Not since “It was a dark and stormy night,” has “It was…” been a recommended start to a sentence. And, really—if we’re getting down to it—the famous Edward Bulwer-Lytton quote could have been stepped up a notch.
Just think about the difference between “it was a dark and stormy night” and “the stormy night was dark.” The switch is a simple one, but suddenly, the line is more direct and a bit ominous.
A writer could (and should) take it further, practicing the old advice of show don’t tell. This exercise might lead to a more evocative sentence still:More
Regarding “regards” or “regard,” remember that the singular form of “regard” is proper in phrases such as “with regard to,” “in regard to,” and similar forms. This seems to be a loose rule these days, since it’s found incorrect so often—even in edited material—but if you’re looking for a straight right-and-wrong answer, there you go.
The plural form of “regards,” is correct in signatures and sign-offs such as “best regards” or “warmest regards.” It’s also the proper form when you’re “giving your regards”—to Broadway or anyone else.More
If you were a magical being and you were to “extract revenge” from some cauldron of calamity, maybe you’d be using your words correctly. However, for most writers plotting vengeance for their characters (or themselves?), the proper idiom is “to exact revenge.”
***insert menacing music here***
Revenge is a delicate subject. I could see how handling it properly seems like something you might do with a pipette and a beaker, but that’s just not the case.
To “exact revenge” calls back upon an old usage of the word “exact,” specifically to both demand and obtain, most commonly by force. Yikes. A bit more intimidating than pipettes, right?
One could exact payment, exact change, exact meaning, or exact justice. There are many things to exact, when you begin thinking of this word as a verb. It’s all a matter of being exact with your usages of exact. Are you ready to get this exactly right?
Pronouncing this phrase, there isn’t often confusion, but when it comes to writing “wreak havoc,” fingers somehow tend to get confused as they type away on their keyboards. Has this happened to you? If so, here’s a gentle reminder:
To “wreak” means to inflict or create; thus, to “wreak havoc” means to create havoc or to create chaos or mayhem.
If you’re “wrecking havoc,” you’re truly a force to be reckoned with since you’re destroying chaos. Watch out for you. I know I will.
Watch your spelling, and make sure you know what you’re saying, folks. Throwing a hashtag in front of “havoc” isn’t enough to save you.
The proper phrase is “hunger pangs.” What is a “pang” you ask? Why a brief feeling of emotional or physical pain, of course. Confusing? Absolutely.
The muddle over the “hunger pangs” vs. “hunger pains” is understandable, but when there’s a correct answer, you’ve got to go with it.
You might have back pains, growing pains, or pains in the neck, but you don’t have “hunger pains.” Unless there’s major malnourishment involved, “pang” is the word you need.
Katniss Everdeen might have costumes with “flare,” but unless flames are leaping from someone’s clothing, perhaps the word “flair” is what you might be looking for. Confused? Read on.
I’ve caught this typo a few times lately, so I wanted to pause and spend some time with it.
“Flare” can be a noun or a verb, most commonly referring to the display of fire, a sudden burst of flames, or the action of the erratic burning. It can also refer to a sudden burst of emotional heat or a spreading outward (e.g., flaring tempers or a flaring skirt).
“Flair” is a noun, referencing unique style or a natural talent.
You’ve got flair? Awesome. I really hope you don’t have flares. That’s not a good thing.
Be careful when writing with mood lighting, folks.
There, there, dear reader, don’t be distraught by the spelling of “there,” “their,” or “they’re” anymore. This has to be the most confused set of words in the English language. Social media would practically shut down if posts with this typo were denied. Am I exaggerating? Maybe. But just a little bit.
Quick review:
There – A place (e.g., I want to go there). Hint: you’ll find the word “here” inside of “there.” Both of these words are places. If you can swap out “here” for “there” in your sentence, you need this t-h-e-r-e form.
They’re – A contraction meaning “they are.” Why do contractions continue to baffle us? The world will never know.
Their – A possessive pronoun (e.g. That was their dog). Hint: you’ll find the word “heir” inside of “their.” And an heir has lots of stuff to possess, right?
You’ll remember now, won’t you? Please? Don’t make me appeal to the social media powers that be. I hear grammarians have some pull. Maybe. I tell myself. (sigh)More
When writers show readers the world around their characters, this is when a story can come alive. It’s the difference between dialogue existing on a black movie screen and an exchange that stirs your readers’ imaginations.
Sometimes, you might realize description would enhance a scene, but you aren’t quite sure how to turn a sentence from simple into masterful. There are three common weaknesses I stumble upon again and again in my editing work, so I wanted to pass on some possible solutions that may help.More
Sometimes, we are so clever we invent grammar rules that don’t actually exit. Then wonderful **insert sarcasm here** sites like YahooAnswers allow readers to vote on correct answers where the winner isn’t necessarily correct just popular. When uninformed Wikipedia writers also jump on the popular-but-not-actually-correct bandwagon, we’re in trouble.
This week, I was asked about the use of single vs. double quotation marks, a question that comes up fairly often and a rule that is often confused. But you know what? This answer is easy—so easy in fact that I can write it in nine words:
Always use double quotes unless inside of another quote.More
A bit over two years ago, when I started this blog, I wasn’t sure if I would ever get to tip #100. Was this a worthy endeavor? Would people even care? Was there anyone out there who was as particular about this stuff as me? One hundred tips later, thanks for following, folks. It’s been a great journey, and I look forward to it continuing.
And speaking of which (yes, you can start sentences with “and” on occasion), last week, I said I’d have an announcement. Here it is:
My top 100 writing tips will be published in 2015. More on that soon, but without further ado, let’s get to today’s writing tip.
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“Mother, May I?” is so much more than a game. It’s a lesson in respect and grammar, isn’t it? The game isn’t called “Mother, Can I?” (You know where I’m going with this…)
I feel like most people know the difference between when we should use “may” and when we should use “can,” but no one takes the time to get it right. “May” is all about permission. “Can” is about physical ability.
“Can I go to the bathroom?” (I sure hope you can.)
“Can I walk down the street?” (It’s possible, but it might not be happening.)
“May I take three giant steps forward?” (Yes, you may.)
We’re all sloppy on this one, so I present a challenge to all of us. Channel the second grade teacher who first introduced you to this rule. Imagine the look on her face every time a student said this incorrectly. Take that look to heart. Embrace it. Internalize it. Then do the grammarians in the world (and yourself) a favor, and say it right.