Word Mechanics

Get writing help for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. This forum is for questions regarding the proper usage of the English language.

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  1.   » Sticky Threads
  2. Dan Rhodenizer
    Sticky

    Italics for thoughts?

    Dan Rhodenizer, Jul 25, 2007 ... 52 53 54
    Replies:
    1,331
    Views:
    86,339
    Shannon Davidson
    Jan 8, 2021
  3.   » Normal Threads
  4. ObsidianVale

    How to write good dialogue

    ObsidianVale, Jul 10, 2009 ... 32 33 34
    Replies:
    847
    Views:
    61,329
    Some Guy
    Feb 24, 2019
  5. somemorningrain

    Do you enjoy eggcorns?

    somemorningrain, Jan 16, 2021 ... 11 12 13
    Replies:
    311
    Views:
    18,289
    JLT
    Sep 27, 2022
  6. Tenderiser

    Words/phrases you want banned

    Tenderiser, Sep 2, 2015 ... 11 12 13
    Replies:
    306
    Views:
    10,274
    Aaron DC
    Sep 16, 2015
  7. Leaka

    How To Write In Past and Present Tense

    Leaka, Jan 2, 2008 ... 9 10 11
    Replies:
    252
    Views:
    18,628
    Tenderiser
    Oct 30, 2017
  8. Pixiebells

    Why "said" should remain dead.

    Pixiebells, Aug 15, 2015 ... 7 8 9
    Replies:
    224
    Views:
    10,868
    R.P. Kraul
    Nov 28, 2015
  9. Tea@3

    Asking for input: your most common style 'gripes'

    Tea@3, Jul 24, 2016 ... 7 8 9
    Replies:
    203
    Views:
    7,276
    Earp
    Aug 13, 2016
  10. GuardianWynn

    Voice in head?

    GuardianWynn, Jan 27, 2015 ... 6 7 8
    Replies:
    184
    Views:
    6,659
    KaTrian
    Jan 31, 2015
  11. Poziga

    The Idiom Guide

    Poziga, Aug 25, 2014 ... 6 7 8
    Replies:
    176
    Views:
    14,662
    SolZephyr
    Aug 6, 2018
  12. Alesia

    Trusting the reader and how it affects how your writing

    Alesia, Dec 27, 2013 ... 5 6 7
    Replies:
    166
    Views:
    6,247
    JayG
    Jan 26, 2014
  13. Cacian

    The English Language Thread

    Cacian, Nov 15, 2011 ... 5 6 7
    Replies:
    165
    Views:
    7,402
    mammamaia
    Dec 9, 2011
  14. LadyWriterOnTheTV

    What are your grammatical pet peeves?

    LadyWriterOnTheTV, Jun 18, 2013 ... 5 6 7
    Replies:
    156
    Views:
    7,210
    stevesh
    Nov 20, 2013
  15. grnidone

    What word do you absolutely HATE

    grnidone, Apr 14, 2009 ... 4 5 6
    Replies:
    139
    Views:
    9,526
    BillyxRansom
    Jul 31, 2009
  16. jannert

    Grrr....just saw this again. Drives me nuts!

    jannert, Oct 21, 2017 ... 4 5 6
    Replies:
    128
    Views:
    5,899
    Tenderiser
    Oct 30, 2017
  17. Brigid

    What are your tips and tricks for avoiding dialog tags?

    Brigid, Apr 3, 2017 ... 4 5 6
    Replies:
    128
    Views:
    4,931
    DawesyPie
    May 11, 2017
  18. Xoic

    Making Etymology Fun

    Xoic, Oct 12, 2022 ... 4 5 6
    Replies:
    126
    Views:
    3,810
    Xoic
    Apr 18, 2024 at 9:09 PM
  19. dylan22

    Help of a native speaker

    dylan22, Jan 25, 2016 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    122
    Views:
    5,531
    BayView
    Nov 25, 2016
  20. OurJud

    Americanisms in British English Writing

    OurJud, Jul 29, 2016 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    122
    Views:
    3,475
    big soft moose
    Aug 5, 2016
  21. funkybassmannick

    What's your favorite Word?

    funkybassmannick, Apr 1, 2011 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    121
    Views:
    7,538
    Aaron DC
    Sep 18, 2015
  22. Apollypopping

    Past or present tense?

    Apollypopping, Apr 6, 2017 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    116
    Views:
    4,914
    JCC
    May 15, 2017
  23. iambrad

    Grammatical pet peeves

    iambrad, Oct 30, 2010 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    113
    Views:
    9,585
    fish1
    Jan 6, 2011
  24. Wodashin
    Locked

    Show vs. Tell

    Wodashin, Jan 22, 2011 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    111
    Views:
    7,386
    Cogito
    Jan 27, 2011
  25. Noprefix00

    Who or whom?

    Noprefix00, Jun 7, 2015 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    109
    Views:
    4,899
    daemon
    Aug 17, 2015
  26. 123456789

    1st person present

    123456789, Sep 12, 2014 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    108
    Views:
    5,325
    Ulramar
    Sep 17, 2014
  27. waitingforzion

    Dumb Paragraph that was Supposed to be Five Paragraphs.

    waitingforzion, Sep 26, 2017 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    104
    Views:
    15,179
    Iain Aschendale
    Sep 29, 2017
  28. Tea@3

    Commas (style vs 'correct use')

    Tea@3, Jan 24, 2016 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    104
    Views:
    4,271
    Elven Candy
    Jan 29, 2016
  29. Clementine_Danger

    Word Aversion (A moist crevice in your slacks)

    Clementine_Danger, Aug 25, 2017 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    102
    Views:
    4,184
    EstherMayRose
    Sep 27, 2017
  30. minstrel

    He or she. Him or her. S/he. They. Arrgh.

    minstrel, May 5, 2013 ... 3 4 5
    Replies:
    101
    Views:
    6,201
    jazzabel
    May 11, 2013
  31. Seraph751

    Keeping a character gender neutral...

    Seraph751, Nov 21, 2016 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    98
    Views:
    4,552
    EdFromNY
    Nov 27, 2016
  32. radu123

    can one use colons in dialogue?

    radu123, Oct 27, 2011 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    96
    Views:
    8,481
    Jhunter
    Nov 9, 2011
  33. jannert

    "Shined" versus "shone"

    jannert, Aug 23, 2016 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    94
    Views:
    3,912
    Oscar Leigh
    Aug 25, 2016
  34. leafmould

    Precision in writing - some tips.

    leafmould, Nov 19, 2011 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    93
    Views:
    5,018
    joanna
    Nov 26, 2011
  35. Tenderiser

    Non-blasphemous, non-expletive exclamations

    Tenderiser, Sep 20, 2015 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    92
    Views:
    20,243
    Rath Darkblade
    Apr 11, 2024
  36. truthbeckons

    Punctuation A case for the justifiable semicolon

    truthbeckons, Apr 13, 2017 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    92
    Views:
    5,940
    truthbeckons
    Apr 24, 2017
  37. jannert

    Pronoun for an asexual humanoid being?

    jannert, Oct 10, 2018 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    88
    Views:
    5,616
    J.D. Ray
    Jan 25, 2019
  38. Ives

    Chapter Length

    Ives, Jan 2, 2009 ... 2 3 4
    Replies:
    88
    Views:
    6,364
    Jaybrownuk
    Nov 22, 2010
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