Assure, Ensure, or Insure … When to Use Which
These three words cause a lot of confusion. There are some simple ways to remember which one should be used in what circumstance. I referred to the ultimate English reference tool, Fowler’s Modern English Usage, to ensure that I gave you the most accurate information on this sticky little problem. Assure is a verb meaning […]
Today I Am a Prophet Who Wants to Make a Profit
And I want to tell you about the difference between the words prophecy and prophesy. A prophecy is a prediction. This word is a noun, and it’s pronounced /PRAH fuh see/. Example: Cassandra warned the Greeks not to take the Trojan horse into the city, but because of Apollo’s curse, no one believed her prophecy […]
Towing Lines and Hoeing Roads … What ARE We Coming to?
Two quick little corrections for some frequently misquoted idioms. One does not “tow the line;” one “toes the line.” This idiom refers to runners at the beginning of a race. They line up on the start line with their toes on or slightly behind the line. It may also refer to sailors standing in formation. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Don’t Waive That, You Aberrant Flag-Waver!
Today’s “Get it straight!” pointer is for two words that sound just alike, but mean two completely different things. And you look silly when you mix them up. Trust me. A waiver is a release form stating that you will not hold another entity responsible if something bad happens to you. You sign them before surgery, […]
If You Keep Peeking Over that Peak, I’m Going to Get Seriously Piqued!
Some more sound-alikes to cause you trouble. A peak is the top of something, like a mountain. It’s a noun. Examples: Everest is the highest mountain peak on Earth. Bob reached the peak of his career in 1998. To peak means to reach the topmost limit of ability or performance. It’s a verb. Example: His […]
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 […]
You Can’t Censure a Censor for Doing His Job
Three words that are often confused, and that have little to do with each other: censor, censure, sensor, and censer. Let’s get the censer out of the way first, as it bears no conceivable relation to the other two, except in approximate pronunciation. A censer (/SEHN sur/) is an incense burner that can be swung […]