by Sharon Ernst | Dec 4, 2019 | Proofreading and Editing
Last week we went to Hamburg, New York for the Thanksgiving holidays. (It’s my husband’s hometown.) And it seems I can’t escape the absurd use of apostrophes even when on vacation because I had to stare at this sign while trying to enjoy my beer: We were at a cute neighborhood pub and I was drinking a tasty local brew called Frosty the IPA and eating Buffalo wings, of course, yet still. That sign annoyed me the whole time. Why do so many people get it wrong? Sadly, it seems the incorrect use of the apostrophe is the new normal. In...
by Sharon Ernst | Nov 14, 2017 | Proofreading and Editing
I’ll admit it: Even after all these years of in the field of proofreading and editing, I struggle with the which vs. that question. I often choose whichever sounds better (no pun intended) and make my decision on a case-by-case basis. But there is a way to know which way is the right way (again, no pun intended, promise!). How? Simply ask yourself, “Will I change the meaning if I change the word?” For example, compare the same sentence written two times, once with “which” and once with “that”: The farm which has two barns has...
