July 6, 2026

Predicate Adjective at the Beginning of a Sentence

Also delicious is the apple pie.

Flipping around a sentence like "The apple pie is also delicious" so that the adjective comes before the verb is perfectly grammatical, and it can be a good way to vary your sentences. But it could also mean you have nothing of substance to say.

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June 22, 2026

Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, Homophones and Homographs

You know what a synonym is. But can you say the same for homonyms, homophones, homographs and antonyms?

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June 15, 2026

Upside-down Subordination: A Subtle Problem Undermining Your Writing

When your most important or interesting information is in a subordinate clause instead of the main clause, it can dampen the effect. Here's how to spot and fix upside-down subordination.

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June 8, 2026

When Nouns Are Adjectives

When is a noun not a noun? When it's acting like an adjective, like "chicken" in "chicken soup" and "air" in "air travel." Here's everything you need to know about attributive nouns.

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June 3, 2026

'Flush Out' or 'Flesh Out'?

Both are correct, but "flush out" and "flesh out" have different meanings.

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May 11, 2026

Writing Numbers

Some numbers are better spelled out, others work better as numerals. Following one of the major style guides can ensure you're consistent.

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April 29, 2026

'Actually' and Similar Adverbs

Some adverbs clutter up your sentence, causing more harm to your message than good. "Actually," though useful sometimes, is among the worst culprits.

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April 20, 2026

Commas for Setting Off Nonrestrictive Information

"My sister Jennifer" has a different meaning from "My sister, Jennifer." A comma tells the reader that the name "Jennifer" in no way narrows down who I mean by "my sister," so I must have only one sister. The absence of a comma tells the reader that the name is restrictive information necessary to know which sister I'm talking about. Here's the full explanation.

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April 13, 2026

Where to Put 'Only'

Some people will tell you that "only" can go only one place in a sentence: immediately next to the word it modifies, like "only one place" in this sentence. But in fact, "only" can work multiple places in the sentence, so I could have said: Some people will tell you that "only" can only go one place in a sentence. Moving "only" to before the word "can" is just as correct.

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April 6, 2026

'That' and 'Which'

If you want to follow publishers' rules, keep "that" and "which" in separate lanes. If you just want to be correct, trust your instincts.

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