Grammar Girl: For Writers and Language Lovers.

392 GG Orangehead

06 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we call people redheads instead of orangeheads? Guest writer Gretchen McCulloch has the amazing answer. Grammar Pop Winterfest is a new wintery...

251 - What Is a Gerund?

28 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What Is a Gerund? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adve...

391 GG Scrabble Words

22 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A fun romp through some quirky words you may see when you're playing Scrabble. Remember to check out my new game, Grammar Pop, for your iPhone or iPa...

390 - Passive Voice

15 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Avoid one of the biggest passive voice mistakes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection an...

389 GG English Plurals: Wugs and Blicks

07 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Your subconscious controls how you speak. We show why you already know how to make imaginary words such as "wugs" and "blicks" plu...

388 GG Style Sheets

23 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Don't make the mistake of treating your style sheet like a style guide. The new grammar game, Grammar Pop, is now available for the iPhone. Look for i...

387 GG "Because" as a Preposition

14 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's up with sentences such as I didn't do my homework because Skyrim? Try Grammar Girl's new iPad and iPhone game: Grammar Pop. Hosted by Simplecas...

386 - Negation in Night Vale

10 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Night Vale: Where even “not” isn’t what it seems. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

117 - Biweekly Versus Semiweekly

03 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why "biweekly" can have multiple legitimate meanings. Check out the new word game Grammar Pop in the App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gramma...

385 - Irony

27 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

More than five different types of irony? No wonder it's confusing! Guest writer Keith Houston, author of "Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctua...

384 - Homophones

19 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Which English homophones came from polysemy and which came from spelling variation? Try our new iPad game, Grammar Pop. If you like the Grammar Girl p...

383 GG Could Care Less

12 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An excerpt from Bill Walsh's book "Yes, I Could Care Less." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information ab...

50 GG Like Versus As

05 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Find out which of these words is a preposition and which is a conjunction. Try Grammar Girl's new iPad game called Grammar Pop. You match words with t...

381 GG Prepositions

30 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The fascinating history of English prepositions (yes, really). If you are trying to learn about prepositions, try Grammar Girl's new iPad game called ...

380 GG Participles and Gerunds

22 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Prove you know your parts of speech with the new iPad game Grammar Pop. You don't have to know the difference between participles and gerunds to play,...

379 GG Apostrophes in Science Fiction and Fantasy Names

15 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who started it and why? Get Grammar Girl's books at http://j.mp/allGGbooks Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati...

378 GG Apostrophes and Plurals

09 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how to use apostrophes by pondering a Victoria's Secret ad. Buy Grammar Girl's books: http://j.mp/allGGbooks Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co...

377 GG Royal "We"

02 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of the new royal baby, more formally known as Prince George Alexander Louis, we're pondering a pompous pronoun choice known as the "roya...

376 GG Why Do We Have Both A and An?

19 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How English evolved to give us two indefinite articles (a and an), and the odd mix of possessive pronouns that don't quite match. Buy Grammar Girl's b...

375 GG What Is It Called When You Mishear Song Lyrics?

11 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Spoonerisms, Mondegreens, Malapropisms, and Eggcorns. Like the podcast? See Grammar Girl's books: http://j.mp/allGGbooks Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW...

374 GG Rebracketing

05 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How to Make Weird Product Names Plural Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

372 GG Retronyms

21 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Retronyms: Scourge of the Language or Helpful Tool? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

371 GG Commma Splice

14 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How to Avoid a Common Comma Error: The Comma Splice Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

370 GG Why Isn't "Gruntled" A Word?

07 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why Aren't We Gruntled When We're Happy? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

369 GG Why Does "I" Take Plural Verbs?

31 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

"I" is singular, so why do we say "I go" instead of "I goes"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....

368 GG Hyphens

24 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How to Use Hyphens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ad...

367 GG The Old Editor Says

17 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

John E. McIntyre, a veteran editor at The Baltimore Sun, shares pithy editing maxims from his new book. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See ...

