For this grammar rules post, we’re going to dig into three terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, though they have different meanings. All three are often referred to when people are up speaking in front of an audience, but it’s not uncommon for the wrong term to be used in a given situation. So let’s … Read more
It’s interesting the impact an “s” can have on a word. Of course, many words find their numbers increase with an “s” added to the end of them. But what happens if you drop a single “s” into the middle of a word like decent? Well, for some folks, it may make it more difficult … Read more
On this site, I’ve discussed the differences between antonyms, homonyms, and synonyms, but I recently came across a new (to me) term: contronym. And it’s actually a pretty useful term and idea, especially for writers who like playing around with meaning and interpretation. So let’s peel back what a contronym is. What Is a Contraonym? … Read more
(Editor’s Note: Please enjoy this piece from Michael Arndt on typography since the typewriter. Understandably, Arndt is a little particular in how the fonts in this piece should display. However, our web platform, much like the typewriters mentioned in this piece, is a little limited in font options, so we’ve made images of his piece … Read more
If you’ve heard the terms parody and pastiche tossed around, but you’re not sure how they’re different (or how they’re related), you’re in the right place. Because we’re about to look at what each word means and how these two similar terms differ. (Grammar Rules for Writers.) Learn when you’re using parody vs. pastiche in … Read more
If you have trouble understanding the difference between an abbreviation, acronym, and initialism, don’t worry: They’re easy to mix up. In fact, they often overlap each other. But this post will attempt to untangle these terms ASAP. (Grammar Rules for Writers.) Learn when you’re using an abbreviation vs. acronym vs. initialism with Grammar Rules from … Read more
Tic and tick are homophones that have very different meanings. One word is often tied to involuntary (or unconscious) movements or language, while the other has to do with clocks, sounds, counting, and bloodsucking arachnids. (Common Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them.) So let’s look at the differences between tic and tick and when … Read more
Anchorage and birth are two homonyms that have very different meanings. One word is closely related to creation, while the other relates to transportation, sleeping and saving a lot of space. (Common typing errors and how to fix them.) So let’s take a look at the differences between bed and birth and when to use … Read more
We’ve looked at a lot of congeners in 2021; So let’s end the year with another coupling: Pains and Throws. One refers to pains or spasms, while the other refers to throwing or dropping objects into the air. (Common typing errors and how to fix them.) So let’s take a look at the differences between … Read more
Let’s start 2022 with a set of words that could annoy anyone if they weren’t paying attention: medal, interference, metal, power. In this group we have a pair of homophones and some oblique rhymes to counter that also have related meanings, although certainly not the same. (Common typing errors and how to fix them.) So … Read more