Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis

‘Math’ versus ‘maths’ and other British differences. ‘Spendthrift’ means what?

Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with Jess Zafarris

Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc.

Adapting a classic: from words to watercolors, with K. Woodman-Maynard

Dime idioms. ‘HoCo’ and syllable acronyms. Pulling a Trevor

How algorithms are changing the meaning of words, with Adam Aleksic

The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus ‘use to.’ Cheese grits.

From clay tablets to the Gutenberg press, with Keith Houston

Why we have indents. More on Formica. Running on Edgar.

The surprising ways we gesture about time and space, with Lauren Gawne

Vonnegut’s semicolon rule. What age has to do with language. Chocolate donut.

Why we say 'near miss.' How dogs got their names. Stupid dog Jackie.

How to build a successful writers’ newsletter, with Jane Friedman

What is 'versing'? ‘Whatchamacallit' and other placeholder words. Chicken.

AI's impact on translators, untranslatable Dutch words, and more, with Heddwen Newton

Double possessives. Words that do double duty. The monkeys aren't working.

New words: 'beer muscles' & 'waka jumpers,' with Fiona McPherson.

How pronouns reveal our psychology. How'd we get our alphabet? Tabagogox.

‘Spark words’ and the hidden history of ‘panic’ and ‘Ritalin,’ with Martha Barnette

'Heat wave' vs. 'cold snap.' Why reading stories makes you smarter. Rogering.

Why plain English matters in science (and everywhere else), with Anne Greene

'Y' plurals. Bill Labov's linguistic legacy. Choo-choo

How 'algospeak' is changing language, with Adam Aleksic

Pop, soda, or coke? When Q stands alone. Pizza bones.

Metaphors and your brain. How figurative language works, with Dr. Vicky Lai

Can you have a million bacons? Martha's Vineyard's unique sound.

The surprising history (and politics) of emoji, with Keith Houston

Is ‘sick’...good? What we think of posh language and class. Misunderseed

The language of children’s storytelling, with Doug Fraser

Why we drop sounds. ChatGPT is changing how people talk. Kombi

What your accent says about you (and your identity), with Rob Drummond

Are em dashes really a sign of AI writing? 'Caretaker' vs. 'caregiver'

What your hands are saying (even when you’re not thinking about it), with Lauren Gawne

‘Further’ vs. ‘farther.’ Why designers use fake Latin. Blondie hot

What AI means for writers and editors, with Daniel Heuman

'The' rules you never learned. Why did Latin die?

​​The publishing world is changing. Jane Friedman tells us how.

Why 'plz' might be pushing people away. How to write better thank-you notes. Studaloo

Why simplified spelling nearly took over America (and why it didn't), with Gabe Henry

Why 'wake' is so confusing. The playful language of vacations.

Ambrose Bierce, from ‘The Devil’s Dictionary’ to disappearing in Mexico, with Jim Norrena

Why 'epitome' is confusing. Quirky stories behind baby animal names. Alice doors

How YouTubers' voices evolve, with Andrew Cheng

What dictionary labels tell us about words. Why we say 'mama'. DU, STU, and LO.

The secret to writing ‘the same but different,’ with Mary Robinette Kowal

'Lit' vs. 'lighted.' The mysteries of the dollar sign. Redd up.

Ghostwriters, book deals, and AI: What you didn’t know about publishing, with Dan Gerstein

'I.e.' versus 'e.g.' What Shakespeare actually added to English. Four schnitzels.

AI and the future of dictionaries, with Erin McKean