Parallelism is something copyeditors and writers often disagree about. With a little research and a lesson in grammar, we can end this age-old debate.
Articles Tagged language
Vocab Builder: It’s Kismet
Enhancing our vocabulary with new words is a great way to spice up your writing and keep readers engaged. This list will help when you’re feeling repetitive.
Writing with Suffixes: How to Ate Your Words
Writing with suffixes is just as important as writing with prefixes. Let’s start with the suffix “-ate” and some real-world examples of its usage.
Writing With Prefixes: Intra and Inter
“Intra” and “inter” are a pair of prefixes that people often confuse. Let’s investigate the differences using real-world examples and definitions.
Language by the People
What qualifies a usage as “proper” grammar? Perhaps the better question is who qualifies a usage as “proper”? Let’s dig a little deeper.
When Adverbs Fall Flat
We’re taught from a young age that adverbs end in –ly and modify verbs. This is correct, however, adverbs are more complicated than the rule implies.
The Reason Why is Because…
Many editors believe that the phrase “reason why” is redundant. That’s true, but it’s also true that why means “for which,” resulting in “reason for which.” Let’s determine whether this phrase fits into your sentence.
Mostly Useful Redundancies
Critical language experts often encourage editors to remove redundancies from written works. However, redundancies are not all bad, and there are times when repetition can help the author drive their message home.
Grammar Bite: “Action” as a Verb
Working with language can be puzzling, especially when dealing with business jargon. In this grammar bite, let’s explore using “action” as a verb.
The Good and Bad of Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are useful when learning difficult-to-memorize information, however, beware that some mnemonics will do more harm than good.