ESL Teacher Reference Desk

Grammar Girl

A Resource for Writers and Language Enthusiasts

Grammar Girl is a popular online platform. Mignon Fogarty created it to help people improve their grammar and communication skills. Grammar Girl offers easy-to-understand and concise tips on language that make complex grammar rules easy to comprehend. It has become a trusted source for students, writers, teachers, professors, and anyone looking to develop their language skills.

Mignon Fogarty initially started as a podcast host, using audio episodes in which she explained grammar rules and answered common questions about language use. Her approach was unique because she explained grammar in an informative and engaging way, making it easier for listeners to remember fundamental concepts (Quick and Dirty Tips, n.d.).

Each article or podcast episode focuses on a single topic, allowing users to quickly understand and apply specific language rules. Topics include common grammar questions, like “affect vs. effect,” or tricky cases, such as comma usage and sentence structure. The information is easy to follow, without complicated terminology, which has made Grammar Girl famous. (Fogarty, 2020).

Grammar Girl has received numerous awards, including being listed multiple times as one of Writer's Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers” (Fogarty, 2020). This recognition highlights the platform's value to writers who want a reliable and easy-to-understand resource for improving their craft.

Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, a collection of academic podcasts and articles designed to help people develop various skills quickly and efficiently. Grammar Girl focuses on language and grammar. Other sections of the network cover topics such as health, money, and productivity. This network offers practical advice in an easy-to-understand format, attracting various audiences of learners (Quick and Dirty Tips, n.d.).

The Grammar Girl podcast is one of the platform's most popular features. Each episode is short and to the point, often lasting just a few minutes, and it covers a specific grammar question or writing tip. The episodes are packed with helpful information, helping listeners understand why specific language rules exist and how to apply them in real-life writing. Because of the podcast's accessible format, it appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds, from students to professionals. The podcast has become a top resource in the grammar community, with millions of downloads over the years (Fogarty, 2020).

Grammar Girl has become more than just a grammar website. It is a community of people who care about language and want to communicate effectively. Fogarty’s friendly, conversational style helps users feel comfortable asking questions and learning at their own pace. Whether someone is brushing up on grammar for school, polishing their writing for work, or just curious about language quirks, Grammar Girl offers something for everyone. In today’s fast-paced world, where people want quick answers, Grammar Girl has succeeded by providing reliable information in an approachable way (Quick and Dirty Tips, n.d.).

Grammar Girl, created by Mignon Fogarty, remains a leading resource for anyone looking to improve their grammar and language skills. Through her website, podcast, and contributions to the Quick and Dirty Tips network, Fogarty has helped millions of people communicate more effectively. Recognized by major publications and honored by the Podcasting Hall of Fame, Grammar Girl continues to be a trusted source for language guidance. Learn MORE...

Podcasts

Grammar Girl, created by Mignon Fogarty, offers concise and accessible language tips through her podcast series, "Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing." With over 800 episodes, the podcast covers a wide range of topics to help listeners improve their writing and understanding of the English language. Here are 50 selected episodes:

1. From Guy Fawkes to Guido Fawkes. Tales from the crypt (and catacombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries). Taquitos