366 GG How Texting Is Changing English

10 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How Texting Is Changing English Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

285 GG "Moot" Versus "Mute"

03 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Moot isn't moot, but it can mean something different in Britain and the U.S. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informa...

365 GG The Language of Crime

26 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Language of Crime Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ...

364 GG Why Would Anyone Use "The Chicago Manual of Style"?

19 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Style guides. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertis...

363 GG Writing Flashbacks

12 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How to manage verb tense when writing flashbacks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection a...

362 GG Why Are Some Portmanteaus So Awful?

05 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

My failed entries for the Clorox Ick-tionary. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...

361 GG Is That a Wool Sweater or a Woolen Sweater?

29 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What to do when you can use an attributive noun or an adjective. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about o...

051 GG I'm Good

22 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Is it OK to answer "How are you?" with "I'm good"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection ...

359 GG Do You Tell People to Pound Sand or Pound Salt?

08 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Deciphering crazy English idioms. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

358 GG "Only": The Most Insidious Misplaced Modifier

01 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How putting the word "only" in the wrong place can confuse your readers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...

357 GG Why the Plural of "Die" Is "Dice," not "Douse."

22 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Fossils of language Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ad...

356 GG Where Do I Use Commas?

15 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a comma-kaze? Do you use commas like confetti? Don't use a comma everywhere you would pause when speaking. Check out the rules. Hosted by Simp...

355 GG Subject Object

08 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why "I love you" is the easiest way ever to remember the difference between subject and object. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw...

353 GG Can Apple Get Away with "Funness"?

25 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

and "renanoing"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

352 GG How to Create and Use Figures of Speech Pt.1

18 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Make your messages more vivid, more memorable, and trigger emotional responses using anaphora, antithesis, and chiasmus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW...

351 GG Pronouns: Is a Company a "Who" or a "That"?

11 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What pronoun should you use when referring to a company? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our colle...

350 GG "Who" Versus "That"

04 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Is Your Dog an "It" or a "She"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

349 GG A Word Lover's Highlights of 2012

28 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The good, the bad, and the odd. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

348 GG How Webster's Screwed Up

21 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

How an editor who hated the word "radical," became a radical. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...

347 GG How to Use a Hyphen

14 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how to use properly use hyphens with compound adjectives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

346 GG Tuxedo Verbs

07 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Use rich verbs, but don't put them in tuxedos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and ...

342 GG Writing for Dyslexic Readers

09 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Tricks to make make your writing more accessible to people with dyslexia and visual impairments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.ads...

341 GG Google Ngram and "Impact" as a Verb

02 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The updated Ngram Viewer gives new insight into word usage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our co...

151 GG Just Say No to Drugs

12 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

"Dragged" versus "drug." The Grammar Girl print book is now available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/2pkej7 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan...

142 GG When Are Double Words OK?

28 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Are "is is" and "had had" acceptable? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...

334 GG Using Present Tense in a Story About the Past

31 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The girl who sat next to me is or was? named Stephanie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...

333 GG When Is W a Vowel

24 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A E I O U and sometimes Y, but also W? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

332 GG How Do You Tell If Something Is True?

10 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Debunking a believable grammar hoax. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of per...

331 GG "Pet" or "Petted"? Troublesome Past Tenses

03 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Some verbs are becoming strangely irregular. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and us...

330 GG The Rules of Story

27 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Why the Rules of Story Are Even More Immutable than the Rules of Grammar. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informatio...

329 GG "Versus"

20 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready to write about the Olympics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

328 GG "Decimate" and "All Right"

13 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Two troublesome words from Grammar Girl's new book. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

327 GG "Dilemma" and "Gone Missing"

06 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

From 101 TROUBLESOME WORDS. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal dat...

326 GG "Jealousy" Versus "Envy"

29 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

From 101 TROUBLESOME WORDS. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal dat...

