A Summer Grammar Lesson

You thought school was out? Surprise – school is always in session for the writer. For this little review of confusing words, I chose words that are frequent victims of incorrect usage. In the spirit of bettering one’s writing, read on!

accept / except

Accept -- to agree or to receive
Except -- but or with the exception that

I proudly accept the Pulitzer Prize.
Everyone except me was published!

advice / advise

Advice – (noun) recommendation
Advise – (verb) the act of giving a recommendation

I took his advice and rewrote the first 875 pages.
“I’d advise you to get an agent, pronto!” cried the acquisitions committee.

allot / a lot

Allot – to parcel out
A lot – always two words, meaning many

I decided to allot sarcasm sparingly in the dialogue.
Completing a manuscript is a lot of work but quite an accomplishment.

all ready / already

All ready – means all are ready
Already – refers to time

We are all ready for another writers conference.
“Is it already time to go back home?” cried the writers.

among / between

Among – involves three or more
Between – involves just two

Who among us has not wished for a book contract?
I can’t decide between the newest Grisham novel and Davis Bunn’s latest book.

assure / ensure

Assure – to promise or say with confidence
Ensure – to make sure something will or won’t happen

“With just a little rewriting this will be perfect,” the editor assured me.
If I spend time rewriting, it will ensure success.

cue / queue

Cue – a hint, a stimulus
Queue – a line of people waiting (also used as a verb, to wait)

The author cleverly planted subtle cues for the reader.
He stood at the back of the queue, patiently waiting for the author’s autograph.

I hope this quick grammar lesson jogged your memory a bit and maybe even ironed out some word difficulty that has puzzled you. I refuse to dismiss class, however, without calling attention to recent news of the decline of the English language in, shall we call it, the mother country. About two months ago, the Brits revealed they would be dropping apostrophes from street signs (as in St. Peter's), and today I read that their government has decreed that teachers are not to pass on the mantra "i before e except after c." All I can say is, July 4th, here we come!

Happy writing,

Laura