It’s not enough for copyeditors to know the rules of grammar; we must have editorial judgment on how and when to apply those rules. Editing instructors can give their students that judgment.
Articles Tagged grammar and usage
Grammar Bite: Adjective Basics
Adjectives can be a writer’s greatest friend, creating rich images and clear meaning. They can also be a writer’s worst enemy.
Grammar Bite: Don’t Dangle Your Participle
What’s a participle and how on earth would you know it’s dangling? A quick grammar lesson to help you fix danglers and say what you mean.
Nine Words to Avoid in Your Writing
Don’t let your readers get distracted from your message by using a word that riles them up. Become familiar with skunked terms.
Usable Usage: Could You Care Less?
Is it “I couldn’t care less” or “I could care less,” and does the difference matter? The question isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
Grammar Bite: Misplaced Modifiers
A modifier is a word or phrase that qualifies a noun or verb. Modifiers should be placed next to the words or phrases they modify. Simple, right? Not quite.
That Which Has a Tail
“That” and “which” may seem interchangeable, but there’s a difference between the two words, and it’s more important than you might think.
Who vs. Whom and Other Writing Bugaboos
Every writer has them: little points of grammar they can never remember. Is it who or whom? When is effect the right word? Is it i.e. or e.g., and what do they stand for anyway?
Grammar Bite: Correlative Conjunctions
Want a subtle way to improve your writing? Make sure you’re matching the right correlative conjunctions in your sentences!
A Most Important(ly) Lesson
I have a confession to make: I made a reflexive edit in a manuscript based on personal preference. Worse, I then boasted about it online.
