Saturday, November 19, 2005
What? Your Sense of Touch Is Impaired? or Are You Just Guilty?
A very common mistake that a lot of people make (besides writing redundant stuff like the ten words I just wrote) is to say "I feel badly about that." It seems that this would be correct, but it isn't. The reason is that little verb "feel." "Feel" is a funny word. It can mean something... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:49 PM Comments (0) (link)
Friday, November 18, 2005
Every Beach Was Crowded, and Each of Us Drank Something Different
When to use each; when to use every. Sometimes it's hard to know for sure. I hope these guidelines are helpful. Each is a singular word that may be used as a pronoun, adverb, or adjective. When functioning as a noun, it always takes a singular verb. Examples: as a pronoun: Each of the girls has a... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:47 PM Comments (1) (link)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
The Car That Ran the Light Hit Some People Who Were in the Crosswalk
The Grammar Guru's teeth grind when she hears someone say "people that." This rule is simple: A person is always a who, never a that. Despite its simplicity, this is one of the most often violated rules of grammar. I have seen this error in many well-respected publications. Part of the problem is... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 6:43 AM Comments (0) (link)
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Lay Your Book Down and Lie Down for a Rest! I Want to Tell You Something.
If it's hard to read your computer screen lying down, then you may sit up, but please pay attention! The Grammar Guru is having a cow. I've been surfing a bit this morning, and I am appalled by the writers, professional and non, who do not understand how to use the verbs lay and lie. It really isn't... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:19 AM Comments (0) (link)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
When Is a Stone Not a Stone?
Why, when it's 14 pounds, of course, as my British friends and readers know full well. Which means I weigh 13 stone 11 pounds, or 13st 11lb. So what does this have to do with grammar? Two things. If you are an American writing a piece of work with a Brit as a character, you need to know that your... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:12 AM Comments (1) (link)
Monday, November 14, 2005
Don't Snigger at Me, You Oaf!
Once again, a controversy over spellings darkens the skies. Is it "snicker" or "snigger"? Let the Grammar Guru help, won't you? Snicker means "to utter a half-stifled, possibly snide, laugh." Snigger means "a disrespectful laugh, usually partly-stifled." In essence, they are synonyms, although... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:10 AM Comments (0) (link)
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Toward? Towards? More Differences Between the Brits and the Yanks
The Grammar Guru received a query some time ago, and it bears on our question of British vs. American usage: The question was "I've written a poem, and one of the lines is...'she is floating toward him.' Is it toward or towards?" And the definitive answer is {drum roll, please} either one! That's... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 8:08 AM Comments (0) (link)
Friday, November 11, 2005
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 8:25 AM Comments (0) (link)
Thursday, November 10, 2005
You Can Have Your Dessert in a Desert
Don't mix the spelling of these two. It might leave a bad taste in your mouth -- or your reader's. Dessert is the noun we all know and love as the final course of a meal. Sweets to wrap up a culinary experience, or to make a bad day better. It always has two S's in it. Especially when you are saying... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 10:12 AM Comments (6) (link)
Thursday, November 3, 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 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, they... Sign in to see full entry.
posted by editormum at 7:06 AM Comments (1) (link)
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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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