Misplaced and dangling modifiers can sneak in when writers and editors aren’t paying attention. A couple of readers found such… Read more »
Monthly Archives: June 2009
Say it like a native: place name pronunciation
Staff writer Martha Quillin’s story about the pronunciation of Lejeune reminds me of the peculiarities of place name pronunciation. Even… Read more »
What the Grammar Guide is about
A slogan I’ve seen from time to time comes to mind today: Christians aren’t perfect — just forgiven. This article… Read more »
Confusing pairs: gel and jell
When we speak of a group or a team coming together to form a cohesive whole or when we write… Read more »
Errors in unexpected places
Sometimes, an error in a public sign surprises me because of the context. I visited Washington late in May and… Read more »
Word watch: reform
Reform has been in the news, both foreign and domestic. In reports about the Iranian election and its violent aftermath,… Read more »
You may "Twitter" or "Tweet" now
The Associated Press Stylebook has been updated for 2009. The style guide, used by media organizations throughout the country, has… Read more »
Word choice: Bring and take
A reader objected to this usage in Monday’s paper: Stephen Colbert brings his Comedy Central show to Iraq. Indeed, because… Read more »
Punctuation particulars: the long dash
Copy editors can be picky. We like accuracy, clarity and consistency. We like to have a good reason for stepping… Read more »