Are you using “allow” and “allow for” correctly? Discover the nuances of these phrases and avoid common pitfalls in your writing with practical examples.
Articles Tagged grammar
Grammar Bite: To Have and to Had
For writers and editors alike, understanding the nuances of the phrase “to have” and its past participle “had” reveals deeper connections between subjects and actions.
Grammar Bite: Bored With or Bored Of?
In this grammar bite, learn how your choice of preposition to use with the word “bored” can affect the tone and formality of your written work.
The Copyeditor’s One-Reference-Work Challenge
Books—especially style guides and dictionaries—are a copyeditor’s best friend. If you could only afford one reference book, which would you choose?
Righting “More Wrong” and “Wronger”
My sons once asked me to settle their argument over whether it was correct to say “more wrong” or “wronger.” According to grammar rules, they were both right!
Clarifying the Comma: Independent Clauses & Compound Predicates
The rules of using the comma are numerous, complicated, and come with many exceptions. They also remind us of why editors are so important!
Grammar Bite: Prepositions for “Foreclose”
Does the preposition “on” actually need to be used after the word “foreclose”? Can you pair other prepositions with foreclose? Find out in this grammar bite!
Genitives & Attributive Modifiers
Punctuation marks may be small, but they have a big impact! The apostrophe is no exception. Here’s how to determine when an apostrophe is needed in a phrase.
The Grammar of “Also”
The common word “also” can add either clarity or ambiguity to a sentence. To ensure we’re adding clarity, let’s take a look at the grammar rules of “also.”
When to Stop Defining Abbreviations
Can a copyeditor choose when to stop spelling out an abbreviation? And how do you decide that it’s time?
