When to Hyphenate Shit
Spoiler alert: you’re using hyphens for things that are way out of their pay grade. Yes, the hyphen has several uses but that doesn’t mean you can just use it wheremst you damn well please! Come learn how to properly use a hyphen for once.
Is “Login” One Word or Two?
We’ve all been there. You type “login” and it doesn’t look quite right. “Maybe it’s two words,” you think, so you plop a space in there and now “log in” looks even worse. “Have I ever been right in my entire life?” Probably not. But I’m going to help you turn that losing franchise around!
Less vs. Fewer
Let’s be honest. We live in a world where more is better. We’re a gluttonous species that can never have enough shit. We need money, more possessions, more followers, more likes, and more carbs. You name it, we want it—and we want it all. So, it’s not surprising that we’ve forgotten how to even talk about the concept of not having as much as possible. So, when do you use “less” versus “fewer?”
When to Apostrophize Shit
The comma gets all the glory for being the most misused punctuation mark, but I’ll be goddamned if I let you bargain-bin rejects continue to besmirch the apostrophe’s good name.
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms
Abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms are all part of the same grammar family tree. They’re related but that doesn’t mean they’re the same. You’re already being lazy by hacking a word or phrase down to the smallest possible size, so the least you can do is learn the difference.
Affect vs. Effect
Elocution and enunciation have gone the way of the dodo. That’s why people are surprised to learn that affect and effect have different spellings, pronunciations, and meanings. So stop using whichever one you damn well please whenever it damn well pleases you.
“Calls to Action” or “Call to Actions?”
When marketing terminology and the English language collide, it’s a freaking bloodbath. The normal rules don’t apply, exceptions are made, and confusion abounds. Hence why so many people don’t know if they should say “calls to action” or “call to actions.”
Assume vs. Presume
The words assume and presume are both related to how we form opinions about a person, situation, event, or topic without hard evidence. However, the two words are not interchangeable.
Awhile vs. A While
You wouldn’t think a simple space could wreak so much goddamned havoc on your confidence as a writer. But there it is—staring at you, mocking you, making you question how the hell you ever passed a single English class. Well, let’s look at their differences and when you should use each.
“For Fuck's Sake” or “For Fuck Sake?”
It’s not that hard, for fuck’s sake. Wait. Is that right? I think so. I’m, like, 83% sure that’s right. We’ve all been there. We write or say something and then immediately begin to question our own reality. Let's get to the bottom of this fucker.