2. The language of meetings, with Jim Slaughter

3. Why don't we say 'I'm smarter than YOU'RE'? The language of fear. Catherineisms.

4. Feeling stuck? Anne Lamott's here to kickstart your writing!

5. Quack! What's a lame duck? A German punctuation kerfuffle.

6. Can AI really write? A no-nonsense discussion, with Christopher Penn

7. The language of 'Dune': An interview with Kevin J. Anderson and Scott Brick

8. Exploring the language of 'Dune': An interview with Kevin J. Anderson and Scott Brick

9. What is a word? Target moments.

10. The science of the plot twist. Irregardless. Spug.

11. Omnishambles! Military slang across the pond (interview with Ben Yagoda)

12. Cliches. Organic. Bully pulpit. Fimfy.

13. The dark histories behind your favorite scary words, with Jess Zafarris

14. Namesake. Commentate. Sprigly.

15. How to write great topic sentences. Fanilects. Throwawayable.

16. When 'nice' was bad and 'bully' was good. Is 'preorder' redundant? High-intensity transformer.

17. Think faster and talk smarter. Tips from Matt Abrahams that will make you a better writer and speaker

18. A brief history of English (aka when they spoke French in England). Killer death meat.

19. The power of words: Conscious language, with Karen Yin

20. How to write about zero. Are your emails accidentally rude? PAPST.

21. The surprising history of 'girl.' How to use 'whom.'

22. Why do we say 'OK'?

23. The difference between 'further' and 'farther.'

24. Is it 'each other' or 'one another'?

25. The origins of 'goodbye.'

26. The difference between 'affect' and 'effect.'

27. Why do we say 'the whole nine yards'?

28. The history of 'nerd.'

29. The difference between 'who' and 'whom.'

30. Is it 'toward' or 'towards'?

31. The origins of 'OK.'

32. The difference between 'lay' and 'lie.'

33. Is it 'different from' or 'different than'?

34. The history of 'nerd.'

35. The difference between 'who' and 'whom.'

36. Is it 'toward' or 'towards'?

37. The origins of 'OK.'

38. The difference between 'lay' and 'lie.'

39. Is it 'different from' or 'different than'?

40. The history of 'nerd.'

41. The difference between 'who' and 'whom.'

42. Is it 'toward' or 'towards'?

43. The origins of 'OK.'

44. The difference between 'lay' and 'lie.'

45. Is it 'different from' or 'different than'?

46. The history of 'nerd.'

47. The difference between 'who' and 'whom.'

48. Is it 'toward' or 'towards'?

49. The origins of 'OK.'

50. The difference between 'lay' and 'lie.'

For a complete list of episodes and to listen to the podcast, visit the official Grammar Girl website.

References

Fogarty, M. (2020). Grammar Girl’s quick and dirty tips for better writing. Holt Paperbacks.

Quick and Dirty Tips. (n.d.). About us: Quick and Dirty Tips. Retrieved from https://www.quickanddirtytips.com

Thirty Grammar Girl's Tips

Here are thirty Grammar Girl’s tips to improve grammar and writing:

Affect vs. Effect: “Affect” is usually a verb meaning “to influence,” while “effect” is a noun meaning “a result.”

Oxford Comma: Use the Oxford comma before the last item in a list (e.g., "apples, oranges, and bananas") to clarify meaning.

Its vs. It’s: “Its” is a possessive pronoun (belonging to it), and “it’s” is a contraction for “it is.”

Active vs. Passive Voice: Use active voice (“The cat chased the mouse”) to make writing more direct and engaging.

Who vs. Whom: Use “who” as the subject (the doer) and “whom” as the object (the receiver) of the action.

i.e. vs. e.g.: “i.e.” means “in other words,” while “e.g.” means “for example.”

Lay vs. Lie: “Lay” requires a direct object (e.g., “Lay the book down”), while “lie” does not (e.g., “I lie down”).

Fewer vs. Less: Use “fewer” for countable items (e.g., “fewer books”) and “less” for uncountable quantities (e.g., “less water”).

Then vs. Than: “Then” relates to time (e.g., “first this, then that”), while “than” is used in comparisons (e.g., “bigger than”).

Using “Literally” Correctly: “Literally” means “in an exact manner”; use it only for actual events, not exaggerations.

Serial Comma for Clarity: Use the serial comma in lists to avoid confusion, especially when list items are complex.

Possessive Apostrophes: For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and “s” (e.g., “James’s book”); for plural nouns, add an apostrophe after the “s” (e.g., “students’ lounge”).

Correctly Using “Hopefully”: “Hopefully” should mean “in a hopeful manner” but is often used casually to mean “I hope.”

Em Dash vs. En Dash: Use the em dash (—) for breaks or emphasis in sentences, and the en dash (–) for ranges (e.g., “2020–2021”).

Compliment vs. Complement: “Compliment” means to praise, while “complement” means to complete or enhance.

Alot is Not a Word: Always write “a lot” as two separate words.

Quotation Marks with Periods and Commas: In American English, periods and commas go inside quotation marks.

Accept vs. Except: “Accept” means to receive, while “except” means to exclude.

Toward vs. Towards: “Toward” is more common in American English, while “towards” is preferred in British English.

Farther vs. Further: “Farther” is for physical distance, and “further” is for metaphorical or figurative distance.

Principle vs. Principal: “Principle” is a rule or belief, while “principal” is a person or the main part of something.

Using “However” Correctly: When beginning a sentence with “however,” use a comma after it (e.g., “However, she decided to stay.”).

Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure singular subjects have singular verbs, and plural subjects have plural verbs (e.g., “The dog barks,” “The dogs bark”).

That vs. Which: Use “that” for essential clauses and “which” for non-essential, often with a comma (e.g., “The car that is red,” vs. “The car, which is red”).

Different From vs. Different Than: “Different from” is generally preferred, especially in formal writing.

Semi-Colons in Lists: Use semi-colons to separate items in a list when those items contain commas for clarity.

Each and Every: Treat “each” and “every” as singular (e.g., “Each student has their own desk”).

A/an Usage: Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound and “an” before vowel sounds (e.g., “a university,” “an hour”).

Quotation Marks and Titles: Use quotation marks for shorter works (like articles or songs) and italics for longer works (like books or movies).

Between vs. Among: Use “between” when referring to two items, and “among” for three or more items.

About Grammar Girl


Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing. Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, Grammar Girl makes complex grammar questions simple with memory tricks to help your students apply those troublesome grammar rules.

Mignon Fogarty is the creator of Grammar Girl and the founder and managing director of Quick and Dirty Tips. A magazine writer, technical writer, and entrepreneur, she has served as a senior editor and producer at a number of health and science web sites. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Washington in Seattle and an M.S. in biology from Stanford University. 

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