Tag Archives: copy editing

Hanged vs. hung

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

Hang in the present tense is not too difficult to use (except when it comes to idioms). To put simply, hang means “to suspend.” We hang mistletoe and stockings at Christmas. We hang pictures on the wall. We hang (our … Continue reading →

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Rain, reign, rein

Posted on May 5, 2012 by

Lesson: learning the difference between rain, reign, and rein Here is another set of words that sound the same, but their different meanings often lead to confusion in written language because they are spelled differently. Let’s look at their definitions … Continue reading →

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-ization station

Posted on April 26, 2012 by

lesson: learning the meaning of the suffix –ization Realization. Industrialization. Immobilization. We use words ending in the suffix -ization so frequently that many native English speakers might not know what –ization even means and how adding it changes the meaning … Continue reading →

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Let’s veterinarian this word

Posted on April 13, 2012 by

Earlier this week, I got an out-of-the blue phone call from a friend calling from his work. He was wondering how to spell vet when used in the sense of methodically considering a person or idea. I’m not perfect and … Continue reading →

Posted in copy editing, etymology | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

elicit vs. illicit

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

Lesson: learning the difference between elicit and illicit elicit: to draw forth or bring out —Merriam-Webster illicit: not permitted —Merriam-Webster Here is yet another pair of words that sounds a lot alike but has different meanings. Let’s take a look … Continue reading →

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Lorem ipsum: translation, history, and fun

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor … Continue reading →

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Allude verses elude

Posted on March 16, 2012 by

allude: to make indirect reference —Merriam-Webster elude: 1) to avoid adroitly; evade 2) to escape the understanding, perception, or grasp of —Merriam-Webster Here are two words that give people troubles. They look similar. They sound similar. But they have very … Continue reading →

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All in the family

Posted on March 14, 2012 by

Lesson: when to capitalize titles for family members Today we’re going to talk about moms and dads and aunts and cousins and step-uncles and so on—all the people in your family—and whether to capitalize the first letter in the words … Continue reading →

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When to italicize foreign words and phrases

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Every once in a while, it feels good to add a snooty foreign word or phrase to your writing. I mean, what would the writing world be without a little je ne sais quoi? However, there are rules about how … Continue reading →

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Say no to exclamation points

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

“Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald “Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind.” —Terry Pratchett ALERT: This post contains a rant. I have a … Continue reading →

Posted in copy editing, punctuation | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments