Category Archives: Common Grammar Errors

Fly High

See if this title of an online article grabs your attention. 9 Reasons Why Flying is Getting Better Your response might be “Really?” Does the person who wrote this always fly first class? Does the writer know a secret to … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors | Leave a comment

Split Infinitives

A grammar concept we might have happily forgotten since our school days (or maybe right after the test) is the split infinitive. So what is it, and do we need to care? Here’s my take. An infinitive is the “to” … Continue reading

Posted in Common Grammar Errors | Leave a comment

Setting Alarms

As we grow more proficient in any pursuit – be it bowling, baking, or barbecuing – we are continually setting new alarms to avoid problems. This is particularly true in writing and editing. Once we realize we’re prone to mistakenly … Continue reading

Posted in Common Grammar Errors, Common Punctuation Errors, Commonly Confused Words, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

In the News III

Continuing our February theme, this week’s post again gives you an opportunity to play copy editor. Examine the following three excerpts from recent newspaper articles and consider what you might change. 1. While many Clevelanders were excited about and pleased … Continue reading

Posted in Common Grammar Errors, Common Punctuation Errors, Commonly Confused Words, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

In the News

We all make errors when we write – even the pros who report the news. Play copy editor and decide how you’d refine these passages from the past week. 1. The middle-of-the-road shopper, neither low-end nor high-end, who in recent years … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Common Punctuation Errors, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

“Olio”

If you’re a crossword puzzle aficionado, you know that an “olio” is a miscellaneous collection (related to another frequent crossword answer, “olla,” or stew). Today, see if you can correct or refine these sentences from an olio of sources. 1. … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

Oldies but Goodies II

As promised last week, here are a few more quiz questions from 2015. First, correct errors or redundancies in these two sentences. 1. If you’re wondering where my Dad is, Uncle Al saw him hop in the hotel bar. 2. … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Commonly Confused Words | Leave a comment

Oldies but Goodies

As we round out 2015, my next posts will give you another crack at improving a few sentences selected from the past year. Good luck with your review test. 1. If your going to consume a record amount of hors … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Commonly Confused Words, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

Errors That Make Readers Grumpy

What are some common errors in writing or speaking that irk you? Some folks can’t stand “irregardless.” Others grind their teeth when “I” or “myself” is incorrectly substituted for “me.” And “very unique” has its legion of groaners. Other language … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Commonly Confused Words, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment

The Whisker Metaphor

No, I’m not above pandering, so this week – in addition to targeting folks who care about perfecting their writing – I’m going after the Internet’s cat-crazy crowd. The word that pertains to both groups? “Whiskers.” In my workshops I … Continue reading

Posted in Brevity, Common Grammar Errors, Commonly Confused Words, Flair & Finesse | Leave a comment