Why we have both 'a' and 'an.' What does it mean to be lonely? Sufficiency.
920. Once you start thinking about it, it's weird that we have both "a" and "an." It gets even weirder from there! Plus, modern loneliness, and its solutions, are quite different from what they were w...
21 Mar 202317min
How 'napron' became 'apron' (and what that has to do with newts). 'Ahold' or 'a hold'?
919. Rebracketing is a fascinating process that gives us more words than you might imagine, even words from French and Spanish! Also, I find a surprising answer to the question of which is correct: "a...
14 Mar 202313min
Why do people 'drop' a new single? How to pronounce 'often.'
918. Since "drop" can mean both "to release" and "to cancel," it can get confusing. We look at how this confusion came to be (and how to avoid it). Plus, we wade into the debate about whether there'...
7 Mar 202312min
How to actually improve your grammar. Why parallelism is important (and how to use it). Keycoos.
917. For National Grammar Day, we answer one of the most common questions I get: How can I improve my grammar? Plus, I explain why parallelism is important, especially in resume writing."How to impro...
28 Feb 202317min
How writing very short stories can improve all your writing (with Grant Faulkner)
916. Grant Faulkner, author of "The Art of Brevity" and executive director of NaNoWriMo talks with us about how writing very short stories can improve all your writing. (And whether it's worth it to g...
21 Feb 202328min
Language reveals universal truths about love. 'Wool sweater' or 'woolen sweater'? Grandmother crackers.
913. Love is much more than romance, and different languages reveal universal truths about the different kinds of love. Plus, we look at whether you should write about wool sweaters or woolen sweaters...
14 Feb 202312min
Interview with a creator of 'Schoolhouse Rock'!
914. To mark the 50th anniversary of "Schoolhouse Rock," the Saturday morning cartoon that taught millions of children about grammar, math, and more, we have a special multi-interview podcast, includi...
7 Feb 202315min
What Does the AP Have Against France? Out Over Your Skis. Lands' End. Tolater.
913. This week brought us a silly kerfuffle in which the AP may have insulted France. Plus, we investigate the origin of the phrase "out over your skis" and why the apostrophe seems wrong in the compa...
31 Jan 202316min
