Wednesday, March 30, 2005
The E-mailer's 10 Commandments
or....Rules I Wish Everyone Would Follow When Using My E-mail Address: Thou shalt send no prurient or pornographic material to my e-mail address. Thou shalt not forward advertisements for weight loss products, work-at-home opportunities, or sexual enhancement products to my e-mail address. Thou... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:57 AM Comments (3) (link)
Friday, March 25, 2005
Keep Your Mitts Off My ...
Mettle...Metal...Meddle...Medal? This is where poor pronunciation gets us... pure confusion. These four words are so often mispronounced (well, okay, pronounced sloppily) that their misuse in writing is almost as certain as death and taxes. So here's the easy way to remember how to use them: Metal... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:09 AM Comments (0) (link)
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
An Awesome Resource for Writers
The Grammar Guru has discovered a wonderful website, and she wants to share it with all of her readers. www.getitwrite.com is an amazing place. Review their archive of tips and sign up to receive them via e-mail... all of them are excellent and well-explained. Explore their checklists and... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:23 AM Comments (4) (link)
Monday, March 21, 2005
Arrant Nonsense
Okay, my ex, along with about two dozen other people, has forwarded the following message to me. "Don't delete this because it looks weird. Believe it or not you can read it. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to a... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 9:33 AM Comments (6) (link)
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
It's Just a Phase; Don't Let It Faze You
and don't give me any flak... I'm just a flack for good grammar and usage. These two pairs of words are very consistently misused, so I want to set the record straight once and for all. Phase is a noun indicating a passing behavioural pattern or a certain stage of development. (Example: Most... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 6:28 PM Comments (3) (link)
Sunday, March 6, 2005
Between and Among --- Don't Misuse Them!
Between is used only when you are dealing with two objects, people, or places. Among is used when you are dealing with more than two objects, people, or places. Examples: We couldn't decide between the Mexican restaurant and the Chinese restaurant. We divided the fortune cookies among the ten... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 1:13 PM Comments (0) (link)
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
If I Eat More Than You, Then I Will Be Fat.
I have been asked to explain once again the difference between the words then and than. Really, I have never understood the confusion between the two, as they bear no resemblance to one another, not even in pronunciation. But I, too, have seen a disconcerting number of cases where the two have been... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:17 AM Comments (1) (link)
Sunday, February 27, 2005
There Was No Cavalry at Calvary
At least, not a cavalry as we know it. A cavalry, pronounced / kav ul ree/, is a group of horse-mounted soldiers. Calvary, pronounced / kal vuh ree/, is the place where Jesus was crucified, on Mount Golgotha, just outside the gates of Jerusalem. While there were soldiers present at the Crucifixion,... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 5:19 PM Comments (1) (link)
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Should You Inquire or Enquire?
This one is very easy if you are an American. In American English, inquire is the preferred form. If you are in Great Britain, however, things get a bit more tricky. Enquire is used of informal questions, but inquire is used of official investigations. Examples: I am going into that pub to enquire... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 11:03 AM Comments (1) (link)
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Assure, Ensure, or Insure ... When to Use Which
These three words cause a lot of confusion. There are some simple ways to remember which one should be used in what circumstance. I referred to the ultimate English reference tool, Fowler's Modern English Usage, to ensure that I gave you the most accurate information on this sticky little problem.... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 4:48 PM Comments (0) (link)
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About this Blog
A professional editor, writer, and English tutor answers your questions about the finer points of grammar, word usage, and other technical aspects of the writer's craft. E-mail questions to editormum@usa.com, or use the Comments section of a previous post. Happy Writing!
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