Tips and Tricks

Helpful writing tips gleaned from my research as a Word Nerd.

Words to Watch (Part Two)

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More tricky words to look for in your writing.

Today, I’m going to review some of the words that are frequently misused and can yank your reader right out of the message you have for them. I wasn’t going to address them in this series, but because I almost used the wrong word just the other day, (I’ve learned to proofread even my Facebook posts!) I thought I should include them. It is imperative to take extra care when using these words because an error will certainly be noticed at the most inopportune time.

It’s vs Its

It’s is the contraction of “it is.” Its is the possessive form of it.

It’s a shame that the dog lost its favorite toy.

Lay, Lie, Lie

This one deserves special attention and is a major problem for many. If you struggle with remembering which word to use–or if you’ve never considered that there might be a problem–please look these up every time, get a sticky note, or bookmark this post. 🙂 The problem occurs not only in definition but in the tenses.

Lay means “to put or place.” Lie means “to recline” or “to tell a falsehood.”

I cannot lie. I want to lie down and take a nap. Please lay my phone on the kitchen counter so I won’t hear it.

Ok, not so bad, right? But here comes the tricky part. I am lying on the couch to watch TV. Yesterday I lay (not laid) on the couch all afternoon. I have often lain (not laid) on the couch to watch a movie. 

But wait! There’s more! Your keys are laying on the counter. He laid your keys on the counter. You have laid (not lain) your keys on the counter every afternoon. 

And if that’s not enough—there’s one more, but it’s easy. They are lying about where they were last night. The judge determined that she lied to him. He has lied before.

I know. My copy of “The Blue Book of Grammar” is dog-eared and highlighted on this page because I refer to it often. If you would like some practice with these words, their website has a quiz to help. Go to https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/lie_vs_lay_1.asp and give it a go. It will be worth the effort if it causes you to pause and take notice when writing that you are using the words correctly.

Lay vs. Lie

  Present Past
To recline lie; is/are lying lay; has/have/had lain
To put or place lay; is/are laying laid; has/have/had laid
To tell a falsehood lie; is/are lying lied; has/have/had lied

Lose vs. Loose

Loose is the opposite of tight, while lose means to “misplace” or “to be defeated.”

Because her shoelaces are too loose, the judges expect that she will lose the competition.

Passed vs. Past

Passed means “gone ahead of” or “approved,” while past means “a former time” or “beyond.”

The young rookie passed the veteran in the race, which would not have happened in the past.

Than vs. Then

I see this one misused often. Than is used to compare. Then means “after that” or “next.”

Then I read “Pride and Prejudice,” which was better than the movie.

They’re, Their, There

Yes, this is the one I almost misused. My mind wandered, and I typed the wrong word. I saw it before I sent the post, but it would have been easy for me to miss it because I don’t usually mix them up, and if I hadn’t checked—well, my credibility as a proofreader could have suffered.

They’re is a contraction for “they are,” there indicates “that place,” and their is possessive.

They’re always looking for a reason to go there for dinner because it is their favorite restaurant.

Two, Too, To

Two is the word form of the number after one. Too means “excessive” or “also.” To is a preposition meaning “in the direction of; toward.”

Two of the politicians took their platforms too far to the right.

Who’s vs. Whose

Who’s is a contraction for “who is.” Whose is the possessive of who.

Who’s the author whose book went on to sell one million copies?

Hint: Many of the words above are contractions that can be confused with their homophones. When reviewing your writing, revert your contraction to the two words that form it to make sure that the sentence still makes sense. If it doesn’t, then you’ve chosen the wrong word. Conversely, if the word you chose can be said in two words, then the contraction is needed.

As wordsmiths, you love to create using the English language, and your audience loves it when you do. Take the time to be sure that you are creating with the precise words necessary. And if you need help, let me know!

Words to Watch (Part One)

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As a writer, words are your medium, and paper (or perhaps the screen) is your canvas.

When an artist is working on a masterpiece, he chooses carefully the color, hue, and direction of every stroke. And as writers, our words must be just as carefully chosen for the picture that we want to paint. Of course, many choices are correct and within our pallet, but we can err and use a word that is incorrect and will distract, confuse, or even lose, a reader. Here is Part One of a series that will profile words that we should be aware of and use correctly. (Don’t assume that your grammar/spelling check will catch these, either!)

