To keep your writing as clear and concise as possible, you should generally try to remove unnecessary words. Sometimes duplication is fine – for artistic effect, for example – but as a general rule, it’s best to say things in as few words as possible. Unnecessary words often creep in when using acronyms. Acronyms are … Read more
Reader Alex has called my attention to a strange new usage with the word excited: People say ‘excited for’ instead of ‘excited about’: “I’m excited for Avatar.” It sounds clearly wrong to me. It sounds wrong to me as well. The phrase is being spread at a furious rate by entertainment writers. Anyone getting excited … Read more
The word reincarnate used as an adjective is extremely popular with writers who comment on politics and entertainment. Many of the ways in which the word is used, however, are questionable. First, some definitions. Incarnate is related to the Latin word for flesh (caro). To incarnate is to enter into a fleshly body. The Incarnation … Read more
This is a guest post by Cristy Rodriguez. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. A grant is a simple request for funds that entails a description of a specific need and the proposed program that will fill that need. It is the applicant’s responsibility and goal to present … Read more
In my current reading of Beowulf, I’ve got to the part where the dragon bites Beowulf in the neck. The word translated as neck is heals. For some reason, the expression “to be haled off to prison” came to my mind. Could it be, I wondered, that the expression came from grabbing the felon’s neck … Read more
First of all a big thank you for all the participants and all the readers who supported the competition. As you probably know by now the poem “The Storm in My Black Belly” won the competition, with 922 votes. Bindu won a $100 gift card to Amazon. The runners-up were “The Invisible Entertainer”, “The Moon … Read more
In modern usage, beware is an uninflected verb meaning “to be cautious or wary.” Its most common use is as a verb in the imperative: Beware of the dog. or Beware the dog. Beware of scams. Workers beware! Beware your girlfriend when he’s around! No noun form for beware appears in either the OED or … Read more
A reader received an email whose writer expressed this earnest wish: I hope this peeks your interest in advertising with us. This misspelling of pique is widespread: GND’s are here to connect you with things, we hope, will make you laugh. OR Peek your interest. —ad for production company This book is fascinating and the … Read more
The English language is constantly evolving. The meanings of words drift or even change completely. Sometimes words stop being used altogether and they die out. But at the same time new words are constantly being added. These new words – neologisms – can be a source of some irritation to traditionalists, especially when there is … Read more