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Daily Writing Tips

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Note 158 – Have you heard of the ‘interrobang’ punctuation mark?

  Did you know that another name for a question mark is “an interrogative point” and another name for an exclamation mark is “bang” in printer’s jargon (as cited in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang)?  When used together they are known as an interrobang and can look like either the attached image or ?! or !? The history of the interrobang … Continue reading

Note 157 – Multiple question marks and exclamation marks

It is unnecessary to add multiple exclamation marks (!!!!) or question marks (????) at the end of sentences. Daniel Scocco at Daily Writing Tips has written an article called ‘Punctuation Errors: Multiple Punctuation Marks’  and makes a very good point that we should trust the emphasis of the punctuation mark and not increase the number of them that we … Continue reading

Note 156 – Comparing ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’

During my research today, I found many definitions and explanations of the words efficiency and effectiveness, but my favourites are Peter F. Drucker’s and the Cambridge Dictionaries online: Definitions from Cambridge Dictionaries Online Efficiency When someone or something uses time and energy well, without wasting any http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/efficiency?q=efficiency Effectiveness  Successful or achieving the results that you want http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/effective_1?q=effectivenessContinue reading

Note 155 – Putting the writing plan to the test

Yesterday I blogged about creating a writing plan that works. Today I have not only tested out the plan, but also discussed it with the family which includes my two young children.  They seemed to like the idea that if mummy starts to make more money in her new freelance writing career, she will be able to … Continue reading

Note 154 – Creating a writing plan that works

This week I began a six week freelance writing course with Daily Writing Tips http://www.dailywritingtips.com/ and one of the first tasks was to create a writing plan.  This couldn’t have come at a better time as I have been struggling to fit everything in.  Today I have been busy adding up the hours I spend on the different areas of my life, … Continue reading

Note 153 – Tips on rewriting your CV (curriculum vitae)

Your CV (curriculam vitae) or resume is the first impression that employers get before they make a decision about who to interview.  Even if you are more qualified or skilled than the person they select, you won’t stand a chance if they don’t get the right feel from your CV in the first five to ten seconds … Continue reading

Note 152 – Comparing ‘a lot’, ‘alot’ and ‘allot’

Today I am comparing ‘a lot’, ‘alot’ and ‘allot’; however one of them doesn’t exist in the English language. http://oxforddictionaries.com defines the words as follows: A LOT means “a large number or amount” ALOT is sometimes used, but is not a word in the English language. ALLOT is a verb meaning “given or apportion (something) to someone” Here are some examples in sentences: … Continue reading

Note 151 – Comparing weather, whether and wether

Today I am comparing three very different words which are all pronounced the same – weather, whether and wether.  Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus defines the words as follows: WEATHER is a noun meaning “day to day meterorological conditions” WHETHER is a conjunction “used to introduce an indirect question or a clause after a verb expressing or … Continue reading

Note 150 – Comparing ‘avenge’ and ‘revenge’

The words avenge and revenge have different meanings.  This blog shows the definitions of the two words as well as some examples of their use in sentences. AVENGE According to the Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus, the verb avenge means “get revenge for” and “to inflict a punishment in retaliation for (harm, injury etc) done to (a person … Continue reading

Note 149 – Principal and principle

Although principal and principle are pronounced the same, they have very different meanings.  Oxford Dictionaries online http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/principal defines the noun principal as “the most important or senior person in an organisation or group”; however, it is a common error to forget that principal can also be an adjective meaning “main” or “first in order of importance”.  Here are some examples: … Continue reading

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