March 24, 2025

These Ones?

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If "one" is singular, then the plural "these ones" must be nonsense, right? That's what some people think, but actually, "these ones" is fine. Here's why.

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March 17, 2025

'Among' vs. 'Between'

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Can you share something between three friends? Or Is "between" only for groups of two, with "among" the required term for three or more? Some people will tell you it's the latter. But it's not quite that simple. Here's what you need to know.

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March 10, 2025

'Majority Is' or 'Majority Are'?

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Some nouns, including "majority," can be singular or plural depending on meaning and context.

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March 3, 2025

'Than I' vs 'Than Me'

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Technically, you can get away with saying, "Bob is taller than me." But stick with "than I" if you want to play it safe.

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February 24, 2025

Reign vs. Rein

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You never "reign in" something to control it, though you may "reign supreme" once you've reined it in.

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February 17, 2025

Anxious vs. Eager

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Is it wrong to say, "I'm anxious for to go on vacation" when you're really looking forward to it? Not exactly. "Anxious" can, technically, mean "eager." But if you want to pick the most precise word available, use "anxious" only for things you dread.

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February 10, 2025

'I Wish I Was' or 'I Wish I Were'?

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The subjunctive mood changes a normal verb like "I was" to "I were" when the statement is a wish, supposition, statement of necessity or other contrary-to-fact situation. Usually, though, it's optional.

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February 3, 2025

'Both' Can Do More Harm Than Good

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"Both doctors and nurses agree" isn't wrong, but because it could momentarily cause your reader to think you're talking about just two doctors, it's probably better to leave it out.

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January 27, 2025

'Forgo' and 'Forego'

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When you're talking about doing without something, you can do without the letter "e." "Forgo" means to give up or do without. "Forego" is rare, meaning "to go before," and is usually seen only in the expression "a foregone conclusion."

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January 20, 2025

When to Hyphenate Prefixes and Suffixes

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If you need to hyphenate prefixes and suffixes perfectly, you have to consult a style guide. There are simply too many special circumstances and exceptions to commit them all to memory. For example, in AP style you hyphenate co-worker but not coworking. But if you just want to hyphenate prefixes and suffixes well, not perfectly, here's a guideline: Omit the hyphen unless it seems too weird that way. So ungentle is fine with no hyphen, but unAmerican looks weird, so hyphenate it: un-American. Here's more detail.

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