You've Got "E-mail" or You've Got "Email"?

Last week, the editors of the Associated Press Stylebook created a stir by announcing a change in their recommended spelling: "e-mail" is now "email."


The social media website Mashable implied that the change is long overdue, running the story with the headline "AP Stylebook finally changes 'e-mail' to 'email.'"


On the other hand, the New York Times announced that they'll stick with "e-mail." What this shows is that using a hyphen in "e-mail" is a style choice, and Mashable is more permissive than the Associated Press, which is more permissive than the New York Times when it comes to language change.


When the AP Stylebook editors were asked why they made the change, they said most of their writers already turn in articles with the "email" spelling, and copy editors found "e-mail" increasingly difficult to police. They emphasized that they don't consider themselves to be on the leading edge of language change; instead, they "bow to common usage."


This creates yet another "writer/author preference" as to which version to use. Just remember to be consistent!



Source: GrammarGirl

HAPPY Spring...and
Have a HAPPY Day!

Assure, Ensure and Insure

Assure, ensure, and insure can be confusing. Here are the definitions along with some examples to help clarify the distinctions for you.


Assure: to promise or say with confidence
Example: Let me assure you that I will be at the meeting at noon.


Ensure: to make sure something will/won’t happen
Example: To ensure my family’s safety, I have installed an alarm system.


Insure: to issue an insurance policy
Example: I will insure my home with additional fire and flood policies.




Source: Grammarbook

Happy "Words Matter Week!"

It's hard to believe it's been an entire year since we last recognized and celebrated Words Matter Week! This is a day of great importance no only to those of us working in the writing, editing or publishing professions, but to everyone. If words didn't matter, we'd all be reading material with misspellings, grammar and punctuation faux paus, poor structure — and I shudder to think what syntax would be like! The importance of words and the proper use of then is important, but without proper syntax, much of what we'd be reading simply wouldn't make sense.

Take an extra moment during this week to be grateful for the references you use in your writing, and (if applicable) the proofreader or editor who knows words, punctuation, grammar, syntax — and how to make your work shine with the clarity of a diamond!






Have a HAPPY day!

Quotations Within Quotations

Almost all of us have found ourselves confused with double and single quotation marks. When do we use single quotes? Where does the punctuation go with single quotes? With just a few rules and examples, you will feel surer about your decisions.

Rule: Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks when you have a quotation within a quotation.

Example: Bobbi said, “Delia said, ‘This will never work.’”

Notice that what Delia said was enclosed in single quotes. Notice also that the period was placed inside both the single and the double quotation marks.

The American rule is that periods always go inside all quotation marks.

Example: Bobbi said, “I read the article, ‘A Poor Woman’s Journey.’”

Rule: Question marks and quotation marks, unlike periods, follow logic with their placement. If a quote inside a quote is a question or exclamation, place the question mark or exclamation mark inside the single quotes.

Examples: Bobbi said, “Delia asked, ‘Will this remote control work on my TV?’
”Bobbi said, “Delia shouted, ‘Get your hands off me!’”

Rule: If the question is inside the double quotes, place the question mark between the single and double quotes.

Examples: Bobbi asked, “Did Delia say, ‘This will never work’?”

(Because you will rarely need an exclamation mark within the double quotes and not within the single quotes, there is little sense discussing this.)

Rule: In the above three examples, only one ending punctuation mark was used with the quotation marks. The rule is that the “stronger” mark wins. Question marks and quotation marks are considered stronger than the period. Period!




Source: Grammarbook