If you forgo the apostrophe in "won't," you're writing a completely different word. (The wrong one.)
Also, have you ever thought about this?
hadn't = had + not
shouldn't = should + not
didn't = did + not
won't = ??? + not
(Answer below.)
Hyphens: so tiny, but so tricky.
Btw, hyphenate simple fractions.
> He took one-half of her bowling ball collection in the divorce.
> Two-thirds of his "hobbies" are court-ordered.
> Three-fourths of cooking is cleanup.
PS: Speaking of horizontal lines: TeamEmDash.com.
Jive Talkin': youtu.be/oALKAh_bL5g?....
You *betcha* this is in the book. (Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar.)
Happy Sunday!
#writing #writingcommunity #TIL
That's right—I now own TeamEmDash.com. You should head over there. 😁
Many people think the inventor of the Segway died in a Segway accident. That is untrue: Dean Kamen is very much alive. It was Jimi Heselden, who bought Segway Inc. in 2009, who died in the accident.
My little lessons generally measure 1080x1080 px—not a lot of room for a legible lesson. I am *really good* at conveying ideas efficiently. If you're drowning in AI-generated text, I'd LOVE to whip out my metaphorical machete to ensure you're saying exactly what you need to—and nothing else.
Good news! This is in the book: Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar. #books
Just finished my events compilation! If it's not in your inbox (and how is that possible?), then head here: mailchi.mp/shinyredcopy....
#events #colorado #design #marketing #freelancing
If you want to take your business *further*, I'm no *farther* away than the device you're using right now. Send me a message!
#advertising #marketing #branding
Don't hate the messenger—I'm just trying to help.
New one!
#writingcommunity
I like to post this one on a Friday, when you're more likely to indulge in the silliness of trying to read it. Enjoy! #writing #advertising
Sign up to get one of these lessons each week: Shiny Red Copy dot com slash email.
Another diabolical pair.
This one's in the book: Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar, available on Amazon and at Unflubbify dot com.
Some people use the "positive anymore." (You can find maps of its use online, as well as a Wikipedia entry.) It means "nowadays," essentially. Here's the sample sentence from the Harvard Dialect Survey: "He used to nap on the couch, but he sprawls out in that new lounge chair anymore."
Speaking of poring over things, let me ask you: Do you know about the psychotic nature of the word "peruse"? Its first definition is to scrutinize closely, but right beneath that definition is another—the very opposite. 😵💫 Swipe to see the madness.
PS: This is in the book: Unflubbify dot com.
Of *course* there are two different spellings.
Happy Saturday!
PS: Did you know you can receive one of these lessons each week? Just head to Shiny Red Copy dot com slash email.
This is for you, @kathleenmadigan.bsky.social! It shows up on these dish towels, too—available at shinyredcopy.com/store.
One letter changes everything.
I joke about letter-writing being passé, but it certainly isn't passé for *me*. I love writing letters and postcards and adorning each one with the perfect stamp. Try it sometime! (The stamp goes in the upper right-hand corner.) #stationery #writing
👇
I used to have to look up the spelling of all these words. Now I use this mnemonic. (If you want to know more about the word "mnemonic," I'll put something about it in the comments.)
PS: All of this can be found in the book. Head to Unflubbify dot com.
If I'm going to be stuck on this song, so are you. (Sorry.) youtu.be/SckdcfAZATM?....
🐴
This one's in the book! (Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar, available at Unflubbify dot com.)
#writing #advertising #englishlanguage #editing #proofreading
“After major breakthroughs in obtaining the penises of a manatee, an armadillo, and a pygmy jerboa, I’m pleased to announce that my experimental anticancer elixir is mere weeks away from completion,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Again: "Me" is not a dirty word—it's the *right* word when you're the object.
✅ The new guy creeps Janice and me out.
✅ Don't contact my wife or me ever again.
✅ That stays between my therapist and me.
And "myself" should never be the subject of a sentence (except this one, ironically).
*So* many people incorrectly use "I" as an object. Authors. Journalists. Podcasters. Politicians. Maybe even you or someone you love?
PS: This lesson is in the book: Unflubbify.com.
#writing #podcasting #marketing #advertising