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Month: November 2007

“Please respond back.”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Self-negation

I frequently hear this.

Problem:
The adverb “back” in “respond back” is redundant.

Explanation:
The “re” in “respond” means back. Therefore, one could argue that a “response back” would never reach the intended recipient.

Solution:
“Please respond.”

November 6, 2007December 18, 2007 Kirk

“Listing” vs. “List”

Common English Blunders, Nouns, Versus

I frequently hear these used interchangeably.

Problem:
The nouns “listing” and “list” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
“List” describes an ordered set of items. “Listing” describes the process of creating a list.

Solution:
Use “list” when you want to describe an ordered set of items.
Use “listing” when you want to describe the process of creating a list.

November 5, 2007November 20, 2007 Kirk

“From 9 a.m. – Noon”

Common English Blunders, Prepositions

I saw this in a restaurant.

Problem:
“From” requires “to” (not a hyphen).

Explanation:
Use a hyphen when you want to show a range (e.g., “grades 9 – 12”). Use “to” when you have a phrase that begins with “from” (e.g., “from Cleveland to Seattle”)

Solution:
“From 9 a.m. to Noon”

November 4, 2007November 20, 2007 Kirk

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