The ampersand (the "&" symbol) is an unusual feature of the English language. It supposedly has survived in a limited form since the days of the Roman Empire. Despite the mark's longevity, people may still sometimes have questions about when and how to use it. In formal writing, use of the ampersand to replace the …

When and how to capitalize titles of works and titles of formal rank or professional status can remain a common question. We'll focus on that topic today for additional clarity. (Note that style for capitalizing titles can vary among stylebooks and in-house style guidelines. What we share here offers a baseline that you can follow; …

Why do so many people dislike the word “moist”? It's a good question. Even if you are one of those who can't stand the sound of that particular word—and there are many who can't—you might not be able to explain why. In this discussion, we'll consider the issue people have with this much-maligned word, along …

Suppose you are writing about a dog – or even to your favorite dog – and need to mention a type or breed. Should the dog name be capitalized? This is a common question in American English for a couple of reasons. First, because dogs are a big part of our lives, they can appear …

Grammar in American English includes many finer details. One topic that involves several is punctuation in a quote, a subject that still often prompts questions from our readers. In this review, we'll explore proper punctuation in quoted content. Punctuation in a Quote: Quotation Marks Use quotation marks to set off all direct quotations. Quotation marks …

As Independence Day approaches, many of you may be wondering how to write the name of the holiday—is it Fourth of July or 4th of July? The Chicago Manual of Style refers to the holiday as "the Fourth of July" or "the Fourth." The Associated Press Stylebook lists "Fourth of July" and "July Fourth" as …

Let's say you notice it's raining so you decide not to visit the beach with your friends. Have you cancelled or canceled your plans? The answer might surprise you. Why Cancelled and Canceled Are Both Technically Correct Although many teachers and editors would prefer cancelled over canceled, the truth is that both are technically correct. …

Do you ever wonder about whether to use while or although in a sentence? This discussion will help guide you. While and although are two common words that also happen to be often misunderstood. By understanding the difference between them, you can further ensure you use each one properly. The Meaning of Although We'll start …

As the third Sunday in June approaches, many of you may be wondering how to write the name of the holiday—is it Father's Day, Fathers' Day, or Fathers Day? We last looked into the topic of where to properly place holiday apostrophes in a 2018 newsletter. Today we provide an update. Do You Use an …

Most adjectives have three forms or degrees: the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. In this discussion, we'll take a closer look at comparative adjectives. A comparative adjective compares two items by modifying the adjective with -er, more, or less. Base adjective: fast Comparative adjective between two items: faster Comparative adjective applied: David is a …