Grammar Stammer
  • Words to the Wise
  • About the Author/Blog
  • Contact me

Commenter vs. Commentator

12/27/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture Sports"cat"ster
Even the best of us get mixed up in which words to use. Knowing is growing.
​
A commenter is the common word used to refer to people who post comments on online forums like reddit, YouTube, and Facebook.

A commentator is a person who provides commentary on a particular topic because it is their job or because they have some expertise in the field. A journalist is different from a commentator in that a journalist reports on facts while a commentator provides comments on the facts. An example of a commentator is a Sportscaster, who comments on games like those of the National Hockey League (NHL).

0 Comments

One and the same

11/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​
Truth be told.

The reason why I’m writing about this is because I messed up this expression. I said ‘One in the same’, which was understood, but is not the standard phrase and is widely viewed as a mistake.


Alas, no one is perfect.

‘One and the same’ is a fun expression in that it has some redundancy (‘one’ and ‘the same’ being synonyms). I choose to think of this as a fun expression because it allows you to add emphasis to whatever you are suggesting is the same, either people or things.




​Some examples of when to use this expression:
  • Innovation and science are often one and the same.
  • The Social Media team lead and the person who leads on social media performance metrics are one and the same - it’s me!
  • A toque and a winter hat are one and the same. 
  • I was surprised to learn that Carrie Fisher’s daughter and the actress who played Lieutenant Connix in Star Wars are the one and the same, Billie Lourd!

Share your fun examples.

0 Comments

Apostrophe

10/31/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​That Annoying Apostrophe
You know what’s become a modern-day epidemic? Bad grammar.
Today’s blog post will focus on the confusing apostrophe.
When to use it?
 
Possession: When we are trying to indicate something belongs to someone, we need to use the apostrophe followed by the letter s.
Examples:
Those are Bonnie’s shoes.
Please don’t move my cat’s pillow.
Note: The possession rule with pronouns followed by a noun is different. They are:
Picture
​Contractions: This involves combining two words. Depending on which words we combine, the last letter(s) will differ.
Examples:
I’ll try my best to explain this to you. I’ll = I will
I didn’t know that. Didn’t = did not.
 
Possession vs. Plural: Use the apostrophe when indicating the possessive. Do not use the apostrophe when indicating only the plural.
Examples:
Kids really love trick-or-treating on Halloween. (Plural)
Someone stole that kid’s bike. (Possession)
I love cuddling my cats. (Plural)
My cats’ purring really calms me down. (Plural and possessive)

Reference:
Shout out to Dave, one of my followers, for the idea.
https://www.wizcase.com/blog/how-good-grammar-saves-lives-and-other-reasons-its-still-important/

0 Comments

Altogether Vs. All together

9/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Today’s post is on the difference between altogether and all together. It’s tricky, so it’s ok if you’ve confused the two before. Hopefully this short little post will help.

Altogether means completely, entirely, or all things considered. It refers to things as a whole.
Examples: 

  • Altogether, this year has been difficult for everyone due to the global pandemic.
  • At my dad’s funeral, it’s altogether acceptable to hug me. I’ll need it.

All together can be used when referring to everyone or everything together.
​Examples: 

  • It’s time to sing. All together at the same time, now!
  • For a team building experience, we went all together to the Diefenbunker Cold War Museum for a scavenger hunt.
Picture
0 Comments

Blended words

8/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

The English language is dynamic and is constantly evolving. Starting in the 20th century, blended words began to emerge to describe new technologies or cultural phenomena.

Blending is one of the many ways new words are made in English. Blending is when you use the beginning of one word and the end of another to make a new word with a new meaning. 

​Here’s a fun and non-exhaustive list of some of the blended words you might use every day without even realizing.

What words do you know that exist because of blending?


​

Picture
0 Comments

Seldom

7/28/2020

0 Comments

 
So I’m going to say it right from the start. Please stop using the word “seldomly”. Seldom is the adverb, and as we know, not all adverbs take the “-ly” ending. This is apparent with the other frequency adverbs like “sometimes”, “often” and “never”. And while I guess it’s not WRONG, it’s really quite an unnecessary variant of a word that is already an adverb.

