The real problem with swearing? No, it’s not what you might be thinking. Recently, I posted a fun meme that had a “swear” jar and a “talking about my dog” jar for coins, reflecting an old idea that when we…
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…
Tuesday Tricksters: Helpful Hacks
Here are some helpful hacks to use with Tuesday Tricksters! For the last three years, I have posted on most Tuesdays about words that make many writers look bad: homophones. They’re the ones that sound like another word (or nearly,…
Tuesday Tricksters, Missal — Mode
You thought I’d abandoned these, right? Nope. Not a prayer. Just got very busy the last couple of weeks. But I’m baaaaaaack! Using the correct words, to me, is the hallmark of good writing — knowing the difference between you’re…
Tuesday Tricksters, Mews–Might
It’s (its) another Tuesday, and time (thyme) to (too, two) (re)learn five more (moore) pairs (pears) of tricky words that can make even the best writers look not so smart. They’re (their, there) known as homophones, words that sound the…
Tuesday Tricksters, Medal — Mewl
So here it is: the last day of February. How did this come on so quickly? It’s also a Tuesday, which means I have another chance to remind writers about an important fact: Spellcheck, for all its wonderfulness, does only…
Tuesday Tricksters, Me — Meatier
So today is the day of love — around the world. It’s St. Valentine’s Day, at least here in the U.S. Love is in the air. Cupid is shooting his arrows, sometimes hitting the wrong people. Those who are not…
A for Effort!
Do you give yourself an A for effort for what you do right? Frequent readers of my blogs know that each Tuesday I publish a “Tuesday Tricksters” list of miserable words – known as homophones (words that sound the same,…
Tuesday Tricksters, Marten — Maw
Who hasn’t written the wrong word, thinking one (won) that sounded like it was the right (rite) one? Learning English, with its (it’s) homophones (words that sound alike or nearly so) can be (bee) really tough. This Tuesday Tricksters series…
Assure, Ensure, Insure
******************* It’s funny how words can get confused in our minds, isn’t it? These three — almost homophones with similar meanings — are often misused. Let’s see if we can finally get a grip on them, OK? First, the words…