Last time, I wrote about common misuses of commas. Not long after that, I found this error on an AC Transit bus: Here’s the message I got from this sign: “Federal law requires that these seats be made available to persons with disabilities. Seniors.” While the comma after “disabilities” is Read More…
Eating these high-authority hummus chips would likely be a religious experience.
I have this theory that it’s just about impossible to scroll down one’s Facebook news feed for more than 30 seconds before encountering something that is either completely ridiculous or completely offensive. It must be my lucky day, seeing as I just found something that falls into both categories: I’ll Read More…
Hello readers! Like last week’s tip, my topic today is relevant to the holiday season. (I’m in a festive mood.) Let this post be my Thanksgiving greeting to you, as next week the series and I will take a break to celebrate. Many of us, I am sure, are familiar Read More…
Some people who vandalize the bathroom stalls actually know what they’re talking about … and some don’t. Check out this “fowl” language from a Dwinelle bathroom and the notes trying to correct the mistake.
There is a 100 percent chance that this sentence is partially incorrect. There is zero chance, however, that this sentence is partly incorrect. Why? The answer, as any even partially observant reader might notice, lies in each sentence’s final adverb. Admittedly, the distinction between “partially” and “partly” is of interest Read More…
For many Americans, November can be summed in turkey, the color orange and football. Some put the greatest emphasis on the last item; thus, their fall season is spent commentating on offense and defense and all that business. And while it is already stressful for yours truly to listen to Read More…
It has happened. I knew it would. This week, the ghastly thing that is my midterm paper is preventing me from going off on my typical weekly grammar rant. Instead, I leave the privilege to my night editor, Alex Wolinsky. I will leave my readers, however, with a suggested reading Read More…
Being a statistics major with an affinity for correct grammar can be taxing. As the stereotype suggests, the majority of the people I meet in my field of study has little to no interest in or respect for the intricacies of the English language – a trait that unfortunately seems Read More…
In the lyrics of his 2012 song “Boyfriend,” Justin Bieber sadly neglects perhaps the most ignored aspect of the English language: the subjunctive mood. “If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go.” Sorry, Justin. If you were my boyfriend, you’d never let me go. (Maybe I’d let you Read More…
