Commas! I can’t think of anything more fun than talking about commas first thing Monday morning! Can you? Oh. OK. You can. But still. They’re important. (And yes. I’m a sick woman.) Misusing them can change the meaning of a…
Kick these old grammar rules away Part 2
Why kick these old grammar rules away? Well, as you saw in Part 1, in modern-day writing, they no longer always apply. Like all languages, English — in its various guises — evolves. The rules for using it also evolve. …
Kick Those Old Grammar Rules Away Part 1
Why kick those old grammar rules away? Because in the modern era of the 2020s, they’re no longer considered correct by most writers and style guides. So with apologies to stricter grammarians than I am, today, we’re going to get…
For the Love of Language
I love language, and I am in awe of those who have the ability to converse in a language that isn’t their native one. Heck, some folks are comfortable in several languages! I speak, write, and understand only English —…
Using the “Self” Pronouns Correctly
Using the “self” pronouns correctly can be tough! Those are the ones that end in “self” or “selves.” Many speakers and writers use them everywhere, but these pronouns have a very limited grammatical purpose: They’re meant to be mirror image…
It’s Quiz Time Again!
It’s quiz time again, folks! I see a lot of errors in articles, many likely made due to confusion about what’s considered correct in the American grammar system. While our system has a lot in common with all others, it’s…
Grammarly or Humanly
Grammarly or Humanly? That’s a question a lot of people ask. Many readers know that I am a columnist with BIZCATALYST 360°, having been invited onto the platform by its founder and editor in chief, Dennis Pitocco. I love being…
Using Quotation Marks (American Style)
Using Quotation Marks (American Style): Sometimes I get lucky and a connection asks a great question that turns into an article, like this one. Recently, Donna Shattuck asked about using quotation marks or parentheses, but because this article is already…
Apostrophes — Again!
Apostrophes — Again! This isn’t the first article I’ve written on using apostrophes, and given the confusion surrounding them, it probably won’t be the last. But since I can’t know who will read what I post or who needs to…
One Comma or Two?
One comma or two? Why? I love the picture above, and although it may not seem to connect with showing us some American punctuation rules … it actually does for many rules, especially commas. There’s a rule that says where…
Four Odd Punctuation Rules
There are four odd punctuation rules in the American system that you may not be aware of. I am certain every language has its own ways that might not make absolute sense in terms of spelling, usage, or punctuation. Heaven…
Do You See or Hear What I Do?
Do you see or hear what I do, I wonder? Where do you get your ideas for articles? Do you see something, hear something, or react to something that stops you in your tracks? Something you could teach to others?…
Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement
How about a quiz on subject-verb agreement! It’s been quite a while since I last offered you a quiz, so … I hope you knock this one off in a couple of minutes (there are only 5 questions) and know…
Comma or and?
So, do we use a comma or and before nouns? Brand Message Expert Daisy McCarty asked me recently about using a comma or and in a sentence for one of her clients: The company focuses on creating elegant, sensible solutions that allow…
Another Quiz for You!
Hah, another quiz for you! It seems from the engagement so far for the American Grammar Checkup quiz I posted just yesterday morning that you’re all in the mood to learn — to guess — to find out that you ARE…
Still Another Quiz!
He She They Their Them
He She They Their Them — pronouns that are often hard to use correctly! I wrote a short post the other day, mentioning a few common issues I see surrounding word usage, and one reader (Judy Resnick) wrote about the…
No Apostrophes in Plurals!
No apostrophes in plurals! I am certain this will be someone’s pet peeve. Probably provoke some shivers. A lot of writers are using an apostrophe to form plurals of nouns, which is simply wrong. The information below shows how to…
Affect & Effect
For most of us writers, affect will be a verb and effect will be a noun. Each can be used differently, but it’s far less common. If you can see how to use effect correctly, you’ll know whether affect or…
MORE Devilish Details: Capitalization
Are you ready for more devilish details: capitalization? So far I’ve written three posts (#1, #2, #3) on devilish details that can derail even the best article, because many writers are not putting their best selves forward. They’re turning readers away due…
Using Too Many Adverbs?
Curious: Would you even know if you’re using too many adverbs? Do you know exactly what an adverb is or what other parts of speech it modifies / describes? All parts of speech have their uses; together they allow us…
Details that Hurt LI Profiles
There are a number of devilish details that hurt LI profiles! There have been hundreds – if not thousands – of articles written in the last few years on how to create a powerful and professional LinkedIn (or other platform)…
More Devilish Details in a New Quiz!
More Devilish Details Since many readers of my posts seem to love quizzes — short ones that don’t seem too daunting — here’s another one for you! And for the one that preceded this, click here. Which ones are correctly written…
Use the Oxford Comma!
Why use the Oxford comma? An exchange with one of my readers on Medium in The Writing Cooperative – Joe Varadi – prompted me to write this follow-up to my The Devil is in the Details post about details we often miss as…
Some Senseless Punctuation Rules
Every language has some senseless punctuation rules, right? Well, I can only speak for the American ones, but we sure do have them! We all live by some rules – legal, financial, societal – and we do know what we’re…
Devils and Details!
Ah, devils and details. You’ve heard expressions that include that idea, right? Well, for me, because I’m an editor / copyeditor, I see typos everywhere — and I know many of you do as well. We can’t know if the…
Commas or Parentheses?
