James Smith, Author at BusinessWritingBlog

A woman with a mistrustful expression with the words "Mistrustful vs. Distrustful"

Vocabulary

Mistrustful vs. Distrustful: What’s the Difference?

“Mistrustful” and “distrustful” are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, which can make understanding their subtle differences and proper usage challenging. In general, the distinction between “mistrustful” vs “distrustful” can be established based on the particular context and the desired degree of suspicion or expression… continue reading

A bunny searching through books with the words "Minute? Mynoot? Minoot?" above him

Spelling

Minute? Mynoot? The Difference Between the Noun “Minute” and the Adjective “Minute”

When describing a small detail, is it a minute or minoot detail? Or Mynoot? Minute (MIN-it) is a noun indicating a measurement of time that represents 60 seconds. Minute (My-NOOT) is an adjective used to describe something tiny. Because both forms of minute share the… continue reading

A graphic showing three variations of the phrase "to follow up:" Follow Up, Follow-Up, and Followup

Spelling

Follow Up, Follow-Up, or Followup?

Ever got stuck scratching your head about whether its follow up, follow-up, or followup? Let’s shed some light here: “Follow up” is a verb form meaning the act of checking on something or pursuing further examination on a topic. “Follow-up” is a noun form describing… continue reading

Spelling

Is Payed a Word? Or Is it Paid?

What is the proper way to talk about the verb “to pay” in the past tense? Is it paid or payed? The infinitive “to pay” has many meanings, most relating to offering something (most commonly money) to someone else, commonly in return for services or… continue reading

Christmas graphics with the words "'Tis the season"

Expressions and Phrases

‘Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Essence of the Phrase

Let’s discuss the famous phrase “‘Tis the season:” ‘Tis is just shorthand for “it is,” originating in the mid-16th century. The abbreviation gradually fell out of favor after the 18th century. The expression “T’is the Season” gained popularity after appearing in the song “Deck the… continue reading

A graphic explaining the only scenario when you need a comma before "so"

Punctuation

So, When Do You Need a Comma Before “So”?

“So” is commonly used as an adverb, conjunction, interjection, and even a pronoun. A comma is required before “so” only when it functions as a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses to create a compound sentence. Do I Need a Comma Before “So?”… continue reading

Grammar and Usage

Infer Vs. Imply: The Secrets to Understanding Their Usage

Let’s have a close look at infer vs. imply. Is there a difference, and how do we use them? Here is the short answer: When you infer, you are using context clues to make an educated guess about the meaning of something. On the other… continue reading

Picture of various historical items (roman helmet, Egyptian vase, Greek pilar, etc.) to signify history with the text: "Capitalising Historical Events"

Capitalization

Are World War II and Other Historical Events Capitalized?

Is World War, either I or II, capitalized? What about other historical events? Let’s find out. First, here is the quick answer: Historical events such as World War II will be capitalized as proper nouns, as they are specific names rather than general references. These… continue reading

Expressions and Phrases

What Does “First Come, First Serve” Mean?

“First come, first serve” means that whoever arrives earliest, regardless of station, will receive a specific service, such as purchasing goods or benefits. This expression implies a limited quantity of goods available, so some may miss out if they do not arrive early enough.… continue reading

Graphic illustrating the feature image for The Butt of the Joke

Expressions and Phrases

Don’t Be the Butt of the Joke — Learn What This Expression Means!

Have you found yourself the butt of the joke for not knowing this idiom? Let’s dive in. The person addressed as the “butt of the joke” is a target for mocking, teasing, or other ridicule. An idiomatic expression is a phrase in which the words… continue reading

Author Archives: James Smith