Though many pieces of writing include “and/or,” it seems that writers cannot make up their minds about what they mean to say so they will just include several choices. This way, the reader can stumble over the multiple choice words and select the appropriate one. In The Careful Writer, Theodore Bernstein says, “this combination is [...]
Most dictionaries are now descriptive. They list the most frequent pronunciations and spellings first, even if they are not the best usages. Very few dictionaries are prescriptive, giving advice on the best ways to use words. Dictionaries, today, even include words that are considered nonstandard but have unique spellings. In selecting a dictionary for your [...]
A clause is a group of words that includes both a subject and a verb. An independent clause, also known as a complete sentence, also includes a complete thought. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. A phrase is a group of words with either a subject or a verb and is always dependent. [...]
Semicolons are useful signals that help readers negotiate the highway of English. If the period is a red light (stop for a while), and the comma is a flashing yellow light (slow down briefly), the semicolon is a flashing red light. More specifically, the semicolon is useful in four situations: 1. Uniting: When you want [...]
Colons are funny. Most people know how to use semicolons properly, but change the comma to a period to make a colon and then the people are confused. Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items when there are no introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is. [...]
According to The Chicago Manual of Style, “An appositive noun is one that immediately follows another noun or noun phrase in order to define or further identify it.” So, when do we separate an appositive with commas? When an appositive is essential to the meaning, don’t use commas. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient [...]
Though these two words have similar meanings and spellings, they are not interchangeable. About 99% of the time, “effect” is a noun and “affect” is a verb. Below are other rules to help you distinguish between the two words. Rule 1: Use “effect” when you mean “bring about” or “brought about,” “cause” or “caused.” Example: He [...]
In today’s world, few people know when to use whoever or whomever, therefore making themselves sound uneducated in front of those who do know the difference. Take a few minutes to educate yourself on the proper usages! Rule 1: Use ever when who/whom can fit into two clauses in the sentence. The man went to [...]
Semicolons have two major functions in English grammar. The first function is to separate two independent clauses as in “I thought I would be able to maneuver around the deer blocking the road; I was sadly mistaken.” The second function of the semicolon is to separate items in a list that are already seperated with [...]
When writing lists, it is important to keep the items in each bullet parallel to one another, as this helps the reader understand the meaning of the list. Parallelism is, according to Harbrace College Handbook, “the use of corresponding grammatically equal elements in sentences and paragraphs.” What does it mean to write parallel lists? To [...]
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