Although they have identical pronunciation, "peak," "peek" and "pique" mean different things: Peek is related to sight. As a noun, it means a brief or furtive look. As a verb, it means to take a look at something or look through something small. Example: She peeked around the corner. Peak is a noun or verb [...]
The terms “disabilities” and “disabled” span a broad range of physical, psychological, developmental and intellectual conditions. Some of these conditions are visible; others we cannot see. It’s important to remember that disabled individuals use diverse terms to describe themselves. Many, for example, use the term “people with disabilities.” According to the Associated Press, both “people [...]
February is Black History Month, so let’s brush up on how to write some key terms that may appear in your content. First, when describing someone's race, ask the person their preference. In 2020, the Associated Press updated its style guide to capitalize Black when referring to people in a racial, ethnic or cultural context. [...]
Is it grey or gray? It's really just a matter of vowels. No difference exists in meaning between these two versions of the same word, whether used as a noun, adjective or verb. Grey is more commonly used in British English, while gray is typically used in U.S. English. But be mindful of spelling for [...]
“Whether” is a useful word to distinguish between two different scenarios, categories and more. But using "or not" with it can be redundant and a waste of space. For example: I wonder whether it will rain much this monsoon season. I wonder whether or not it will rain much this monsoon season. In the above [...]
When else could you present a monthly grammar lesson on the word penultimate? See what we did there? If not, don't worry: Penultimate is just a fancy way of saying "next to last." Examples: November is the penultimate month of the year. The penultimate rider out of the gate in the Tour de France time [...]
Let's start with the definitions of each of these words: However can mean: In whatever manner or way | Example: "I will support you however I can." To whatever degree or extent | Example: "The medical team couldn't convince him to get regular checkups however hard they tried." In spite of that | on the [...]
Which do you use? That one! The answer is simple: In a defining clause, use "that." In a non-defining clause, use "which." In other words, "which" and what comes after it is disposable. If you can take the whole clause out without destroying the sentence, you can use "which." Examples: Dr. Rafa Almodovar requested [...]
Prepositions at the end of a sentence: Is this still wrong? Yes! No! There's quite a bit of disagreement here at Active Voice, but that's because prepositions are a matter of preference. For example: Who do you work for? For whom do you work? Do you have a preference? (Disclosure: Our AVC proofreaders wish we’d [...]
As the world becomes more cognizant of gender identity and fluidity, so, too, must our copy. Traditional grammar rules lay out subject-verb agreement, but what happens when you're referring to someone who uses they/them/their as a pronoun? According to AP Style: "They, them, their — In most cases, a plural pronoun should agree in [...]
