Improve and test your knowledge of grammar and style.
Once on a bus I overheard a couple of teenagers having a conversation that sounded something like this: “So, I’m like… and she’s like…So, I go…” “You didn’t! So, she’s like….. and you’re like…” “Yeah, no kidding!” “Get out!” No one could accuse these kids of being wordy. The staccato phrases were accompanied by facial … More Say What You Mean
George Orwell’s Rules of Good Writing Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. Never use a long word where a short one will do. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. Never use the passive where you can … More Orwell Again
Using too many words per thought is actually a bigger problem than bad grammar in writing these days. In many cases, bad grammar—i.e., usage that violates the rules of Standard English—doesn’t affect meaning at all. Look at these two sentences: Jadwiga don’t got no cigarettes. Jadwiga doesn’t have any cigarettes. Both … More Wordiness Again
Of the following sentences, only three are correct. Can you spot the errors? Elmo’s mother who is from Nevada loves to play poker. Everybody, including the players and the fans, were surprised by the easy victory. As a teenager, politics never interested Stephen. Colbart has a bad habit of barging in rooms without knocking. Walking … More Spotting Errors
If asked to define a verb, most people would say it’s an action word, which is true. Jump, run, sleep, snore—these verbs express actions. They’re action verbs. But not all verbs are action verbs; some are linking verbs. You can probably get through life just fine without understanding the difference between action verbs and linking … More Verbs That Link and Verbs that Don’t
It’s probably not true that we can’t think about things we don’t have words for. Schadenfreude is a German word that has come into English and means “pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.” As cognitive scientist Steven Pinker has pointed out, when people first learn this word, they don’t suddenly acquire the concept of … More Parts of Speech
Has anybody ever suggested that your writing is wordy? Learning to avoid, or at least not overdo, certain grammatical structures will automatically make your writing more concise and easier to read. One such structure is nominalization. Nominalization turns a strong verb into a noun and uses the noun with a weak verb when the original … More Words: Don’t Exceed the Recommended Dosage
Apostrophes cause many writers problems. The use of the apostrophe has become so problematic that the British actually have a society for the protection of the apostrophe: http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/ The apostrophe has two uses: 1) to show possession, 2) to take the place of missing letters in contractions. Possession: Make singular nouns possessive by adding apostrophe … More The Apostrophe (yawn!)
At a time when few agree about anything, subjects and verbs still have to. Choose the correct word: $25,000 (is/are) a bit more than I can afford to pay for a parrot. Neither the students nor the teacher (was/were) sorry to hear the fire alarm. Neither my wife nor I (am/is) planning to go to … More Subject/Verb Agreement
Of the following sentences, only three are correct. Can you spot the errors? 1. There was a moment where I thought I might win the game. Everybody, including the players and the fans, were surprised by the easy victory. As a teenager, politics never interested Stephen. Colbart has a bad habit of barging … More Spotting Errors
No Harm Spilt 