So now that my mini rant is over, let’s get into some fun facts.

As mentioned, seldom is a frequency adverb. I remember back in my teaching days displaying an empty chart and having students guess where the adverbs went. In lieu of having an interaction with you in a classroom setting, here is the chart with the adverbs already laid out. In short, seldom means very infrequently, but more often than “rarely”

Chart source: www.englishstudyhere.com

Picture
Examples of seldom used in sentences:
  • I seldom go to the library. I can order my books electronically now or get them cheap from garage sales.
  • Makeup was something I seldom wore - maybe just for special outings. Now with the pandemic, I never wear makeup. 
Another cool thing about ​seldom is that if you use it as the first word introducing your sentence, then word order changes. Instead of basic English word order of subject-verb-object, word order gets flipped a bit to auxiliary verb-subject-verb-object.
  • Seldom do I go to the library. 
  • Seldom do I choose to wear makeup anymore.​

As always, if you have more questions about seldom or any of the other frequency adverbs, just leave a comment below, or send me a personal question by clicking on Contact me.
0 Comments

Nip it in the bud

6/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Nip it in the bud. 

It means to stop something at an early stage before things worsen.

Example: My cat has started peeing in places other than the cat litter. I’ll have to bring my cat to the vet and see if she has any advice to help me nip this in the bud.


I was curious about the origin of this idiom. Turns out it’s quite old (early 1600s) and quite basic. 

It “stems” from gardening.

A flower that is “nipped in the bud” won’t grow or blossom. So as the expression suggests, if the situation is handled when it is  only a minor or small problem, it won’t “grow” into a major problem.


References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2015/06/04/its-not-nip-it-in-the-butt-and-other-idioms-you-might-be-getting-wrong/#3144253f50c0 

0 Comments

Epidemic vs. Pandemic

5/31/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed its designation of COVID-19 from an epidemic to a pandemic. Based on just the prefixes alone, “epi” and “pan”, I was able to pretty much figure out the difference between the two. 

“Epi” means “by” or near”. “Pan” means “all”. So based on that understanding alone, it was mostly about how widespread something was.

I was right.

An epidemic is used to describe a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease—more than what's typically expected for the population in that area.

An epidemic becomes a pandemic when that disease has spread over several countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.

I found a great example in my online searches:
HIV was and still is clearly a huge problem, but it's not necessarily an epidemic in the US right now. I read that there are about 50,000 new cases of HIV each year in the US, and this number has been pretty stable for decades. Because of this, there’s not really an HIV epidemic in the US — because they are getting the ‘expected’ number of cases. Should there be another sudden increase in the number of cases in the disease, this could change.


References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/epidemic-vs-pandemic-difference 
https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/active-vs-passive-immunity 
https://scholarsark.com/question/difference-between-an-epidemic-and-a-pandemic/ 

​
0 Comments

Food for thought

4/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

​Food for thought. What does it mean? It's an idiom describing something that requires more thought and consideration.

It’s an expression that has been around since the 19th century, and is based on the idea of digestion and transferring it from the stomach to the brain.

Example: My manager’s advice on how to react to a difficult situation provided me with food for thought.

It means that the advice my manager gave me was information I needed to consider and give more thought to. I could have said that instead of “food for thought”, but that’s what makes the English language so much fun. We have so much variety in how we communicate.

----------------
Reference:
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/food%20for%20thought 

0 Comments

What's in a name? COVID-19

3/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It seems like such a given in retrospect, but I was actually questioning why the number 19 was attached to the name of our current global pandemic, COVID-19.

Here’s the short and sweet of it all: the disease first made an appearance late last year and was previously known as the 2019 novel coronavirus.


And what’s interesting is that there is a virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. It’s called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2. Think of it like how HIV is the virus that causes the disease AIDS.

