Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

How postal zones led to ZIP codes. Why I like to put a hyphen in "re-enter." How "bougie," which today has a negative connotation, came from an older word that meant simply "middle class." Read the transcripts: ZIP Codes. Re-enter. Bougie. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve...

If you've ever wondered how to capitalize 'ZIP Code' (or is that 'ZIP code' or 'zip code'?), this one is for you. Plus, I have an interview with Deirdre Mask about this history and importance of addresses in general. It's fascinating! Read the transcripts: ZIP Codes. Deirdre Mask Interview. Links mentioned in the podcast: ESRI Tapestry. Missing Maps. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch...

Our guest, Lindsay McMahon of the All Ears English podcast, recently hired and now shares the lessons she learned going through a lot of bad résumés and cover letters. Read the transcripts: Dos and Don'ts for Job Applications. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game....

Why do we use the new spelling "Muslim" and not the older spelling "Moslem" anymore? Also, we talk about AP Stylebook updates and end up on a fun tangent about a gender-neutral term for "fisherman." Read the transcripts: Muslim. AP Style Updates. Fisherman. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop...

Here's why we say "cool your heels" and "cool your jets"—they're different! Also, we take a close look at the word "zhuzh" which means to make something more interesting or attractive. You may have never seen it spelled before, and there's a reason. Read the transcripts: Cool Your Heels. Zhuzh. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation...

We know we can be overwhelmed. Why aren't we ever just whelmed? Also, maybe it was having cabin fever that made us start thinking about all the English idioms that use the word "fever." Read the transcripts: Whelmed. Fever Idioms. Nina Simone video of "Rags and Old Iron." Leave a review on Grammar Girl's Podchaser profile before April 30, 2020, to benefit Meals on Wheels. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on...

From 19th century grammatical duels to modern day suicide prevention campaigns, the semicolon has a long history of inspiring strong emotions. Read the transcript. The Semicolon Profile of Lindley Murray Leave a review on Grammar Girl's Podchaser profile before April 30, 2020, to benefit Meals on Wheels. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar...

The word "flaunt" and "flute" are strangely related (flue of shame, anyone?), but don't use either of them to mean "flout." Read the transcripts. 'Flout' and 'Flaunt.' 'Band Together.' Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar Girl books. HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips...

Why you could be forgiven for (briefly) getting excited about "Marshall Law." Plus, the word "vaccine" is related to cows. That's a surprise! Read the transcripts. Martial Law. Vaccine and Vaccination. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar Girl books. HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the...

Times are terrible, but no matter what is happening, we will always have interesting words and phrases to explore. Read the transcripts. Skeleton Crew. Hunker Down. Uncharted. Existential. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar Girl books. HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty...

Are you writing more email? We have seven ways to do it better. Also, we'll help you understand the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic and when you should use "canceled" versus "cancelled." Read the transcripts. Email. Pandemic. Canceled. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar Girl books. HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of...

Sports fans say "Seltik." Historians say "Keltik." Here's the deal. Plus, have you ever noticed that Irish whiskey and Scottish whisky are spelled differently? Read the transcripts. Celtic. Whiskey. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS game. Peeve Wars card game. Grammar Girl books. HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Links:...

We're moving our clocks forward this weekend, but do you know why we call it "daylight saving time"? Plus, I have some other time-related tips. Finally, in honor of International Women's Day, we look at the surprising origin of the words "woman" and "queen." LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | Earnest: http://earnest.com/grammar | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS...

How to figure out which genre you love or how to describe the book you're writing so the publishing industry will understand where it fits. Also, we explain how Americans came to call fringe "bangs." LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad and iPhone:...

It’s the end of February, which means Mardi Gras is almost here! When we think of Mardi Gras, we picture parties, parades, and beads. But did you ever wonder what “Mardi Gras” means? Also, we answer a questions about why we need the "to" in "drive to work" but not in "drive home." LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME |...

You may write "XOXO" to means "hugs and kisses," but do you know how those symbols get their meaning? LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | Earnest: http://earnest.com/grammar | Modern Mentor podcast: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/modern-mentor | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad and iPhone:...

Saturday and Tuesday come from different places. The days of the week are names you've known your whole life, but have you ever wondered about their origin? LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | http://helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com | Modern Mentor podcast from QDT | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad...

In this Super-Bowl-themed episode, we learn why "high odds" and "low odds" are confusing, we learn why you want a disinterested referee, and in honor of the Puppy Bowl, we learn when to capitalize breed names. LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | Earnest: http://earnest.com/grammar GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad:...

Develop this one skill and you'll write better essays, profiles, movie reviews, complaint letters, and more. LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad and iPhone: http://bit.ly/GrammarPopMobile | PEEVE WARS CARD GAME |...

Language experts actually have theories about why people say they "could care less" (instead of they "couldn't care less"). We dig deep to find the root of the problem. LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my LinkedIn Learning course free: https://t.co/coQuXJRtrT | GRAMMAR GIRL EMAIL NEWSLETTER | https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad and iPhone: http://bit.ly/GrammarPopMobile | PEEVE WARS CARD...