Man is a time-bound being. I once had a history professor who liked to bellow that statement when his students complained about being required to know exact dates on exams. He argued that knowing the […]
If Wishes Were Horses: Conditionals
How do we write about the What Ifs? How do we talk about conditions and consequences?
Antidisestablishmentarianism: The Perils of Nominalization
We’ve seen how changing nouns and adjectives into verbs can give us unexpected, modern and punchy writing, so what happens when we do the opposite and make nouns out of verbs and adjectives? Unfortunately, we […]
Let’s Logic this Language: Verbing
All of us have language pet peeves. Some people hate double negatives, others go bonkers when they hear someone end a sentence with a preposition, many feel slang is a sign of end times, etc. […]
It’s Not a Red Little Corvette: Adjective Order
Why does “fast red racing car” sound better than “racing red fast car”?
That’s Not What I Meant: Contronyms
Does grammar leave you chuffed, or chuffed? Are you bolted to the floor, or do you bolt for the door?
You Know What I Mean: Idioms, Euphemisms and Double Entendres
They all use language to change, hide or play with meaning, but what exactly are idioms, euphemisms and double entendres?
Writing Can Be Real(ly) Hard: Adverbs
Do you write good, or well? When you are sick, do you feel bad, or badly? What’s the difference?
Y’all ready? Let’s Go! Using Apostrophes
Apostrophes, the bane of every grammarian’s existence. Why is it so hard to get them right?
Active vs. Passive Voice
What is active voice? What is passive voice? Does it really make a difference which voice I use?
Grammaphile 