Articles Tagged writing tips

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.

Don’t Let Your Modifiers Dangle

Modifiers are words or phrases that help clarify the meaning of another word in the same sentence. Learn about how letting them dangle can affect your writing.

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.

Zombie hands coming out of the dirt holding a sign that says "'Either' sometimes means 'each.'"

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.

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.

Rewriting the Zombies: Don’t Use Double Negatives

Double negatives are widely considered illogical, as they often result in an unintended positive meaning. However, there are some cases where a double negative might benefit a writer’s work.

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.