Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

When the Normans took over England in 1066, they brought their food and their language. We talk about seven interesting French words that made it into English, and guest Clever Cookstr shares some of her favorite related recipes. Read the full transcript: http://bit.ly/1octDLT

During a short but delightful trip to England, I saw the Rosetta Stone, the White Tower at the Tower of London, ancient alphabet tiles and wax seals, a stained glass window honoring William Caxton, and many more wonders. Hear about them all. Read the transcript on the website: http://bit.ly/1o02vuz

Why Weird Al's Word Crimes Video Made Me Want to Quit. Visit the website to watch the video and comment: http://bit.ly/1qArtIJ

FANBOYS are a myth and there's something weird about "for," "yet," and "so."

"TL;DR" means "too long; didn't read," but the semicolon is usually associated with long or complex sentences. What is it doing in this abbreviation? Note: This piece originally appeared as a Grammar Girl blog post January 22, 2014 and was rereleased as an audio podcast on July 3, 2014. Visit the website to read the full transcript and leave a comment: http://bit.ly/1g1PtiA

Why sentences like this are funny: A woman gives birth in the UK every 48 seconds. She must be exhausted.

Why do people say "a-whole-nother"?It's the same reason we say "an apron" instead if "a napron."

While researching why people say "a-whole-nother," Syelle Graves discovered that even knowing what to call the phrase gets complicated (and interesting).

Using Stick Figures to Understand First, Second, and Third Person

The authors of "The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation" help us understand parallel structure.