by Nancy Tuten | Apr 13, 2020
Using transitions to improve clarity and logical flow is essential, whether we are meticulously drafting a legal brief or lengthy proposal or dashing off a short email or tweet. In either case, transitions enable a reader to follow the writer’s train of thought as...
by Nancy Tuten | Apr 6, 2020
The hyphen, the em dash, and the en dash are all horizontal marks of varying lengths. Each functions differently from the others. Below we define each mark, explain when to use them, and provide instructions for typing them on both PCs and Macs. (View our new...
by Nancy Tuten | Mar 26, 2020
One of our subscribers wrote to ask about starting sentences with and or but. She wondered whether it is considered grammatically correct to do so. The answer is yes. The operative word here, though, is sentences. Notice the difference between these two examples: Two...
by Nancy Tuten | Mar 16, 2020
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 a list must be the same, both logically and grammatically. Logically Parallel Lists First, the items in a list must be parallel in meaning....
by Nancy Tuten | Mar 8, 2020
I could sum up my advice on this word in a single sentence: avoid using irregardless, especially in professional contexts. Although you will often hear and read the word irregardless, it is considered substandard, largely because it is illogical: that is, regardless...
