Category: Grammar
-
How to use “Resonated” Correctly
“Resonated” is joining the ranks of the most misused words in the English language.
-
“I Appreciate You”: A Sentimental and Misguided Phrase
Wherever this abominable phrase began, it needs to be discarded as unsentimentally as possible.
-
“Definitely Possible”: a Contradiction in Terms
If an eventuality is possible, by definition it is not definite, when after all it might not happen. In other words, the phrase is an oxymoron.
-
“Twang”: an Onomatopoeia?
When you hear a nice southern accent, especially from a female speaker, you hear that twang. When men speak, I suppose it’s more of a drawl. Twang is considered an onomatopoeia. That Twang is an onomatopoeia might seem straightforward enough. But upon further reflection, it became a much more fraught topic. Twang is characterized as…
-
Diction & Tone: Striking the Right Balance
For a student in high school or college, the struggle when writing an essay is to use more formal diction and tone than they are accustomed to using. Students nowadays write “kinda” and “gunna” as though they were texting, not to mention “2” for to (or two even). The pressing issue for students, then, is…
-
Adjectives Shouldn’t Modify Verbs
One of the most common errors in spoken English, made even by educated people, is the misuse of adjectives in the place of adverbs: “They need to push forward much quicker.” I’ll give you a moment to try to figure out the grammar issue, and then I’ll reveal it in the next paragraph… The problem…
-
When to Stop Revising: How to Avoid Overediting
‘ Are you a perfectionist? Perfectionism can be maddening. Imagine rereading and rewriting a piece until you can no longer even understand how it will be perceived by other people. Yet this type of revision is essential to creating a creditable piece of writing, whether it’s fiction, expository writing, or an essay for class. Perfectionism…
-
“You’re Good”: An Annoying Verbal Tic
Excuse me, don’t tell me “I’m good” as though my sole concern is not running afoul of your delicate sensibilities.
-
Reducing Clutter with Adverbs & Sentence Combining
Tightening up prose is necessary when reading it feels labored or dull. After the tightening up, it feels, well, tight and spry. Tell me which sentence sounds better to you: “The students filtered down the main staircase with an extra exuberance in their steps.” Or “The students filtered down the main staircase exuberantly.” I am…