Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. read less

Our Editor's Take

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is a podcast that is a resource for better grammar. The host and guests discuss the intricacies of writing and grammar on the podcast. Language lovers or anyone who wants to improve their grammar might enjoy this show. Discussions about creative writing intermingle with linguistic topics, punctuation, and word meanings. The podcast has many interesting topics, facts, bits of language history, and more.

Author Mignon Fogarty is the host and creator of the Grammar Girl podcast. She is also the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips. QDT is a multi-genre podcasting network. She is a bestselling author of several books and a hall-of-fame podcaster. Her website has resources for writers that the host also shares on the podcast. She brings passion, expertise, and a great sense of humor to the podcast.

Topic experts from many fields join Fogarty on the podcast. They share solid advice, resources, and insight on the show. The podcast is knowledge-focused, but the conversations are entertaining. In one episode, the debate revolves around the right way to say "often." Listeners also learn the proper use of articles in the episode. Another episode features experienced writing coach Roy Peter Clark. The Glamor of Grammar author shares many tips in the interview. They discuss how to make complicated topics interesting to readers and incremental writing.

In another episode, the Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing host shares about words that only exist as plurals. These include "loggerheads," "jeans," "clothes," and more. Mignon explains the reasons why these words are plural and their history. That episode is interesting and, like many episodes on the podcast, filled with facts. If readers find split infinitives and the proper use of the Oxford comma interesting, this might be a good listen.

