Language

7 out-of-the-box ideas to boost creativity

Creative ruts are the worst. I know the feeling. Next time you feel stuck, why not try one of these 7 out-of-the-box ideas to boost your creativity? Do a distraction audit Recently I decided to write down everything I did during my workday. Everything, no matter how small. I was shocked to find out how often muscle …

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The difference between “incidences” and “incidents”

Let’s say you’re in a meeting when suddenly the door bursts open and a clown comes dancing into the room. You might go home and talk about that incident over dinner. Let’s say it happens again the next day. At dinner, you might say, “I can’t believe there were two incidences of that clown interrupting the …

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Is it “pour over” or “pore over”?

You may have read about someone “pouring over” a book, implying that they’re studying its pages intently. Unfortunately, it’s wrong. Someone “pouring over” their book is likely dumping the contents of a watering can over it. It’s a common mistake, but the correct phrase is “pore over.” It’s not a very commonly used word in …

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The difference between “you and I” and “you and me”

If you’re like me, you grew up hearing your parents say something like, “It’s ‘Mark and I’, dear.” Well I’m here to tell you that even in adulthood, it still feels good to learn that your parents don’t know everything. The proper usage of “you and I” Your parents weren’t entirely wrong. Using “and I” …

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Anyway/any way and everyday/every day

The four words “anyway,” “any way,” “everyday” and “every day” illustrate for me just how precise and seemingly random the English language can be. It’s not always easy to tell which usage is correct. Specifically, getting “everyday” and “every day” mixed up is so common, I bet many people don’t even realize they mean two …

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“Should/could have” vs “should/could of”

One thing that fascinates me, though the result often frustrates me, is how many of our spelling errors arise from the spoken word. The phrases “should of” and “could of” are perfect examples of this. Why “should of” and “could of” are incorrect “Should of” and “could of”, if you break them out into their …

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