Grammar Girl Quick And Dirty Tips For Better Writing

You've finally accepted that it's OK to use the singular 'they'--sometimes--but now you have to decide whether to use 'themself' or 'themselves.' Don't worry, the new Chicago Manual of Style has you covered, and we talk about it today. Also, I've been getting complaints about comma splices, so it's time for a refresher. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2ramGjn Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl GET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-page SHOPPING AT AMAZON ANYWAY? USE OUR AFFILIATE LINK AND HELP THE SHOW! http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon TAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY http://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR Grammar Girl is part of the

If it bothered you last week that I called the toys Legos, you'll like this week's first topic: Lego or Legos? You'll probably like it if you weren't bothered too! Also, in honor of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, we talk about why English spelling reform is doomed.Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rAkD9r.Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows:www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcastsFOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMARYouTube video of people pronouncing "murder."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRtMyLFF3eYGrammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty

Burned or Burnt? Why English Spelling Is a Mess.FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMARGrammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever wondered why "explain" has an I but "explanation" doesn't, we have the answer. Also, need help jumpstarting your writing process? Here's why composing an outline is key. (Plus, could Grammar Girl be replaced by a robot?)FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMARMAY 24 AP STYLE LIVE WEBINARhttp://www.ragan.com/rd/Y17TC04-MACMILGrammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about why you might describe someone as "among bushes" instead of "in the bushes," and we talk about how we get weird words like "gaga," "flip-flop" and "dillydally." FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl GET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-page AMAZON AFFILIATE CODE http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon TAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY http://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR MAY 24 AP STYLE LIVE WEBINAR http://www.ragan.com/rd/Y17TC04-MACMIL Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about the origin of the word "harbinger" (and I sing about swans) and whether Pig Latin qualifies as a language. FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl GET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-page AMAZON AFFILIATE CODE http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon TAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY http://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR MAY 24 AP STYLE LIVE WEBINAR http://www.ragan.com/rd/Y17TC04-MACMIL Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Off Your Feed. Animal Language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apple, Podcasts, and Prepositions. Forensic Linguistics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The weird complications about words such as "up" and "over" that make people fight about whether they are prepositions or adverbs.FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singular 'They' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AP Style and Chicago Manual of Style UpdatesFOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The $10 Million Comma. Ambiguous Sentences. A Tribute to Bill Walsh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about why we call someone a "devil's advocate" and why the rules of writing are the same for good lawyers and good thriller writers. FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl GET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-page AMAZON AFFILIATE CODE http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon TAKE OUR PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY http://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I have a Quick and Dirty Tip about how to define abbreviations that you use over and over in a document and a tidbit about a fun internet meme called #LaidlawsRule. And, to finish our little poetry kick over the last couple of weeks, I have a tidbit about a word that comes from the old nonsense poem “The Owl and the Pussycat” and the winner of the National Grammar Day haiku contest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to avoid biasing your questions and annoying your respondents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Write a double dactyl poem in honor of National Grammar Day.FOLLOW ALONG ON THE WEBSITEDouble Dactyl Poetry: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/9136FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazonTAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEYhttp://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FOLLOW ALONG ON THE WEBSITETumult: http://bit.ly/2lSXWtIAbsolutes: http://bit.ly/2kD6CTfDISCOVERY CHANNEL 'BULL IN A CHINA SHOP' VIDEOhttp://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/bull-in-a-china-shop/FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about "toeing the line," "pled" versus "pleaded," and animal idioms such as "There's an eel under the rock."FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about the difference between "reluctant" and "reticent" and when to use "which" or "that."FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlSnapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirlPinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirlInstagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girlGET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKShttp://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-pageAMAZON AFFILIATE CODEhttp://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about a common error you should avoid when using "not only" with "but also." We examine why we talk about leaving someone "in the lurch." What's a lurch? And finally, we look at the interesting origins of the month names in English. FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl GET GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl-book-page AMAZON AFFILIATE CODE http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.