This is one of those quirky grammar rules that can be confounding because the rule for speaking differs from the rule for writing. Ordinal numbers show order, or a position in a series: first (1st), second (2nd), third (3rd), and so on. Cardinal numbers show an amount: one (1), two (2), three (3), and [...]
Grammar checkers make suggestions, not commands Just because your grammar checker makes a suggestion doesn’t mean you have to follow it. The suggestion may not be correct and it may not improve your writing. I have the privilege of serving as the publication and content advisor for the U.S. Christian Chamber of Commerce. In [...]
There’s no such thing as gay marriage This is not a political statement, it’s a grammar rant. There’s an often-used figure of speech known as a transferred epithet, which is when you use an adjective to modify something that the adjective doesn’t really describe. It’s a literary device that can be powerful. Think of lonely [...]
If you’re writing about the pandemic, is it covid19? Or Covid-19? Or COVID-19? You’ll see it all three ways in various publications, but the World Health Organization goes with all capitals: COVID-19. That’s not the only grammar issue the pandemic has caused. We’re hearing and using a lot of words that have not been part [...]
The pros and cons of automatic renewals Recently a colleague of mine recommended a grammar-checking product that she said she liked better than Grammarly. She said this product was more expensive to purchase, but the price includes lifetime access, unlike Grammarly, which charges an annual subscription. I’ve been using Grammarly for years. I like it [...]
In this Grammar Tip, we’re going to talk about the punctuation known as quotation marks. One of my pet peeves as a reader is seeing quotation marks used incorrectly. When that happens, it can be confusing and sometimes completely change the meaning of the words. First, this may seem obvious, but let’s mention it anyway. [...]
An apostrophe is that punctuation mark that looks like a comma but it’s at the top of the line, not the bottom. The apostrophe has two purposes: To show possession. To replace missing letters in a word. When you use apostrophes to indicate missing letters, it’s usually in a contraction. In the context of [...]
You learned in elementary school that homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings. Homophones are a type of homonym. They’re words that sound alike but have different meanings and different spellings. In this Grammar Tip, we’re going to talk about one of the most commonly misspelled and consequently misused set of homophones: [...]
In this Grammar Tip, I want to talk about one of the most common word usage mistakes that can completely change the meaning of a sentence, drive readers crazy and reflect poorly on you. And I’ll give you some tips so you’ll never make this mistake again. You may remember from elementary school that homonyms [...]
In this Grammar Tip, we’re going showcase two words that sound alike but are often mixed up. And I’ll give you some tips so you won’t mix them up again. The English language is full of grammar exceptions, and the specific one that applies in the case of when to use IT’S and when to [...]
