All but one of the following sentences demonstrate incorrect style for parenthesis; revise placement and capitalization as necessary: 1. I had the same experience last year (my story differs only in the details.) 2. Steven Spielberg’s (Schindler’s List, Munich) latest film is a lighthearted one. 3. He pitched for the team for five seasons (1994–1998). … Read more
A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that has been authorized to perform the function of a conjunction, which simply means that it links one part of a sentence with another. (Standard conjunctions consist of the phrase and clause connectors for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so, acronymized in that order as the mnemonic FANBOYS.) … Read more
Each of the following sentences begins with a modifying phrase that is erroneously constructed in such a way that it appears to refer to the subject but does not. A discussion of the problem, and a revision that solves it, follows each example. 1. While not intended to be all-inclusive, the committee recommends that its … Read more
Yes, candid and candidate are cognate. It’s ironic, of course, that a word referring to forthrightness and honesty is the basis of a noun referring to someone who stands for political office. Candid is from the Latin term candidum, which means not only “sincere” and “upright” but also “white” and “pure.” Candidatus, the Latin predecessor … Read more
Words that refer collectively to one’s clothes have an origin in the sense of equipment or preparation; here are a dozen words available as alternatives to clothes. Apparel, ultimately derived from the Latin verb apparare, meaning “prepare,” started out in English as a verb but then came to be associated with clothing (as well as … Read more
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.) 1. He was __________ about whether the change was a good idea. a) ambivalent b) ambiguous 2. Her score on the test was _______________. a) exceptionable b) exceptional 3. His … Read more
These three sentences exemplify incorrect insertion or omission of hyphens in numerical references. Each sentence is accompanied by a discussion and a revision. 1. The two albums have sold close to 30-million copies combined worldwide. The combination of a numeral and a word expressing an order of magnitude is never hyphenated; the usage, a simplified … Read more
Writers are often confused about whether to punctuate a phrase that includes two or more adjectives. To determine whether a comma is required between any two adjectives, test whether they are coordinate or noncoordinate. Coordinate adjectives have equal status: They both modify a noun or noun phrase. By contrast, noncoordinate adjectives have different functions: The … Read more
Semicolons, used to separate two independent clauses or two or more words and/or phrases in a list when at least one phrase is itself a list whose items are separated by commas, are sometimes erroneously employed when those conditions do not exist. Here are three such sentences, each followed by a discussion and a revision. … Read more
Sapient and savor are cognates (words with the same origin)—which shouldn’t be surprising, as they both pertain to being perceptive. These words, and the others discussed below, derive from the Latin verb sapere, meaning “taste” or “have a flavor.” Savor, from the same Old French word, is both a noun and a verb, though the … Read more
All but one of the following sentences incorrectly sacrifices logic for the sake of consistency of verb tenses; revise verb tense forms as necessary. 1. Working with such close friends as these three were could have been problematic. 2. My visit to Yellowstone National Park was the most enjoyable vacation I’ve ever had. 3. She … Read more
Writers are divided in opinion about punctuating introductory words or phrases—and often, they are at war with themselves with the topic. Even adherents of open punctuation will generally insert a comma after an adverb, whether it is transitional, like however, or descriptive, like suddenly, and will follow even a brief modifying phrase such as “according … Read more