UpWORDly Mobile: A grammar gold mine
What do you need to know? How infer is different from imply? When to use stationery, not stationary? 
How to untangle the uses of me, myself and I? How to tame the commas and dashes that run haphazardly through your sentences? How to bring order and coherence to your writing?
UpWORDly Mobile helps people fill gaps in their grasp of grammar and writing. Since most people don’t have time or inclination to systematically improve their writing, we identify a host of common problems and offer solutions. What do you need to know?
Learn more about UpWORDly Mobile.
Words often confused . . .
Close but no cigar: affect and effect
The New York Times reported in its print version that public attention focused on the private life of Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez did not appear to have had an affect on his play.
Canadian sports network TSN ran this promo on the home page of its website: “NFL Analyst Jesse Palmer looks at how Brett Favre’s arrival in New York will effect the AFC east.”
Both were wrong. Do you know why?
The Times should have used effect, and did so, in fact, in the online version. Effect, a noun, refers to a consequence of an action or other cause. TSN should have used affect, a verb meaning to have an effect on or make a difference to.
When do you use affect or effect? (Be aware there are more variations of these two words. Affect can be a noun, and effect can be a verb. We show you how.)
Principal or principle? Compliment or complement? Fewer or less? Stationary or stationery? Imply or infer? Jibe or jive? Capital or capitol?
Click here for insights into these pairs and many more.
Let us be perfectly clear . . .
You might say . . .
Assuming the proposition that musical compositions aggregate to form sustenance for affairs of the heart, I encourage you musicians to continue your performance.
Or you might say . . .
If music be the food of love, play on (with a nod to Shakespeare and Twelfth Night).
You might say past history, or you might say, simply, history.
Unfortunately, people too often write without giving enough – or any – thought to how well that message may be understood on the other end. Are you one of those people?
