Within vs in
Within vs in. I’ve noticed many writers using within when the simpler in would be preferable. Why do so many writers confuse within and in? I suspect that some people… Read more »
Sincereness vs sincerity
Sincereness vs sincerity. A reader asks, “Is sincereness a word?” This turns out to be a very interesting question, but probably not for the reasons you think. The short answer… Read more »
Less or Fewer
When do we use less or fewer? A correspondent asks whether to use less or fewer in the following sentence: “…the measure failed by less than three votes.” Of all types… Read more »
Common noun vs. proper noun: Capitalization and usage
Common noun vs. proper noun is a common mistake in writing. Here’s the rule: Proper nouns are the names of particular individuals, countries, businesses, and titles: Bob Smith, the United… Read more »
Adverb phrase modifies what words?
Steve asked a grammar question that led me to consider how an adverb phrase functions. In the sentence “Generally at university you are always expected to be critical” what is the meaning… Read more »