Uncharted vs. Unchartered
The corona-virus disease pandemic, which started late in 2019 (thus the name COVID-19), has given rise to increased use of a few confusing phrases and...
Parallel Structure
Whenever our writing includes a list, the items in that list need to be parallel with one another. That is, all of the items in...
What Does “Include” or “Including” Mean Before a List?
The definition of the verb “to include” is not the same as the definition of the verb “to be.” By definition, if we use the...
The Difference between “Not All Are” and “All Are Not”
Precision in language is critical. If we misplace even a single word or phrase, we risk changing the meaning of our sentence significantly. Such is...
To Split or Not to Split Infinitives?
Most of us were taught never to split infinitives, but writers have been splitting them anyway—even long before Star Trek provided us with perhaps the...
