Online proofreaders

What Are Scare Quotes?

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Writers will often use scare quotes around a word or phrase to indicate that they don’t entirely buy into the context within it is being used. For example, a writer may write: Yesterday I was chased by my neighbor’s “dog”: a poodle. Here, the writer is letting the reader know that he doesn’t think of … Read more

Lesser-Known Proofreading Marks

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Wouldn’t it be great if these lesser-known proofreading marks were formally introduced into our proofreading services! It would certainly make life more interesting for our proofreaders.   Need an online proofreading service? Check out our online services now. Looking for some proofreading fails? Check out 69 excellent reasons why proofreading is important Free instant quote   … Read more

Humorous Headlines: What A Mistake!

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Mistakes happen and, if we’re honest, we quite like that fact. It gives us something to have a chuckle at! This week we put our researcher to the task of finding humorous headlines that would have benefitted from our online proofreading services. Here’s our pick of the best: Really? Rather him than me! Four simple … Read more

54 Great Examples of Modern-Day Neologisms

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Sign reads: "they haven't invented words yet for what I will do to you"
Neologisms are newly coined terms, words, or phrases, that may be commonly used in everyday life but have yet to be formally accepted as constituting mainstream language. Neologisms represent the evolving nature of the English language. Over time people create new words that express concepts or ideas that were previously expressed using other words or use words that may not have existed at all. Neologisms can be completely new words, new meanings for existing words or new semes in existing words. Here are some examples of neologisms that are finding their way into modern-day English language.

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64 Examples of Oxymorons in Sentences

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Oxymoron signs placed side by side

Oxymorons are figures of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined in order to create a rhetorical effect by paradoxical means. The word oxymoron is derived from the Greek for pointedly foolish (oxys = sharp/keen and moros = foolish). Oxymorons are extremely useful in written English because they can make effective titles, add dramatic effect, add flavor to speech, and can sometimes be used to achieve a comedic effect.

Here is a comprehensive list of 64 examples of oxymorons in sentences. In each example, the oxymoron is underlined.

Before you start, if you’re looking for a super simple guide to literary devices, take a look at our Figurative Language for Kids

Do you need help refining your written English? Take a look at our proofreading services.

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Five Types of Phrases: A Free Printable Cheat Sheet

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It is generally accepted that there are five major types of phrases in the English language, one for each of the main parts of speech. Phrases are a group of words that act as a part of a speech but cannot stand alone in order to form a complete sentence because they do not include both a subject and a predicate. You can find out more about phrases in our guide to phrases. Our free printable cheat sheet presents the five major types of phrases together with information about how to spot them and what punctuation rules you should bear in mind when using them. To download a free copy of the Five Types of Phrases cheat sheet, simply click on the image below.

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20 Ill-Conceived Slogans That are Unintentionally Brilliant

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Advertising copywriting is a hard task. Formulating the perfect combination of words to sum up a product or service while avoiding all innuendos and insults is no mean feat and these slogan writers have failed miserably in their quest to sell a serious product. Luckily, these genius slogans didn’t escape the attention of those of us who prey on mistakes. Here are our favorite slogans of all time. Let us know if you’ve come across any gems.

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Proofreading: The President Will Thank You for It

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Writing stories worthy of newspaper print is actually quite challenging and journalists deserve much more credit than they get. Capturing an audience’s attention takes real skill and journalistic flair but, if all else fails, our budding reporters have the option to forgo a proofreading service and make headlines for completely different reasons. This particular gem proves that sometimes just one small letter really can make all the difference.

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A Massive Compilation of the Most Horrendous English Translations Ever Recorded by Man

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As the world gets smaller, the art of translation becomes all the more imperative to our ability to communicate with the people on the other side of the world whom we don’t really like but will tolerate because they are not Canadian. Thankfully, when a non-native speaker of a language translates something, there is always … Read more

Splendidly Smug Cover Letter That May Not Bode Well for Your Job Prospects

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This totally outlandish cover letter is actually quite inspiring. On face value, it actually checks all the boxes: grabs attention (check), focuses on why the candidate is different (double check) and avoids cliché phrases that have no real substance (mega-check). However, it’s safe to say that this type of letter isn’t going to get you … Read more

When is it Okay to Use Contractions in Formal Writing?

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Many people avoid using contractions in formal writing because they are under the impression that contractions are only appropriate for casual writing and that they constitute non-standard grammar. Are they really representative of sloppy writing? When is it okay to use contractions? Many automatic grammar-checking software packages will produce an error if you use a … Read more

When to Indent Paragraphs

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Questions about when to indent paragraphs may constitute typographic minutia, but getting it right is important nonetheless, especially if you intend to produce writing that will be professionally published. Many people believe that every single paragraph in a piece of text should be indented. This is actually unnecessary. You should use indentation to indicate a … Read more

19 Signs That Prove That McDonald’s Employees are Morons

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Perhaps it’s the proximity to unidentified chemical foodstuffs that poisons the brain, or maybe the inane repetition of the same tired phrases has slowly driven them all mad. Regardless, you would think that the billions of dollars this major corporation garners from the billions of worshippers of those golden arches, that they could afford to … Read more

When to Use a Colon: 9 Simple Rules

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Picture of a colon punctuation markIt is important that you know when to use a colon, as good writing in English will usually make use of this punctuation mark. A colon consists of two dots, one above the other, and it should not be confused with the semi-colon, which looks similar but has very different uses.

There are several rules that are useful when you are learning when to use a colon.

When to use a colon: Nine Simple Rules

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When to Use Commas: 15 Comma Rules Everyone Should Know

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Comma rules are pretty complicatedMany people find it difficult to understand when to use commas. Comma rules appear to be extremely complicated, and it is very easy to make mistakes when using them. In this article, we present a comprehensive list of 15 comma rules that you should know in order to master the use of commas in your writing.

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An Unbelievable Twist of Fate That Superbly Demonstrates the Real Meaning of the Word Irony

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Ronald Opus story demonstrates the true meaning of the word ironyThe word ironic is one of the most abused words in the English language. Isn’t it ironic? Actually, no, you can learn why here: 10 words that you think you know the meaning of, but probably don’t.

One story that perfectly illustrates the true meaning of the word irony was presented during the 1994 annual Darwin Awards ceremony. The Darwin Awards commemorate individuals whose foolish and idiotic behavior leads to their own death and simultaneously protects the gene pool of the human race.

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Is it Really Possible to be this Stupid?

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One disappointed would-be teacher just can’t believe that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts actually dared to refuse her entry to a teacher training program. It seems that she completely failed her tests for educator licensure.

I, for the life of me, cannot fathom why they would refuse such a fine literacy perfectionist. If she failed a question about chocolate, God knows how she would have fared if she had undergone a grammar test.

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40 Ridiculously Cringeworthy Mistakes That Prove Punctuation and Proofreading Matter

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Grammar mistakes: "sadly the days of using proper grammar are went"Failing to use a punctuation mark, using it in the wrong place, or failing to proofread is one of the most effective methods of transforming a great piece of writing into something that sucks.

These absolutely delightful examples of the way in which punctuation can completely change the meaning of an intended message, are cringeworthy, but brilliant. These guys deserve medals for turning otherwise dull and mundane signs into something that we can all have a laugh at. Editing and proofreading really does matter!

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The 15 Lamest Excuses for Spelling Mistakes on Facebook Ever Conceived

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If you love nothing better than a laugh at other people’s mistakes, look no further than the world’s largest social network. Some of these people haven’t actually made a mistake, though; it seems they have an excuse for their esteemed ignoramus status. It matters not that these excuses are as ridiculous as a glow-in-the-dark toilet seat…

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