Grammar and Usage

I was listening to a news show on TV tonight, when I heard Donald Trump talking about hiring 10 "apprenti." He pronounced that final word ah-PREN-tie. It is possible that Mr. Trump believes the plural of apprentice is apprenti. If so, I am here to correct… continue reading

Grace wrote and asked me to settle a dispute at work about using them or those in specific ways in sentences. Here are Grace's examples: 1. A. The workman left them tools in the garage.    B. The workman left those tools in the garage.  2. A. Please take… continue reading

People have been asking why “If I were” and “If she were” are correct. How can were, a plural verb, be correct with I and she, singular subjects? And does the rule really apply in 21st-century business writing? These correct sentences illustrate the rule: If Mike’s mother… continue reading

We are focusing on pronoun problems that come up in business writing classes. Take the test, and then check your answers. In each sentence, choose the pronoun that is correct according to the rules of grammar. After the concert please give the cash drawer to Lizzie… continue reading

Every month in my monthly e-newsletter, Better Writing at Work, I include a feature called Error Quest. In it, I challenge readers to find the one error I have purposely included in a short paragraph. Every now and then, a reader recognizes an error I… continue reading

Yesterday I bought a Father's Day card for my dear husband. Of course, I don't have to recognize him on Father's Day, but he is a wonderful father to our daughter and a terrific partner. So I wanted to get him a card. I found one… continue reading

I was teaching The Keys to Error-Free Writing yesterday, when Sunny, whose first language is Korean, asked me about the use of articles in a series. Sunny wanted to know whether to repeat the articles a and an in a series of items. For example, she… continue reading

I was reviewing an email today for our Email Intelligence online class, when I came across a good example of a passive verb to change. Here is the context:  The writer, whom I will call Kelly, is emailing managers to ask them to find volunteers for… continue reading