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Episodes

Why children learn languages faster than adults. Are band names singular or plural?
2d ago
Why children learn languages faster than adults. Are band names singular or plural?
1032. First, we explore why children pick up languages faster than adults. You’ll learn about the critical period when young brains are best at learning, why kids often learn two languages at once, and what makes it harder for adults. Then, we tackle the grammar rules for using singular and plural verbs with band names and team names, comparing American and British usage.The "language learning" segment is by Syelle Graves, who has a PhD in linguistics and is the assistant director of ILETC (the Institute for Language Education in Transcultural Context) at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her research was recently published in the Journal of Pragmatics and American Speech. You can find her at www.syellegraves.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
'Hanged' versus 'Hung.' Is 'pair' singular or plural? Fossilized phrases.
Nov 12 2024
'Hanged' versus 'Hung.' Is 'pair' singular or plural? Fossilized phrases.
1030. This week, we look at why "hang" has two past-tense forms: "hanged" and "hung." (And why I keep messing them up!) Then we expand on why "pair" can be singular or plural. And finally we look at why we hear some words only in set phrases such as "bated breath," "throes of agony," and "to and fro."The "archaic language" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a former Quick and Dirty Tips editor who has crafted hundreds of articles on the art of writing well. She was an online education pioneer, founding one of the first online writing workshops. These days, she provides writing tips and writing coach services at HelpMeWriteBetter.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Are you "pantless" or "pantsless"? Who (or what) is Beetlejuice?
Nov 5 2024
Are you "pantless" or "pantsless"? Who (or what) is Beetlejuice?
1028. This week, we look at the weird situation when you want to add a suffix (such as "-less") to a plural-only noun such as "pants" or "scissors" β€” with a fun detour for some pants-related idioms. Then, with a new "Beetlejuice" in theaters, we look at the fascinating origin of the name and its role in mythology throughout the ages.The "pantless" segment is by Jim Norrena, MFA, who has been writing and editing for more than thirty-five years. He’s the founder and principal editor at TypoSuction.com, an independent editing/writing service. He taught grammar and copyediting intensives and professional proofreading workshops at Media Alliance and served as events coordinator for Bay Area Editors’ Forum (BAEF). Visit Linkedin.com/in/jimnorrena/ for his complete work history and highlighted projects.The "Beetlejuice" segment was written by Samantha Enslen who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at DragonflyEditorial.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
From Guy Fawkes to Guido Fawkes. Tales from the crypt (and catacombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries). Taquitos
Oct 29 2024
From Guy Fawkes to Guido Fawkes. Tales from the crypt (and catacombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries). Taquitos
1026. This week, we look at the origins of words for men, including the ancient roots of "man," the surprising evolution of the word "guy" from being an insult to just another word, and how "guido" took a different route. Then, for some Halloween fun, we look at the difference between crypts, catacombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries, with an emphasis on their fascinating origins and some famous examples. The "words for men" segment is by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." A version of this story originally appeared on Psychology Today, and you can find her at valeriefridland.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
The language of meetings, with Jim Slaughter
Oct 24 2024
The language of meetings, with Jim Slaughter
1025. Have you ever wondered where meeting terms like β€œquorum” or β€œproxy” come from? In this episode, Jim Slaughter looks at the linguistic origins and historical contexts of these and other common parliamentary words. We discuss the evolution of words like β€œbylaws,” why minutes aren't related to time,  how β€œfilibuster” is connected to pirates, and why β€œmajority” is often misunderstood.Jim Slaughter is an attorney, Certified Professional Parliamentarian, Professional Registered Parliamentarian, and past President of the American College of Parliamentary Lawyers. He is the author of four books on meeting procedure, including two recent books updated for the new Robert’sβ€”Robert’s Rules of Order Fast Track and Notes and Comments on Robert’s Rules, Fifth Edition. Jim has served as Parliamentarian for many of the largest associations in the world. An array of charts and articles on Robert’s and meeting procedure can be found at www.jimslaughter.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Why don't we say 'I'm smarter than YOU'RE'? The language of fear. Catherineisms.
Oct 22 2024
Why don't we say 'I'm smarter than YOU'RE'? The language of fear. Catherineisms.
1024. It often sounds weird if you try to end a sentence with a contraction like "you're" and "I'm." We look at why! Then, get ready for Halloween with the language of fear.The "contractions" segment is by  Neal Whitman, an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. You can search for him by name on Facebook, or find him on his blog at literalminded.wordpress.com.The "language of fear" segment is by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." A version of this story originally appeared on Psychology Today, and you can find her at valeriefridland.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Quack! What's a lame duck? A German punctuation kerfuffle.
Oct 15 2024
Quack! What's a lame duck? A German punctuation kerfuffle.
1022. This week, we look at election terms like β€œpresident-elect” and β€œlame duck” and how they're used during a U.S. presidential transition. Then, I dig into my favorite kind of hot grammar news: people in Germany are angry about apostrophes! The "election words" segment is by Karen Lunde Hertzberg, a former Quick and Dirty Tips editor who has crafted hundreds of articles on the art of writing well. She was an online education pioneer, founding one of the first online writing workshops. These days, she provides writing tips and writing coach services at HelpMeWriteBetter.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Can AI really write? A no-nonsense discussion, with Christopher Penn
Oct 10 2024
Can AI really write? A no-nonsense discussion, with Christopher Penn
1021. This week, Christopher Penn talks about the  role of AI tools like ChatGPT in writing and editing. We look at common misconceptions about how AI works and best practices for writing prompts. We also talk about privacy concerns, bias, fact-checking, and our concerns for the future. Whether you use these tools daily, tried them a long time ago and decided they aren't for you, or are just curious, you'll find something of interest.Find out more about Christopher and his books at trustinsights.ai and ChristopherSPenn.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
How writers navigate failure and find success, with Jonathan Small
Oct 3 2024
How writers navigate failure and find success, with Jonathan Small
1019. This week, Jonathan Small, author of "Write About Now," shares what he's learned about the common struggles writers face throughout their careers. His book highlights stories from bestselling authors about their beginnings, the risks they took, and how they handled early rejection. I was especially surprised by the stories of shockingly bold decisions that launched more than one successful author's career. If you've ever wondered how authors get a foot in the door or get through failure, this episode is for you.Find out more about Jonathan and his books at WriteAboutNowMedia.com.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
From game boards to boardrooms. Commas with participial phrases. Gritties.
Oct 1 2024
From game boards to boardrooms. Commas with participial phrases. Gritties.
1018. This week, we look at the meanings of the word "board," including the differences between board games, table games, and table-top games. We also look at the punctuation of participial phrases, helping you understand when to use commas in sentences like "She yelled at me, making me cry" versus "She is the lady making me cry."The "board" segment is by  Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at DragonflyEditorial.com.The "commas with participial phrases" segment is by Bonnie Mills, who has been a copy editor since 1996.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Why some verb sets are so odd (like 'go/went'). Corporate euphemisms. Goggy.
Sep 24 2024
Why some verb sets are so odd (like 'go/went'). Corporate euphemisms. Goggy.
1016. This week, we look at why some verbs are so irregular that their forms don't even seem related, like "go" and "went." Then, we look at the surprising finding that corporate euphemisms are worse than annoying β€” they can also hurt a company's stock price.The "suppletion" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.The "corporate euphemisms" segment was was written by Kate Suslava, an associate professor of accounting at Bucknell University. It originally appeared on The Conversation and appears here through a Creative Commons license, BY-ND 4.0.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.
Do words like 'mandate' and 'cockamamie' come from words for men? Grammatical doppelgangers. A pair of teeth.
Sep 17 2024
Do words like 'mandate' and 'cockamamie' come from words for men? Grammatical doppelgangers. A pair of teeth.
1014. This week, we debunk misconceptions about gendered language, tracing the etymology of words like "cockamamie" and "gynecology." We also look at the flexibility of English grammar, examining how common words like "that" and "up" can function as different parts of speech in various contexts.The "gendered words" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at dragonflyeditorial.com.The "grammar leaks" segment was written by Edwin Battistella, who taught linguistics and writing at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, where he served as a dean and as interim provost. His books include Bad Language: Are Some Words Better than Others?, Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology, and Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels: Insulting the President, from Washington to Trump. It originally appeared on the OUP blog and is included here with permission.πŸ”— Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.πŸ”— Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.πŸ”— Subscribe to the newsletter.πŸ”— Take our advertising survey. πŸ”— Get the edited transcript.πŸ”— Get Grammar Girl books. πŸ”— Join Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.| HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Brannan GoetschiusAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina TomlinDigital Operations Specialist: Holly HutchingsMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.References for the "gendered language" segment:Becker, Thomas. Autohyponymy: Implicature in Lexical Semantics, Word Formation, and Grammar. Journal of Germanic Linguistics 14(02):10 –136, June 2002. Forster, Tim. Are Gendered Words like β€œMankind” Inherently Sexist? Babbel.com, March 1, 2021. Accessed August 7, 2024. Merriam-Webster Online. www.merriam-webster.com.Oxford English Dictionary. Oed.com. Available by subscription.Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/menagerieShariatmadari, David. Eight words that reveal the sexism at the heart of the English language. The Guardian, January 27, 2016. Accessed August 7, 2024.