Buzzards Bay - Massachusetts
As an editor/copyeditor, I have been saving writers from typo embarrassment since 1995. I work on everything business-related, such as annual reports, business blogs, and business books, even now working on podcast transcripts. My only goal is to help all business professionals look and sound as smart as they are. Business-related content from books to blogs to podcast transcripts.
192 articles
I often buy frozen βdinnersβ because itβs easier than cooking for just one person. They keep well in the freezer, there are seemingly hundreds of choices, and many of them are actually not too bad for...
T he Internet is a wondrous place, especially for those of us who grew up long before it was even thought of, let alone something that rules so much of our lives. We can βtalkβ for free to someone on...
D o you remember being a kid and wanting to grow up and know everything about everything, the way so many adults appeared to do? Did you think or grow up to believe that once you crossed some magic th...
I am certain every language has its own ways that might not make absolute sense in terms of spelling, usage, or punctuation. Heaven knows American English does! So, for your edification (howβs that fo...
Are you familiar with this term? We're seeing evidence of them everywhere on social media, which is a shame. As a verb, troll can mean βto post inflammatory or irrelevant material on an electronic for...
Where do you get your ideas for articles? Do you see something, hear something, or react to something that stops you in your tracks? Something you could teach to others? If youβre a musical artist, yo...
Yes, of course I made the word up! But it occurred to me over the past week that we really need to be grateful for what we have more than one day a year (Thanksgiving in the U.S.). And I'm sure each r...
Have you ever realized how little you know about so many things? I learned something today about my car -- and communication. The picture below shows the little orange icon that popped up on my car's...
It's been quite a while since I last offered you a quiz, so ... I hope you knock this one off in a couple of minutes (there are only 5 questions) and know why you chose your answer. It's such a simple...
I think we all saw the amazing result of the FanDuel Sportsbook's error in posting the odds on a bet a few weeks ago -- and then having several bettors actually jump on it and place bets that paid off...
Aha, and you thought I wouldnβt keep up my end of the bargain to return to the Tuesday Tricksters for real, even though I told you last week Iβd start putting these out again each week. Well, here we...
Brand Message Expert Daisy McCarty asked me recently about whether to use a comma or and in a sentence for one of her clients: The company focuses on creating elegant, sensible solutions that allow ou...
In my last post , I wrote about recently giving a refresher program on manners to some men in a long-term drug rehab. While we talked about a wide range of ways to use good manners, but this particula...
Iβm not the first, and Iβm sure I wonβt be the last here on LI (or any other professional platform) to notice the variety of headshots that we use to represent ourselves. While each of us is unique an...
Using apostrophes in contractions In English, anyway, we create contractions when we join two words and then leave one or more letters out of the final word, right? For instance, have not = haven't, d...
I wonder how many readers are wondering if I've lost my mind after seeing the headline of this Wednesday Word post ... This past week I wrote a short post on things that matter to me, and one of my re...
Bad news sells but good news doesn't? Let's change that! #2 : "The Shoe that Grows""> What gets your attention when youβre inundated with hundreds β if not thousands β of possible articles to read on...
Bad news sells and good news doesn't? Let's change that. In the past year or more, it seems as though the U.S. press has been showing us news that is almost always about the negative events going on i...
I was reading Entrepreneur magazine the other day, and I found an article entitled βGet Better at Everything,β which is the type of article I usually do NOT read because itβs usually trite stuff. You...
Sometimes a conversation has a point, makes it, and ends. Sometimes a conversation starts out with a point, veers off to the left or right, and ends up somewhere totally unexpected. Sometimes a conver...
In a crossword puzzle this morning, I wanted to use annual, but it wouldnβt fit. Then I remembered annal, which fit both the definition and the five letters available. Best guess is that many writers...
I was βtalkingβ on LI recently with someone I thought was a first-degree connection β he thought the same thing β but then he checked for some reason and asked to connect. And then we βtalked.β He ( T...
About three years ago, several friends mentioned that blogging was becoming popular on LinkedIn and told me I should consider writing a blog (I hadnβt even known what a blog was!). They nagged me unti...
All parts of speech have their uses; together they allow us to write complete sentences and thoughts. We need adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, nouns, prepositions, pronouns, and verbs...
The Tuesday Tricksters seem to be everyoneβs favorite: five pairs/groups of words known as homophones that sound alike (or almost, anyway), but are spelled differently and mean something different. Th...
