grammar
Whether we admit it or not, we all make mistakes. This article by Kyle Massa on the ProWriting Aid website will help you correctly use some of the most commonly misused words. Full disclosure – I’m guilty of number two on this list, but now I know better.
I recently stumbled on an old but interesting article on the Grammarly Blog about the Oxford comma and why its use (or non-use) gets folks fired up. For much of my life I was blissfully unaware there was a debate over this tiny bit of punctuation. My elementary school taught the gospel of the Oxford comma, so I’ve used it religiously even since. It wasn’t until recent years while editing reports at my day job that I noticed many others don’t use it.
Use of the Oxford comma is stylistic. Some style guides call for its use while others don’t. I personally don't see what the controversy is. The Oxford comma makes things clear and it also establishes a visual pattern as part of that clarity.
Like style in clothing, I recognize why others have a personal style that differs from mine…but I know my style is right for me. So I’m a black leather jacket, Oxford comma kind of guy, I guess. No apologies.
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/what-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it/
Over on the Grammarly Blog, you’ll find a great article by Karen Hertzberg called “9 Things You Need to Give up to Be a Successful Writer.” In it, Ms. Hetzberg gives us all nine real tips that can help you become a better communicator right away.
I believe everyone can benefit from this sort of refresher - Kris Spisak’s “5 Commonly Confused Words Starting With A” (on Jane Friedman’s blog). Using words precisely should be the goal of all writers, so there is no shame in revisiting the rules we may have abandoned over time.
https://janefriedman.com/commonly-confused-words/
Anyway…I sheepishly confess that number five on this list caught me – it appears I’ve been doing the no-no of pluralizing a certain adverb most of my writing life.