If you are an American speaker, you probably pronounce the word err to rhyme with air. Although American, I went to school to nuns from Newfoundland; I learned to pronounce err to rhyme with fur, as in Pope’s verse, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” Literally, “to err” means “to wander or go astray … Read more
A reader asks to know the past tense and past participle of the verb “to plead”: I have heard “pled” being used. Is this correct? The question of pleaded vs. pled is the source of much online discussion, little of it neutral: I personally think it makes newscasters and journalists sound ignorant when they use … Read more
Here are three word pairs that are often confused. 1. Averse / Adverse averse: disinclined Incorrect: Regular readers of this column will know that I’m not adverse to shameless self-promotion. Correct : Regular readers of this column will know that I’m not averse to shameless self-promotion. adverse: harmful, undesirable Incorrect: The effectiveness of disulfiram (Antabuse) … Read more
The use of both where neither would be clearer and more idiomatic is fairly common, but inherently ambiguous. Take for example, “Both men were not arrested.” Is the intended meaning “neither man was arrested” or “one man was arrested, but the other wasn’t”? Here are some examples of statements that use both where neither is … Read more
Linking verbs, also called “copulative verbs,” “being verbs,” and “state of being verbs,” do not describe an action. This type of verb links a subject and the noun, pronoun or adjective that restates it or describes it. The verb most commonly used as a linking verb is the verb to be in its various forms. … Read more
Judging by the Google Ngram Viewer, the verb inculcate has declined considerably in popularity in recent decades. So, apparently, has understanding of its meaning. inculcate: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions; urge on or fix in the mind; to cause (a person) to become impressed or instilled with something. Because inculcate is … Read more
A reader has asked me to “shed some light” on the expression “at the end of the day”: I know it means “after everything has been taken into consideration” and it is an integral part of our everyday vocabulary but some of my colleagues seem to find it inappropriate in its function. Could you please … Read more
Someone in my Facebook feed posted this about an aging celebrity who has recently published a book: “Don’t buy her books and don’t patron her movies.” I’d never seen patron used as a verb. Patronize is the verb commonly used to mean: “to frequent or support as a customer.” For example: I have patronized The … Read more
In this morning’s paper, I read the following in a guest column written by a recent college graduate: I [won’t] deny knowing people who skipped college and ended up with the sorts of careers most grads would cut their eyeteeth for. The writer’s meaning was that “most grads” would envy the “sorts of careers” attained … Read more
Twice a year we open the enrollment for our Freelance Writing Course. The course is a 6-week program aimed at people who want to get started making money freelance writing online. You’ll get in-depth lessons on everything you need to know, including the tools and trade and the resources you can use to make your … Read more
Written errors in the use of lose, loose, and loss are common. One error is to write the adjective loose (rhymes with moose) as if it were the verb lose (rhymes with booze). Incorrect: Don’t loose touch when people leave for a new position. Correct : Don’t lose touch when people leave for a new position. In … Read more
A reader who edits financial news has observed that some writers seem to be unaware of the specific connotation of allegedly and gives this example: [Company name], an integrated automotive company, is allegedly to reduce expansion plan for its car rent company, from initially 4,000 units to 3,000 units of additional fleet. The word allegedly … Read more