Toward? Towards? The British Bug Bites Again
An urgent request for help has just been received at Grammar Grotto, and the Guru is ready to help. The question is “I’ve written a poem, and one of the lines is …’she is floating toward him.’ Is it toward or towards?” And the definitive answer is {drum roll, please} either one! That’s really helpful, […]
Toward? Towards? The British Bug Bites Again
An urgent request for help has just been received, and the Guru is ready to help. The question is “I’ve written a poem, and one of the lines is …’she is floating toward him.’ Is it toward or towards?” And the definitive answer is {drum roll, please} either one! That’s really helpful, isn’t it? Actually, […]
The Care and Feeding of Weird Plurals
There are a number of words in English that do not follow the general rule for creating the plural. They are useful, common words, and the only problem with them is the uniqueness of their plural form. You see, misusing the words makes you sound less than the professional, intelligent, well-informed person that you are. […]
If I Eat More Than You, Then I Will Be Fat.
I have been asked to explain the difference between the words then and than. Really, I have never understood the confusion between the two, as they bear no resemblance to one another, not even in pronunciation. But I, too, have seen a disconcerting number of cases where the two have been confused. So, an explanation. […]
Spelling Variations in the English-Speaking World
In a comment on another blog, someone wrote the word “faeces” and another person asked if the first person had meant “feces.” This query brings up an interesting dilemma among those who write internationally: how to handle the incredibly different spelling rules for various English-speaking countries. I’m going to look specifically at Great Britain and […]
The Grammar Guru Goes Gaga
I want to remark briefly on a phenomenon that strikes unexpectedly and with sometimes disastrous results—but I don’t know what to call it. “Spellus confustibus” comes to mind, as does “Frozen Brain Syndrome.” If I hadn’t had to pay the tax man, I would have a Name That Glitch contest. Sometimes your brain will freeze up […]
Take a Breath! Breathe, Breathe, Breathe!
breath, breathe: This one is simple, but it’s a very common mistake. Breath (breth with a soft /th/ sound) is the noun: I need to catch my breath. Take a deep breath and cough. Breathe (/breeeeeth/ with a hard /th/ sound) is the verb: Breathe in and out slowly, please. Don’t breathe the chlorine fumes. […]
The Grammar Guru Butts in and Corrects Everyone
I refuse to start pointing fingers or editing everyone’s blogs — I don’t have the time or the inclination to cultivate rabid enemies. But there are a few words that need to be defined so that we don’t keep using the wrong word and making ourselves look silly. Those in the know will notice that […]
Where Did That Preposition Get To?
I think it was Winston Churchill who said, in response to a misguided editor’s rearranging his words so that a sentence would not end with a preposition, “This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.” [Sometimes quoted as “arrant nonsense…,” which I think is eminently better.] The point is that […]
Comma, Comma, Who’s Got the Comma?
Commas can be confusing, especially as there are divergent opinions on some uses. Being the old-fashioned type, I’m going to give you only one set of rules, leaving the least chance of misapprehension of your writing. Commas are used to signal a pause in thought or to set off a phrase or clause (either for […]