Category Archives: Writing tips

Cue the BBQ
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A screenshot from Stylebot on Slack that reads: Use "barbecue" instead of "BBQ," "bar-b-cue" or "barbeque." It's both a noun and a verb: "They're going to barbecue chicken for dinner." "He had never tried Texas barbecue."
A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: "Entitled" and "titled" are often used interchangeably in a sentence such as, "The book is entitled 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'" However, you don't need that extra "en"; "titled" works just fine.

Are you entitled to an extra “en”?
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: "I.e." means "that is" ("id est" in Latin) and is followed by a comma. It is used for clarification: "I might have time for that in late December, i.e., over winter break." Pro-tip: "I.e." and "e.g." are not interchangeable. "E.g." means "for example" ("exempli gratia" in Latin) and is used for illustration, not clarification.

For example…
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A screenshot of Stylebot on Google Chrome that reads: Do not make assumptions about the appropriate pronouns used to refer to a person. Find out through research or by asking your sources. Do not use the term "preferred pronoun," and do not default to explaining a person's pronouns. For example, use of "they/them" to refer to one person is widespread enough that it doesn't require explanation: "Tommy said they are excited for the movie to come out." "Themself" is the reflexive pronoun: "They decided they need to think for themself."

It’s not “preferred”
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Chrome extension that reads: Use "iced tea" and "iced coffee" instead of "ice tea" and "ice coffee," though those terms will likely to go the way of "iced cream" eventually :icecream:: "He liked to drink iced coffee, even in the winter."

Iced cream, anyone?
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: ""Peek," "peak" and "pique" all mean different things. "Peek" refers to looking: "He peeked inside the room." (Beware the phrase "sneak peek," not "sneak peak.") "Peak" means a maximum or the highest point: "Let's be honest, I peaked in high school." And "pique"? It has a few meanings, but one of the most common uses is in the phrase "piqued my interest."

Sneak peek ahead 👀
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: Only include information about a person's mental state if it is relevant. When it is, use person-first language, and do not use terms such as "schizophrenic" or "suffers from": "He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia." Don't include speculation about mental illness. Instead, stick to information from well-informed sources and note the severity level. Don't capitalize the names of most mental illnesses: "She received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder." Do not use derogatory terms such as "bonkers," "crazy" or "nuts" to describe people with mental illness, nor should you use them to describe anyone's behavior or in other phrases. For example, instead of writing, "Her workdays were insane," write, "Her workdays were very busy."

These words may be common…
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: Do not use periods in “AAPI,” for “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.” Use “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” on first reference and “AAPI” on second reference and beyond. Follow the same rules for other acronyms, such as API (Asians and Pacific Islanders), APIA (Asian and Pacific Islander American) and AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander). Pay attention to the specifics of a term before using it to refer to a group. For example, “AAPI” and “API” are not always interchangeable. Also keep in mind that some people might prefer that a different term is applied to them, so be sure to ask about preferences instead of making assumptions.

🙅 Labels are often imprecise
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: "“Marijuana” and “cannabis” are often used interchangeably, but marijuana is the flower of the cannabis plant. Some people avoid use of “marijuana” because of its racist history, and you should consider an alternative such as “cannabis” or “weed” when appropriate. Don’t capitalize any of the terms: “Her mom smoked pot well into her 70s.” “THC” is short for tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in the drug, and is acceptable on first reference. “CBD,” short for cannabidiol, is another component of marijuana, though it does not produce a high. “CBD” is acceptable on first reference: “CVS has begun selling CBD oil.”"

Maybe not “laughing grass,” but…
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A screenshot of a message from Stylebot on Slack that reads: ""Altogether" is one word as an adverb meaning completely or on the whole: "It was altogether a good plan, but it needed some tweaking." Use two words in other uses: "She was surprised he was able to put it all together in time.""

Keep it all together
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