Mistake Monday

MISTAKE MONDAY for December 25: Can YOU spot what’s wrong?

Can you spot what’s wrong in the image below? Please post your answer as a comment. Hint: Automated spell checking should have identified the big mistake that caught my eye. I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading.

"Dollars On Screen" by Stuart Miles

Singular or plural–which is right for $5 million?

It’s not always easy to tell whether a noun is singular or plural. Take this example “$5 million was/were enough.” When I informally polled some writer friends, four out of five voted for “was.” That sounds right to me, too. The word “dollars” is plural, but “$5 million” becomes what grammarians call a collective noun. […]

Mistake Monday

MISTAKE MONDAY for November 27: Can YOU spot what’s wrong?

Can you spot what’s wrong in the image below? Please post your answer as a comment. Oh, I felt so tempted to make a snarky comment about this mistake! I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading.

Stack of colorful books with text on the bottom left hand corner that says "My 2023 Reading"

My 2023 reading

Here are some of the most interesting, helpful books that I read during 2023. I hope you’ll find some titles that interest you. Writing Making Numbers Count: The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers by Chip Health and Karla Starr. This book has great examples of effective communication with numbers. Rebel with a Clause: Takes […]

Mistake Monday

MISTAKE MONDAY for October 30: Can YOU spot what’s wrong?

Can you spot what’s wrong in the image below? Please post your answer as a comment. Oops, someone didn’t proofread this survey carefully. I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading.