Tag Archives: Education

PROBLEMS Problem-Solving: Job Applicants You receive an excellent and well-written job-application letter from a student, whom you hire for an internship, but you then discover that the student cannot write well. Apparently, the student had lots of help writing the … Continue reading →

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” — incorrectly attributed to Dante, author of The Divine Comedy, which describes Dante the Pilgrim’s visit to the three parts of … Continue reading →

Proofread immediately after the creative phase—and later. Let time pass before you proofread a second time. It is a good idea to proofread immediately after writing something, but it is also a good idea to let some time pass before … Continue reading →

Wordy: Due to the fact that you did not finish writing the instruction manual in time for the computer program to be shipped by April 21, you are fired. Not Wordy: Because you did not finish writing the instruction manual … Continue reading →

Lose is the opposite of win, and the opposite of find.  Loose is the opposite of tight, and the opposite of tied up or restrained. Children’s book writer Phyllis Reynolds Naylor did a lot of writing when she was young, … Continue reading →

The word “effect” is both a noun and a verb. The noun “effect” means “result” and refers to the consequences an action or event has The effect her father’s death had on her was to throw her into a deep … Continue reading →

your = possessive form of you Ex: Your coat is in that closet. Ex: Your car is at the carwash. you’re = contraction of you are Ex: You’re standing in the rain. Ex: You’re an incredibly sensitive woman. Morris “Moe” … Continue reading →

Weather: sunny, rainy, snowy, partly cloudy, etc. Whether: introduces either one alternative or alternative possibilities; either. For much of his career as a movie critic, Roger Ebert had a weight problem—he had too much of it. Once, he visited Sir … Continue reading →

Use “who” and “whom” to refer to people. “Who” is a subject. “Whom” is an object. Use “that” and “which” to refer to things. Actress Jessica Lange has won two Oscars, and her advice to anyone who is nominated for … Continue reading →

“Than” is used in comparisons: better than, more than. “Then” is a time word: If this happens, then that will happen. For a while, writers Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur ran a movie studio in which they produced their own … Continue reading →