sleep time
Somnolent: Word use and origin
Last night when I got home after a long day’s work I felt particularly somnolent. This was hardly surprising as I woke up at 4.30am fought with myself to get…
A synchronous sound
No damn synchronicity: Synonyms and antonyms
Ever had such a day where things start out great and then you’re confronted with the unexpected and things just unravel? Such was my day. I arrived for a press…
horse grazing
Do horses eat loose fern? A statement on reporting standards
This week, I was subbing a story about horses that had been rescued from dire circumstances. If not for the language educated among us, the situation could have given rise…
Sucking the hind tit : related idioms
Last Sunday, our six-year-old female Staffordshire Bull Terrier gave birth to six beautiful and healthy puppies. One was distinctly smaller than his four black brothers and sister and I feared…
Verbs must do the hard work in a sentence
Less is more in the writing discipline
I am reading a book in which the author has swamped the pages with an oversupply of adjectives. Of course, this is just my opinion, but I find the need…
Six ways to take the stress out of writing a book
For all the aspirant writers out there who want to get a book out of your system, start with an e-book. Here's how: Getting down to writing: Write that e-book.…
Say it all in the essay
In my school days, I loved writing essays and sometimes the result was so impressive that my teachers rewarded me with the highest marks in the class. Such was the…
How big is your appetite for words?
Browsing through the Huffington Post, I happened upon a blog about strange and wonderful words. When I reached the end of the text, I realised with horror that I have…
Very, very, completely: Keep language crisp and clean
I was alerted to my default descriptive style about two weeks ago. It happened when I ran my own document through spell check prior to a more serious edit and…
Africa's future leaders
Five word pairs to increase your word power
Today I’d like to share these word pairs that always confuse new writers. Not to sound arrogant there are plenty words in the English language that I need to check…
