Fun with Grammar

The English language continues to be a challenge for me in my writing. However, I am determined to master it before I die! Below are words that I either had questions about while recently writing a blog post or mistakes I caught while proofreading a post (I hate proofreading). Most of these grammar rules are basic, but still, I hope this is a helpful reminder.

Site, Sight, Cite

Site means "a piece of land" or "to assign a position to." Sight relates to vision. Cite means "to mention" or "to quote." One of the results of the internet age has been the increase in the usage of the word "site" as in Web site. I think this has caused some confusion.

It also brings up an entire separate issue for me. Is website/Web site one or two words? Interestingly, if you read some of the national newspapers you will see both spellings depending on which paper you are reading. The Wall Street Journal uses website while the New York Times uses Web site. And the Washington Post? It can't make up its mind! It uses website and Web site (with a capital "W") about equally. In 2010 the AP Stylebook, which is the bible for news room writing, changed their standard from Web site to website.

If you can remember cite is short for citation and site is a location, whether it's online or off, your grammar victory will be within sight!

You can take a quiz here to test your mastery of these three terms.

Affect, Effect, Impact

This one is tricky and I always have to stop and think about it when I use either word. The word affect is most often used as a verb and it means to influence something, while effect is a noun and speaks of the thing influenced. Effect can also refer an outcome or an "appearance or impression" that's created on purpose as in special effect.  Generally speaking, if there's a or an or the in front of it, it is an effect.

One of things I started doing while writing was using the word impact instead of affect or effect. It just made it easier. Evidently, this is frowned upon.

For me the easiest way to remember the difference between affect and effect is to ask how the word is going to impact (sorry) the subject in the sentence. Will it happen before or after? In other words, the action (affect) has to happen before you can have the result (effect).

Especially

Is especially a word? I remember reading something several years ago that said the term"especially" is not really a word. Every time I would use it, I would feel bad. However, according to these three sources, especially is indeed an acceptable word. 

Illicit, Elicit

The word elicit is a verb and means to "draw out" or "obtain." The word illicit is an adjective and means "illegal" or "contrary to accepted morality.

Grammar Monster says that you can remember the difference this way:

Elicit = Extract

The first letter of elicit can serve to remind you that it means extract.

Illicit = Illegal

The first three letters of illicit can serve to remind you that it means illegal.

That's it for now...my education continues...