Susan The Grammar Goddess

10/22/2022

09/16/2022

Do you have a child or young person who fell behind on reading or writing skills during the pandemic? Do you know anyone kindergarten through high school or college who could use help with English language skills? I offer tutoring starting at $45 an hour, but will discount for more than one student. Give me a shout; I can help.

I am a certified English teacher, currently tutoring at the Boys and Girls Club of Laurel

07/07/2022

Yes,

Quotable – Mo Willems. Find out more about the author here https://bit.ly/3FgArD0

05/14/2022

English is hard. I think we planned it that way.
Also, "anyways" is not a word. Why does anyone need more than one anyway?

Letters Make Words And Words Make Letters... Wait what?

03/08/2022

Am I the only person bothered by the fact that Will Shakespeare spelled MacBeth's name wrong? And that means the proper spelling--MacBeth--is wrong.

08/14/2021

I saw a post talking about "her's cat." Really? We are into double possessives now? Tom, being Tom, tried to come up with scenarios where this construction could possibly be correct while I glared at him.
I finally yelled, The only way this could be right would be if some crazy mother gave birth to twins and named them His and Hers. Then you can talk about His's and Hers's parents. "
He cracked up. Me? I am begging all parents not to do this.

02/07/2021

Hello, friends.
It's been awhile. There is a new confusion of homophones I am seeing frequently I must address.

Bawling is crying loudly.
Balling is, I suppose, playing with a round or oblong air-filled object or, in rather rude slang, engaging in sexual congress.
I have seen numerous incidents of people alluding to "balling their eyes out."
I was under the impression that under these circumstances stances, it was the brain that exited the head, but times do change.
Still, when you cry, you bawl.
And that's all I am going to say about that.

01/13/2021

It's been a while since I posted anything, mostly because I have been correcting grammar and spelling on students' papers of late and trying to get some time in writing my book. So, I'm stealing this meme because it makes a good point and is humorous.

12/22/2019

Happy December, Grammar Apostles. I know it's been a long time; I have been out teaching grammar in actual classrooms (and realizing once again that education is a two-way street. Because I teach it doesn't necessarily mean that they learned it)
However, I have seen some boo-boos published and therefore need to remind you:

Lead (pronounced Leed) is the present tense verb meaning to be the one up ahead of the parade, metaphorical or real.

Lead (pronounced Led) is the heavy metal that will make your children ill and have an impact on their brains if they imbibe it.

Led (pronounced Led like the heavy metal) is the past tense of lead (as in the parade)

Got it?
He will lead the team to victory.
He led the team to victory last year too.
Make sure the house has no lead in the water or
paint before you buy it.

And now you no.

03/21/2019

Something I should print out and hang over my desk. I have also been told I overuse "that." What words should you cut?

Removing these useless words helps speed up the pacing of both action and dialogue, and makes your work more polished and professional.

07/08/2018

An isle is a small island. An aisle is something a bride walks down, a walkway through the chairs. The Democrats did not "reach across the isle." It was an aisle. Trust me.

06/04/2018

Go learn English!
Sure.
Words are hard.
But this is funny.