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…
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…
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…
Still Another Quiz!
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
Quiz Time — Colons and Semicolons!
Good Monday morning! It’s time for another quiz, this time on using colons and semicolons — the American way. About half of my connections live outside the United States, and they likely follow a different grammar system. But for those…
Weird Old Words from the OED
Well, it’s the first day of fall, leaves are starting to change their colors, and the temperatures (especially at night) are decidedly cooler. Time moves on, with or without our permission. So do many other things. Look around you. Is…
Subject/Verb Agreement
Subject/verb agreement is a topic that most of us were taught (note: I didn’t say “learned”) in grade school: Singular subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural verbs. Seems so simple, doesn’t it? And it is simple in many…
It’s Quiz Time Again!
Please remember this is based on the American grammar system; if you follow any of the British systems, your rules might be different. ************** Yes, here’s another quiz (previous one here), which explains why I chose that picture for this…
Infinitives: No One Said It’s Always Fair or Easy
Grammar rules in any language can be tough to master for non-native speakers, but English really, really sucks. We have rules, and we have exceptions, and then we have exceptions to the exceptions. And then we have stuff that MAKES.…
Commas Count!
Today’s lesson is brought to you by the often-misused punctuation mark called the comma. Many of us writers never learned the basic rules for commas, and as we’ve aged we’ve really struggled with them. We’ve heard that if we pause…
Last (?) Thoughts on Apostrophes
I decided to run these three earlier posts this morning to help those who might not have seen them the first time. Over the last few months, I have doubled my number of LI connections, and I doubt that my…
Using Semicolons in Compound Sentences
Last week I published a post about using commas in compound sentences; if you didn’t see it (or even if you did and need a reminder), click here. I also wrote that I would show you another way to treat…
Commas in Compound Sentences
OK, folks — listen up! There are at least a gazillion comma rules in American grammar and probably in all other grammar systems, but we don’t have to learn every single dratted one. Really. We don’t. We do, however, have…
Apostrophes in Possessives
A few months ago, I published a post called “Possessive Pronouns,” focusing on pronouns such as his, hers, and ours. Those are possessives, but they do NOT include an apostrophe. Today’s group is more diverse, comprising words — including pronouns…
Forming Contractions
Good morning to you on May 18, 2015! Today’s grammar checkup involves a basic punctuation rule: using apostrophes in word and date contractions. Most of us know that we form contractions of words — usually to convey an informal tone…
Using Hyphens
Good morning, dear readers! Here’s another installment of my Monday grammar checkup posts, this one on using hyphens in compound (multi-word) adjectives, those that come right in front of a noun and modify / describe it. I often see this…
Quotation Marks: American Rules
English is a funny language, as so many of us have proven in our writing. And it changes from country to country: Punctuation rules, spelling, and usage are all different depending on where we live and which version of English…
When is it “Then”?
Surprisingly, I am not the only one on the Internet trying to set things straight in terms of American grammar and usage. And as I have written before, it’s terribly easy to mistake one word for another in English!. In…
Believe It or Not: Apostrophes #3
For those who saw my recent posts on the wrong usage of apostrophes, here’s another one on apostrophes, this time using them in contractions. Many of us create contractions in words without thinking, right? We often write “don’t” or “can’t”…
How 3 Strangers “Created” the Grammar Goddess
Did you know that 3 strangers helped to “create” the Grammar Goddess, and that’s how I got started in the training business? It was partly pure dumb luck and partly their efforts, even if they never intended it! It was…
Agile Adverbs
In English grammar, parts of speech are grouped by type, and it seems as though adverbs are one of the least understood of them all. (See all eight at the end of this post.) Adverbs are hard-working words that modify…
English is a “Confuzzling” Language!
I am always amazed that anyone can learn English — with all its nuances, regionalisms, and jargon — especially considering how many words have multiple meanings. In this wonderfully silly cartoon, the focus is on “make” and “go,” each of…
Can You Imagine This?
Do you remember a news story a few years ago about two 28-year-old young men who drove around the country correcting grammatical errors on public and private signs? They were called “Typo Vigilantes.” Unfortunately, they were not well received in…
It’s Time to Master These Two Words!
Dear Readers — Here are two more words in a continuing series of almost homophones — those pesky words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings — that confuse so many of us. Many English words are written…
Money Down the Drain
OK, I know I’m a crank, but my crankiness has a purpose. Right now I’m banging my head against a wall — figuratively, although it may get literal — because I just read the first three paragraphs of a post…
No Apostrophes in Plurals!
I see this time and time again: someone takes an ordinary word and adds an apostrophe and s, thinking the word is now plural. NO. That’s not the way we do it. In English, we create regular plurals of words…
Irregardless of What You May Think . . .
Well, this headline caught my eye, and I hope it catches yours, too! It’s the headline of a short article in The Atlantic concerning word usage. You might be surprised at the conversation the author had with the Editor at…
The Grammar Goddess is NOT Passionate About Grammar!
True. I’m not passionate about grammar. Yes, I teach it, but I’m not passionate about the topic by itself. How can anyone get passionate about colons, commas, dashes – or quotation marks? Grammar is a tool, one among many, and…
Lie, Lay, Lain — These Words Are Such a Pain!
These verbs are the toughest words in the English language to master, probably because they are so much alike. And the forms sometimes show up in one of the other verbs . . . so how are we to know?…
Why Do I Teach American Grammar?
Why do I teach American grammar to grownups? To business professionals? As my mother constantly asked, “Didn’t everyone learn it in school?” Well, first of all, no. We didn’t all learn it in school, and there are several reasons for…