Kim Siever

Why you probably don’t need “whether or not”

While editing a client document yesterday, I came across the phrase whether or not. I realized that I’ve seen this plenty of times. In fact, the usage is so common, it comes up as a suggestion when you type whether into Google:

My 10 most popular grammar posts (2019)

About 5.5 years ago, I made a list of my 10 most popular grammar posts. I’ve written hundreds more posts since then, a few of which have displaced some of the older ones. It made sense to update the list.

Why “it’s important to note” is redundant

I was recently editing a large document for a client, and I encountered the phrase “it’s important to note”.

Why you should stop using “also”

One common writing issue I’ve encountered is the overuse of also.

Logical fallacies: begging the question

A begging the question argument is when a speaker restates their assumption to sound as if it is an argument.

4 ways to properly use a colon

In the past, I’ve talked about how to use commas and semicolons properly. A friend recently helped me realize that I hadn’t yet written about colons. Here are 4 instances when you should use colons and some examples for each. If you stick to these 4 circumstances, you may very well become an expert colon… Continue reading 4 ways to properly use a colon

Difference between minuscule and miniscule

Actually, technically, they mean the same thing. The only difference is that one is a misspelling.

The opposite of “hyperbole”

Recently, I noticed someone ask on Twitter what the opposite of hyperbole is:

The gender neutral option for niece and nephew

I have talked about gendered language in the past (using they as a third-person, singular pronoun; using Mx; avoiding using sexist pronouns; using woman or female as an adjective). Today, I want to talk about gendered language again, especially regarding family relationships.

Is it Mother’s Day or Mothers Day?

Or for that matter, is it Mothers’ Day?