DAILY WRITING TIPS

Dictionary vs. Thesaurus

June 25, 2018June 17, 2007 by Daniel Scocco

Afshan Khan asks, “What is the difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus?” A dictionary is a book containing the individual words of a language (usually organized alphabetically). The purpose of the dictionary is to set forth the orthography, pronunciation and signification of those words. The thesaurus, on the other hand, is a specific dictionary … Read more

Not Nice At All

June 19, 2007June 16, 2007 by Sharon

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My high school English teacher banned the use of the word nice. She said it was a lazy adjective. Although she was a bit harsh, there was some truth in what she said.

Coordinating Conjunctions

June 19, 2007June 16, 2007 by Sharon

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Coordinating conjunctions are some of the handiest, dandiest words in the English language. Essentially, they help us string our thoughts together in a way that is complex and meaningful, and without them writing would be very short and choppy.

Simple sentences, period

June 17, 2007June 15, 2007 by Michael

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A sentence should contain a complete thought. Once you finish your thought, you can finish your sentence, usually with a period. That makes your sentence more readable too. Yes, it’s legal in English to use conjunctions to put several thoughts into one sentence. But it takes a special kind of mind to follow the train of thought in a sentence that has two or three thoughts.

Is “alright” all right?

June 17, 2007June 15, 2007 by Erin

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In 1965, The Who told us “The Kids are Alright,” spawning generations of the use of alright in music.

Say What?

June 16, 2007June 14, 2007 by Sharon

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If you’re telling a story, you can use two journalism training mnemonics to check that you have covered all the bases. These are the 6Ws and the WHAT formula.

What’s In It for Me? Not a Job, That’s For Sure!

September 30, 2013June 14, 2007 by Mary

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I spend a great deal of time helping students write resumes designed to help them get entry-level jobs related to the career training program that they are enrolled in. One of the most challenging parts of resume writing is creating an objective.

Principle, Principal

June 15, 2007June 13, 2007 by Sharon

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Principle and principal are easily confused. It doesn’t help that they are homophones, which means they sound alike. Here’s a guide to what they mean and how you can tell them apart.

Advertising May Be Harmful to Your Spelling

June 15, 2007June 13, 2007 by Maeve Maddox

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The United States has a government official called the Surgeon General who is the nation’s chief adviser in matters of health. One of the most famous to hold the job was Dr. C. Everett Koop, author of warning labels on cigarette packages.

Clauses that need companionship

June 14, 2007June 12, 2007 by Michael

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Independent clauses can stand on their own, even if they are joined together in one sentence. Subordinate clauses, on the other hand, aren’t supposed to stand on their own. Because they depend on another clause in the sentence, an independent clause. That last sentence, beginning with because, was a subordinate clause that I forced to stand on its own. It would have fallen flat on its face if you hadn’t automatically connected it to the sentence before it.

Word of the Day: Oblivion

July 10, 2018June 11, 2007 by Daniel Scocco

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Oblivion comes from Latim oblivio (to forget). It means the state of being completely forgotten. If something is in oblivion, people forgot about it, or are totally unaware of it.

Concise Writing: The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

June 13, 2007June 11, 2007 by Mary

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When writing, it is important to keep your messages concise. What does concise mean? To the point. As a reader, I don’t need to have to wade through a four line sentence in order to figure out what you mean.

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