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Style and grammar, or why lots of things aren’t ‘wrong’
Originally posted on Grammar Monkeys on June 4, 2012. What do we talk about when we talk about grammar? Strictly speaking, grammar is the unique patterns of a language, the system of how speakers can...
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Don’t sweat it: Serial comma
Without a serial comma, and with. Want to start an argument in a group of editors? Bring up the serial comma. The serial (also called Oxford) comma is the comma that comes right before the conjunction...
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“Playing” English: Grammar rules and when to break them
One of last year’s free National Grammar Day wallpapers from WinePress of Words. Writing can be like playing the piano. To get good at the piano, first you need to learn scales and chords and...
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5 things every editor should remember
Not an exhaustive list, of course, but some good things to remember: 1. No one will ever complain if something is too clear. 2. It’s not about you. Just because you don’t like the way something’s...
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Who gets to decide how language is used?
Few people use “forsooth” anymore. It’s marked “Obs.” in the Oxford English Dictionary. Recently during a discussion about standard English, usage manuals and stylebooks, I was asked, “Who gets to...
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