Quick Guide to Confused Words: Statute vs. Statue, Ordinance vs. Ordnance, Flout vs. Flaunt

It’s a good idea to understand the finer points of English vocabulary, even if definitions…

Do Apostrophes Make Plurals? Rarely

A common problem with apostrophe use is using apostrophes to form plural nouns instead of…

Difference between Betray and Belie and Discreet and Discrete

The verb “betray” derives from the Latin trader (to hand over), a root related to…

Using Prepositions: Besides, Between, Have, Because

Choosing between beside, besides, and their equivalent phrases is a matter of formality. Beside is…

Using Prepositions: In and On

Unless you study languages or have a profession like proofreading, you don’t likely give a…

How to Understand NFL Lingo, Part 3 of 3

In this series on NFL lingo, we’ve covered the positions and other basics of American…

What’s the Difference between Diffuse and Defuse?

The correct choice is “defuse,” a verb pronounced just the same as the verb form…

How to Understand NFL Lingo, Part 2 of 3

Last month, we looked at some of the basics of the game, including the playing…

Commonly Confused Words, “Taste the Rainbow” Edition

With an effectively infinite number of potential spoken words, English could have been a precise…

Subject-Verb Agreement II

In last month’s post, I reviewed the basics of subject-verb agreement: definitions of subjects and…

How to Understand NFL Lingo, Part 1 of 3

The playing field, or gridiron, is made up of ten sections of ten yards each,…

Commonly Confused Words: It Never Reigns But It Pores

This talk of rain brings us to another perplexing pair. “Pour” with a "u" describes…

Subject-Verb Agreement, Pt 1

In today’s post, I will review an important aspect of English grammar: subject-verb agreement. I’ll…

Commonly Confused Words: Ship’s Carpenter Edition

This kind of unintentional wordplay, sometimes called an eggcorn, comes from mishearing or mixing up…

Common Mistakes to Avoid Making in Your Writing, Part 2

Today I’ll write about and provide links to other ProofreadingPal blog posts with more details…

Commonly Confused Words: Uninterested vs. Disinterested

There it is again. You’re reading a newspaper or magazine, an article about a legal…

Quick Guide to Common Writing Mistakes

In today’s post and an upcoming part II post next month, I’ll briefly describe some…

Commonly Confused Words: Jive Talking

This time around we’re looking at two sets of words pertaining to uncertainty, deception, and…

Commonly Confused Words: Lightning Round!

Over the last few months, this blog has looked at how shifts in our language…

A Road by Any Other Name

While it may seem confusing to have an Elm Street in the same city as…