Michael Blackwood, Author at EditorNinja

Peak Vs. Pique — What’s the Difference?

Posted on April 3, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Peak and pique appear and sound so similar that writers often mix them up. Let’s sort out the confusion. Peak Vs. Pique Key Takeaways Each of these words can be a noun and a verb. Peak — Like a mountain peak. A peak, as a noun, is a high point and to peak, the verb […]...

Hyphen Vs En Dash vs Em Dash – What’s the Difference?

Posted on April 3, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

The hyphen and the dash are commonly confused and misunderstood punctuation marks. And did you know that there are two kinds of dash? That’s right, there are en dashes and em dashes. In this article, we explain ‘em all — hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes — with examples of each. Key Takeaways A hyphen […]...

What Is A Mnemonic?

Posted on March 15, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Mnemonic (nih-MON-ik). It’s a funny word. Silent M? When does that happen? Never. Well, almost never, except in this word — and related words. So what is a mnemonic? A mnemonic, or mnemonic device, is a memory aid — something simple that helps you remember something more complex. And what about that silent M anyway? […]...

Your Guide to Proofreading Marks

Posted on March 15, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Proofreading marks, which are also called proofreaders’ marks and editing marks, signify mistakes in printed copy. Proofreaders and editors generally use a red pen to note them on the page. Though much editing, like the editing done here at EditorNinja, is now done digitally within shared docs and other word processors, written proofreading marks are […]...

Your Guide to the 9 Parts of Speech

Posted on March 7, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Grammarians categorize English words into groups, which we call Parts of Speech. Most guides will tell you that there are eight or nine parts of speech, depending on a few factors, like whether they include interjections. Each part of speech serves a particular function, which I will describe below. The parts of speech we will […]...

Who’s vs Whose – What’s The Difference?

Posted on March 7, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

If you’re mixing up who’s and whose, you’re not alone. They sound the same, and they look pretty similar, too. But they’re not the same. Who’s is a contraction that means “who is,” and whose is a possessive that shows ownership. Still unclear? This little guide is here to help. Who’s and whose are easy […]...

Role vs Roll – What’s The Difference?

Posted on January 30, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Role and roll are homophones, meaning they sound the same — but they have different meanings. Here’s how to tell them apart: Role is always a noun and refers to a part that someone (or something) plays, like a character in a movie or someone’s position in work or society. Roll can be a verb […]...

Foot vs. Feet — Knowing the Difference (and Why We Don’t Say “Foots”)

Posted on January 30, 2023 By Michael Blackwood

Though in English we usually add the letter S to make words plural, in the case of foot, we don’t say “foots” — we say “feet.” So, foot is singular and feet is plural. That might be all you need to know, but if you’d like more information, keep reading. In this article, I’ll go […]...

Peak vs Peek – What’s The Difference?

Posted on December 6, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Are you an editor or responsible for editing, but find that you have too much to edit for the time you have? EditorNinja can help. Let’s chat about your challenges and show you how EditorNinja can make your life easier by outsourcing some of your editing to us. Peak and peek appear and sound so […]...

Flammable vs Inflammable – What’s The Difference?

Posted on October 18, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Flammable and inflammable cause a lot of confusion. How do we know when to use which? Fortunately, I have an easy way to remember the difference. Are you ready? There isn’t one. Flammable, Inflammable; Tomato, Tomahto That’s right, flammable and inflammable mean the same thing: capable of being set on fire. But they look like […]...

Unsatisfied vs Dissatisfied – What’s The Difference?

Posted on October 12, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Unsatisfied and dissatisfied have similar but slightly different meanings, partially owing to the different meanings of their root word, satisfy. Here’s what you need to know. What Is The Difference between Unsatisfied and Dissatisfied? Do you ever find yourself asking “Wait, is it unsatisfied or dissatisfied?” If so, this post will help you. To satisfy […]...

Aisle vs Isle – What’s The Difference?

Posted on October 11, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Aisle and isle are pronounced the same and spelled almost the same (with that bizarre, silent S), but their meanings are quite different. An aisle is a walkway or passage — often between seating, as in a church, train, or theater, or between shelving, as in a library or grocery store. An isle is an […]...

Lied, Laid, or Layed — What’s the Difference?

Posted on October 10, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Writers frequently confuse lied and laid, two similar words with different meanings. Then throw in layed and fuggedaboutit. In a nutshell: Don’t be hard on yourself if you thought layed was a word — it’s a common misspelling of laid. Just to throw a wrench in things even further, I’m going to add that the […]...

Were vs We’re – What’s The Difference?

Posted on September 19, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

Writers often confuse were and we’re. They’re spelled almost the same — except for one little apostrophe. But they mean different things. Here’s a handy guide. The Definitions of Were and We’re Were is a past tense verb. It’s a version of the “to be” verb that we use with you and we and they. […]...

Wander Vs. Wonder — What’s the Difference?

Posted on September 13, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

With only one letter of difference, wander and wonder look nearly the same and sound similar, too. On top of that, they’re both used as verbs — action words.* With all those similarities, writers easily confuse the two, but each word has its own meaning. *Sometimes, wonder is used as a noun — more on […]...

Who Vs Whom — Differences and When To Use Each

Posted on September 8, 2022 By Michael Blackwood

The difference between “who” and “whom” stumps a lot of people—experienced writers and grammatical newbs alike. “Who vs. whom” is one of the most commonly Googled usage questions, with almost fifty thousand searches a month! Does the Difference between Who and Whom Matter? Perhaps because of this uncertainty, most of us don’t even bother with […]...

Peak Vs. Pique — What’s the Difference?

Hyphen Vs En Dash vs Em Dash – What’s the Difference?

What Is A Mnemonic?

Your Guide to Proofreading Marks

Your Guide to the 9 Parts of Speech

Who’s vs Whose – What’s The Difference?

Role vs Roll – What’s The Difference?

Foot vs. Feet — Knowing the Difference (and Why We Don’t Say “Foots”)

Peak vs Peek – What’s The Difference?

Flammable vs Inflammable – What’s The Difference?

Unsatisfied vs Dissatisfied – What’s The Difference?

Aisle vs Isle – What’s The Difference?

Lied, Laid, or Layed — What’s the Difference?

Were vs We’re – What’s The Difference?

Wander Vs. Wonder — What’s the Difference?

Who Vs Whom — Differences and When To Use Each

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