Grammar Girl's 101 Troublesome Words..., by Mignon Fogarty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The author explains in her introduction that English is a language that is constantly evolving. Because of this, what was proper grammar in the past may not be common today, and rules are subject to change as popular usage dictates.

In this book, Mignon Fogarty looks at 101 words or terms that do have a proper usage but also an alternate (or alternative, according to the author) meaning or spelling. She’s really done her homework, explaining the word origins, the history of usage, and the common misuses or options being spoken today. She then makes her recommendation, pointing out circumstances in which you’d make certain word choices. At the end of each entry are examples from literature and pop culture. There’s no fluff in this book. It reads like a conversation with an intelligent friend, but it is clear and to-the-point like a reference book.

For those of us who cringe at misspelled words, misused phrases, and mistaken terms, the pressure to be sure that our own written words come out properly is pretty strong. This is the perfect book to learn about such common errors and how to correct them. Grammar Girl has packed a lot of useful information in her entertaining, easy-to-read little guidebook.

Thank you, netGalley.com, for the review copy.