What to do about lay and lie
I have lost count of the number of posts that I have written about the standard usage of the verbs lie and lay.
To refresh your memory on the rules, here are examples of the standard distinctions between the verbs lie (to recline) and lay (to place).
Do You Really Mean “Limbo”?
Back when the Snowden drama was still in the news, a woman on NPR reporting that Edward Snowden had been granted asylum in Russia said that he had “been in purgatory” in the Moscow airport. Considering that Snowden was simply existing in the airport until such time as he could enter a country, the more […]
English Spelling Is Not Rocket Science
Yes, English spelling is challenging. No, it is not so difficult that native speakers have any excuse to misspell the common words they use. 7 Steps to Good Spelling is an easy-to-follow handbook for readers who are tired of making basic spelling errors in their online communication or business correspondence. Most people who self-identify as […]
Think twice before attacking someone’s usage
Judging by the rude remarks in social media comment threads, it often seems that everyone is an expert on language. Predictable targets of online linguistic contempt are misplaced apostrophes and such mix-ups as choose/chose, affect/effect, and to/two/too. Sometimes, however, self-styled grammar gurus attack perfectly acceptable usage. Such misplaced faux erudition is the focus of my […]
Bated Breath
I saw a meme on Facebook that showed various phrases used by Shakespeare that have become common idioms in English. As an English teacher, I’m always pleased to see literary references in popular culture. On the other hand, because I am an English teacher, I want to see literary allusions spelled correctly. Among the phrases […]