Years ago, I remember talking with a friend who was (and still is) deep into technology. I admired her ability to keep up with it, because technology moves so quickly, and I also remember mentioning s...
With all the possibile things to write about, sometimes I forget to put out a regular Tuesday Tricksters or Wednesday Words post! So, here are a few more difficult-to-remember words, because they soun...
#3 ">There have been hundreds β if not thousands β of articles written in the last few years on how to create a powerful and professional LinkedIn (or other platform) profile. Most cover the same info...
As a copyeditor, I work on a wide variety of articles every week, some so well written my jaw drops in awe. Once in a while, one that needs a little more work. Sometimes it's the words the words they...
One of my LI connections ( Ranjith Abraham ) sent me this note: βI was reading an article and came across inconsistent usage of βanybody,β βsomebody,β βanyone,β βsomeone.β Would you please address the...
Our punctuation rules in America are similar β but NOT the same β as many other punctuation systems built on the original British version. But many words are spelled differently, usage is much differe...
I'm sure I'm not the only human on the planet to be fearful lately; many of our leaders are stomping around, saying stupid things, going back and forth on fundamental ideas of love and kindness, and g...
Since many connections here seem to love quizzes β short ones that donβt seem too daunting β hereβs another one for you! And for the one that preceded this, click here. Which ones are correctly writte...
I donβt know why my readers think quizzes are so much fun, but I keep getting requests for more of them. So, here are some sentences that contain goofs in word usage or punctuation. Dave really needed...
For the last three years, I have posted on most Tuesdays about words that make many writers look bad: homophones. Theyβre the ones that sound like another word (or nearly, anyway), but are spelled dif...
An exchange with one of my readers on Medium in The Writing Cooperative β Joe Varadi β prompted me to write this follow-up to my The Devil is in the Details post about details we often miss as we're c...
We all live by some rules β legal, financial, societal β and we do know what weβre supposed to do because of them. We stop at red lights, we pay our bills, we say please and thank you, and we take car...
Because Iβm a copyeditor, I see typos everywhere β and I know many of you do as well. We canβt know if the writer doesnβt know a rule or is just trying to proof his or her own stuff (something most of...
I love sports. I love watching sports -- even some sports that some sports fans don't think are actually sports. I love watching pro football -- go Patriots! A 6th Super Bowl ring would be just awesom...
We're Boomers. We're alive. We're thriving. We're not dead yet. We are NOT elderly. Recently, I have become aware of newscasters talking about those in accidents / house fires / holdups being labeled...
A reader wrote and asked if I would explain Active and Passive voice, because she has been using an electronic grammar checker and it keeps saying she should use MORE passive sentences. Um. No. Donβt....
Yesterday was Sunday, and there I was, sitting quietly reading the Boston Sunday Globe newspaper, when I read a simple sentence that sparked an idea. Has that ever happened to you in an odd moment? Th...
Well, good morning, world! How are ya? Looking mighty fine to me -- at 5 a.m. here on the east coast of the U.S. I'm up so early I think I beat the sun . . . and I don't know why. But since I'm up, I...
So, look at you! You're officially a blogger / author / writer! However you label yourself, you're writing for others to see. How did that happen? Why are you doing it? You want to share your passion...
It's been a few months since my last Tuesday Tricksters post, and I'm not sure why I stopped posting this series. Because each post shows my readers words in English that are easy to misuse (no matter...
Yes, there are things that "bug" me, some so-called "cosmic questions" that simply make me nuts, and I thought I'd see if anyone has answers, has thought of these things too, or has thought of some I...
I just heard myself say again, "Come on, you piece of **** stupid machine. Move faster! I don't have all day. Grrrrrrrrrr." Guess what? The computer didn't move faster. It did what it does: It moved a...
This past Monday I published an American Grammar Checkup post on three difficult punctuation marks so many writers misuse, and I asked if there was anything else I could write about that would help my...
Yup, here's another American grammar post, just to help you be sure you know the basic punctuation rules. Please remember that it's American grammar, not necessarily any other form of English; each ve...
Do you admire grit? Determination? Do you celebrate excellence? I found myself thinking those thoughts again as I watched almost-24-year-old Jordan Spieth seemingly rise from the ashes -- Phoenix-like...
