As an editor I see one four letter word overused and abused more than any other. T. H. A. T. That. Many times it serves no grammatical purpose whatsoever. It is a filler word. You use it in conversation to signal to others a pause, like a verbal comma, to give the impression to a listener you haven’t finished speaking. In writing, however, it is… [Read More]
Filed Under: conjunction, filler words, Mary Norris, nonrestrictive clauses, pronoun, restrictive clauses, subordinate clauses, That, that or which, The Comma Queen, who or that
6 Comments
I read a lot, for both work and pleasure. When I read for work, my eyes scan every line, sentence, paragraph, page, chapter, and full manuscript for different criteria. I check spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, voice, tense, pacing, continuity, plot, narrative arc, tension, climax, resolution, and other less definable qualities such as honesty, heart, and whether the work might bring something new and necessary into… [Read More]
Filed Under: extra space between sentences, just, over used words, Passive voice, really, That, very, zombies