Choice Words
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Happy Birthday Choice Words!
One year ago today I debuted my Choice Words feature (on my original blog domain). Here is the sass I chose to start it off with: *This post originally appeared on October 23rd, 2014 I was scrolling through tumblr, and I found a picture with the words “Stop correcting my grammar, this isn’t English class.” I would post it, but the image behind the text isn’t something I want on my blog, and it’s not the actual post I want to discuss anyway. You don’t want your grammar (or spelling, punctuation, etc.) corrected because we aren’t inside a school or classroom? Girl/boy, please. Yes, I understand you may find it…
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Literally and Figuratively – OR – Two Words, Two Meanings
Literally: truly, actually, exactly. Figuratively: metaphorically, not actually. I’m getting severely concerned that “figuratively” will soon cease to exist because of society’s obsession with dramatizing and embellishing sentences, thoughts, and stories. I’m not so much concerned with individuals’ not understanding the difference between the two words at the beginning of this post; based on my experiences [with correcting people’s use of “literally”], the definitions are clearly understood. Perhaps I will never understand. Perhaps I should stop using “literally” sarcastically in order to save its f-word opposite. Perhaps…ugh. I literally can’t even. Anyway, I’ve rounded up a couple of my favorite images/cartoons/memes that really drive home the misuse of literally, and I would…
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Punctuation: The Difference Between…
Let’s eat grandma! Let’s eat, grandma! We’re going to cut and paste, kids. We’re going to cut and paste kids. Were going to cut and paste kids. Your shit. You’re shit. (Your, You’re; They’re, Their, There) I like eating my family and my dog. I like eating, my family, and my dog. We met the strippers, a frog and Channing Tatum. We met the strippers, a frog, and Channing Tatum. (Oxford Comma > no Oxford Comma) Periods and question marks are probably the most well known and properly used forms of punctuation. What about the exclamation point, you ask? I didn’t include it in that sentence, because the indicator of emphasis is frequently overdone, or used…
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“How to Write Good”
*This appeared on my previous blog on December 30th, 2014 As many of you know, I recently started working as a copywriter for a home décor/furnishings magazine. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, I will describe it as simply as possible. I write copy. Now some of you reading this might be thinking: “Oh, of course.” But most of the people I believe are reading this are thinking: “Ha ha, very funny. But what do you really do?” That is what I really do. But more specifically, I write descriptions for products, edit those descriptions scrupulously, and write them again. I am learning terms for fabric; I’ve learned…
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Verbs – Transitive and Intransitive
Happy Saturday! I have decided to kick off my grammar posts with an explanation of transitive and intransitive verbs – and I’ll make it as exciting as I can. If you followed along with my words of the day last week, you’ll know they were all verbs – either transitive or intransitive. And for those who are not aware of verb variations, or those who need a refresher, here is my take. Transitive Verbs… …require an object. Not satisfied? Good, here’s more. Take a look at the prefix: “trans-.” This Latin root means “across,” or “beyond,” and is present in other words like transit and transfer. Transfer is the one…
