Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
By QuickAndDirtyTips.com
Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.
Latest episode
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Struggling with AI: Job loss, energy use, and more, with Christopher Penn
1040. The downsides of AI bother me a lot — job loss, energy use, and the content tsunami. But I also think it's critically important to understand what this technology can do and how it's likely to change the way we work and live. In this Grammarpal… -
Why people say 'I mean ...' Missing pronouns. Cat-tracted.
1039. People are saying "I mean" more lately, and we explain what it ... means! Plus, we look at why people leave out pronouns at the beginning of sentences such as "Ordering pizza!" -
Why the new CMOS is yellow. Pandemic collectors editions. And more
1038. Chicago Manual of Style editors Mary Laur and Russell Harper dish on the changes they wanted in CMOS that didn't make it in, why the stylebook is bright yellow, and how a printing problem during the pandemic led to some rare editions of the man… -
Positive 'anymore.' 'Wreaked' or 'wrought'? Seat of your pants. Pecan pie.
1037. This week, we answer a few questions that have popped up from previous episodes: What's up with the "positive anymore"? What is havoc? Is it wreaked or wrought? And more! -
Making your own dictionary, with Erin McKean
1036. Erin McKean runs an entire online dictionary with the goal of having ALL the English words. But Wordnik is not only huge, it's also filled with delightful quirks. Hear how Erin manages this one-woman show and how you can get in on the fun. -
Good first sentences. The language of 'Gladiator II.' Bear barber.
1035. This week, we look at famous and amazing first sentences in novels to understand what makes them so compelling, and then we look at the interesting origin of "gladiator" and other words from Roman times. -
How to write about trademarks. Why we say 'thank you.'
1034. First, we look at how writers should use trademarked terms like "Kleenex" and "Google," including when to capitalize them and how to avoid legal pitfalls. Then, we look at the way the word "thank" evolved alongside changing social conventions —… -
Why one creative agency changed its stance on AI
1033. Last year, Dragonfly Editorial had a "no AI" policy, but since then, they've been experimenting with the technology, and the policy has become more nuanced. President Samantha Enslen joins us to talk about what changed, what's working and what … -
Why children learn languages faster than adults. Are band names singular or plural?
1032. First, we explore why children pick up languages faster than adults. You’ll learn about the critical period when young brains are best at learning, why kids often learn two languages at once, and what makes it harder for adults. Then, we tackle… -
'Beer' words in the OED, with Fiona McPherson
1031. This week, Fiona McPherson from the Oxford English Dictionary talks about the latest “beer” words added to the OED, from “boozeroo” to “beerage.” We discuss how these words are chosen, the fascinating history behind them, and why some have surp…
