January 2012
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Reader-submitted question: I am trying to decide if I need to stop using parentheses (like this) instead of using commas like everyone else. One of my teachers, a loooonnnnggggg time ago, told me that parentheses were out and that commas were now in.
I will admit that I tend to overuse parentheses and commas. I can’t help myself; I feel compelled to make snide side remarks that are unrelated to...
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“I don’t correct your grammar because I hate you.”
– This is accurate either way you prefer to read it.
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Reader-submitted question: Want to follow up with...
This reader is a huge tease. Semicolons are the sexiest punctuation marks; I tremble a bit at the thought of giving away my techniques.
You know how sometimes you’ll catch a Hot Babe’s eye? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. But that Hot Babe is WAY out of your league. There’s no way you can get together…or is there? Could we find a way to combine two...
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Punctuated equilibrium
Today’s episode of Little Miss Know-It-All: The colon.
Colons are not capital periods. I know they look like they could be, so bear with me through this part. This can be particularly confusing, because when correctly used, colons often follow a complete sentence and can even come just before a capital letter:
I often quote myself: It adds spice to my conversation.
Or:
Good friends, good...
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Gay is not a Synonym
littlemonsteronedirectioner:
I feel like if this was on a shirt people would be so fucking stupid to ask what a Synonym is , which is really sad
Uh, what?
“Gay” is a synonym for many words. It’s a synonym for “happy” and many of its synonyms, “homosexual” and many (maybe all) of its synonyms, and for “carefree” and many of its synonyms.
...
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There goes the pickled herring salesman!
Today’s episode of Little Miss Know-it-All: Hyphenated compound modifiers.
I am asked about hyphenated compound modifiers at least once a month. Of course, the people who ask these questions usually don’t know what they’re asking. They usually say something like I’ve been a lawyer for 35 years and I have never ever EVER seen the phrase “criminal justice” with a hyphen! Harrumph,...
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Hey, Republican candidates!
I’m pretty sure the founder of your religion had something to say about rich people. Hang on, I’ll look up the exact reference. It would be embarrassing if your editor didn’t fact-check that for you.
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I hope you know
snapshotsfromasleepdeprivedmind:
that every time I see a miss-used apostrophe, the wrong form of “there/their/they’re”, the wrong form of “your/you’re”, or any other grammar mistake that no one with access to a computer should make, I mentally berate and belittle the poster for a good 10 seconds before scrolling down.
I don’t judge people based on their race, sexual orientation, etc, but I will...
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“Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. Hate me because I corrected...”
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The horror of ungrammatical lyrics →
What? The line is “them moves like Jagger”? But that doesn’t even make — never mind.
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“I’m looking for reader input on whether and when New York Times news reporters...”
– The New York Times’ public editor, Arthur S. Brisbane
I didn’t realize the New York Times is now publishing satire. Well done, sir.
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“You grammar-crazed nutjob. You may need a better cover than a grammar-fixing ID.”
– A reader.
(Fine. I’ve got a not-so-secret identity
and a “blurb” for my upcoming book.
I love my readers.)
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Just the Roses: Day 26: A Book That Changed Your... →
justtheroses:
One book that changed my perspective was Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss. I am known by my friends as a Grammar Nazi, but, I had considerably backed off thanks to the approach towards grammar of my History and Structure of the English Language…
*sob*
I have to stop searching for “grammar” on Tumblr. I have...
I hate, hate, hate e-mail.
I have literally quit jobs because I couldn’t stand reading a co-worker’s e-mails. Even now, I get a wellspring of rage if my phone chirps with a new message from someone who sends awful e-mails. (You may think I have a low tolerance for “awful”. I prefer to think you are the one with misplaced priorities.)
If your e-mail goes on for more than three paragraphs, it had...
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Regret the Error: The Story Behind the Best NYT... →
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Globe & Mail: I'm a stickler for proper grammar →
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Stop arguing with me.
I don’t care who told you this copy is fine. I’m telling you it’s not.
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