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…
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?…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 Using These 5 “Words” That Don’t Exist?
Funny how things go around, isn’t it? If we see or hear something enough times — particularly if we see it on any of the social media sites — we believe it. We think it’s true. The right way to…
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…
Tricky, Troublesome Pronouns
Funny how the rules apply to words, isn’t it? Did you ever wonder how these rules evolved, whatever language you speak and write? Each has its own set, and although some make sense, others might not seem to. In English,…
1 Usage Error Everyone’s Making
Pronouns! Do you know how many people misuse pronouns? And of all the words to use correctly, these would be the ones. But there is a ton of confusion about most of them, especially the “self” ones. So let’s see…