Why would anyone even ask about commas or parentheses? It was Sunday, and there I was, sitting quietly reading the Boston Sunday Globe newspaper, when I read a simple sentence that sparked an idea. Has that ever happened to you…
Active and Passive Voice
A reader wrote and asked if I would explain active and passive voice, because she has been using an electronic grammar checker and it keeps saying she should use MORE passive sentences. Um. No. Please don’t. She wasn’t completely sure…
A Short Quiz on Using Colons, Commas, and Quotation Marks
There are three punctuation marks that make many writers crazy: commas, colons, and quotation marks, and this post is intended to help a little with each. Please remember that it’s American grammar rules I’m writing about, not necessarily any other…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 4: Pronouns
This is the fourth in a short series of highlighting common errors that are easy to make and miss when we’re writing. Everyone who has seen my posts over the last three years knows I’m a nut about using language…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 3: Using Apostrophes
This is the third in a series highlighting common grammar and usage errors (in the American system, anyway) that can trap even the best writers if they’re (they are) not watching what they’re (they are) writing carefully. Last week we…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 2: Apostrophes do not Create Plurals!
Last week I started a series on common errors that can trap even the best writers when we’re not thinking clearly or reading what we’ve written. Today we’re looking at one of the smaller punctuation marks — the apostrophe —…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 1: When is a Question not a Question?
When is a question not a question? When it’s a statement. Although many writers use English well, some are falling into some common traps that they may not be aware of. And sometimes I think it’s because the word order…
Here’s an American Grammar Quiz for You!
Here’s an American grammar quiz for you! I first published it in 2015, but because I have added so many connections since then, I thought it would make sense to rerun it. The quiz shown below is the first page…
Apostrophes Mark the Spot!
Apostrophes mark the spot, even when it’s the wrong one! Can you easily spot the four errors in the header picture? While there are differences in all the versions of “English” around the world, most English speakers and writers can…
Where have all the hyphens gone? Long time passing . . .
First posted December 2014 . . . but from what I keep seeing, it’s worth reminding everyone who uses the AMERICAN grammar system of the basic uses for hyphens! ************** I ask because using hyphens seems to have become a…
Are Your American Grammar Skills strong?
Are your American grammar skills strong? The quiz shown below is on the first page of my Brush Up on Your American Grammar Skills workbook, and we start every class with it. It’s the students’ first glimpse of what is in…
Are We Being Clear?
A few days ago, I posted the picture shown below on LinkedIn, just for fun. I got a lot of comments, and a few readers weren’t sure what the sentence could mean just by stressing a different word each time.…
The Grammar Goddess “Fesses” Up
I had no idea I would become the Grammar Goddess. It just sort of happened. One minute I was working as an executive assistant, then I was teaching topics I knew almost nothing about for an international seminar firm and…
Forming Contractions of Words & Figures
Good Monday morning to everyone! This is a post to remind everyone about forming contractions of words in English. English allows us to take two words and create a shorter form called a contraction. These forms are seen as less…
Revisiting Hyphens
There are a lot of punctuation marks that are misunderstood and mishandled — think of the semicolon — but none so truly lacking in understanding as the hyphen. It’s such a small mark that its importance can be overlooked. And although…
Capitalizing Words After a Colon in a Sentence
To capitalize or not to capitalize: That is the question! With apologies to William Shakespeare and Hamlet, I’m sure you get the point. Many of us have wondered about this without ever coming to a decision; it seems like…
Does Good Grammar Matter?
In this day and age, many folks wonder: does good grammar matter? This post came about thanks to an article that Maggi Kirkbride found, read, and shared — and tagged me with. You can read it here. Thanks, Maggi! The article…
Parentheses ( ), Brackets [ ], & Braces { }
I was looking up ways to explain (in my Brush Up on Your Business Writing workbook) how these three different punctuation marks highlight information, and I realized I had NO idea when we are supposed to use braces. So I…
Another Pop Quiz!
*********** Yes, it’s quiz time again! I know many of you actually read my posts and perhaps even try to make some changes (if you’re using American grammar), so I hope this little quiz is easy for you! FYI: There…
Using They, Their, or Them, Part 2
Last week I published a post that has garnered a lot of attention — some positive, some not so much. But everyone had something to say about the reality of using a plural pronoun in a sentence that has no…
Gender-Neutral Pronoun Usage — Some Possibilities Other Than “They” or “Their”
Years ago, I remember talking with a friend who was (and still is) deep into technology. I admired her ability to keep up with it, because technology moves so quickly, and I also remember mentioning something about being happy…
Are You Practicing Comma Sutra?
Comma sutra is a funny term — more or less based on “karma sutra” — and designed to get your attention. For whatever reason, many writers never learned the simple trick of knowing when and why to use a comma…
Parentheses With Other Punctuation
Following up on posts using colons, ellipsis marks, and semicolons in sentences, here’s a quick primer on using parentheses, which generally enclose nonessential (although important) information. And please remember: The examples below show how to punctuate using parentheses. In many of these examples,…
Dangling Participles
Most regular readers of my blog know how much I love injecting humor into lessons. The old adage of a spoonful of sugar is really true! A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down! And humor is everywhere if…