千羽鶴 (Senbazuru). A thousand paper cranes. In Japanese mythology, cranes are mystical animals believed to have lived for a thousand years and bring luck and longevity. There is a legend in Japan that says if you can fold a thousand paper cranes, you will receive a wish, such as a long life or recovery from(…)
We all want to be viewed as valuable and essential employees. We want to help out our coworkers. We want to be good team players. So when we’re asked to go above and beyond on a project, we buckle down, put in the long hours, and get the work done. And when we’re thanked for(…)
There’s always been a lot of controversy surrounding the Oxford comma. Should you use it or should you leave it out? (Personally, I think you should use it. I mean, what the heck? It’s important!) The Oxford comma appears in a list of items, right before the conjunction. Here’s an example of a sentence with(…)
Have you ever wanted to look more intelligent? Maybe you wanted to impress people during an interview, a networking event, or a meeting with new clients? I think most people have made an attempt to look smarter at some point in their lives. But according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, most(…)
We all know that lying is bad and wrong. You should never lie to your coworkers! Or should you? Well, it kind of depends on what type of lie you’re telling. Psychologist Robin Dunbar of Oxford University has found that certain types of lies can actually strengthen the bonds between coworkers and be good for(…)
So, you’re checking out at the grocery store and you have eight items in your basket. The Express Lane clearly says “10 items or less” and you wait in that line. You stand there staring at the sign. Wait a minute! Was that was how you were taught to write at school? Surely “less” is wrong! Shouldn’t it be “fewer”? You’re(…)
I’m sure we’ve all experienced rude behavior in the workplace. Even in the most civil environments, you encounter it. People might make sarcastic comments, snarky remarks, pointedly ignore a coworker, or roll their eyes. It’s not uncommon – approximately 98% of employees say that they’ve been the target of rude behavior at work. It can(…)
I was talking to a colleague the other day. I said that someone had an oral agreement to do something. She corrected me and told me that I shouldn’t have said oral. Verbal was the preferable word. I politely told her she was wrong, and she politely told me that I was wrong. We did this several times, and(…)
Some people remember that their teachers told them a dangling participle is a bad thing. But that’s all they remember! It’s hard to avoid dangling participles unless you know exactly what they are. First, a (present) participle is a verb form ending in -ing. Dancing, laughing, eating, drinking, sleeping, dreaming, and so on! (You can also(…)
“Plain English refers to the writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding it at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.” Cutts, M. (2013). Oxford Guide to Plain English. Oxford, England: Oxford University(…)