The Writing Life
“Complement” and “compliment” often are mistaken for each other, much to the chagrin of anyone who knows (read: obsesses about) the difference between the two. It’s an easy mistake to miss, too; the words won’t be flagged by any spell check or grammar check. It’s yet another reason to remember the advice of most writers and editors: do not rely on spell check.
[Read more…] about Write Right: Complement versus Compliment
A few weeks ago, I was asked if I had any tips for aspiring or new writers. Two things immediately came to mind: read a lot and work with a mentor. I then decided to work on a list because I knew two tips weren’t nearly enough. [Read more…] about 13 Tips for Aspiring Writers
Accept and except are another pair of words that often are mistaken for each other. The root cause is the sound; their similarity in sound sometimes leads to what can only be called an identity crisis. The one’s exchanged for the other and has no idea what to do in the sentence because it isn’t the right word nor is it equipped to handle whatever responsibilities the sentence is trying to place on it.
A couple, few, some, several, and many walk into a bar…Oh, wait, that isn’t right. Let’s restart.
I confess I thought actual rules existed in regard to “couple,” “few,” “some,” “several,” and “many.” I was mistaken. There are no firm rules, only guidelines, and those are based on what sound and feel right.
[Read more…] about Write Right: Couple, Few, Some, Several, Many
“Further” and “farther” often are mistaken for each other in much the same way that “comprise” and “compose” are. It’s understandable; “further” and “farther” are separated only by a single vowel. Despite that small separation, the two words are intended for different uses.
“Compose” and “comprise” are tricky words. They’re so similar in sound and somewhat in definition that they cause most wordsmiths to pause and pull out the dictionary. One word is designed to relate the details to the whole, and the other is designed to relate the whole to the details.