As with much of the English language the correct use of this pair of words has slipped into misuse, and in some very unfortunate circumstances, accepted as the norm, or worse correct.Black swan, a label for COVID-19
In much of my research for clients in the past couple of months I have often seen the term black swan. As I know swans to be white in most cases, I was intrigued by this phrase suddenly popping up all over the place.
The term black swan has come to be associated with COVID-19 and its various impacts.
Know how to use rain, rein and reign
It’s spring in South Africa and in the season’s first flush, we had a smattering of rain.
That’s the stuff of celebration.
What’s not to celebrate is the state of our country’s newspapers.
Three key notes to persuasive copy
Slapping down anything that comes to mind may work for the Earnest Hemingways of the world, but its unlikely to produce persuasive copy for your website.
Even Hemingway was not one to settle for the first draft. Very few writers do. So why would you put text on the most public forum – your website – that has not been properly crafted?
How do you like them apples?
The apple: On first appearance, there’s nothing special about it at all.
It’s typically green or red on the outside with a crunchy white interior (if it’s a quality mid-season apple).
This seemingly common or garden apple has been installed with the most amazing qualities, least of all for its medicinal properties although ‘an apple a day, keeps the doctor away’ was embedded in my consciousness from a very early age. And it has remained the basis of my healthy eating plan throughout my life.
Can writers be replaced by Artificial Intelligence?
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Stand aside fellow writer as a machine does your work.
This is highly possible, and as early as 2018, if writings on the power and glory of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is anything to go by.
How important is email accuracy?
Is email an art or science? If we consider science as accurately written text and art as anything slapped down on the page, then I would be persuaded to think that email leans towards the latter.
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 on for correct usage, despite considering myself an English language professional.
I have selected these five word pairs so that you can easily increase your word power.
Theft and larceny: correct usage
With so much exposure to people’s dirty legal laundry and equal amounts of televised fictional dramas – Law and Order my personal favourite – I often heard the charge of larceny and never understood what it meant. So today I delved into it.
Write better English: the difference between license and licence
Writing good English requires a depth of knowledge of the language.
English is full of tricks: words that sound the same and are spelled differently and words that are spelled the same and have different meanings – and that’s just two.
There are many areas of confusion in the English language so let’s just clear up one.
Licence is a word that is spelled two ways. Licence and license. It starts out being quite simple using licence as the noun and license as the verb. And even that only works if you follow the UK English system. In America, license is used as a verb and a noun.
In UK English all derivatives of the verb from of license are spelled with an S, such as licensing and licensed. It’s really quite tricky so pay close attention to your writing.
If you can’t manage, get hold of an editor or a proofreader to help you out.
Here’s to better English.