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Is the abbreviation for million a small m or big M?
The abbreviation m is used as a suffix after a number, and the SI prefix M is used before a unit of measure. The expressions 50m tonnes and 50 Mt are thus equivalent, but the latter is always preferred. The suffix m (abbreviation) and prefix M (SI symbol) are not interchangeable. The suffixes are all […]
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Do possessive singular nouns ending with -s take -s’s?
It is a common misconception that the s is dropped when a singular noun ends with -s. The main rules for forming possessives are: Most singular nouns ending with s take -‘s (Jenny’s, Thomas’s) Plural nouns ending with -s take the apostrophe only (parents’). Plural nouns not ending with -s take -’s (men’s). Possessive pronouns do not […]
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Is it earned or earnt?
Definitely earned. I know many have opinions on this, but “earnt” isn’t recognised by Oxford, and, as far as I’m concerned, that’s where the matter ends. I follow the advice of recognised authorities, not the opinion of my aunty Mavis nor her manicurist. I also have opinions, such as spelling sulfur with an -f- is […]
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Why is there a comma before the “and”?
It’s called a serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Henry’s comma after Henry Fowler). It goes before the final conjunction (“and” or “or”) in a series. It is always correct to use it, but it’s not always necessary. Schools teach to always omit the serial comma, but that’s definitely wrong: there are […]
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I was told that the modern trend is “less commas”. Is that true?
Ignore these so-called “modern trends”—they are usually just an excuse for not knowing the rules. Henry Fowler of Oxford Dictionary fame gave us the rules of modern English just over 100 years ago, and they’ve hardly changed since, despite what “they” might say. Besides which, applying the comma is easy once you know what it’s […]
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Must I? Should you? They might.
Modal verbs, although commonly used, are some of the most grammatically complex parts of the language. They are used to modify the strength or mood of other verbs—in some cases, the differences are subtle but important. There are many modal verbs (can, will, could, would, should, shall, must, may, might), but the two most problematic […]
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I was taught never to start a sentence with “and”, but Doxical does it all the time. Why?
Never starting sentences with “and” or another coordinating conjunction (or, but) is a myth. It’s never been a rule of grammar and never will be. In fact, starting sentences with “and” is encouraged: it’s good writing practice because it helps to keep your sentences short. The same goes for ending sentences with prepositions: another myth […]
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I thought summarize was the US spelling, but Doxical uses -ize also. What’s going on?
The -ize spelling is also the preferred Oxford (international English) spelling, and the Doxical International Style Guide follows the Oxford dictionary. Some Oxford spellings are recognize, programme, colour, and tyre. Oxford is always a safe choice, but remember that the way we spell is driven by our audience not our location. So, if you are […]
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How to solve punctuation problems
When you can’t use the recommended punctuation mark, move up or down the punctuation hierarchy and select the next mark. The highest order mark is the period, then the semicolon, then the comma, and so on down to the square backet: For example, if you are creating a series of phrases (which you need to […]
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How to make your writing flow
There are many factors that contribute to how well your writing flows. Central to all these factors is understanding the structure and role of the paragraph. The purpose of the paragraph is to indicate to the reader that we’ve moved on to a new theme. The theme is related to the previous paragraph (because it’s […]
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