A while ago, I had a project I could not complete on my own. I knew my own limitations β I can do a lot of stuff, but sometimes we all need help β so I went looking for recommendations from friends an...
Years ago, one of my daughters got a job in an industry she wasnβt familiar with. After a couple of weeks of learning the ropes, she showed me her paper notebook (this was in the late β90s, I think, b...
As a copy editor, I read and edit othersβ words to help them look and sound as smart as they are. Over the last 25 years, I have seen many ways of succeeding and sadly, a few things that almost guaran...
I am sitting at my computer, watching the news, and again, I'm struck with horror at the killing of an American student named Bakari Henderson in Greece by an angry mob a few days ago. It appears that...
I am republishing this post that I originally created in October 2015 thanks to a post I read that Edward Lewellen just wrote (and that Sarah Elkins tagged me in). ***** Language is meant to help us h...
Yes, it's Friday. The end of the workweek for some. And the chance to take a minute and laugh. OK, take two; you've earned it! And my favorite for today -- nothing like making me feel OLD! Which one i...
Yup, it's back -- the Wednesday Words compilation of words in crossword puzzles that I had to look up once I figured out the answers. There's nothing quite so humbling as realizing that I can put the...
Yes, it's hard to believe, but half of 2017 is in the books. Tomorrow is July 1, the unofficial start of summer, at least here in the U.S. I hope you enjoy the funnies I have found for this week! Than...
We've all heard of Grumpy Cat , right? Well, the picture above adorned a friend's (Kathleen Carper) recent post, and I just had to use it. Never saw a bug that looked so obviously grumpy. (Turns out i...
This is the fourth in a series highlighing common errors that are easy to make and miss when we're writing. You can see Part 1 , Part 2 , and Part 3 by clicking on the links. Everyone who has seen my...
My dad β who was actually my adoptive dad β has been gone now for nearly 30 years, but I can still hear him on the phone saying, βHi, Sis β how are things going?β (Sis stood for sister; I do have a br...
Look! Two weeks in a row! Finally back at my "normal" pace of at least a couple of articles a week. And if I'm not mistaken, there are some friends who actually look for my Friday Funday posts as a wa...
All the way home from another excellent business meetup today in Rockland, Mass., I found the phrase "different strokes" churning in my brain. No, we were not talking about that landmark TV show that...
Friday Fundays are back! Yes. For real, Jim Saelzer ! Thanks to John Curran for this gem below! And my reason for having neglected my Friday Funday posts lately: Which one is YOUR favorite today? Plea...
Last month I shared three posts on common grammar errors that can trap even the best writers when using the American style if they're not thinking clearly. I know a lot of you read the articles, but f...
This is the third in a short series of common grammar and usage errors (in the American system, anyway) that can trap even the best writers if they're (they are) not watching what they're (they are) w...
Last week I started a series on common errors that can trap even the best writers. You can read that one here . Today we're looking at one of the smaller punctuation marks -- the apostrophe -- to make...
Today's Friday Funday is brought to you by the birds, the fish, and other animals, all of whom might help you enjoy your last workday -- if Friday is that for you -- of the week. You know that a bunch...
Everybodyβs doing a brand new dance now β and I donβt mean The Locomotion. I mean Networking! Networking has become such big business that itβs hard to keep up with all the possibilities. No matter wh...
When is a question not a question? When itβs a statement. Itβs Monday, and the American Grammar Checkup series is back, thanks to what I'm seeing on posts all across many social media platforms. Altho...
Somewhere Spring is lazing around, giving its all to everyone except New Englanders . . . we're not freezing, but we're sure not basking! So once again, let's use some laughter to help us stay warm as...
I was adopted right after my birth by a wonderful set of parents who got far more than they had bargained for, and so the story of a little girl struggling to figure out who she was began. Growing up...
Many of my readers know I love crossword puzzles; I eagerly wait each week for the Sunday Boston Globe newspaper with its magazine tucked inside to see what's in store for me. Last year -- yes, 2016 -...
Does this resonate with you? Did you grow up as I did, hearing and believing that a smart person β however that was determined β would always succeed just because of those smarts? Did you also realize...
So, how is YOUR week going? Was your Tuesday terrible -- or terrific? Let's all vote for terrific, shall we? (Yes, I wrote "was." I thought I had published this here on beBee yesterday, but I got caug...
