Aug 3, 2007 · The rule of putting a period at the end of every thought would be simpler, except that in English, we’re allowed to include more than one thought in the same sentence. These thoughts are …

May 6, 2013 · Therefore, use an en dash to indicate scores for sports or other competitions (for example, “Her team won 6–3” or “They came back from behind to chalk up a 97–92 victory”). Note, …

Sep 9, 2011 · When the first line of each paragraph in the running text is indented, block quotations of a single paragraph, and the first of multiple paragraphs, are not indented, but subsequent ones should …

Jun 15, 2015 · A reader wants to know how between and in between differ in usage: Please explain the usage of the term “in between.” It’s been many years since I heard anyone say this. I always thought …

May 19, 2009 · These two spellings [cannot/can not] are largely interchangeable, but by far the most common is “cannot” and you should probably use it except when you want to be emphatic: “No, you …

Jan 4, 2011 · 7. Separators Also, in run-in lists, avoid separators like “1)” or “ (a)” unless the wording or the punctuation fail to distinguish the items; even then, consider whether revision or reorganization …

May 20, 2011 · Determining whether to refer to geological and astronomical terms with initial uppercase or lowercase letters can be a challenge, because various publications

Jul 3, 2007 · In the post Show, Don’t Tell, I mentioned dialogue as one of the ways you can “show” your reader what’s happening in a scene. Effective dialogue is an essential part of both fiction and …

Aug 25, 2009 · Julius Caesar’s boast of Veni, vidi, vici is usually translated as I came, I saw, I conquered. The insertion of an and or of semicolons would spoil the effect by slowing it down or …

Jun 3, 2015 · A reader asks, A reader asks, What is the correct usage for each and both? Example: You and I both know what it’s like. or You and I each know what it’s like. Each is singular. In relation to a …