TagSerial comma

Serial Comma Haiku

Here’s another tweeted haiku from Liz Morrison in San Diego: “Serial comma/ Chicago yes, AP no/ You bewilder me.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Serial Comma Haiku” Grant, here is another awesome tweeted haiku on the subject of...

Who’s Your Googleganger?

It’s the news from your friends at “A Way with Words”! In our latest episode, we discussed “pore” vs. “pour,” “you’re” vs. “your,” “West Coast” vs. “Eastern seaboard,” African-American proverbs, the word “sanction,” and Faulknerian adjectives...

Snap, Crackle, Pop

A listener asks: “Does the phrase ‘snap, crackle, and pop’ need a cereal comma?” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Snap, Crackle, Pop” Digging through the email bag here, Grant, we got something from Mark J. Drodowski in Templeton...

Words of the Year

What’s your choice for 2010’s word of the year? Mama grizzly? Starwhacker? Who could forget vuvuzela? Martha and Grant discuss the five-oh in Hawaii 5-0, and whether the tagline “I approve this message” is grammatical. Also, is the phrase “it is...

Serial Commas

Martha argues in favor of the serial comma, citing a recent newspaper caption: “The documentary was filmed over three years. Among those interviewed were his ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.” How’s that again? This is part of a...

Leaving Out “That”

A police officer says that the prosecutor edits out the word “that” from the reports he submits, as in, “The subject stated that he met the co-defendant at a party.” Is the word “that” necessary here? Martha and Grant disagree. Also, the cop also...