Denizens and Their Labels
What do you call someone who hails from Delaware or Detroit? Are there really official terms for these things? Although…
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A Couple of Things You Should Know
Traditionally, the word couple has been used as a noun meaning “two things.” As a noun, it requires the use…
Deduce or Induce? It’s Elementary, Watson …
Whether or not Sherlock Holmes ever said “Elementary, Watson” is debatable. What’s not in question is Holmes’s keen powers of…
Here Lies—An Epithet or an Epitaph?
Here are a couple of closely related words that you don’t want to confuse: epitaph and epithet—especially when it comes…
To Apostrophe or Not—That Is the Question
Sometimes punctuation is a matter of context. Attributive vs. possessive nouns are a case in point. Is the second Sunday…
Joint Ownership
Let’s talk a bit about joint possession and the proper way to express this. Possession can get a bit tricky, and…
Do Yourself a Favor and Learn about Reflexive Pronouns
I sometimes see writers misuse reflexive pronouns—pronouns that have the suffix self (or selves) tagged on. For example, note these…
Don’t Be in Error of Circumlocution
Here’s a simple way to tighten up your writing: look for phrases using be in your passages. Verb phrases using…
Avenge and Revenge
When you want payback, are you after revenge or do you mean to avenge someone? Avenge and vengeance have to…
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