Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing


Latest Episodes

Memory, Aging, and the Lingering 'Anyways'
March 26, 2024

974. How does aging affect our ability to understand language? From the challenges of processing complex sentences to the resilience you get from a rich vocabulary, we look at how our language skills

Have you ridden an acoustic bike lately? Write it tight.
August 08, 2023

940. Pork bacon, manual transmissions, and acoustic guitars: retronyms help us describe the original form of something that has now become a class. But sometimes, retronyms go even further. This week,

Did you know that on US Army bases, soldiers get a tattoo every day? Keep writing.
August 01, 2023

939. When I say the word "tattoo," you probably think of body art, but "tattoo" has another meaning that's related to a famous Edinburgh festival that is happening this month. Plus, we look at why you

People have ~feelings~ about the exclamation point (Florence Hazrat interview)
July 25, 2023

938. Love it or hate it, the exclamation point has been on the red carpet lately because we're using it more. But it also has a fascinating history: the man who invented it was trying to fix a problem

15 years of podcasting with Money Girl and Nutrition Diva
July 21, 2023

In this special bonus episode, I sat down with Laura Adams and Monica Reinagel, who host Money Girl and Nutrition Diva here on the Quick and Dirty Tips network, to celebrate their 15th anniversaries a

'Less' versus 'fewer.' Fun names for fingers. Scunscreen.
July 18, 2023

937. Never be confused about when to use "less" and "fewer" again. Plus, have you ever wondered why our thumb is called a thumb? Or why the "rule of thumb" is so controversial? We look at the origins

'Inspirational' or 'aspirational'? The surprising dangers of ChatGPT. Spaghetto.
July 11, 2023

936. Have you ever wondered about the nuanced differences between "aspirational" and "inspirational"? Today, we look at a newer, more cynical meaning of "aspirational." Plus, you've probably heard all

Phrasal verb mysteries and minced oath origins. Night water.
July 04, 2023

935. Ever been puzzled by the difference between "slow down" and "slow up"? Curious about how they can possibly mean the same thing (or do they)? We answer a burning listener question about why prepos

Unlocking the mystery of 'ever words' and Latin abbreviations. Juna.
June 27, 2023

934. Ever wondered why "whyever" isn't as popular as "wherever," "however," or "whenever"? Join me as we delve into the world of "-ever" words and their curious usage. We explore the relationship betw

Why words can suddenly look unrecognizable. Learn to love the full stop. Marley.
June 20, 2023

933. Have you ever looked at a word, and it didn't seem like a real word anymore? It's a specific thing that happens in your brain called semantic satiation, and we have the fascinating ins and outs.