The “Anthropos” Family
The Greek noun anthropos, meaning “male human being” or “man,” is the root of some familiar and not-so-familiar English words, which are listed and defined below.
Vocabulary Quiz #7: Commonly Confused Words
In each sentence, choose the correct word from the pair of similar terms. (If both words possibly can be correct, choose the more plausible one.)
Capitalization of Names of Academic Disciplines
When do you capitalize a word or phrase that denotes an academic discipline? This post details the distinctions between these terms as proper nouns and as generic descriptions.
3 Types of Erroneously Located Modifiers
The three sentences below demonstrate related syntactical errors: a misplaced adjective clause, a misplaced modifier, and a dangling participle, respectively. Discussion following each example explains the error, and a revision solves it.
Ducts and Dukes Lead the Way
The Latin verb ducere, meaning “lead,” is the basis of many English words pertaining to action, development, and movement. This post lists and defines these words.
3 Problematic Parentheticals
Each of the following sentences is muddled because a parenthetical phrase is incorrectly punctuated. Discussion of each example explains the problem, and one or more revisions resolve it.
Style Quiz #13: Parallel Run-In Lists
Each of the following sentences features a list of words or phrases with flawed structure. Revise as necessary.
40 Fish Idioms
The ubiquity of fish in culinary traditions and the popularity of fishing as both a recreational pastime and a food-gathering activity has led to the development of many fish-based idioms, including those listed and described below.
3 Examples of Strengthening Parallel Structure
In each of the sentences below, misplacement of a word, or absence of a word, presents an obstacle to comprehension. Discussion and a revision follows each example.
3 Types of Usage Errors
In each of the sentences below, a word has been misused or is ambiguous, affecting the clarity of the statement. Each example is followed by a discussion explaining the problem and a solution to it.
Value and Valor
Words pertaining to worth and worthiness that are based on the syllable val or a similar letter combination are related. This post lists and defines the words in this group.
3 Sentences That Confuse Instead of Explain
In each of the following sentences, the manner in which the statement is constructed hinders rather than aids comprehension. In each example, discussion describes the problem, and a revision provides a solution.