“New years” or “new year”? Which is it? Well, in short, definitely not the first and only sometimes for the second. As the new year approaches, I’m seeing a growing number of instances of “new years”. Because that usage incorrect, I thought I’d discuss it here.
Category: Grammar
Why you shouldn’t use e.g. and etc. together
While recently editing a client document, I came across a usage similar to the following: I like citrus fruits (e.g. oranges, lemons, grapefruits, etc). I don’t like this usage. I find it redundant.
How to use “nor” in a sentence
“Nor” is a word we don’t use often. Sure, we’ve probably all heard it or read it, especially paired with “neither”. Some of us probably learned it as part of the FANBOYS mnemonic device to help us remember the coordinating conjunctions. The problem with words that fall out of favour is that we can easily forget… Continue reading How to use “nor” in a sentence
Why text speak has no place in public conversations
Recently, I was reading some comments in a Facebook Group thread, when I came across this comment using textspeak: i have np with ur statement but u have to be objective everyone who does not want to talk about bvs and civil war are free to post something else I want to be careful that… Continue reading Why text speak has no place in public conversations
Difference between persons and people
From time to time, you might hear people arguing whether to use “persons” or “people” when referring to multiple individuals. There once was a rule that “persons” was the plural form of “person”, but “people” was actually a singular word used to refer to a group of individuals. That rule exists today only with the most… Continue reading Difference between persons and people
Is noon 12:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.?
Have you ever tried to tell someone to meet you at noon but weren’t sure whether to write 12:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.? Or maybe got into a heated argument regarding which to use? Well, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that you’ve probably been wrong about it. Here’s why:
Do’s and don’ts or dos and don’ts?
I was curating some content for my social media feeds earlier today when I came across the phrase “do’s and don’ts” in the headline of an article about managing social media accounts. I’ve seen this phrase many times, but I’ve also seen it written as “dos and don’ts” and “do’s and don’t’s”. So which is… Continue reading Do’s and don’ts or dos and don’ts?
Are you using many words instead of a single word?
People love to talk. And one area where that’s obvious is in writing. I’ve been writing and editing for nearly 30 years, and one common habit I’ve seen during that time has been wordiness. We have a tendency to use more words than necessary to get our point across. One habit that contributes to wordiness… Continue reading Are you using many words instead of a single word?
Writing too long? Cut out the prepositions
People love to talk. And one area where that’s obvious is in writing. I’ve been writing and editing for nearly 30 years, and one common habit I’ve seen during that time has been wordiness. We have a tendency to use more words than necessary to get our point across. One habit that contributes to wordiness… Continue reading Writing too long? Cut out the prepositions
Difference between electric and electronic
Last week, while editing a research paper, I came across the word “electric” used in a context where it should’ve been “electronic”, so I thought I’d do a quick post on the difference between electric and electronic. Something that is electric uses electricity. Something that is electronic has parts that allow it to store or… Continue reading Difference between electric and electronic