325 GG So You Think You Can Edit?

22 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Tips for editing and revising. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal ...

324 GG When Bad Grammar Means Good Fiction

08 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you gotta break the rules. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of per...

323 GG How to Write Numbers

01 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When do you write out numbers, and why do they call it "maths" in England? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati...

320 GG You Have No Idea How Weird "Do" Is

04 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

English's meaningless "do." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...

318 GG Dashes, Colons, and Commas

20 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

They can change the way your sentences feel. Learn how they differ. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

317 GG What Does "Proper English" Mean?

13 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

You say "proper English," but you mean Standard English Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ...

316 GG Sentence Fragments

06 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Will they make editors reject your fiction? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use...

315 GG Possessives

30 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Possessives: They aren't just for possession. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...

314 GG Mary Sue

23 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Truth may be stranger than fiction, but fiction is usually more interesting. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informa...

312 GG This NGD story is "all right."

02 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

A Grammar Day tale: When Mr. Brown Met Miss Fox: A Love Story Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...

309 GG Why Do Kids Say "Versing"?

17 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

It's older than you think. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

308 GG Should We Abandon Standard Spelling?

10 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Should we be more lenient? "L8r" for "later"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ...

310 GG Stationary, Stationery, Complement, and Compliment

03 Feb 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Memory tricks! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adverti...

111 GG Everybody Wants Some

27 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Indefinite pronouns. The Grammar Girl print book is now available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/2pkej7 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...

306 GG "The Night Circus": Well Done Second Person Narrative

13 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know there are three kinds of second person? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collectio...

305 GG Where Did the @ Symbol Come From?

06 Jan 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Why does it look like a snail? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal ...

304 GG Should You Point Out Errors?

30 Dec 2011

Contributed by Lukas

How can you correct people's errors without coming off like a jerk? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

030 GG Sentence Fragments

23 Dec 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Learn to recognize them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...

200 "Who" Versus "Whom," Advanced

11 Dec 2011

Contributed by Lukas

"Who" Versus "Whom," Advanced Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection a...

302 GG Passive Voice

09 Dec 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's about more than just what verb you use. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and us...

301 GG Active Voice

02 Dec 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's about more than just what verb you use. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and us...

300 GG Christmas Carol Grammar

25 Nov 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Learn about the odd grammar in "What Child Is This?" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our...

299 GG Ten Tips to Banish Typos

18 Nov 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Computer and printing tricks to eliminate errors. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection a...

298 GG Color Your Readers' Imagination with Words

04 Nov 2011

Contributed by Lukas

"Dogs" or "mastiffs"? "Beer" or "ale"? It really does matter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...

297 GG How to Search a Corpus

28 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's a database, not a dead body. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

029 GG "They" as a Singular Pronoun

21 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Can you use "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

294 GG Do You Resent Your Editor?

07 Oct 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Tips for dealing with criticism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...

293 When to Capitalize Seasons

29 Sep 2011

Contributed by Lukas

When to Capitalize Seasons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

292 Overcoming Writer’s Block

23 Sep 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Overcoming Writer’s Block Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal dat...

288 Compound Nouns

08 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Compound Nouns Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adverti...

284 Who Says “Fun” Can’t Be an Adjective?

14 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Who Says “Fun” Can’t Be an Adjective? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use...

283 Did Oxford Drop the Oxford Comma?

08 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Did Oxford Drop the Oxford Comma? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

282 "Each Other" Versus "One Another"

01 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

"Each Other" Versus "One Another" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

280 Whoever or Whomever?

16 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Whoever or Whomever? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for a...

279 Capitalizing Titles

09 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Capitalizing Titles Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ad...

275 Camel Case

12 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Camel Case Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising...

274 Double Subjects

05 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Double Subjects Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...

273 "A Hold" or "Ahold"?

28 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

"A Hold" or "Ahold"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

272 Do You Capitalize “God”?

21 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Do You Capitalize “God”? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da...