The Meanings of Words – Synecdoche

Synecdoche. What a wonderful word! Someone mentioned the film, ‘Synecdoche, New York’ to me the other day. I’d never heard of it. I’d never heard the word synecdoche either so (as it was such a tantalising word) I decided to look it up - of course. That’s what we writers and … Continue reading →

Homophone to Homonym : Dessert, Desert, Desert

The English language is a minefield where spelling and pronunciation are concerned. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most difficult languages to learn. We have words that are spelt the same or pronounced the same but have different meanings (homonym) and words that are spelt differently but … Continue reading →

Nuts and Allergies

Do you have nuts? I saw this sign outside a restaurant recently: “Please advise us if you have nuts and other allergies”. At first glance they're talking about two distinctly separate subjects: nuts and allergies. As if they're expecting you to take the nuts with you to the restaurant … Continue reading →

Possessive Apostrophe

An apostrophe used to show possession of something to someone can be a complicated thing. Do not confuse a possessive apostrophe with one used for a contraction of two words. For clarity you should always consult a good style guide, such as New Hart's Rules: The Oxford Style Guide or The … Continue reading →

Homophones: Sound-Alike Words – Whose and Who’s

Who's versus Whose? Homophones are sound-alike words. They are spelt differently but sound the same. Each word has a distinct meaning. If in doubt consult your dictionary or style book. A good proofreader will pick up mistakes such as these but it’s best to get it right in the first … Continue reading →

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Posted in Grammar

The Meanings of Words – Synecdoche

Homophone to Homonym : Dessert, Desert, Desert

Nuts and Allergies

Possessive Apostrophe

Homophones: Sound-Alike Words – Whose and Who’s