Does anybody really care? It's high time you did! And you should also care how time is specified so your documents are second to none, precisely crafted, and, er, processed like clockwork! Benjamin Franklin said, "lost time is never found again." Save editing time with these tips for time treatment from The Chicago Manual of Style.
Topics: numbers, time of day, time
A word with several meanings is polysemous. One of the more interesting forms is the Janus word, also sometimes called an autoantonym or a contranym, in which two of the meanings of the word are opposites of each other. A Janus word is so named for Janus, a Roman god that is identified with doors, gates, and all beginnings and that is depicted with two opposite faces.
Topics: antonym
In America, the political season is fast descending on our daily routine. The news programs are replete with candidates posturing, posing, and preening. Listed below are some of the vacant phrases we may hear in the coming months. Here's hoping that some of those running for office would heed Mark Twain's advice about keeping quiet instead of speaking.
Topics: misused words, word usage
Sometimes it’s easier and clearer to convey important information in the form of a vertical list, sometimes also known as a bullet list. There are several forms, and the form you choose is up to you. Be consistent, though, and follow the general guidelines here.
Last week, we gave you some general rules on possessives. This week, let's focus on possessives of proper nouns.
Topics: possessives of proper nouns, possessive form, possessives
To make singular nouns possessive, add an apostrophe and an s. For plural nouns (except for a few irregular plurals), add an apostrophe only.
Your choice of words will affect your job rating. It will affect the options you have regarding your career. Most important, it will affect the "readability" of your next newsletter, Web page, brochure, or proposal. So choose your words wisely!
Topics: continuously and continually, presently, each other and one another, if and whether, in behalf of and on behalf of, liable and likely
Punctuation and Spacing with Abbreviations (from simple to not-so-simple)
Topics: using spaces in abbreviations, punctuation, abbreviations
Split infinitives have often been the source of much debate among teachers, grammarians, and those who wish to use the most proper of speech. It has been said that an infinitive should never be split.
Topics: split infinitive, infinitives
Our editors often find the need to edit between two meanings. They try to make the right assumption after examining the context. What is left when they are done is clearer and more precise. It is often amazing how punctuation can make all the difference.
Topics: punctuation
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