Assure, Ensure, Insure

To assure is promising or saying with confidence. To ensure requires personal effort to gain success, and to insure is entrusting to a business (insurance company) for coverage against catastrophe.

I can assure you that when you use the correct word in your copy, you will ensure an accurate ad that will not require you to insure it against false advertising.

Blatant, Flagrant

A blatant act is both bad and plain for all to see. An act that is flagrant is done brazenly as well as openly and suggests shocking illegality or immorality.

Most NBA fouls are blatant; however, the flagrant fouls can cause a player to be ejected from the game.

Confidant, Confidante, Confident

A confidant is someone whom you confide in and can be either male or female. A confidante reflects French gender spelling and refers only to a female confidant. To be confident means that you are sure something will happen in the way that you want or expect or that you are sure that something is true.

I am confident that telling his confidante is a horrible idea because she is a gossip. Choosing a trustworthy confidant is very important.

Criteria

This is the plural form of criterion (a standard for judging). It is incorrect to say “criterias”.

There are several criteria for a good textbook, but the most important criterion is knowledge of the subject.

Comprise, Compose

To comprise is to consist of or to include (the whole comprises the parts). To compose is to make up or to form the substance of something (the parts compose the whole).

The play comprises of three acts. The actors compose a talented, travelling troupe.

Note: The phrase “is comprised of” is still considered nonstandard. Try instead is composed of or consists of.

Discreet, Discrete

To be discreet means that you are careful to not divulge secrets or that you have modest taste and are not ostentatious. Discrete means that something is separate, distinct, or unconnected.

Several discrete characters are described in the first chapter of her memoir, but she was very discreet about their personal lives.

Dual, Duel

If something has two parts, or there are two of something, then use dual. A duel is a fight between two people–traditionally, a formal “to the death” combat using swords or pistols.

The villain has a dual personality; he will be your best friend one minute and challenge you to a duel the next, threatening your very life!

I will address more problem words in future posts. And remember, when in doubt, double-check using references like The Chicago Manual of Style (where I found these examples, by the way) or a dictionary.

As a proofreader and copy editor, I am trained to look for these words. If you don’t have time or are not inclined to take your style guide to the beach with you for some light reading, contact me for proofreading copyediting. Not taking the extra step could call your authority into question or cause you to appear amateur. Happy painting!

Five Proofreading Tips For Any Writer

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I wonder why I didn’t click on this email???

As writers of any stripe, we have precious few moments to capture our audience with our message. Even those of us who have and appreciate a faithful following need to realize that their time is being taxed and interupted by so many words and images. Although not all emails are as blatantly scammy and uninteresting as the one I saw in my box a couple weeks ago, errors like this will cause for pause, and we may not get another chance with our message.

Utmost care must be given to that final draft and not just to the message, but to the typos and spelling and misused words that could be lurking within. Here are a few tricks to proofreading and catching these last-minute fixes.

  • Set it aside for a while. If you have the luxury of time, you can set it aside for a couple of days. Even a couple of hours, while you do something totally different, is better than nothing. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Play with your dog. When you return to your piece, you may see the misused or misspelled word, the missing comma, or the misplaced hyphen. Do not try to look for these in the creative stages of your writing. It’s much more important that your message is well developed and written with intent. (As a proofreader, I’m looking in the mirror as I say this!)
  • Read it backward. It sounds silly, I know, but it can work! Start at the end and read each sentence. This works by breaking up the thoughts. When you are reading your own work, the mind can insert meaning and ignore mistakes even when the eyes don’t see it.
  • Read it slowly and out loud. If possible, read your work out loud. You will incorporate two senses by doing this, making It possible to hear an error that you may not see. Also, read each word slowly to find missing, misspelled, or double occurrences.
  • Use a spell check/grammar program. What! Yes, use the program, but do not allow it to create a false sense of security. You will be able to find the most obvious errors easily and quickly. You still have to proofread for the not-so-obvious, but it will be the time-saver you need. If the writer of the subject line above had used a spell check, it would have certainly caught this egregious error.

If you are passionate about your writing, whether it is a fictional tale or a treatise, you want to capture your audience’s attention and communicate your passion with clarity and a professional polish. There is nothing more embarrassing than to hit “send” only to find a truly avoidable error moments–and it CAN be moments–later. And from my experience, the more passionate you are, the more likely you are to miss those small errors. Also, the more creative you are, the harder it is to pause and take the time to look for them. Your mind is racing on to the next great thought that you want to flesh out into your next great work. That is where tip five comes in.

