The long and short of it

Do oriented and orientated mean the same thing? What about preventive and preventative?

Until we meet again

Until, till, 'til, 'till, til . . . which are right, and which will get you in trouble with the grammar police?

Writing tipsIndia LopezJune 19, 2017Till 'til 'till or til?, Grammar, Until or till?, By IndiaComment

Burnt by my BA

What's the difference between "burned" and "burnt" (and what on earth is the perfective aspect)?

It all depends

What's the difference between "dependent" and "dependant" (and how can you remember it)?

Writing tipsIndia LopezMay 29, 2017Dependent or Dependant?, Spelling, Grammar, By IndiaComment

What was Dryden talking about?

A bitter 17th-century poet is to blame for one of our most enduring grammar myths.

Writing tipsIndia LopezMay 22, 2017Prepositions, Grammar, Myths, By IndiaComment

Why we need to retire “transpire”

Do you know what "transpire" means? But do you really?

Writing tipsIndia LopezMay 15, 2017transpire, Grammar, By IndiaComment

I’m special, so special

Is it specially or especially? We have the answers (even if we're no good at reading calendars).

Writing tipsIndia LopezMay 1, 2017Specially or especially?, Grammar, By IndiaComment

Get with the program(me)

Programme or program? It depends what you're talking about and which side of the Tasman you're on.

Writing tipsIndia LopezApril 24, 2017Programme or program?, Grammar, By IndiaComment

Ye olde grammar myth

How on earth did we all end up thinking it was a mistake to split infinitives?

Writing tipsIndia LopezApril 17, 2017Split infinitives, By India, GrammarComment

Same old, same old

Is the adjective cliché or clichéd? We have the answer (and a rock-solid explanation).

Writing tipsIndia LopezMarch 27, 2017Cliché or clichéd?, Grammar, French, By India Comments

Imagine there's no heaven

BC and AD or BCE and CE? We weigh up the benefits of the Common Era system.

Writing tipsIndia LopezMarch 20, 2017Common Era, BC and AD, BCE and BC, Grammar, By India Comment

Kindest regards

Is it "in regard to" or "in regards to"? Don't make this common mistake in your job application cover letter.

Writing tipsIndia LopezMarch 6, 2017In regards to, In regard to, Job applications, Cover letters, Grammar, By IndiaComment

Controversy here, there(,) and everywhere

What is an Oxford comma (aka serial comma), and why does everyone care about it so damn much?

Writing tipsIndia LopezFebruary 27, 2017Oxford comma, Serial comma, Semicolons, By India, Grammar Comment

The green-eyed monster

What's the difference between jealousy and envy?

Writing tipsIndia LopezFebruary 6, 2017Jealousy and envy, Grammar, Vocabulary, By IndiaComment

If you don't mind my saying so

Is it "excuse my asking" or "excuse me asking"? We discuss when to use a possessive before a gerund.

Writing tipsIndia LopezJanuary 30, 2017Gerunds, Possessives, Present participle, Grammar, By India Comments

2 Become 1

Is it thank you or thankyou? All right or alright? Under way or underway? We have the answers.

A numbers game

Should we say "there is a number of" or "there are a number of"? This week, we talk about determiners.

Writing tipsIndia LopezJanuary 16, 2017A number of, Singular or plural, Determiners, Quantifiers, Quantifying determiners, By India, GrammarComment

Different strokes

Is it different from, different than or different to – or can you pick your favourite?

Writing tipsIndia LopezJanuary 9, 2017Different from different than or different to?, By India, GrammarComment

Slash and burn

Should there be a space on either side of a slash (/)? As always, it's a bit more complicated than "yes" or "no".

Writing tipsIndia LopezJanuary 2, 2017Slashes, Strokes, Spaces with slashes, Spaces on either side of slash, By India, GrammarComment

His 'n' hers

How do apostrophes work with compound possession, when two people own the same thing?

Writing tipsIndia LopezDecember 26, 2016Compound possession, Apostrophes, Grammar, By IndiaComment