n each of the following examples, placement of a phrase obfuscates the sentence’s narrative flow. Discussion and a revision follow each sentence. 1. Ultimately, it isn’t the strongest or the smartest companies that survive and prosper, but those that successfully adapt to change. Because “survive and prosper” applies to both the point and the counterpoint, … Read more
In each of the sentences below, a phrase is erroneously treated as essential or nonessential to the statement when, based on the context, it should be the reverse. An explanation and a revision follows each example. 1. A number of factors are at play for the industry, including the UK’s Brexit vote that continues to … Read more
Father derives from the Old English term faeder, which is cognate with the Latin and Greek word pater. (From the Latin term such words as paternal and paternity are derived.) The term refers not only to a male parent but also to an older man who serves as a mentor; it was also long employed … Read more
The bland verb think (from the Old English word thencan, and cognate with thank) is easily supplanted by any one of an impressive assortment of synonyms, each of which has a precise connotation think cannot match. Here are some to think about. To cogitate is to think deeply and intently; the root of the word, … 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 runs the _________ from slapstick comedian to arch satirist. a) gamut b) gauntlet 2. We went to see her perform in a musical _______. a) revue b) review … Read more
Boldface type, which has a heavier weight than, meaning it is thicker than, roman type, is employed to provide emphasis but has a prescribed set of uses. This post outlines those uses. In running text—the default wording in a piece of context, as opposed to display copy, which consists of headings, subheadings, captions, footnotes, sidebars, … Read more
During much of the 1600s, the Netherlands was a world power, especially at sea, and this influence contributed to the English language in the form of borrowings from Dutch into English of various nautically and aquatically themed words. Here’s a list of many of these terms (a few of which were adopted from, or may … Read more
Here are a handful of tips that will help you produce clean, clear writing regardless of topic, intent, and audience. 1. Insert or Omit Hyphens as Needed Adjectival phrases that precede a noun, such as “free range” before chicken, generally take hyphens, though if the phrase is a standing phrase documented in dictionaries (as is … Read more
The noun (and adjective) bovine, from the Latin term bos by way of the French word bovin, is the scientific word for cattle and related animals; it is one of several words in various languages that is cognate with cow, as both words apparently stem from a proto-Indo-European word imitative of mooing. (In allusion to … Read more
The following words are related to each other and to words based on the element prob-, seen in a number of words ranging from probe to probable and derived from the Latin verb probare, meaning “demonstrate” or “test.” The noun proof refers to evidence or something that makes an assertion certain or valid. It also … Read more
All but one of the following sentences demonstrate incorrect style for punctuation and capitalization of quoted material according to The Chicago Manual of Style and other writing guides; revise the sentences as necessary: 1. The saying, “All’s well that ends well,” is the title of a Shakespeare play. 2. He only had this to say, … Read more
A family of words ultimately derived from the Latin noun quadrus, meaning “a square,” pertain one way or the other to the number four. Here are those words, more or less common in English usage, and their definitions. The most versatile, and most ubiquitous, of these terms is square, which refers to a shape with … Read more