Aug 3, 2007 · The rule of putting a period at the end of every thought would be simpler, except that in English, we’re allowed to include more than one thought in the same sentence. These thoughts are …

Sep 14, 2011 · The English language includes an interesting category of words and phrases called contronyms (also spelled contranyms, or referred to as autoantonyms) --

Is “math” or “maths” the correct word to use as the shortened or colloquial form of the word mathematics? The answer is that it depends on where you are.

May 6, 2013 · Which symbol should be used with numbers: a hyphen (-), or an en dash (–)? The question may seem trivial -- a dash is a dash, right? -- but using the correct

May 19, 2009 · The Washington State University language site says: These two spellings [cannot/can not] are largely interchangeable, but by far the most common is “cannot” and you should probably …

Sep 8, 2016 · Parentheses enclose the abbreviation of an acronym or initialism after the spelled-out name of an agency, company, or organization to inform the reader about how the entity will be …

Jan 20, 2011 · It’s time to talk about time: specifically, how to write references to units of temporal measurement. This post will note style for increments from seconds to

Feb 19, 2014 · If the conjunction precedes an independent (main) clause, use a comma: “Jack tried a new diet, but he still gained weight.” If the but is not followed by an independent clause, no comma is …

If you submit manuscripts to publishers or agents, you’ve probably come across the demand that you use “standard manuscript format” (or “SMF”) for your

A reader has asked for help in distinguishing noun, adjective, and adverb clauses.