Ah, the English language – what a delightful labyrinth of quirks and inconsistencies, huh? Today, we delve into the depths of two sneaky homophones: faze and phase. They sound the same but have quite different meanings. Don’t get fazed by their trickery! Faze vs. Phase: Definitions Faze: This is a verb. It describes something that … Read more
It’s easy to confuse lose and loose. They are similar looking, with only a minor difference in their pronunciations. This article breaks down their major differences. Lose, which is pronounced “looz,” with a Z sound, is a verb that is all about letting go, missing out, or suffering defeat. Think of it as something slipping … Read more
In academic writing, there are two major style guides: APA and MLA, each with its own citation style. They both have the goal of ensuring clarity and consistency in scholarly works, but they have distinct rules and formats. Let’s take a look. APA and MLA: The Major Distinctions On the whole, APA and MLA are … Read more
Picture yourself at a crossroads in conversation, where the paths of will vs would diverge. Choosing one over the other might seem trivial, but using one or the other can take your message in different directions. You’ll navigate these powerful verbs like a pro after reading this article. We’re talking about nailing future promises with … Read more
In everyday English, it’s easy to confuse “breath” and “breathe,” but the difference is straightforward. “Breath” is a noun that refers to the air taken in or expelled from the lungs. “Breathe,” on the other hand, is a verb meaning to inhale or exhale air. For more on nouns and verbs, check out this article … Read more
Pronouns Substitute for Nouns Simply put, pronouns substitute for nouns. (For more on the parts of speech, check out this article.) Nouns are people, places, things, and ideas. Some nouns are: apple, car, Becky, mountain, kitchen, time, happiness. Pronouns include he, she, it, they, who, and more. Pronouns are used to refer to people and … Read more
Colons (:) and semicolons (;) are easily confused. While they’re similar, they serve distinct purposes in sentence structure. In this article, I’ll describe the nuances of using colons versus semicolons and provide you with the tools to use them correctly. Colons serve primarily as a signpost for what comes next in a sentence: they introduce … Read more
In the English language, we use pronouns as linguistic shortcuts, streamlining communication by replacing nouns. Among these pronouns, who and that are often confused. In general, who refers to people while that refers to things. Would you like more details? Keep reading. Who — The Human Touch Who is a pronoun that refers to people … Read more
Picture this: You’re reading a text when suddenly you stumble upon a familiar word, but it’s wrapped in quotes. Your eyebrows furrow as you wonder why the writer chose to “highlight” that specific term. Welcome to the intriguing world of “scare quotes.” No, they aren’t about making your reader jump with fright. They play a … Read more
Folks often confuse your and you’re in written English. They are homophones, words that sound alike but have different meanings. (Check out our other articles on homophones like whole/hole and it’s/its.) Your is a possessive pronoun, indicating something belongs to someone, while you’re is a contraction of you are. Let’s delve into these distinctions and … Read more
Illusion and allusion are two words that often cause confusion due to their similar-sounding nature, but they have distinct meanings and applications in the English language. In this article, we will unravel the complexities of illusion and allusion, providing clear examples to illuminate their disparate roles. Illusion — A Deceptive Mirage Illusion refers to something … Read more
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT, which is still the most commonly used AI tool around, content marketers have been experimenting and trying to find cool and unique ways to use AI to improve their content and results. While AI isn’t replacing content writers, and especially content strategists, anytime soon (because it … Read more
Proofreading marks, also called “proofreaders’ marks,” “proofreading marks,” and “editing marks,” signify mistakes in printed copy. Proofreaders and editors generally note mistakes on the page with a red pen. 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 still vital … Read more
When your agency is working with clients who are investing in content, you know the reality is that more content = more keyword coverage = more organic growth. If their budget and your capacity allow, increasing content velocity can expedite results. Removing any blockers to content velocity should be a high priority. One of the … Read more
Contractions are a way to combine two words together to make writing shorter. They also often serve the double purpose of making the content feel more informal. What is a contraction? A contraction is a shortened form of two (or more) words. A contraction is most often created using an apostrophe where the two words … Read more
When a word is spelled incorrectly, you can say it is “misspelled.” Notice that “misspelled” has 2 s’s and 2 l’s, instead of the commonly used but incorrect one “s” like “mispelled.” A common question though is if “misspelled” is one word or two. In short, “misspelled” is one word. But let’s try to understand … Read more
The semicolon, also known as the top half of a winky face, is an oft-misunderstood punctuation mark. Somewhere between a comma and a period, it is the cause of much vexation among seasoned and amateur writers alike — not to mention the bane of many English teachers and their dreaded red pens. I’ve written this … Read more
When do you put an apostrophe in its/it’s? How do you know? This issue commonly confuses English writers — pros and newbies alike. It’s easy to confuse the two, considering the (often befuddling) rules of English. With this article, we’ll put the confusion to rest. The Difference between Its and It’s The difference between these … Read more
Copy editing and proofreading are the final two of the six different types of editing. They’re like peanut butter and jelly — they go great together, but each has its merits and is delicious on its own. What Is the Difference between Proofreading and Copy Editing? Copy editing ensures that content follows style guides, including … Read more
People commonly confuse the abbreviations “e.g.” and “i.e.,” as they are used in similar contexts and function in similar ways. They are both abbreviations of Latin phrases. However, they do not mean the same thing, and they are not interchangeable. E.g. is used for specific examples, while i.e. is used to rephrase or to define … Read more
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