September 21, 2020

Embarrassed By or Embarrassed With? Bored Of or Bored With?

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It can be hard to know which preposition to use with certain adjectives. To choose the best one, go with the preposition that sounds most natural.

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September 14, 2020

That vs. Which

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In professional editing, it's a mistake to use "which" in place of "that" in front of essential information, like, The thing which matters to me is family. You're supposed to use "that" because "what matters to me" is essential to knowing what "thing" we're talking about. But just because professional editors can't use "which" that way doesn't mean you can't.

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September 7, 2020

I Have Eyes Only for You?

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Only often works best when it's closest to the word it modifies, as in "I have eyes only for you" instead of "I only have eyes for you." But that doesn't mean it's wrong to choose another place for it.

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August 31, 2020

Further and Farther

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You don't have to worry about the difference between further and farther if you don't want to. But other people pay attention.

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August 24, 2020

Ensure vs. Insure

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It's not the end of the world if you ensure for insure  and vice versa. But if you want your writing to be publisher-perfect, follow this guideline.

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August 17, 2020

The Dreaded Dangler

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Danglers are modifying words or phrases that don't clearly point to the thing they're modifying. Sometimes, they don't cause much trouble. Other times they can be a big problem. Here's what you need to know.

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August 10, 2020

I Don't Want No Trouble

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The controversial truth about "double negatives."

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August 3, 2020

Are you good or are you well?

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There's a lot of confusion about "good" and "well," starting with the belief that "well" is always an adverb. Here's what you need to know about "I am well" and why it's grammatically different from "I am doing well."

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July 27, 2020

Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, Homophones and Homographs

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Do you know your synonyms from your antonyms? Here's a guide.

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July 20, 2020

'I Wish I Were' or 'I Wish I Was'?

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The subjunctive mood takes some effort to master. The good news is that in most cases, it's optional.

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