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Word play: imputer or inputter?

26th Mar 2017

WHEN WE WRITE down a word based on how it sounds, there is ample opportunity to make a spelling mistake. In the past I have seen the confusion of imputer with inputter. The verb to impute is to attribute something … Continue reading →

Marketing for SMEs part two: master the old-school media

4th Jan 2016

IN MY LAST post, I outlined some of the great free webtools available that small businesses and sole traders can use to help promote their endeavours. For example, social media campaigns are a great way to tap into new markets … Continue reading →

Predominant or predominate?

2nd Jan 2016

Predominate: according to the online Free dictionary, this intransitive verb means to “have or gain controlling power or influence”. Adding  the suffix -ly turns this into an adverb.  But is predominately interchangeable with the word predominantly? I have lost count of … Continue reading →

Marketing for small business: part one

2nd Jan 2016

MARKETING YOUR SMALL business doesn’t have to cost the earth. In fact, there’s quite a lot that you can do for free if you have the discipline to sit down in front of your computer or smart device for a … Continue reading →

Five embarrassing typos to avoid at all costs

25th Nov 2014

WHEN WE WRITE quickly with the intention of publishing or emailing our work ‘yesterday’, there is a real danger of inserting a mistake that we would not ordinarily make. Consequently, these mistakes have the effect of making us look like … Continue reading →

Spelling explained: dependant or dependent?

20th Nov 2014

THERE ARE SO many words which sound the same and are spelled differently. To make matters more difficult, a number of these words have related meanings, making it even easier for anyone uncertain to pick the wrong one. Take dependant … Continue reading →

Are we really in the lap of luxury?

8th Oct 2014

AS IS CUSTOMARY for me when making a point about the power of language, I’d like to start with a dictionary definition, paraphrased from the Collins Dictionary of English: “Luxury (noun) – indulgence in and enjoyment of rich, comfortable and … Continue reading →

Frankenwords – a guest post for Content Desk

26th Sep 2014

HERE’S A LINK to another guest post I created for Content Desk, the web portal by Progressive that’s linked to their Content Cloud – a system matching up professional writers with blue chip companies in need of content. This post … Continue reading →

Proofreading for business – a guest post

19th Sep 2014

HERE IS A link to my guest post for the Content Desk, a web portal about creating good online content for business. This is a shorter version of my original Word Wizard post about improving your proofreading skills. http://desk.thecontentcloud.net/guides/six-steps-perfect-proof-reading#.VBMMT7Yr6Jg

Word play: continually or continuously?

15th Sep 2014

DO YOU EVER write a sentence and hesitate over a word? It’s a word you know you know, but somehow when it’s written down it doesn’t look quite right. You can’t quite put your finger on what is wrong with … Continue reading →