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Category Archives: Common Grammar Errors
Sports News
Even the most casual sports fan knows that tonight the two teams with the longest championship droughts in baseball will be facing off in the opening game of the 2016 World Series. But did you know we are making a … Continue reading
Words Matter
Ironically, although an HR firm’s online article was titled “Words Matter,” it contained this sentence in need of editing. How would you improve it? As the economy has improved there are less active candidates in the marketplace. The two errors … Continue reading
Handling “Both”
Last night, one of the network newscasters called the presidential race “nail-bitingly close for both candidates.” Hmm. So if the race is close for one of them, doesn’t it stand to reason that the race is about the same for … Continue reading
Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Flair & Finesse
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“A” for “Alert”
This week’s 60-second tip covers two occasions when the word “a” should signal an alert: 1. Watch out for abbreviations after the word “a.” I just read an article, for example, that referred to a NFL record. Yes “N” is … Continue reading
60-Second Tip
Last week, in the newly shortened format for year 3 of my blog, we simply struck the needless “who is” in the first sentence of a movie synopsis. Now what would you do to refine the article’s second sentence (which … Continue reading
Summer Reading V
Do you have a perfect score for August? If so, the pressure’s on to close out the month with one more A+. Make your choices. 1. In lieu of/In light of the growing friction between Andrew and Becky, we are … Continue reading
A Matter of Degrees
Each of these sentences expresses comparisons – and each can be improved. What edits would you make? 1. Ruth is one of the most passionate, creative, and wisest committee chairs we have had. 2. Of High Street or Lincoln Road, which … Continue reading
Bringing Your “A” Game
On occasion, I’ve referred to the “alarm system” each of us should continually expand to catch writing errors. Or if you prefer a different metaphor, you may want to make sure your “antennae” are properly tuned. Here are a few … Continue reading
Quiz Time
Correct weaknesses in each of these sentences. 1. We both went to the same high school for a period of time until Jack won a scholarship to a private school. 2. The meeting is set for 8:30 am tomorrow morning, … Continue reading
Getting It “Wright”
Here’s another chance to flex your editing muscles. See what refinements you might make in these two paragraphs from an article quoting a Wright brothers authority. The publication will remain anonymous, and we’ll call the authority Smith. Although neither Albert … Continue reading
Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Flair & Finesse
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