  • Hire a professional proofreader. Hiring a professional will save time, which is money for a writer, and will avoid the awkwardness of finding errors after publishing. A proofreader will not be passionate about your message–but WILL be passionate about being on your team, helping you give your audience your very best. A proofreader knows that your message must be clear and sans errors that could lose the audience or look unprofessional.

If your followers are a forgiving bunch, it’s even more important to give them your best! Chances are many of them have been with you since the beginning. Maybe they were there when you weren’t as good at what you do, but they believed in you. They resonate with your message and can’t wait to hear from you again. There’s nothing more rewarding than for someone to love you and love what you have created. Those fans are worth the extra effort. Let’s work together to give them what they deserve!

Two Books and a Website: Proofreading Resources for Writers

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I have always corrected grammar silently: in print, in speech, and in general. When I decided to take my word nerdiness to more than a hobby, I signed up for a proofreading course. I discovered that as a blogger, and now a proofreader, I was not as polished as I had thought. I love to give the world a great read with the most professional look possible whether it is my clients’ work or mine. Our audience deserves it, and our words deserve it. Am I right? So I began to look for and research the best grammar and punctuation books out there. My proofreading course helped with some great suggestions. I’d like to introduce you to two books and a website that I know will help you deliver a more polished piece to your audience.

 

The Best Punctuation Book, Period By June Casagrande

Those pesky commas! How ’bout those hyphens? Should I use a semi-colon here? As difficult as it is to edit and proofread our “babies,” the English punctuation system doesn’t make it any easier. This book is extremely helpful no matter what type of writing you are doing. Whether you are a novelist, a journalist, or a scientist, this book will undoubtedly help you navigate the punctuation problems we all face. The author addresses CMOS, MLA, AP, and APA styles side by side with easily understood explanations of the differences when there are any.

With a table of contents that lists the top 18 punctuations, an alphabetized section highlighting “problem children,” appendixes that explain grammar and parts of speech for better understanding, and an index that covers the rest, this book is dog-eared and treasured by many writers. I especially love the easy-to-read key to the different writing conventions. Are you a blogger? June suggests the news style if you are not bound by another, but once you pick a style, stay consistent! Part II of the book is helpful when you are wrestling with those problem words. For example, is it cell phone or cellphone? Well, in book style it’s two words while in news and science it is one.

This book can be found on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle. It is a great investment if you are looking to improve your punctuation prowess.

The Blue Book Of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus and Lester Kaufman

Another well-worn book on my desk, this one gives a little more instruction in grammar, capitalization, and number writing than Casagrande’s book. It, too, has a chapter on confusing words and homonyms. I’m sure you don’t have any problems with their vs. there vs. they’re, but what about lay vs. lie? Or assure vs. ensure vs. insure? These words won’t get noticed by your word processor or Grammarly. It is always good practice to double-check them if you’re not sure.

Another feature of this book is its quizzes in the back. If you are inclined to improve your grammar and punctuation skills, you will find these invaluable. One thing it won’t do as well as The Best Punctuation Book, Period is specify the style, but “The authors provide rules, guidance, and examples based on areas of general agreement among the authorities. Where the authorities differ, this book provides options to follow based on the reader’s purpose in writing with this general advice: be consistent.” Again, I found my copy on Amazon.

Quick and Dirty Tips Website

Grammar Girl’s own Mignon Fogarty has gone above and beyond her grammar tips book to form the quickanddirtytips.com website. For grammar and punctuation tips, Mignon has over two thousand articles and podcasts to search from. Aside from writing tips, this site also offers articles and tips from health, relationships, and finance to business, parenting, and pets. It would be a great research tool, but be sure you have time to browse. If you’re on a deadline, you may need someone to keep you from getting lost in all the yummy goodness this site has to offer (although there is a productivity section as well 😉 ).

The podcasts on this site are helpful if you want to learn as you’re driving or dusting or washing the dishes. I listened to one the other day on hyphens. Using humor and plenty of examples, it succeeded in clearing up some confusion I was having with them. I also went back when I had time to read the article because seeing the examples made the explanation even better.

Enjoy discovering these awesome resources, all you word nerds out there! Now if your creative bent has more to do with the story or message and less to do with the technical “stuff,” then please check out my services page and see how I can help you polish that masterpiece to perfection and stand out!