This past week the writing world celebrated National Punctuation Day?but It’s not too late to join in the appreciation of the lowly comma, apostrophe, and semicolon. In fact, It’s good to review grammatical rules from time to time, since web writing and poor usage can make even savvy writers forget the basics. Click through these links for a timely reminder of usage dos and don’ts.
One of the best grammar resources on the web is Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab; it has rules, examples, and even practice exercises and tutor help.
Humor cartoonist The Oatmeal weighs in on how (and how not) to use an apostrophe. Be sure to check out his comic on semicolon use, too.
It’s no secret that good usage is becoming more and more difficult to find. But some of these examples are just sad. Visit Terribly Write for a snarky look at errors found in news media outlets that should know better.
If You’re an English nerd, you’ll love this noirish tale of grammatical intrigue (really!). It was originally published in honour of National Grammar Day in 2009.