Phrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns
A phrasal verb is a verb consisting of two or more words—a verb and (usually) a preposition or a particle—that, […]
Oxford Comma: Yes or No? A Compilation of Opinions and Recommendations
First things first: what is the Oxford comma? Also called serial comma, it is a comma placed after the penultimate […]
A Guide to Terminal Punctuation
This post outlines the functions of punctuation marks employed at the end of a sentence: the period, the exclamation point, […]
Sense and Sensibility
This post lists and defines words derived from the Latin verb sentire, meaning “feel” or “perceive.” The direct descendant of […]
A Guide to Nouns
A noun was traditionally described as “a person, place, or thing,” but some definitions further specify what can constitute a […]
Names of Plants, Food, and Drinks Formed by Folk Etymology
This post lists words for plants, food, and drinks, as well as some terms associated with drinks, derived from words […]
A Guide to Vertical Lists
A recent post described how to organize and format in-line lists, those that occur within a sentence. This one explains […]
Cars and Carriages
Car and carriage, and many other words containing the element car, derive from the Latin word carrus, meaning “two-wheeled wagon.” […]
A Guide to Internal Punctuation
This post outlines the functions of punctuation marks employed within a sentence: the comma, the semicolon, the colon, and ellipses. […]
10 Ways to Render Sentences More Concise
This post details various strategies for reducing and simplifying sentences. 1. Sentence Combination Avoid consecutive sentences that end and begin, […]
A Guide to Abbreviations
Abbreviations are a sometimes necessary evil, but with the power to employ them comes great responsibility. This post outlines types […]
Idioms About Units of Measure
A number of idiomatic expressions refer (often hyperbolically, or with lighthearted exaggeration) to units of English measure to describe something […]