Nor vs or. Nor is a strange little word, one that I always think sounds a little formal. But it’s also a useful word, and one that it’s important to know how to use correctly. The definition of “nor” is “and not.” It is inherently negative and is used when you have multiple negative things. … [Read more…]
What language do they speak in Great Britain? English. What language do they speak in America? English. So what’s the problem? Well, it’s not a problem, exactly, but there are a number of subtle differences between British English and American English, many of them involving spelling. Keep in mind that neither spelling is incorrect; it’s … [Read more…]
Irregardless… Is that even a word?!? When I was a senior in high school, I had Mrs. Krieser for my English teacher. She had been teaching for at least 30 years by the time I was in her class and was probably the most eccentric faculty member at my small town high school. I remember … [Read more…]
One of my grammar pet peeves? Song lyrics with bad grammar. Just this morning, I heard a John Cougar (Mellencamp) song* that irritated me so much that I had to loudly sing along, using the correct grammar. (Don’t worry, I was in my car, so I didn’t bother anyone else!) The song in question: I … [Read more…]
Me, myself and I. How hard can it be? While these tips on choosing between me, myself and I will be most helpful for anyone writing in first person, we could all use a little refresher. After all, even if we write our fiction in third person, we still write emails, letters, Facebook posts, etc. … [Read more…]