The sun is shining. We expect temps in the 60s this coming week. Maybe spring has finally sprung in the Northeast? Maybe? While we wait, we can warm ourselves with a few Friday Funday pics that caught...
You thought I'd abandoned these, right? Nope. Not a prayer. Just got very busy the last couple of weeks. But I'm baaaaaaack! Using the correct words, to me, is the hallmark of good writing -- knowing...
Oh, my -- here we go again with funny stuff, this time in honor of April Fools' (April Fool's, for those not using the U.S. English) day. It's a week after spring supposedly started here in the northe...
What's with spring this year? Sad to say, it's hiding somewhere, and we sure wish it would return and stay with us here in the Northeast! On the other hand . . . yes. Shivering should count, right? OK...
How many of you are bloggers? How many of you can't believe the title of this post? How many of you saw the goof right away? How would you feel if it were yours? A couple of years ago, I wrote a short...
On Friday, March 17, 2017, Marcia Turesky Rooks died. She had lived a wonderful life, and she died just six weeks past her 100th birthday. She was my mother. And while her death was a blessing, as she...
I wish I could make the headline green, but there are still a lot of limits to blogging on social media platforms! Oh well. At least we have some cute dogs to look at who are "wearin' the green"! Hone...
It was a lazy, hazy, snowy morning here at the Grammar Goddess abode; the dogs were sleeping, and I was lazily gazing out through the snow-covered windows to the snow-covered trees, when suddenly I re...
Hey, listen! Listen. Listen to the silence. Listen to the noise. Listen to the birds chirp, the clock tick, the babies giggle, and the wind blow. Oh! You canβt hear those sounds? Why not? Are you too...
Well, well, well. Will you look at that! It's another Friday Funday, and someone is completely ready for it. I do hope your week has gone better than this pup's week appears to have, but in case it ha...
For about 30 years, networking has been the word βdu jourβ or βdβannΓ©e.β Everyone who is anyone in business networks. And while social media is huge these days, many still love to be part of face-to-f...
Questions arise constantly about words -- which to use, which to never use, and why. In my Brush Up on Your American Grammar workshops, I refer to some words as not accepted or not standard, meaning t...
It's (its) another Tuesday, and time (thyme) to (too, two) (re)learn five more (moore) pairs (pears) of tricky words that can make even the best writers look not so smart. They're (their, there) known...
English is a weird language. I can't speak for any other one, but we often have words with the same letters in them, but sometimes the words are really two separate words and sometimes they're just on...
So here it is: the last day of February. How did this come on so quickly? It's also a Tuesday, which means I have another chance to remind writers about an important fact: Spellcheck, for all its wond...
I first published this quiz two years ago, but since beBee wasn't around then, I thought it would make sense to rerun it here. The quiz shown below is the first page of my Brush Up on Your American Gr...
Did you know that February is Spunky Old Broads month? I hadn't until two years ago when a friend -- Claire LeSage -- told me about it. I wrote a post on it -- Spunky Old Broads -- but that one wasn't...
Funny. When we were kids, most of us heard and maybe said, βSticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.β You remember that, right? Then we grew up, and most of us learned that...
So today is the day of love -- around the world. It's known as St. Valentine's Day , at least here in the U.S. Love is in the air. Cupid is shooting his arrows, sometimes hitting the wrong people. Tho...
That picture above? It IS how many Bostonians say the word "storm"! And yes, we got a tough one yesterday, over a foot of white stuff. Of course, since I do have heat and electricity, I have no excuse...
Frequent readers of my blogs know that each Tuesday I publish a "Tuesday Tricksters" list of miserable words β known as homophones (words that sound the same, or nearly so) β because they're so easy t...
Who hasn't written the wrong word, thinking one (won) that sounded like it was the right (rite) one? Learning English, with its (it's) homophones (words that sound alike or nearly so) can be (bee) rea...
This Friday has been whirlwind of clients (a good thing) and family drama (a not-so-good thing). Usually I post my Funday posts much earlier in the day, but at least I'm getting it done! And no one ne...
And the words just keep coming, don't they? I doubt we'll ever run out of them, even if their power and/or trendiness change over time. What doesn't change is writers everywhere using one (won) word w...
I so need this Friday Funday! How about you? Was your week tougher than you'd hoped for? I know mine was (too much family drama). So, let's all take a deep breath, be happy it's Friday, and maybe laug...
