“They” in the singular? I know. You’re probably saying, “They is plural. That’s basic English.” You continue, “They replaces my mom and dad or Twitter followers or Growth Marketing Conference attendees, all of which are plural.” And you’re right. They is a plural pronoun. They is a gender-neutral, plural pronoun, which means that it can be used to replace the … Read more
This week’s grammar lesson deals with an error I hear all the time. And it’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. We’re going to talk about the subjunctive. The sub-who? The subjunctive. If you’ve taken Spanish classes, this might sound like a scary topic. But it’s not. I promise. So … What is it? In grammar parlance, the subjunctive is … Read more
I have a confession. My grammar wasn’t always perfect. (Chorus of gasps.) It may be hard for you to believe because you’ve come to know me as an omniscient grammar goddess. But it’s true. My deep dark secret is that for years, I was haunted by a grammar point: the difference between lay and lie.