrase (of guidelines), it does not count when determining the number of the subject.

1

Is it:  Neither Bob nor Cathy were sure of their company’s policy on sexual harassment.  or Neither Bob nor Cathy was sure of their company’s policy on sexual harassment.

Was is correct. The rule: When a compound subject is joined by either…or or neither…nor, the verb agrees with the part of the subject closer to it; in this case, the singular word Cathy.
 

2

"There is intense intimacy and heart-wrenching emotions." Is or are?

Are is correct – but not entirely pleasing. The structure is awkward because the compound subject (intimacy + emotions) comes after the verb.
Better to revise: Intense intimacy and heart-wrenching emotions heighten the drama of the film.
 

6

In the following pair, I want to use the first option, as it feels right to me, but I cannot explain why. I must admit that the second option seems to be the obvious correct answer.
a. Most important was a, b and c.
b. Most important were a, b and c.

The correct version is b. You've inverted the sentence so the plural subject (a ,b and c) follows the verb. Used with the verb were, the sentence sounds fine; but if you are uncomfortable, restructure: Of all the reasons, a, b and c are the most important.

7

“There is intense intimacy and heart-wrenching emotions.” Is or are? Thanks.

Are is correct – but not entirely pleasing. The structure is awkward because the compound subject (intimacy + emotions) comes after the verb.
Better to revise: Intense intimacy and heart-wrenching emotions heighten the drama of the film.

5

Which of the following is correct:
Annual Shareholders’ Meeting or Annual Shareholders Meeting
In our office we are divided on whether to use the apostrophe.
 

 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting is correct.

We're wondering what is the proper way to write town-wide? Our organization is called "Town Wide PTO,” but, of course, we have a conundrum about the correct way to indicate that it is a group that includes representatives from all of the schools in our town (as opposed to describing a very expansive hamlet). We're stumped and would greatly appreciate your advice!

When two words function as a single adjective, it is usually best to hyphenate: Town-wide PTO. Interestingly, a number of "-wide"combinations are now written as a single word -- among them worldwide, nationwide, countrywide, countywide, citywide, communitywide, industrywide, statewide, and storewide (although some of these look odd). So even though I could not locate the example of townwide, I believe you have the option of writing it the single word: Townwide PTO.
Do not write two capitalized unhyphenated words: Town Wide PTO; and, if you hyphenate, do not capitalize "wide” as it does not have the same weight as "Town.”. Whatever you choose, be consistent. That's the key in many fuzzy punctuation situations. I myself prefer Town-wide PTO.

Should well-protected be hyphenated in the following sentence? Before entering a world where chemical hazards lie in wait, you need to be well-protected.

No. Well combinations (well educated, well intended, well protected, etc.) are not hyphenated when they come after the verb. They are hyphenated when they precede the verb so you have well-protected employees but employees who should be well protected.

I never know when a hyphen is needed for compound modifiers. Tell me whether hyphens are required in these expressions:
The boat embarked on a three-hour tour.
I received a last-minute call from the President.

Yes, the rule is to use a hyphen when two or more words are used as a single modifier before a noun: three-hour tour (or 3-hour tour), last-minute call, short-term employment, up-to-date material, computer-related problem, etc. When the same phrases are used after the verb, they are not hyphenated.
Note: There are a few exceptions to the hyphenation requirement such as high school teacher, credit card customer, data entry clerk.

Please let me know if you agree with the usage of the apostrophe in this sentence:  There will be strong and swift movement toward pay for performance compensation, not only for CEO’s but across all levels of public and private companies.

Do not use an apostrophe. Write CEOs. Capital letter abbreviations are pluralized by adding s alone.

My question: how to use first or firstly. I’ve seen secondly at times, but it seems odd to me that first is used. Somehow, I feel like firstly matches secondly. But I don’t see people use it this way.

The correct form for indicating a list of items: first, second, third. Do not tack on the –ly, even on the word second. It’s simply incorrect. The same is true for last (never lastly) and thus (never thusly).
 

22

 Is the following sentence grammatically correct?
Our Surgery Department has got you covered.

Most authorities frown on the use of got to mean “have.”
“I’ve got a secret” is better written as “I have a secret.” In your example, it would be better to write: “Our Surgery Department has you covered.” To use got isn’t to commit a gross grammatical error, but it does reflect loose—or colloquial -- use of the language. “Colloquial” suggests that it’s OK to use orally but not in writing.
The word got has legitimate meanings and is fine to use in examples such as the following:
I don’t get it.   Get me out of here!   Try to get him to change his mind.
Avoid the use of gotten.

When I use an acronym in a sentence, is the use of a or an before the acronym determined by the sound of the letter or the actual word it represents: a MIT graduate or an MIT graduate?
 

Usage is determined by how one expects the sentence to be read. It’s highly likely that one will pronounce the letters em-eye-tee, not Massachusetts Institute of Technology, so logic dictates that an is correct.

31

 I recently saw a reference to "an historical occasion.” I was always taught to use "a” before a hard h  (a house, a helper) and "an” before an h that isn’t pronounced (an hour, an herb). Has the rule changed?                                                    

3

When closing a business letter, do all words begin with a capital letter – or only the first? For example, should I write In Strength and Unity or In strength and unity?
 

 The rule is to capitalize only the first word, so In strength and unity (followed by a comma) is correct. In general, it is wise to use standard closings like Sincerely.

I’m not sure if there is an understood “an” and “the” in the following sentences: The boxes were blocking a fire extinguisher and electric panel. Or is it: The boxes were blocking a fire extinguisher and an electrical panel.
A similar problem occurs with the word “the”:
The boxes were blocking the fire extinguisher and electrical panel.
Or is it: The boxes were blocking the fire extinguisher and the electrical panel.
Can you get away without using the second “the” or “an”?

You must write “a fire extinguisher and an electric panel because there is a required word change from “a.” to “an,” due to the fact that the word electric begins with a vowel. You can get away with one “the” as long as it is clear that you are talking about two separate items (fire extinguisher and electric panel). For clarity’s sake, it might be wiser to repeat: the fire extinguisher and the electric panel.