Starting Sentences with “And” or “But”
One of our subscribers wrote to ask if it’s OK to start a sentence with the words and or but. The answer is yes. The...
Using the Semicolon
Semicolons have two functions: First, they are used to separate items in lists when one or more of those items has internal commas. As such,...
Lie or Lay?
This website addresses a number of confusing word pairs, including effect and affect, sit and set, and bad and badly, just to name a few. But...
Punctuating with Quotation Marks: Inside or Outside?
With the possible exception of the Oxford/Harvard/serial comma, very few usage issues elicit responses as passionate as the topic of punctuating with quotation marks. American...
When to Use “Myself” (and Other Reflexive Pronouns)
Reflexive pronouns are the ones that end with –self or –selves. Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself Plural: yourselves, ourselves, themselves Can you identify problems with reflexive...
