Commonly Misused Words and Phrases. What we hear is not always what we write. What we hear: After the murder, Norman should of shut the hell up; now he’s landfill somewhere on Staten Island. What we write: After the murder,  Norman should have shut the hell up: now he’s landfill somewhere on Staten Island. The [...]

Who vs. Whom Use Who and Whoever for subject pronouns. Use Whom and Whomever for object pronouns. All usually occur in subordinate clauses. In the play, Glengarry Glen Ross, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado, which  goes to the guy who sells the most real estate. Second prize is a set of steak knives. [...]

Don’t Shift  Tense Keep verbs in the same tense, damn it! If you write a paragraph in the simple past tense, then put  all verbs in that paragraph  in the simple past tense. If you write in the present tense, then all verbs in that paragraph must be in the present tense. Examine the following [...]

Dangling Modifiers. A modifier, whether word or phrase, is supposed to refer to something else in the sentence. A dangling modifier refers to nothing in the sentence; although, sometimes, the reference is implied. Wrong: Being arrested, hand-cuffed, mug-shotted, and thrown in a cell with mother-rapers, the cops also refused to give me my phone call. [...]