Thankfully – English editing.
Thankfully has been used for centuries to mean ‘in a thankful manner’, as in she accepted the offer thankfully. Since…
Tag: writing
Prove – English editing.
For complex historical reasons prove developed two past participles; proved and proven. Until recently, in British English proved was generally…
Presently – English editing.
Presently has two meanings. The older, meaning ‘now’, dates from the 15th century and is the dominating meaning in American…
Number – English editing.
The construction of the number of + plural noun should be used with a singular verb, as in the number…
Noun – English editing.
A noun is a word that names a person, animal, or thing. Common nouns name persons, animals, or things of…
Nonplussed – English editing.
In standard use nonplussed means ‘surprised and confused’, as in she was nonplussed at his eagerness to help out. In…
None – English editing
Some language purists maintain that none can take a singular verb, never a plural one:none of them is coming tonight…
Onto – English editing.
The preposition onto meaning ‘to a position on the surface of’, as in they fell off their stools onto the…