Grammar
interesting facts about language, etc.
Grammar
As a general rule, before you toss a few words in between parentheses, ask yourself, “Are these words integral to the meaning of a sentence?” The answer should always be no; they should further explain or qualify, as a service to the reader.
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
Traditionally, curly (or so-called “smart”) quotes have had a use distinct from straight (also called “regular” or the not-so-nice “dumb”) quotes. Pairs of the former are used to enclose quoted material—and they’re “smart” enough to know when to open a quote and when to close it, hence the moniker—while the latter should be reserved for, say, the s
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The em dash will shine bright, however, if you’re indicating a break in thought, aiming for an emphatic pause, or setting off an aside that’s a step above being relegated to parentheses.
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
•Bantu names (East/Southern Africa) typically place the family name first and given name second.
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
•Latino surnames often comprise both the maternal and paternal family name
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
generally use Latino rather than Hispanic when a broader term is necessary.
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
As a stand-in for the word to, to signify a time range, as in March 2010–April 2017, or direction, as in the Chicago–Miami flight
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
Italicize franchise names, however, when referring to a media series: e.g., “the Saw movies,”
Emmy J. Favilla • A World Without "Whom"
“‘Cis-’ is a Latin prefix meaning ‘on the same side as,’ and is therefore an antonym of ‘trans-.’