I wish I could offer attribution to these two punctuation parables but alas I received them unsigned. Nevertheless, they illustrate the important function that punctuation plays in telling the reader how to parse the words on the page. Punctuation both paces and parses, instructing the reader about when to stop (for periods, question marks, and […]
How Punctuation Can Change Your Life Read More »
The Oxford or serial comma is the comma that separates the conjunction (such as or, and) from the last item on a list. Furious controversies have erupted over this small punctuation mark. Millions of worthy people maintain that the Oxford comma is a necessity in every list. Millions of other worthy people claim that it
The Oxford Comma Turns Out to Be Worth Real Money Read More »
Last week I gave a few examples of words and distinctions made clear in a pamphlet from 1922 titled S.O.S.: Slips of Speech. Here are a few more excerpts. Statements in parentheses are mine. Divide Up As divide means to “separate into pieces,” “cut asunder,” “apportion,” or “distribute in shares,”, up is redundant and absurd.
Commonly Misused Words 2: Wisdom from 1922 Read More »
“The strongest compulsion in the world is not love, and it is not hate; it is one person’s desire to edit another person’s copy.” — H.G. Wells “Infuriating” “Frustrating” “Upsetting” These are some of the words that people use in my trainings to describe their experience when someone in their organization changes their writing without
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There are two kinds of people in the world. I call them get to the point people and have a nice day people. Get to the point people want you to lead with your main point. They do not want you to wish them a nice day. In fact, they might not even care whether
Get to the Point” People vs. “Have a Nice Day” People Read More »
