Happy Mother's Day or Happy Mothers' Day?

Mother's Day is officially singular; it's the day you are supposed to honor your own mother.

Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day an American national holiday in 1914, and it's always celebrated on the second Sunday in May.







Source: GrammarGirl

The Impotence of Proofreading

Here's something a little different for your viewing enjoyment! Even if you've seen this video before, take a break from your busy blogging schedule and treat yourself to a good laugh! Sit back, enjoy, and have a delightfully HAPPY day!



Source: YouTube

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!