If interested in learning more about how viruses and diseases get their names, check out the World Health Organization’s website.

0 Comments

Misinformation vs. Disinformation

2/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Misinformation and disinformation both have similar meanings - they both involve the spreading of false and inaccurate information. The difference is really on the intent of the person spreading the false information.

When someone doesn’t realize they are spreading false and inaccurate information, it is called misinformation.

When someone knowingly spreads false and inaccurate information with the intention to deceive, it is called disinformation.

Inaccurate captions, dates, statistics, or when satire is taken seriously are instances of false information.

​
The difference is really on the intent of the person spreading the info. Did they do it by accident - not knowing that the info is wrong? If so, then we call this misinformation. If the publication of such information was deliberate, with some kind of end game of causing harm, influencing public opinion, or obscuring the truth, then we call this disinformation.  


What troubles us now isn’t just the plague of “fake news”, but the organized campaigns spreading the false info. 

So what is one to do?

Keep reading and looking for reliable sources of info. Don't be afraid to question.

The truth is out there.

0 Comments

New Year's Resolution

1/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
A famous tradition people often practice is to make a New Year’s resolution. Common resolutions include exercising more, eating better, or swearing less. It’s a specific intention to better oneself.

But how did this come about?

History records the ancient Babylonians as being the first people to make New Year’s resolutions – over 4000 years ago – although their new year started in mid-March, when crops were ready to be planted. These resolutions, or promises, were made to their gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, they would be in the gods’ favour. If not, well…it wasn’t good.

The same sort of thing happened in ancient Rome after Julius Caesar set January 1 as the beginning of the new year. January, named after Janus – was a god usually depicted as having two faces. The Romans believed that Janus both looked into the past and into the future. The Romans made promises of good conduct to Janus for the coming year.
​
Despite the fact that the tradition has religious roots, it is now a more secular practice. Gone are the days of making promises to the gods. Instead, we tell our friends or family of our intentions, and hope to god that we follow through on them.

“Here's to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.” ~ Anonymous


​References:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/resolution 
https://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions
0 Comments

Hangover

12/20/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Did you know that the word ‘hangover’ only became associated with alcohol in the early 1900s? 

Before that, it was used to describe unfinished business from meetings. 

Perhaps all meetings are hangovers then. 😏


Blah.

​


​What we really want to know is not the origin of the word, but how to get rid of it, right?


Here are some of the things I do to alleviate the most unpleasant side effects of drinking just a little too much:
  • Plan ahead - take the following day off work
  • Drink water in between alcoholic drinks for hydration
  • Take Gravol before going to bed to help control nausea and vomiting
  • Take something to get rid of the pain, like Advil
  • Get outside for some fresh air
  • Eat a greasy spoon breakfast - this morning I chose McDonald’s
  • Take a cozy nap with cute cats if time permits

What are some of your hangover cures? Asking for a friend.


0 Comments

Interested vs. Interesting

11/28/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
You asked if the words interested and interesting are related or different. The answer is both.
 
They are related in that they share the same base word, which is Interest. They are also both adjectives.
 
However, they are different in how they are used.

Interested is used to describe someone’s feelings.
For example, I am interested in your question.
​

Interesting is used to describe how someone perceives something external from themselves.
​For example, your question is interesting.

Back in my teaching days, I let my students in on a simple trick to remember the difference:

-ING FOR THE THING


0 Comments

Accept vs. Except

10/29/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It’s understandable that people might confuse the use of these words when writing - they sound pretty much the same. But they are indeed quite different.

