More blogs about writing and grammar
Use the ‘right’ word
Finding the right word can be difficult ‘The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.’ (Mark Twain) The English language has a wealth of words to choose from, yet sometimes we struggle to find the ‘right’ word. […]
Parallelism: match structures in your writing
Use parallel structures Parallelism, often called parallel structure, refers to matching structures in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses. When parallelism is used for effect, the writing can be powerful. For example: ‘Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal.’ T.S. Eliot, ‘Philip Massinger’ ‘Today’s students can put dope in their veins or […]
Titles and headings must engage the reader
Take time with your titles Journalists understand the power of the title in an online article. Titles are the first thing you read and they must engage your attention. Take these examples from online newspapers on 18 August 2017. Rare butterfly spotted in Scotland for the first time since 1884 (Read more) How do you paint […]
When pronouns cause confusion
Watch for pronoun problems We often use pronouns to refer to noun we’ve previously mentioned. They’re short-cut words that help us avoid repetition. Jacob is a director on numerous boards. Jacob is also a keen swimmer. Jacob is a director on numerous boards. He is also a keen swimmer. The word the pronoun refers back to […]
Verb agreement with troublesome nouns
Singular or plural? A pair of slippers takes a singular verb Slippers take a plural verb Non-native English speakers sometimes have difficulty knowing whether to use a singular or plural verb with some nouns. For instance, it seems odd to use a singular verb with a ‘pair of’ when we’re obviously talking about two things […]
Misplaced, dangling and squinting modifiers
What’s wrong with the following sign? What’s wrong with these sentences that Liz Boulter gives in her Guardian article, Excuse me, but I think your modifier is dangling? ‘Hopping briskly through the vegetable garden, John saw a toad. Gently warmed in the oven and smothered in cream cheese, my friends loved the bagels. To be really […]
Use nonsexist language in business writing
There’s no excuse for sexist language in business writing The first book on business writing I ever bought was The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing: For writers, editors, and speakers by Casey Miller and Kate Swift (The Women’s Press, 1981). I still have it on my bookshelf, and it’s available on Amazon. (My version has a hyphen in Non-sexist.) They […]
Commas in court cases
Commas can be costly Take a look at these three court cases to appreciate the power of the humble comma. US$10 million overtime dispute hinges on the Oxford (serial) comma The first comma case is about the Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma). First a definition. A comma is sometimes added between the last two […]
Five grammar myths
Grammar myths are not based on the truth Language evolves, yet we often cling to the rules we were taught at primary school in the belief that resisting change keeps the language pure. But, whether we like it or not, change does occur and some ‘rules’ have become myths. None must take a singular verb A common misconception is […]
Apostrophe questions answered
Learn some apostrophe rules Apostrofly Definition: an insect that lands at random on the printed page, depositing an apostrophe wherever it lands. Discovered in 2002 by British journalist Ian Mayes. Apostrophes in expressions of time Question: Do you need an apostrophe in ’20 years’ experience’? Answer: Grammar experts don’t agree about apostrophes in time. The […]