As I edit client documents, a common convention I see used is the “and/or” combination. If you haven’t seen it, it’s usually used to represent multiple options, including the combining options. For example, in “Please bring cake and/or ice cream”, the speaker suggests that you can bring cake, ice cream, or cake and ice cream.… Continue reading Why I avoid “and/or” at all costs
Category: Grammar
5 words that used to mean something else entirely
While managing a client’s Pinterest account, I came across a meme that claimed nice used to mean something entirely different from what it does now. I looked it up and it was true. I decided to look up a few more. Here is what I came up with:
Dove vs. dived; or people love it when I get it wrong
The other day, my teenage daughter and I had a conversation about the past tense of to dive after I had used the word dived in a sentence. One of the downsides of being a professional copywriter is that everyone waits for you to mess up when you say or write something. Then they pounce like tigers that… Continue reading Dove vs. dived; or people love it when I get it wrong
The difference between clause and phrase
Two words you’ll hear grammarians throw out are clause and phrase. What’s the difference? In short, a clause contains a subject doing the verb while a phrase doesn’t. Take this sentence for example. For the first time in 11 years, I ate fried chicken. In this example, everything before the comma is a phrase and… Continue reading The difference between clause and phrase
10 words that have opposite meanings
We love to use words. They help us communicate what we think and mean. Unfortunately, sometimes words can be devious. Take the list below. Each of the words can have two meanings, which are opposite to each other. Bolt: to run away or to secure Bolt the door or he may bolt with your laptop. Cleave: to… Continue reading 10 words that have opposite meanings
Use this simple trick to smash writer’s block
We homeschool 3 of our children (Grade 10, Grade 7, and Grade 3). It’s pretty rewarding, but it has its challenges sometimes. One challenge is that inevitably each of our children has struggled with writing. That can be discouraging for me, a writer, but I try to help them through it. They always seem to… Continue reading Use this simple trick to smash writer’s block
Me, Myself, and I
If I had to choose one grammar faux pas that is the most ubiquitous, mixing up me, myself, and I would be a strong contender. I’m not sure why English speakers mix up these 3 words so frequently, but I hope to set things straight. Here’s how to use them properly. I Use I when… Continue reading Me, Myself, and I
30 words and how to spell them in Canada
Canada is an interesting country. It’s a lot like the United States, but it’s not the United States. Even in language, Canadian English has similarities to American English, but still retains qualities of British English. I thought it would be interesting to post a list of words showing the differences between Canadian, American, and British… Continue reading 30 words and how to spell them in Canada
3 simple tips to remember whether to use “more” or just add “er”
If there is one thing about grammar that trips up a lot of people up, it’s how to use the comparative and superlative properly. In other words, how do I know when to use more/most and when to simply add -er/-est? Luckily, there is an easy, 3-part rule of thumb to remember: For 1-syllable words,… Continue reading 3 simple tips to remember whether to use “more” or just add “er”
My 10 most popular grammar posts
I was browsing through my site stats the other day, and I came across information on my most popular posts. Some of them are from years ago that have nothing to do with writing or social media; others I wrote earlier this year. Here’s a list of 10 of my most popular grammar posts for… Continue reading My 10 most popular grammar posts