QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Grammar Girl: For Writers and Language Lovers.

Education EN ↓ 1041 episodes

Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Pedantic Nonsense Up with Which I Will Not Put! 'Discreet' or 'Discrete'? 24.06.2021 14:07

Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ https://www.quickanddir...

Starting a Sentence with a Conjunction: Right or Wrong? Good 'Subpar' and Bad 'Subpar.' 17.06.2021 15:44

Many people have been taught that it's wrong to start a sentence with a conjunction, but nearly all major style guides say doing so is fine. Neal Whitman investigates why there seems to be such a difference between what teachers say and what style guides say. Also, we look at why sometimes "subpar" is good, and sometimes "subpar" is bad. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my Li...

How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'? Grumple. 10.06.2021 11:35

How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://ww...

What Made 'Friends' Funny. How Cicadas Got Their Name. Dog Replacer. 03.06.2021 13:40

You laughed and laughed while watching "Friends." One reason it was funny is that the writers took what you expect from a conversation and flipped it on its head. Plus, how cicadas got their name, and why they aren't the same thing as locusts. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS...

Is 'Graduated College' Wrong? Five Wonderful Latin Phrases. 27.05.2021 11:43

I'm hearing "graduated college" much more often. Is it still wrong? Plus, five bona fide Latin phrases you can use to describe something wonderful. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL...

'Bring,' 'Take,' and 'Carry.' 'The Queen's Gambit.' Sweepy Thing. 20.05.2021 15:11

We go through the simple rules for "bring" and "take," but then talk about the fun exceptions and dialect forms. Plus, how "The Queen's Gambit" can help us remember the difference between "gambit" and "gamut" (with "gamble" thrown in for good measure). Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Gramma...

Writing Dialogue. 'Associate Degree' or 'Associate's Degree'? Wiffy. 13.05.2021 13:17

Is that dialogue feeling off? We're here to help! Plus, how to write about degrees this graduation season. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of t...

'Ketchup' or 'Catsup'? How to Punctuate Questions. Gmoing Gmoing. 06.05.2021 13:43

Have you seen the tomato sauce spelled two different ways? "Ketchup" is the better spelling, but the history of the word is pretty interesting. We also look at how to punctuate questions, especially the weird ones! Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game...

What Does ‘Op-Ed’ Really Mean? The Perfect Paragraph Length. Items. 29.04.2021 11:19

"Op-ed" may not mean what you think it means. Then we discuss how long a paragraph should be. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and...

The Intrusive "Of." What Makes English Weird. 22.04.2021 14:18

We talk about the difference between "a prince of a fellow" and "not too good of a time," and then we look at two things that make English especially weird. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833...

How to Write Faster. The Origin of the Odd Letter W 15.04.2021 14:41

12 practical tips and tools that will help you write faster in the time you already have. Also, we explore why we call a letter that looks like two V's a "double U." Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICE...

'Borrow' and 'Lend.' When to Use 'Nor.' Boncho. 08.04.2021 11:12

We use a children's book and a Shakespeare play to talk about "borrow" and "lend," and then we help with the complexities of using "neither" and "nor." Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-...

Squirrelly Animal Verbs. 'People,' 'Peoples,' and 'Persons': Why It Matters. 01.04.2021 10:28

8.17 To hog, to ram, to bird dog. We run through a fun list of animal-inspired verbs. Plus, amazingly, it wasn't that long ago that usage experts recommended "persons" instead of "people." And what's the deal with "peoples." Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars...

A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik," and "paradigm." 25.03.2021 18:22

A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today with author Ralph Keyes, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik," and "paradigm." Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOIC...

'Normalcy' or 'Normality'? A Punctuation Question from a Famous Movie Line. Taco Cats. 18.03.2021 10:02

Did you know that in the book "Gone with the Wind," Rhett Butler said "My dear..." instead of "Frankly, my dear..."? Also, are we getting back to normalcy or normality? One of these words came from a misspeak (followed by a doubling-down) by William Harding. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter ....

It's Not Just March. Other Months Have 'Ides' Too! Are You on the Pig's Back Today? 11.03.2021 11:23

Instead of bewaring the ides of March, I'm going to beware engaging with the Roman calendar. What a fascinating mess! In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we also look at some fun Irish phrases. On the pig's back, anyone? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game...

813 - The History of National Grammar Day. My Favorite Resources. Anniversity 04.03.2021 14:01

Have you ever wondered WHY we celebrate National Grammar Day? Who started this thing anyway? And if you want to do your own grammar research, I'll help you get started. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VO...

812 - Kibosh. Sidekicks. Misolation. 25.02.2021 17:28

The origin of "kibosh" is a long-standing mystery in the English language. Yiddish? A whip? Clog-makers tools? We investigate. Also, sidekicks play interesting and important roles in fiction. Does your Watson or Robin meet expectations? A familect story about misolation. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook a...

811 - Inigo Montoya and Coining Phrases. 'Dose' or 'Dosage'? 18.02.2021 12:48

Coin a phrase? It does not mean what you think it means. And get your dose (or dosage?) right. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and...

810 - Words out of Time. Why 'OK' Is OK. 11.02.2021 15:22

Would words and phrases like "operative" and "pump him for information" be out of place in a novel set in the 1800s? We investigate! And we also look at the two spellings of "OK/okay," and I explain why I prefer "OK." (It has a fun history.) Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS g...

809 - Rethink Descriptions Like 'Diabetic.' The Wonderful World of Italics, 04.02.2021 14:24

Should you call someone a diabetic or a person with diabetes? Also, are you confused about when to use italics? We have the basics (and something that might be changing)! Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty...

808 - 6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'? 28.01.2021 14:47

6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links:...

807 - Why We Call Them Sea 'Shanties.' A Trick to Remember How to Spell 'Conscience' 21.01.2021 12:15

If you're enjoying sea shanties these days, have you wondered why they're called "shanties"? Plus, I always have a hard time remembering how to spell "conscience." Here's my trick for getting it right. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Gir...

806 - Why You Should Try Fanfiction. How to Find Tricky Pronunciations. 14.01.2021 16:13

Why writing fanfiction can make you a better overall writer. Plus, my tricks for figuring out tricky pronunciations. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is...

805 - 'Acedia': the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now 07.01.2021 11:08

"Acedia": the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now. Plus, when does "thank you" need a hyphen? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part...