OK, let’s begin with the easy stuff. (Lull you into a false sense of security. Mwahahahaha!) LISTS Colons and semi-colons are used together in complex lists where each item is a phrase rather than a word. Spelling and punctuation issues include: using commas to separate clauses and phrases; the application of apostrophes to indicate possession; [...]
I talked about commas in my first post ‘Let’s eat Grandma’ way back in April. Despite being one of the most-used punctuation marks, commas are among the least understood; comma splicing is a common phenomenon, even among talented writers. To understand how to avoid comma splicing, one needs to be aware of clauses. This is [...]
I knew that would get your attention! Sorry to disappoint, but this post is about the difference between lay and lie. I will try to make it as exciting as possible, though, so ‘bare’ with me. (Ha! See what I did there?) So, do you lie or lay on your bed? First, we need to [...]
I took part in a local radio debate a few hours ago. I haven’t listened to it on playback as I’m dreading hearing how awful I was. I know I made at least one mistake, and if I’m aware of one it’s a sure thing that there will have been a few more. That’s the [...]
Do you worry about this continually? Deciding whether to use ‘continual’ or ‘continuous’ is, for many, a continual problem. Or is it a continuous problem? Read on so you can be sure you get it right… Continuous: without stopping. e.g It rained continuously for three hours. (It didn’t stop raining during that time.) [...]
Even though I don’t have the courage to have anything of my own published, I subscribe to a writers’ magazine as I like to keep up-to-date with the latest debates and ideas in the writing world. I can’t help noticing, though, the number of errors that sometimes appear within the pages of this somewhat expensive [...]
First, I’d like to make it clear that I do not read the Daily Mail. I came across the following letter on a teaching website where there was a discussion about how important (or not) the Key Stage 2 SATs are for a pupil’s future. It seems somewhat ironic that the head teacher who wrote [...]
You will find that many school text books include explanations on how to use apostrophes within the punctuation section. What many don’t realise is that this grapheme (written symbol, letter or group of letters) is actually a feature of spelling – not punctuation. Think about it: commas separate words, phrases and clauses; full-stops appear at [...]
I was a school child for the whole of the 1970s, a time when the discrete teaching of grammar was considered unhelpful. The great educational powers of the time decided that grammar teaching was boring and not working so must change. It was decided that it should be taught in the context of whatever was [...]
In case you’re wondering about the title, it’s an example that shows why commas are important for conveying meaning. Having grandma round for dinner has a whole new meaning when the comma is left out. ‘Let’s eat, grandma,’ is so much more friendly and welcoming. Who would have thought that one little punctuation mark would [...]