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Punctuation II : Hyphen v En Dash

Now let’s take a look at the distinction between a hyphen and an en dash. Hyphens (-) and en dashes (–) cannot be used interchangeably. The Hyphen (-) 1. The hyphen is used for linking compound words (e.g. avoid the

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Punctuation I: The Semicolon

Let’s take a break from homophones and consider the semicolon (;). Semicolons are frequently misused – I generally find that they are either overused (replacing colons and commas) or not used at all. There are three rules to remember when

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Homophones III

So, its time to analyse advice and advise. This one is pretty simple. All you have to do is remember that one is a verb and one is a noun. Advice is a noun, ‘guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent action’ (OED).

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Posted in Spelling

Homophones II

As promised we will now consider the difference between complement and compliment, two words which are often confused. Complement Verb: ‘to add to something in a way that enhances or improves’ (OED) Noun: ‘an addition that improves something’ (OED) Example: That tie complements your

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Homophones I

In the post entitled ‘Ten Tips for Proofreading’, helpful tip number 8 stated: ‘Watch out for homophones: words that sound the same but have different meanings are commonly confused and may be used incorrectly. Examples of these are discreet/discrete and affect/effect.’ In my

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Posted in Spelling