So, recently on the Q&A segment of our weekly newsletter, we were discussing possessives with proper nouns (names), and one example was compound possessives. When two (or more) people ‘own’ the same thing, and they are named, we only need to indicate possession on the final one: “I was invited
One of our Australian Writers’ Centre community recently asked us to clarify the use of the term “plan ahead” as being somewhat redundant. This led to more examples of tautology and somehow a party invitation… Q: Hi there AWC. I want to talk to you about the term “Plan Ahead”.
One thing you should be trying to do with your style is to write actively rather than passively.
Passive voice slows the action, deadens the emotions and distances the reader from the action. But what is it? I hear you ask.
Well, consider these sentences:
Last week our Q&A used the term ‘very unique’, and in doing so, succeeded in waking up the interwebs. An ABSOLUTE catastrophe! Let’s take a look… Q: Well, wasn’t that a great Q&A last week? All ‘reality show’ themed and that. A: Oh, thanks. Um, who are those other people? Q:
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation. This week, a word or two about possession… Q: Hello. Every May and September I
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, is it “a” or “an”? Q: Woooo, hi there guys, I just got in from
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, which word is correct? Q: Hi guys, can you clear up whether it’s
Each week, we take an informative and light-hearted look at the important punctuation and grammar issues of the day, including the much-maligned apostrophe. This week, inspired by one of our newsletter readers, we tackle a particularly knotty one… Q: Hi there, I was editing something the other day and saw
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, when do we use each of these two? Q: Hi Australian Writers’ Centre.
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation. This week, sowing seeds of doubt… Q: Hi Australian Writers’ Centre, help! I’m utterly confused about
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation. This week, we’re obsessed with buts. Q: Hi Australian Writers’ Centre, I was wondering why
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation. This week, we share an obsession of ours… Q: Hi Australian Writers’ Centre, I’m obsessed
This video by by “Weird Al” Yankovic is making the rounds, and we wanted to share it with you!
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, which phrase is correct? Q: Hi there – a friend of mine wrote
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, which word is correct? Q: I couldn’t wait to ask you a question
If so, fear not, you’re not alone. In fact, it would be quite difficult to be alone with this one. Despite its rather ominous-sounding title, ‘gargalesis’ is actually “heavy tickling, often resulting in laughter”. So it’s more than likely going to require at least two people to get a bad case of this condition.
And it has a sibling. To perform or receive a feathery ‘light tickling’ (and actually, sometimes they’re even worse) goes by the name, KNISMESIS. The names themselves have very scientific origins, coined in 1897 by a couple of psychologists clearly with too much time on their hands. As words, they’re pretty rare – confined usually to medical journals and smarty-pants know-it-all blogs.
Happy birthday America; 238 years old and looking good (although it could be all that Botox you’ve had done on your West coast).
You truly are the land of the free. Home of the brave. Land of colorful humor, high fiber, cozy pajamas and gray aging neighbors. Home of the 50-story theaters, favorite jewelry, organized travelers, snowplows, sizable paychecks and open dialog.
Sigh. Land of the red-underlined-word. Okay America, it’s one thing to take a stroll on the sidewalk with your fanny pack during Fall. (Period.) But why, when it comes to spelling, is it You (Ess-Aye) vs The Rest of the World?
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation. This week, a breakfast conundrum… Q: Breakfast time! Oh no. I spilt some milk because
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, do blondes have more fun? Q: Hi Australian Writers’ Centre! I have blonde
Each week, we take a look at a common confusions and ambiguities in the English language (that gives us about a century’s worth of material!) – making things easier through the power of friendly conversation… This week, we head out for a night on the town… Q: My friend Henrietta
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