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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
Usage Notes (page 3)
'Restive': A Word That Won't Sit Still
From "stubborn" to "fidgety"
The Problems with 'Very'
People have issues with it
It's 'All of a Sudden' (There's No 'The')
Not 'all of the sudden,' yet
Is 'utilize' a word worth using?
Maybe it has its place.
There Is No Such Word As "..."
We assure you these words are real
'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?
It's both, and here's why.
The Adverb: A Most Fascinating POS
'POS' means "part of speech," obviously
The Ups and Downs of 'Carousel' and 'Carousal'
Around and around we go
What's the Problem with 'No Problem'?
Some people do not find it welcome
‘Fatal’ vs. ‘Fateful’
Warning: murkiness ahead
Do you have concerns about 'concerning'?
Some find it ... troublesome.
Is Justin Bieber ‘Iconic’?
Answering the big questions
When is it 'you and I'? When is it 'you and me'?
On pronouns in compound phrases
Can you feel 'nauseous'?
Or is it just nauseated?
The Mediopassive Voice: Does It Read Strangely to You?
When a verb turns on itself
Is It 'Chronic' or 'Acute'?
One is sharper than the other
The Tangled History of 'It's' and 'Its'
A tale of two really similar words
'One In The Same': An Eggcorn
Go with "one and the same"
Even More Usage Limericks
To annoy friends and impress enemies
9 Words Formed by Mistakes
"Wait, you were saying what?!?!"
Why Do We Have 'Pet Peeves'?
Adopt, don't shop.
Should It Be 'Different from' or 'Different than'?
Or is it 'Different to'?
Is it 'astrology' or 'astronomy'?
The difference is written in the stars.
Can You Really 'Grow' the Economy?
The word with many usage peeves.
Is 'Knots an Hour' Wrong?
Can knots only be a measure of speed?
'Exact Same': A Useful Idiom
It's redundant but harmless.
'Equivocate': What It Does and Doesn't Mean
It's all a matter of interpretation
Are Men Really More 'Affable'?
No.
'For All Intensive Purposes': An Eggcorn
What is an "intensive" purpose?
On Notional Agreement, the Majority Speak
When plural verbs meet singular nouns
How to Use 'Munificent' and 'Beneficent'
While we're in the giving mood
What does it mean to be 'on tenterhooks'?
The suspense is killing us.
'Veracious' vs. 'Voracious'
People are ravenous for the truth
The Double Negative: It's Not Unusual (Sometimes)
It's not the worst rule to break
Is 'Inputted' a Real Word?
And can people give their 'inputs'?
I'll Have the Us(ual)
Shortening 'usual': easy to say, hard to spell
C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun
For a myriad of reasons
Can 'Momentarily' Mean "In a Moment"?
We'll tell you soon.
The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'
When you push a meeting, where does it go?
What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?
Its recent usage is hard to shrug off.
Is 'Could Of' an Accepted Form of 'Could Have'?
Don't take this as an endorsement.
Is 'school' ever properly a verb?
Get schooled on 'school'.
Is it majorly wrong to use 'minorly'?
'Minorly' is ready for the majors.
What is the Plural of 'Money?'
The one thing we never have enough of
What's the Past Tense of 'Creep'?
This one's been creeping up on us.
What's the singular of 'scissors'?
A tricky, double-edged word origin.
Let's Talk About 'Anyways'
But you won't like it
We're Down With You Being—or Your Being?—a Square
It's about (you? your?) having your say.
You Can Use 'Whose' for Things
With one exception
Put This in Your Skill Set
Put correct usage in your skill set.
This Expletives Article is SFW
[Expletives retained]
What's this in the fridge?
I before E isn't enough to puzzle out this spelling mystery.
In Tech, What Does 'K' Mean?
A buzzword with a long history.
Should 'Toothpaste' Be 'Teethpaste'?
Twitter users demanded an answer
The Redundant 'Is' Isn't Redundant
What it is is…
'Author' is a Verb
Beyond the mere act of writing
'Self-destruct' is a verb. Does that mean 'destruct' is too?
Blame 'Mission: Impossible'
'Un-': You Don't Always Have to Be So Negative
When 'un-' isn't negative
What's the Past Tense of 'Shrink'?
Shrink, shrank, shrunk...shrinked?
How to Use 'Per Diem' in a Sentence
This term has three jobs in English
Is 'burnt' acceptable as the past tense of 'burn'?
Don't let either one burn you up
Can you start a sentence with 'however'?
Or is it a vulgarism?
'Muskrat,' 'Helpmate,' and 6 More Folk Etymologies
When logic meets language
Should 'aggravate' only be used to mean 'to make worse'?
A vexing usage controversy
Adjectives that Look Like Nouns
When words enter the realm of the mysterious
'Whereabouts': is it singular or plural?
Don't let the '-s' fool you. Or do.
Can you say 'very pleased'?
Our answer may or may not please you
'Free Gift' and Other Redundancies
Not all redundancies are created equal
Getting All Worked Up Over 'Wrought'
And the havoc it has wreaked
Can a Ship 'Flounder'?
And can a floundering ship founder?
Is 'couple' singular or plural?
It depends on how it's used
Literally Everything You'll Ever Need To Know About Semantic Bleaching
Really
Don't Get Caught by 'Unawares'
Don't let this word trip you up
Do You Need a New Language Peeve?
Of course you do!
Can 'Anxious' Be Used to Mean 'Eager'?
More importantly, should it?
Is 'gift' really a verb?
You might not like the answer
Can a single person be a 'troop'?
Many people are confused about this word
Can You Use 'Invite' as a Noun?
There's nothing new about this word
The Correct Use of 'Accident'
It's surprisingly controversial
Using 'Lady,' 'Woman,' and 'Female' to Modify Nouns
'Doctor' works fine on its own
How Do You Modify an Adjective?
Use a dictionary—or use your ear
Is it 'Leg' or 'Limb'?
Yes, this really happened
Yes, 'Impact' Is a Verb
The verb got there first
Is it 'feel bad' or 'feel badly'?
We feel good about answering this one
'The Grammatical Equivalent Of...'
10 'Mistakes' that aren't wrong
Is 'notorious' always negative?
The word has a bad reputation
Is 'Go Missing' Grammatically Correct?
What about 'gone missing'?
'Aren't I?' or 'Are I Not?'
Why hasn't 'amn't' ever caught on?
We Made You a Bunch of Usage Limericks
You're welcome.
'Between You and I'
Don't let this phrase come between you
Can 'hopefully' mean "I hope"?
Thankfully, it can
'Officious' vs. 'Official'
Nobody asked us. We just want to help.
How a Word Gets Into the Dictionary
Trust the process
Yes, 'Enormity' Can Mean 'Enormousness'
People have used it this way for centuries
Is 'Contact' a Verb?
Please don't contact us about 'contact'
Is it wrong to say 'very unique'?
The unusual case of 'unique'
5 Writing Rules Destroyed by the Dictionary
Omit needless rules
Is 'fulsome praise' a good thing?
Be careful how you use this word
Are Grammar Critics Making a Usage Error?
Can you define 'irony'?
When Words Stray from Their Roots
Awesome
Did we change the definition of 'literally'?
Literally every modern dictionary includes this definition
What's an initialism?
FYI
Is it ok to use 'mad' to mean 'angry'?
Is this dog mad or angry?
Is the word 'biceps' plural or singular?
Flex your linguistic muscles
Yes, Liaise Is a Real Word
And no, it's not business jargon
Yes, 'Positivity' Is a Word
We're positive
Arrant or Errant?
They were once the same word
Is it ever okay to start a sentence with 'and'?
FANBOYS won't save you now
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