GrammarPhile Blog

Has anyone ever told you that you should insert a comma into a sentence every time you take a breath as you read the sentence aloud? Most of us probably have. But that doesn’t mean it’s a grammar rule that should be widely accepted or slavishly followed.  

Below you’ll find more practical and grammatically validated information about comma usage.  

Commas and Conjunctions

Commas should always be used when you’re using coordinating conjunctions to join two independent clauses in a sentence. FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So) is a helpful mnemonic device for remembering common coordinating conjunctions. Those words function as connectors in a sentence.

Example: He wanted to go to the movies, but I wanted to go out to dinner.

Note: Be aware of FANBOYS imposters that are commonly used in sentences, such as “however,” “therefore,” “moreover,” etc. Those words are conjunctive adverbs. Oftentimes when they’re used in between two independent clauses in a sentence, they can be removed to form two complete sentences instead. For example, consider this sentence: “The moon was bright, however, the forest still remained dark.” It can be changed to read: “The moon was bright. The forest still remained dark.”

What words of inspiration or truth have encouraged you to become a better writer over the years, or have encouraged you to begin writing at all? What keeps you motivated and focused while you write? Have you acquired or heeded any advice about writing from some of the world’s greatest authors? And if so, from whom?

Take our quiz to see if you can match each piece of advice about writing with its famous author. And share what your favorite advice about writing is in the comments below.

As the online world has become more saturated with written content in the past couple of decades, the distinctions between what marketers do and what writers do have become extremely blurred. At first it may not seem obvious that such once-distinct professions are melding together, depending on your own profession. But it’s true. After all, why do employers seem to think that marketers should have top-rated writing skills? And why do employers and online entities believe their marketers should write digital content? Further, why do writers need an excellent online presence and digital marketing skills to get their content read and shared online?

The English language is always growing and changing, with hundreds of words being added to the dictionary each year. And understanding how our words and common phrases originated and continue to change over time is fascinating.

Studying etymology allows us to better understand our world and its history, the people in it, and the way we communicate with one another.

Take the quiz below to see if you know the origins of some common words, phrases, and colloquialisms we use. Share your results and comments with us below and share this quiz with others who might enjoy it too!

Because the English language continues to evolve and change over time, grammar is not a subject exempt from hot debate, especially among professional writers, editors, and proofreaders.

Here’s a list of the ten most hotly debated topics in grammar. Take a gander and then share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

1. The Oxford Comma

It seems like the debate about whether to use the Oxford comma (a.k.a. the “serial comma”) will always be around. Some style guides petition for it to be used and others contend that it should never be used. So, who’s “right”? We may never know for sure.

Examples

With the Oxford Comma: I would like to make apple, raspberry and blueberry, and peach pies for the festival.

Without the Oxford Comma: I would like to make apple, raspberry and blueberry and peach pies for the festival.

Read The Oxford Comma: Use It or Ditch It? to learn more details about this long-standing grammar debate.

2. Two Spaces After a Period

Before word processors and computers were widely used, typewriters were used to type important documents, and it was common practice to insert two spaces after every sentence typed with a typewriter for better readability. Some businesses, industries, and teachers still require individuals typing documents on word processors now to insert two spaces after every period. Yet others think that doing this makes things harder to read.

Examples

With Two Spaces: Bob arrived to the meeting late.  At the meeting we discussed the budget.  

Without Two Spaces: Bob arrived to the meeting late. At the meeting we discussed the budget.  

Grammar and informational or persuasive essay exercises aren’t the only important exercises writers need to do to hone their skills and craft.

Creative writing exercises also offer benefits to writers that are often overlooked and undervalued, especially in a world that’s shifting toward regimented standardized tests and data-driven work.

Here are seven benefits of completing creative writing exercises on a regular basis.

1. Building Confidence

When writing creatively, you’re engaging in an exercise that will allow you to truly develop your own voice and perspective without consequential limitations. You get a better opportunity to explore and express how you feel about topics, perspectives, philosophies, characters, etc. And this will allow you to feel more comfortable and confident when asserting your opinions and perspectives in other things you write, too.

Writers who don’t write creatively might worry about coming across as an authority or reliable source. By forgetting to insert their own take on the subjects that they’re writing about, they unintentionally end up losing their voice and sound like drones spouting off data. As a result, they lose out on utilizing their unique voice and coming across as an expert with real-world and firsthand experience.  

Merriam-Webster Dictionary added more than 1,000 words and phrases to the dictionary in 2017. And while we can’t highlight every single one here, we can highlight the most interesting words and phrases as well as those that received the most attention. According to Merriam-Webster:

An amazing writing portfolio makes you stand out online. How you create, design, develop, and promote your online writing portfolio makes all the difference. A well-designed and well-organized portfolio can determine whether you get noticed or not and can ensure you get work opportunities that reflect who you are as a writer.

Here are some online portfolio tools you’ll want to consider using when creating your online writing portfolio:

• Contently
• me
• Muck Rack
• Writerfolio
• Pressfolios

Whether you freelance, work for a single employer full-time, or take on contract writing work, these tools allow you to do things like upload your original work, use a customized URL, and select a theme. They also come with intuitive online and mobile navigation, so it’s easy for others to view your work, and they make it much easier for you to share your writing with others.

Here are some tips for building an amazing online writing portfolio, organized by writing industries.

Do you typically pride yourself on being able to catch even the smallest of errors in any piece of writing, whether they’re in an online advertisement or a novel? Do misspelled words and typos in a printed document drive you crazy? If so, here’s a fun proofreading quiz for you to take.

Take our quiz to test your basic proofreading knowledge and see if you can catch every single typo. See if you can get every question right and ace the entire quiz. And don’t look for any of the answers online, so you can really step up to the challenge!

Let us know how you did in the comments below. Good luck!

Do you rely on a grammar-checking software or tool, beyond what’s included in your everyday word processor? See if you can find your ideal grammar-checking tool on this list. And after scanning through the review of the most popular grammar-checking tools out there, continue reading to see why you still need a proofreader for your most important pieces of written work.