Monthly Archives: October 2009

Best Weekend of the Year!

Posted on October 31, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I know that I’m probably in the minority, but this weekend–the one during which we return to standard time–is one of my favorite weekends of the year, unlike when we start daylight-saving time in the late winter (47-hour weekend). I understand those of … Continue reading →

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Try Less; Do More

Posted on October 30, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Try is one of those simple, little words that we don’t give much thought to, but the difference in how we use the word is the difference between persevering and lacking commitment. If at First You Don’t Succeed… If you don’t have … Continue reading →

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Costly Language Mistakes

Posted on October 28, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Communication can be costly because how well you communicate will largely dictate your success, but I didn’t know a communication mistake could cost a business $340,000,000 (340 million)! That’s what happened when a Japanese trader accidentally sold 610,000 shares of … Continue reading →

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Stop the Insanity!

Posted on October 26, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I always think of 1990’s health guru Susan Powter when I see someone using two spaces after a hard stop (period, exclamation point, question mark, etc.) in 2009. Not only is the reasoning behind the double space antiquated, but it … Continue reading →

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Compound and Complex Sentences

Posted on October 21, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Good writing comprises different elements, for example, clarity, honesty, and correct basic mechanics. One of those mechanics is the ability to vary sentence structure. More mature writing consists of more than just what are called simple sentences. A simple sentence … Continue reading →

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Voluntary Social Distancing and Self Isolation

Posted on October 19, 2009 by languageandgrammar

If you have the flu, one of the best things you can do to prevent its spread is what many experts now recommend–participate in voluntary social distancing or self isolation. Sure, those options will help, or you could do what … Continue reading →

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Autumn in Central Pennsylvania

Posted on October 16, 2009 by languageandgrammar

We thought we’d go off topic today and show you pictures of a historic weather event where we live. (Don’t forget about Paul’s weather blog, cloudyandcool.com, which focuses on weather from a national perspective, including several posts about weather forecasts for the 2009-2010 … Continue reading →

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Annoying Work Words

Posted on October 13, 2009 by languageandgrammar

It’s been my experience that executives have been more responsible for annoying, trendy language at work than the rest of us, but a recent survey of executives has revealed their top language pet peeves. One of the most annoying is … Continue reading →

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Common Grammar Errors

Posted on October 5, 2009 by languageandgrammar

The most popular page on languageandgrammar.com (by far)  is Sherry’s Grammar List, so I thought I’d highlight the page today. Sherry’s Grammar list contains over 125 common grammar errors, listed in alphabetical order. –Paul

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