Tips for Better Sentence Structure

My two tips today deal with the most common mistakes in sentence structure I see…

Between vs. Among: Commonly Confused Words

Before we consider the question of between vs. among, let’s look at the distinctions of…

When to Use Who and Whom

I see this one done incorrectly all the time—not just at work, but also in…

Top 4 Misspelled Words

I’m interested in writing about these four words in one post because, apart from being…

The “Misunderstood” Scare Quotes

Scare quotes should rarely be used. For one thing, they frequently send the message that…

Comparison and Contrast: Commonly Confused Words

Expressions of comparison and contrast are a vital part of language. It’s useful to be…

How to Avoid Fragments

A sentence is a complete thought, almost always with a subject and a verb. At…

5 Times to Write Good Transitions

There are many transition words and phrases out there. I’ll highlight some of the most…

Strunk & White Still Good Advice

When it comes to writing well, you’d be hard-pressed to find better advice than that…

Proper Geographical Abbreviations

These rules do not arise organically but are handed down by self-appointed arbiters usually speaking…

5 Obsolete Grammar Rules

Grammar is as subject to fashion as everything else. So to keep you up to…

Guide to Using Hyphens in Compound Words

Recently I’ve gotten a little obsessed with compounds words and the hyphen, that little punctuation…

How Many Spaces after a Period?

Typing two blank spaces at the end of every sentence is one such habit. Lots…

Research Tips for Better Writing

Writing a research paper is like following a recipe. You take certain “ingredients,” follow the…

Does Good Grammar Really Matter?

OK, because I make a living fixing people’s grammar, I’m obviously going to say that…

Avoiding Comma Errors Part II

More advice, explanations, and examples about those pesky commas errors and how to avoid them.

Common Idiom Use Errors

But being fluent in a language doesn’t just mean memorizing a list of idioms (hundreds…

5 Tips for Better Writing Habits

Bad writing is everywhere, and it’s often not a lack of knowledge about the mechanics…

Write Clearly with the Right Words

Editors and writers find some words particularly challenging, changing them over and over again to…

How to Write an A Paper

While it’s true that A work is usually superior to the work of other students…