The distinction between the words “lie” and “lay” can be confusing for both writers and editors. Let’s break it down using well-known holiday carols.
Articles Tagged usage
On Account of My Pet Peeve
I’m not usually peevish about language use, but “on account of” is a pet peeve of mine. Here’s why it’s okay to use it anyway.
Rewriting the Zombies: “Try And”
Some language experts learned that you must replace the phrase “try and” with “try to.” So, let’s try and debunk that zombie rule. (Spoiler alert: we do!)
Ending the Tug of War over Parallelism
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.
Rewriting the Zombies: Don’t Use “Each” for “Either”
While you may have learned that the words “each” and “either” have different meanings, this is actually a zombie rule that does not need to be followed.
Forget Everything Strunk & White Told You
An investigation, sparked by a tweet, into what’s wrong with Strunk & White and some ideas for what you should read instead.
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.
Vagueness and Clarity in And/Or
Some language experts hate the use of and/or, even though the term appears in millions of texts. When used correctly, and/or illustrates choices to readers.
I’ll Take the Percent Increase for $84, Please
There’s often confusion about the difference between “percent” and “percentage points.” Let’s clarify using math equations and real world examples.
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.
