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Category Archives: grammar
Has Your Curiosity Been Peaked—or Piqued?
I understand why it’s tempting to use the word peak when describing an excited stage of interest in or curiosity about something. After all, a peak is the pointy top of something, so it’s natural to think of a peak … Continue reading
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Tagged English, grammar, grammar error, language, peak or pique, writing
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Future Tense or Present Tense: Is the Future Now?
I heard a meteorologist talking about weather that was going to happen later in the day and the next day, that is, going to happen in the future, so it was confusing when she said It does get better at … Continue reading
Fewer vs. Less: Fewer Things, Less Stuff
With countable things, use fewer, not less. With things that are not countable, such as emotions and things that are measured in bulk or total amount, use less; for example, you’ll notice fewer lines around your eyes if you use … Continue reading
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Tagged fewer or less, fewer vs less, grammar, grammar error, writing
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Fun, Funner, Funnest: Are We Having Fun Yet?
A reader asked whether we could shed some light on the correct use of the word fun; this is one of my pet peeves, so I’m only too happy to oblige. I hear of people who had fun birthdays, movies … Continue reading
It’s or Its: It’s a Problem
Most nouns use an apostrophe s (‘s) to make the possessive (for example, Bill Belichick’s questionable coaching style, the quarterback’s excuses, the team’s dedication); pronouns, however, do not. The most common of these types of errors is the spelling of … Continue reading
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Tagged apostrophe with its, English, grammar error, it's vs its, writing
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Conditional Tense: What Would Have Been
A reader sent me something from a newspaper and said that it sounded incorrect but that she couldn’t quite explain why. The sentence in the newspaper was If the house would have been newer, it would have been demolished. I … Continue reading
Posted in grammar, language, writing
Tagged conditional perfect, English, grammar errors, language, past perfect with conditional, writing
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The Past of -Cast: Is it Casted or Cast?
Some verbs are regular verbs, which means that they follow a set pattern when forming their tenses; for example, they add –ed when forming the past tense. Other verbs are irregular verbs, which means that they don’t follow those rules; … Continue reading
Posted in grammar, weather
Tagged broadcast or broadcasted, English, forecast or forecasted, grammar error, irregular verbs, past tense
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Can’t Hardly or Can Hardly: I Can Hardly Stand It
In Shakespeare’s time, double negatives such as can’t hardly were common, but in current standard usage (and by current, I don’t mean that I just made it up this week!), double negatives are substandard grammar. Hardly means scarcely or barely, … Continue reading
Posted in grammar, language, writing
Tagged can hardly, can't hardly, English, grammar, grammar error, language, writing
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Anyways or Anyway Grammar: Don’t Say It Any Ways You Want
I’ve heard intelligent people—even some with advanced degrees—use the word anyways, which, again, shows that we all make mistakes from time to time. No one is immune. That’s good to know, isn’t it? Anyway, anyways is not standard grammar usage; … Continue reading
Posted in grammar
Tagged anyways or anyway, boughten or bought, English grammar error, have or has bought, writing
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Bad or Badly: Instead of Feeling Badly, Just Feel Bad
Bad is an adjective that is used with linking verbs (verbs of being, such as be, become, seem, feel, taste, look, smell). Don’t feel bad about slamming my hand in the car door; it happens all the time. I feel … Continue reading
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