Accept is a verb that means ‘to agree or receive’. Accept is a verb. A verb is an action word. Accept and Action both start with the letter A. There’s your trick to remember how to use it!
Example: I had no choice but to accept the terms of service in order to download the app. 
(I agreed to the terms of service)

Except is usually used as a conjunction or a preposition. A preposition often expresses a relation of one noun to another. As a preposition, except means ‘not including’.
Example: I generally like all music except rap.
(I don’t like rap music)

Except can also be used as a conjunction, which while similar in meaning as the preposition, where it appears in a sentence is different. A conjunction connects independent clauses or sentences. Words like “and” and “but” are conjunctions. As a conjunction, except means ‘other than’.
Example: I didn’t say much except to say I loved him.
(All I really said was that I loved him)


Note:
Accepted is either the past participle of the verb accept, or an adjective. As an adjective, it means ‘generally approved or believed to be true’. 
Example: Climate change is accepted by many as fact since it is backed up by many scientists who know more about the subject than non-scientists.
(Climate change is generally believed to be a real and factual phenomenon)

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abbreviation - Acronym Vs. Initialism
    Accept Vs. Except
    Adjective Clauses - Part 1
    Adjective Clauses Part 2
    Adjectives Vs. Adverbs
    Adverb Clause
    Adverb Phrases And Dangling Modifiers
    Adverbs: Spelling Rules
    Adverse Vs. Averse
    (a) Few Vs. (a) Little
    Affect Vs. Effect
    All Right Vs. Alright
    A Lot Vs. Alot
    Amount Vs. Number
    Apart Vs. A Part
    Apostrophe
    Because Vs. Since
    Blended Words
    Bootlegging
    Catch-22
    Cat Idioms
    Cat Nap
    Christmas Expressions
    Climactic Vs. Climatic
    Collective Nouns
    Commas
    Commenter Vs. Commentator
    Complement Vs. Compliment
    Comprise Vs. Compose
    Conscience Vs. Conscious
    Continuous Vs. Continual
    COVID-19
    Dashes
    Disburse Vs. Disperse
    Disinterested Vs. Uninterested
    Double Negatives
    E.g. Vs. I.e.
    Eh?
    Elicit Vs. Illicit
    Envy Vs. Jealousy
    Epidemic Vs. Pandemic
    Every Vs. Any
    Farther Vs. Further
    Food For Thought
    Fun Videos
    Geek - Nerd - Dork - Dweeb
    Gerunds And Infinitives
    Gerunds And Infinitives - Part 2
    Good Vs. Well
    Greatful Vs. Grateful
    Halloween's Origin
    Hangover
    Hyphens And Adjectives
    Hyphen Vs. Dash
    If Vs. Whether
    Imply Vs. Infer
    Interested Vs. Interesting
    Irony
    It's Vs. Its
    I Vs. Me
    Lay Vs. Lie
    Lead/Led Vs. Lead
    Lip Synching Vs. Lip Singing
    Literally
    Loose Vs. Lose
    Misinformation Vs. Disinformation
    Misused English Expressions
    Moot Vs. Mute
    More/Most Important
    Neither – Nor
    New Year's Resolution
    Nip It In The Bud
    Non-count Subject-verb Agreement
    Nouns
    One And The Same
    Onomatopoeia
    Oversight
    Oxford Comma
    Oxymoron
    Pair Of Pants
    Palindromes
    Parentheses
    Past Modal Verbs
    Play By Ear
    Plurals
    Poisonous Vs. Venomous
    Possessive Adjective
    Postpositive Adjectives
    Pronouncing /th/
    Really
    Really Vs. Very
    Real Vs. Really
    Real Vs. Really - Exercises
    Regardless Vs. Irregardless
    Segue Vs. Segway
    Seldom
    Shamrock Vs. Clover
    Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive
    Slash
    Subjunctive
    Thank You Vs. Thank-you
    Than Vs. Then
    The Bible
    The Dog Days Of Summer
    Too Vs. To
    Twerk
    Uncivil Vs. Incivil
    Who's Vs. Whose
    Who Vs. Whom
    Wishes
    Word Origins
    Writing Editor
    Your Vs. You're

    References

    Azar-Hagen Grammar series
    Focus on Grammar series
    Practical English Usage

    RSS Feed

    Author

    Disciplined English grammar geek and former language consultant providing free assistance to all in 
    easy-to-swallow and enjoyable chunks.

Proudly powered by Weebly