Monday, June 19, 2006
Dependent or Dependant?
The Grammar Guru has learned something today, and she's here to pass it on to you. The Grammar Guru was taught that dependant was not a word -- that it was an all-too-common misspelling of dependent, and that dependent was always the correct spelling. Imagine the Grammar Guru's surprise when, upon... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:11 AM Comments (2) (link)
Friday, June 16, 2006
Overdo and Overdue are not interchangeable.
Simple mix-up due to sloppy pronunciation. Overdo (which should be pronounced /Oh vuhr doo/) means to attempt too much or to go too far. Examples: Don't overdo the pepper in that soup, or it will be inedible. Myra wanted to work outside on this hot day, so we told her to be careful not to overdo it... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 10:25 PM Comments (0) (link)
Sunday, May 28, 2006
That Pallet of Palettes Isn't Heavy....
Okay, here are three words that sound almost exactly alike, but mean totally different things. Pallet: /PA' lit/ The slatted wooden box that underlies large shipments; also the shipment itself. A pallet jack is a small hydraulic jack/forklift used to hoick a pallet of goods off the warehouse floor... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 5:18 PM Comments (4) (link)
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Less and Fewer Are Not Interchangeable
These two words may be the most misused words in the language. They are not interchangeable; each has a specific meaning and a specific usage. Fewer is a comparative adjective used with things that may be counted -- a good test is to determine whether the word is something that has both a singular... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 6:26 PM Comments (1) (link)
Saturday, March 25, 2006
A Question of Agreement
I've received an odd e-mail, but it raises a very good question. I'm answering it here because I just can't believe it's for real. A professional journalist would not be e-mailing me to answer such an elementary grammatical question. I'm pretty sure that the e-mail was a phishing expedition. So,... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:37 AM Comments (0) (link)
Saturday, March 4, 2006
It's Funny How We Misuse Its Forms
When does its require an apostrophe and when should you leave the flying comma out? Actually, it's quite easy. But myriad people seem to find the problem confusing. The rule is that it's with the apostrophe is used only when the word is used as a contraction of it is. Strange as it may seem, its is... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 6:11 AM Comments (0) (link)
Monday, February 13, 2006
The Core of the Corps Is Loyalty
But if you use the wrong form of the word pronounced /kohr/, you will have little loyalty from your editors or your employers. Core means the middle, the base, the main parts. An apple core, core curriculum, core values... all basics. Corps means a body of people acting as a single group. The Marine... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 9:06 PM Comments (0) (link)
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
To Clench or To Clinch ... That Is the Question
The Grammar Guru has received a request to explain the difference between these two words, to settle a fellow-editor's dispute with her typesetter. Always glad to oblige --- we editors need to keep those uppity typesetters in their places. According to Fowler, clinch is a variant of clench that... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:52 PM Comments (1) (link)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Answer to Quiz
What does a notary public do? A notary public is an agent of the government who attests to the authenticity of signatures. A notary is bound by law not to notarize a signature if the signatory does not appear before him/her and show proof that he/she is, in fact, the person whom s/he is claiming to... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:24 PM Comments (0) (link)
Monday, January 16, 2006
Pop Quiz
What does a Notary Public actually do? (yes, we all know that they notarize... what does that mean, and why is it important?) The answer tomorrow. For today, puzzle away... or maybe do some research. Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:18 PM Comments (1) (link)
|
November 2009
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Sep | Newest | Dec |
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!
If you would like to express your appreciation of this blog by leaving a "tip," please click on the donation link below.
Links
Main Donate
|
