Category Archives: Writing Helper

Grammar and Writing Tips

Writing Helper: Breath vs. Breathe, Bath vs. Bathe

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These are some commonly confused words. I rarely hear them mixed up, but I see it in people’s writing all the time.

Breath and Breathe

Breathe is a verb. The ea sounds like eat or easy.

Breath is a noun. Here, the ea sounds like egg or death.

Examples:

He took a slow breath before answering.

She gasped, barely able to breathe.

Bath and Bathe

Bath and Bathe follow the same basic pattern.

Bathe is a verb. The a sounds like able or ate.

Bath is a noun. The a sounds like cat.

Examples:

I want to take a relaxing bubble bath.

Whew! You need to bathe.

I see that a several of the Writing Helper posts remain some of my most popular. Even though they’re short, I’m not surprised. When I taught English, my students usually appreciated this type of lesson much more than standard grammar.

Enjoy!

Grammar Helper: Its vs It’s

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I see these two words confused all the time, even though they’re very easy to get right.

It’s is a contraction for “it is” or even “it has.”

  • It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. (It has…)
  • It’s a mistake to buy that property. (It is…)

Its is a pronoun that means something “belongs to it.”

  •  I wouldn’t buy that car; its paint job is awful.
  • The dog hurt its foot on its walk last night.

If you’re unsure, simply substitute “it is” or “it has” in the sentence to see which version of its/it’s you have. If the substitution works, then you want the version, it’s. If not, then you want its.

It’s simple, right?

Writing Helper: Poor and Pour, Then and Than

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Writers often confuse poor and pour, simply because they sound alike.

Poor means to lack money. It also means to elicit sympathy. Pour means to pour liquid.

Examples:

  • Poor Emily didn’t get the client.
  • Michael considers himself poor because he can’t sell his novel.
  • Pour me a cup of coffee, would you?

Many people confuse then and than in their writing. I think this is probably because they don’t make much of a distinction between the two in their speaking.

Then, refers to time. First one thing happened, and then another. Than, on the other hand, is used when making comparisons.

Examples:

  • I published my first novel and then quit my day job.
  • I would rather read horror than any other genre.

Try to avoid these common mistakes in your writing. Your editor will appreciate it!

Writing Helper: Just Thinking to Myself

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Once upon a time, I taught first year college English. I also taught what my students not-so-fondly called “bonehead English,” which was a grammar and remedial writing class. I still chuckle over one particularly funny exchange with a student. Maybe it’s also a pretty good indication I wasn’t cut out to teach.

I had marked up her paper pretty badly, but it read like she wrote it in the car, while driving, running late for class. When she approached me after class, flapping the notebook paper at her side, I knew she was already ticked off.

“You marked something that wasn’t wrong.” She dropped the offending paper on the table between us and pointed to one of many marks. “See?”

I didn’t see. To tell the truth, I couldn’t figure out which of the marks she meant. “Where?”

“Here.” She pointed again, this time to the phrase, “I was thinking to myself.” I had marked out “to myself” and had written the word “redundant” in the margin.

I explained that it was, in fact, redundant to say that you think to yourself. You can’t think to anyone else, so it really isn’t necessary to specify you’re thinking to yourself.

She pointed out again how wrong I was, that she had really been thinking to herself in the situation in question.

I didn’t doubt that. Despite all the red marks, she seemed pretty thoughtful in general. I bet she did it several times a day.

I explained again why there’s no need to add “to myself.” I explained that if she could think to others too, then it might be necessary to be specific, but since any time she thinks, it must, by necessity, be “to herself,” there’s no need to say so.

We repeated this conversation until we were both out of patience. I finally asked. “Are you telepathic?”

That shut her up. She looked at me like I sprouted a third eye on my second head (thanks for the expression, Will!). “HUH?”

“Are you telepathic? If so, then yes, you should have written it as you did. If not, then you’re wrong. Okay?”

I think she left just to go look up “telepathic.”

Writing Help: Who’s vs. Whose

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Whose and who’s are often confused, but it’s easy to tell when to use each if you take a second to think about the two.

Who’s is a contraction for “who is.” That, by itself, is enough for you to tell when to use each. Isn’t that simple?

Who’s going to the mall with me?

You can mentally translate this to “Who is going to the mall with me?”

Whose car is that?

Try to translate this to “who is.” You get, “Who is car is that?” It doesn’t make sense, does it?

So, while it may take a moment to think through, the difference between the two isn’t as difficult as it might first appear. Thanks to Kristy for the topic suggestion!

Grammar Helper: I vs. Me

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I think this one somehow takes hold when we’re kids. A child says, “Billy and me want to go out.” He’s immediately told to say, “Billy and I.” That takes hold, and he says “Billy and I” all the time, whether it’s appropriate or not.

This one is simple. When using I or me with a name or another pronoun, ignore the other name or pronoun! Choose I or me as you would normally if it were standing alone.

  • Billy and I/me want to play.

becomes

  • Billy and I/me want to play.

Obviously, “I” is the correct choice.

  • Give the toys to Billy and I/me.

becomes

  • Give the toys to Billy and I/me.

This time, “me” is correct. You’d never say, “Give the toys to I.”

Grammar Helper: Who and Whom (simple version)

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Who and whom are often confused. Even worse, so few people get it right, the right version sounds wrong to most of us! It doesn’t have to be hard at all.

Start by substituting he for who and him for whom.

So, let’s say you have this sentence. Who/whom are you going with? First off, put it in subject…verb order. Find the verb, going, and ask who’s going? You.

So you’ll change it to You are going with who/whom? Now, do your substitution. Which sounds right?

  1. You are going with he? who
  2. You are going with him? whom

The second is the obvious choice, isn’t it? So, Whom are you going with? is correct.

Let’s do one more.

Who/whom chose you as a lab partner? In this case, chose is the verb. Who chose? Well…. that’s what we want to know, right? So who/whom (whichever we choose) is the subject. Next do the substitution.

  1. He chose you as a lab partner. who
  2. Him chose you as a lab partner. whom

The choice is obvious again. Number one is right.

Grammar Helper: Commas in a series

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Use a comma to separate items in a list of three or more.

  1. We brought sandwiches, fruit, and salads to the picnic.

or

  1. We brought sandwiches, fruit and salads to the picnic.

Note that the final comma is optional. However, you may find that your writing is clearer at times with the comma. Whichever you choose, be consistent.

Commas should also be used to separate verbs and phrases that are in a series.

  1. I cleaned the house, did the shopping, and paid our bills before lunch.

Grammar Helper: Idea vs. Ideal

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This is one I see (and hear) all the time!

An idea is a thought. “I had a good idea,” or “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

Ideal means that something is exceptionally good, even perfect. “Writing is my ideal job.” It can also mean that someone or something stands as an example of perfection. “He is an ideal father.”