We’ve all experienced it. Sitting at a desk or computer table while a blank piece of paper and blank screen stares back at us and dares us to write anything, even a sentence–just something.
This is the crippling disease known as writer’s block.
What to do?
Tags: writer’s block
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS Feed. Thanks for visiting!
No Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
In one of my university classes the other night, I sat through some student presentations on academic dishonesty in education. One group did a well-researched job on grade inflation, detailing its causes and potential cures. The other group presented what on the surface appeared to be a primer on how to cheat and why it’s essential to do so in school, at any level.
Ouch!
Tags: academic dishonesty in education, grade inflation
No Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
I believe I’ve mentioned before that, in speaking at least and often in writing, using who exclusively and forgetting whom exists will work just fine.
However, the other day I listened to a radio ad about an online dating service in which a woman extols the qualities of her new boyfriend “who I met online,” or words to that effect.
This grated on my ears. Why?
No Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
If you’re serious about finding good information online–and not just what someone wants to force down your throat–you’ll need some strategies for success.
I deal with these strategies in my new English Resources feature called Quality Online Research. Check it out.
Tags: finding good information online
No Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
I’ve always run into those blow-hard editors, copyeditors and proofreaders who insisted that comprise be used in the active sense, meaning "to include."
Hence, one could write, "The program comprises dieting, exercise, and yoga." One could not write this in the passive voice, "The program is comprised of dieting, exercise, and yoga," which is the way I always used the verb.
Now,"blow-hard central" had a point in the sense that I never recognized comprise as a transitive verb that took objects, but I’m not sure they were right about not using "is comprised of."
Now to the rescue comes Common Errors in English, which has a solution–use "is composed of" instead, but that doesn’t quite, to me at least, convey the same meaning as "is comprised of."
Whatever, the blow-hards are always right. Blow-hards rule just about everywhere, don’t they? But they’re not always right!
Tags: copyeditors and proofreaders, editors
7 Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
My title is an example of two words that are often confused. Actually, what’s confused in many writers’ minds is how to use and spell complementary. I’ve even seen professional Web sites where companies are trying to sell their “complementary services” and they use complimentary completely incorrectly. Sure, I’ll take their free services anytime.
Here’s an explanation of the difference.
No Comments »
Filed under: Grammar Sucks
