Effective Writing | The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

Transitional Words and Phrases

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:00:27 +0000

Each writer’s art is the formation of voice and technique over time. The more we write, the more we find and reveal thoughts and words connected only as we might convey them. The more we study and apply the principles for shaping good writing, the more eloquent and precise we can become. Writing differs from […]

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How to Use Only Correctly

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 03 May 2023 11:00:27 +0000

Any language has its accepted daily misuses, even as they miff the grammatical purist. In English, we might often deal in statements with solecisms such as: Please inform Sheila and I about the tickets. I must of left my backpack on the bus. Every dog has it’s day. We’re still in awe of the enormity […]

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Should We Use There Is and There Are?

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 11:00:04 +0000

There are too many orange M&Ms in this bowl. There is a lot of congestion on I-88 into the city. There’s a piece of confetti in your hair. If you’re an American communicating in American English, such statements are as common as corn in the Midwest. There is, there are, and the contracted there’s are […]

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Motif: Definition and Examples

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 12:00:55 +0000

We write in order to inform, explain, express, persuade, and entertain. Through our proficiency with grammar and vocabulary, we enhance our ability to further develop interpersonal meaning and intelligence as well as the exchange of knowledge that shapes our perception of truth. Writing also lets us look further into the heart of human expression: to […]

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Misplaced Modifiers: What They Are and How to Fix Them

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 11:00:14 +0000

Imagine you are reading the police-report section of your community newspaper. Someone has been committing a rash of local burglaries. The description in the report says, “The man is identified as being age 20 to 25 and approximately 5’9″ to 6′ tall with shoulder-length blond hair weighing 160 to 170 pounds.” You furrow your brow […]

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Using Nor Properly

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 11:00:31 +0000

Those who enjoy and study grammar often do so because they are inspired by the clear and eloquent expression of thoughts. They understand that when we open our mouths, put pen to paper, or begin to type, our minds are on parade. Precision in writing and speech involves the steady acquisition of grammatical details, or […]

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Regards, Best Regards, or Kind Regards: What Is the Best Usage for Each?

GrammarBook.com — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 12:00:57 +0000

Most of us have probably seen the word regards at the end of an e-mail or letter—or possibly a variation such as best regards or kind regards. But some people might not always be ready to explain what regards actually means or when the best time to use each version might be. Today we’ll look […]

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What Is an Idiom? (With Examples and Usage)

GrammarBook.com — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 12:00:17 +0000

Idioms are a big part of language—as well as a common source of confusion, particularly for non-native speakers. Because idioms are used so often in communications from emails to text messages to daily conversations, understanding them is important to mastering American English. In today’s post we’ll explain what idioms are and how they work, as […]

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Cultural Identity

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:00:43 +0000

The last couple of years have seen a greater emphasis on how we refer to and write about cultural identity in a wonderfully diverse country such as the U.S. In this discussion, we’ll share some current style guidance you can consider. When we seek reinforcement for certain style items at GrammarBook.com, we most often refer […]

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Negative Words

GrammarBook.com — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:00:07 +0000

Negation provides us the means of expressing the opposite of a word, thought, or idea. It can include words such as: no nothing not neither none nowhere no one never nobody Let’s look at a few examples: I agree with what she said. I do not agree with what she said. Everyone loves paying taxes. […]

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