The Past Has Passed ….
Emergency beacons in my Inbox — a concerned blogger wants us to clear up the difference between “passed” and “past.” Actually, this one’s really easy, because the two words are completely different parts of speech. Past is either a noun or adjective. It means “previous times.” noun: His past is a closed book. adjective: That […]
More Frequently Confused and Misunderstood Words
Let’s look at some words that are frequently misused and misunderstood. The problem with the completely wrong word is becoming more and more rampant, and we really need to address it. Founder as a verb means “to sink, to fail completely, or to cave in.” Flounder as a verb means “to flop about clumsily, to […]
I Warned You It Was a Trick Question…
Ricky got it: the difference between the words stalactite and stalagmite is the spelling. This was just a little teaser to illustrate the importance of using the correct words to convey your meaning. Most people (myself included, the first time this was asked of me) assume that you want to know the difference between the […]
How the Grammar Guru Embarrassed Herself With the State Capital
Once upon a time, the Grammar Guru was just a cocky teenager without much good sense. She read a newspaper headline that said “Protesters Converge on State Capital” and decided that her local newspaper needed the benefit of her editorial skills. She called to complain that the newspaper should get it right … when referring […]
When Is a Stone Not a Stone?
Why, when it’s 14 pounds, of course, as my British friends and readers know full well. Which means I weigh 13 stone 11 pounds, or 13st 11lb. So what does this have to do with grammar? Two things. If you are an American writing a piece of work with a Brit as a character, you […]
Just for Fun: Critters vs. Varmints
I’ve been really enjoying the posts on a (now defunct) blog called South vs. North, and we’ve gotten into a discussion in the comments there about critters and varmints. I’m re-posting my explanations here, just for fun. A critter is cute and cuddly and might make a decent pet. They don’t hurt things or tear […]
Watch Your Phraseology!
There is a growing movement toward redefining the words “homophobia” and “homophobic” to mean a person who hates or disapproves of homosexuals and homosexual behaviour. As an arbiter of correct grammar and proper diction (word choice), I believe that it is incumbent upon me to correct this common mistake before it takes root and becomes […]
How Does an Annulment Differ From a Divorce?
This question is, of course, raised by the recent appalling marriage and dissolution of marriage between Britney Spears and Jason Alexander. An annulment is the legal dissolution of a marriage which, essentially, erases the marriage from existence. Legally, the marriage never happened, as there was some problem with the legal contract of the marriage, or […]
Hey! Get It Right, Can’t Ya?!
I think I know what my first published work is going to be. When I was 10, I started writing a Homonym Dictionary (they call them homophones now). You know what homonyms and homophones are (no, not the nicknames of openly gay individuals nor the earphones they wear with their portable CD players) — they’re […]
That Pallet of Palettes Isn’t Heavy….
Okay, here are three words that sound almost exactly alike, but mean totally different things. Pallet: /PA’ lit/ The slatted wooden box that underlies large shipments; also the shipment itself. A pallet jack is a small hydraulic jack/forklift used to hoick a pallet of goods off the warehouse floor and transport it onto a semi […]