[To listen to the text on this page, click here.] If you've followed along with the Quick Wins from the beginning, this is where it starts paying off! In [QW1], we discussed a team is a collection of people making up: A group An entity (one - 'it'). The team has a chance to win. It has a chance to win. Although it usually refers to a large … [Read more...] about [QW6] Is it “Everyone has …” or “… have …”?
[QW] - Quick Wins
[QW5] “It’s” vs. “Its”
Here is a problematic word puzzler where one outlier does not follow the rule. [QW5] "It's" vs. "Its" We often find an apostrophe demonstrating ownership: The dog's bone A company's logo A Ferengi's tooth sharpener (If you're not a Star Trek fan, never mind :) ) We can shorten these to: Its bone Its logo (Ferengis are humanoids, so I can't call them … [Read more...] about [QW5] “It’s” vs. “Its”
[QW4] ‘Democratic’ vs. ‘Democrat’
Okay, pet peeve time. We in the U.S. are ramping up to an election in early November. And I guarantee: we will hear and see the word 'democratic' misused 99% of the time between now and then. Well ... forever, really. Few of us – including grammar pundits and the Democrat Party! – remember what's correct. That's a bummer. [QW4] 'Democratic' vs. … [Read more...] about [QW4] ‘Democratic’ vs. ‘Democrat’
[QW3] Don’t confuse ‘I’ and ‘me’
Kathie York, CSQE Chief Wordsmith and Gaffe Eradicator! [Surprise! I'm experimenting with sending my posts on Saturday mornings. It's history makin', and you're part of it ;-). Thanks for tagging along. Enjoy, K.] One of the most difficult things to get right in sentences is 'I' and 'me.' [QW3] Don't confuse 'I' and 'me' Let me show you two correct … [Read more...] about [QW3] Don’t confuse ‘I’ and ‘me’
[QW2] Never (!) refer to people as ‘that’
Kathie York, CSQE Chief Wordsmith and Gaffe Eradicator! Welcome back to Quick Wins for those pesky 'word puzzlers' in our lives. This month's offering is one of my biggies: [QW2] Never (!) refer to people as 'that' If you've ever asked me to edit for you, you are probably aware I'm a 'That' Nazi. This is what some of my clients call me! When you have … [Read more...] about [QW2] Never (!) refer to people as ‘that’
[QW1] Companies and groups are not people!
Hey! What's all this 'QW' stuff in the headline?! Let me tell you the story. I recently looked back through some notes from editing projects, where I discovered a pattern of easy-to-fix 'word puzzlers gone wild.' ;-) The puzzlers not only cost my clients more $$ for me to fix, these folks were probably voicing the faux pas with clients or potential … [Read more...] about [QW1] Companies and groups are not people!
