This confusing phrase pair was not even on my RADAR until a reader brought it up. And, when I found out what running the gauntlet really means, I was appalled. I definitely won’t be using that expression again. Read more
I still lose sleep over an executive tips book I wrote in 1999 where in the 13th chapter I recommend presenters take a “sneak peak” at their notes whenever needed. Read more
Behind-the-scenes note: I write on Monday and publish on Wednesday, so I’m penning this on the third Monday in February, otherwise known as Presidents’ Day. Or is it Presidents Day? Or President’s Day. Read more
Last week we announced a new blog series we’re calling Grammar Grapplers. A grappler is a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding. The first commonly confused word pair we’re providing a hook for grasping is the difference between compose and comprise. Read more
Since January 1, we have used this blog space for discussing gratitude and the act of writing regular thank-you notes. Several of you have joined our community in the challenge of writing one thank-you note a day. I hope it is going well for you, and I want to pass along a simple idea a reader shared last week: Read more
Last week’s post rang true for many of you. Thanks to everyone who gave a “thumbs up” or commented—and a special thanks to all who committed to this habit in 2021. As a reminder, I’ve pasted a portion of it below: Read more
For the past few days, I’ve heard a lot of voices saying, “I’m not really into new year’s resolutions” or “I’m not really a goal-setting person” or “I don’t make resolutions because they never last.” I guess I understand where they are coming from, but I’m the opposite. Read more
Twice this week I’ve heard professional speakers and broadcasters use the word “nuther.” But, I’m posting this blog today because for the first time I saw someone actually write it in a report: nuther. Read more
Thanks to all of you who have been commenting and adding to our wacky-word conversation these past few weeks. Please continue to post your questions and share your examples. This week’s winner is conversate. Read more
Following virtual training sessions on Write It So They Read It: Technical Writing for Non-Technical Employees or Proof It! How To Be a Better Proofreader, participants send me questions about grammar and writing and punctuation they encounter at work. For the next four weeks, I’m reaching inside the figurative mailbag to answer questions from readers. Please tag me with your pesky punctuation or confusing word choice question, and I’ll be sure to answer. Read more
Photo by Ferenc Horvath on Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/photos/xoBiZSQdfZM
Photo by Andre Mouton on Unsplash
Photo by Azzedine Rouichi on Unsplash