Saturday, April 19, 2003
If I Eat More Than You, Then I Will Be Fat.
I have been asked to explain 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 confused.... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 2:26 PM Comments (1) (link)
Spelling Variations in the English-Speaking World
In a comment on another blog, someone wrote the word "faeces" and another person asked if the first person had meant "feces." (Naturally, I cannot find the blog or the comment to link to.) This query brings up an interesting dilemma among those who write internationally: how to handle the incredibly... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 12:39 PM Comments (0) (link)
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
The Grammar Guru Goes Gaga
I want to remark briefly on a phenomenon that strikes unexpectedly and with sometimes disastrous results---but I don't know what to call it. "Spellus confustibus" comes to mind, as does "Frozen Brain Syndrome." If I hadn't had to pay the tax man, I would have a Name That Glitch contest. Sometimes... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:31 PM Comments (1) (link)
Monday, April 14, 2003
Take a Breath! Breathe, Breathe, Breathe!
Just a quick post: My life has been overtaken with trying to get my youngest son over whatever allergic reaction caused him to break out in hives all over his body for three days. So I am a bit behind. But here are a couple of little pointers for some often-confused words. breath, breathe: This one... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:54 AM Comments (0) (link)
Thursday, April 3, 2003
The Grammar Guru Butts in and Corrects Everyone
I refuse to start pointing fingers or editing everyone's blogs....I don't have the time or the inclination to cultivate rabid enemies. But there are a few words that need to be defined so that we don't keep using the wrong word and making ourselves look silly. Those in the know will notice that all... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 1:36 PM Comments (3) (link)
Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Where Did That Preposition Get To?
I think it was Winston Churchill who said, in response to a misguided editor's rearranging his words so that a sentence would not end with a preposition, "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put." [Sometimes quoted as "arrant nonsense...," which I think is eminently better.] The... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 3:17 PM Comments (1) (link)
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
Comma, Comma, Who's Got the Comma?
An urgent request for help with commas has landed on The Grammar Guru's electronic desktop. Commas can be confusing, especially as there are divergent opinions on some uses. Being the old-fashioned type, I'm going to give you only one set of rules, leaving the least chance of misapprehension of your... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:33 PM Comments (0) (link)
Saturday, March 29, 2003
We Interrupt This Series to Explain the Difference Between Two Words....
I know what I said was going to be next, but I just ran across three instances of confusion in the use of between and among. So I'm going to interrupt myself and quickly explain this simple problem. Between is used only when you are dealing with two objects, people, or places. Among is used when you... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 10:53 PM Comments (0) (link)
The Car That Ran the Light Hit Some People Who Were in the Crosswalk
The Grammar Guru's pet peeve: "people that." I haven't forgotten the request for an analysis of the that/which problem; that answer is coming; stay tuned. As always, feel free to e-mail or post a comment with your request. With my work schedule, I may be able to post only on weekends, but there may... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 9:07 AM Comments (0) (link)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Can You Cite the Site Where You Lost Your Sight?
The "site" trio seems to be causing some confusion nowadays, probably as a result of the "shorthand" used by instant messagers. This is another simple problem to unravel. A site (noun) is a place ---- virtual or actual ---- like a construction site or a website. To cite (verb) something is to quote... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:21 AM Comments (2) (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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