When Not to Include
On the use of include to mean are . . . Read More
Posts related to writing tips
Overhedging
Some writers are timid—or pretend to be—about making a statement, so they hedge Read More
Former and Latter
There are many stylistic sins worse than using former and latter Read More
Our school’s band is called the Marching Knights—is it a singular or plural noun?
Many collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used. As Claire Kehrwald Cook writes, “[I]f the collective noun denotes… Read More
Should sun, moon, and earth be capitalized?
When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term is “capitalized” or “usually capitalized,” the MLA capitalizes the term in its publications. When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term… Read More
Critique versus Criticize
Claire Kehrwald Cook noted that critique as a verb “has not yet won full acceptance” Read More
Liberate Those Verbs!
Some phrases in English lengthen a sentence while adding nothing to its meaning . . . Read More
Do I use a comma before Jr. and Sr.? What about names followed by roman numerals?
In the main text of your written work, use a suffix that is an essential part of the name—like Jr. or a roman numeral—when you… Read More
How many spaces should I leave after a period?
Leave one space after a period or other concluding punctuation mark, unless your instructor prefers two spaces. Whichever spacing you choose, be sure to use… Read More