Season’s Greetings or Seasons Greetings and 3 More Confusing Holiday Terms

For many, the holiday season is a time of communication. Not only are we getting together with loved ones, but we also take additional time to greet others and get in touch with old friends.

Sometimes, however, it can be tough getting all the words right. Where should the apostrophe go in “Season’s Greetings”? Should you “ring in” or “bring in” the New Year? What in the world does “Bah, Humbug” mean?

If you’re a little confused, we’ve got you covered in this post.

1Season’s Greetings or Seasons Greetings?

Looking for a general and inclusive way to greet others for the myriad of holidays in December? Whether it’s for Hanukkah, the winter solstice, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, it’s usually safe to go with “Happy Holidays” when greeting people in person. “Season’s Greetings” is a warm tiding that works particularly well for written cards or in alternative holiday greetings.

But, how exactly should it be formatted?

Here’s a tip: The correct formatting is “Season’s Greetings”—with the apostrophe.

When writing the phrase, it is standard English to place the apostrophe after the N and before the S in ”seasons.”

The apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season (and all the holidays in it.) Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes “season’s greetings” a bit counter-intuitive The glad tidings don’t belong to the season in the same way that Frosty’s top hat belongs to him. Rather, the apostrophe in “season’s greetings” is more accurately equated to the word “of.”

2Ring in the New Year

Is it “ring in the New Year” or “bring in the New Year”? Well, both.

The phrase “ring in the New Year” most likely derives from the tradition of bell-ringing to mark important events throughout life, like weddings or graduations. Bells are a common symbol of celebration and happiness during the holidays. Before you run out for some silver bells, consider context. Over time the verb “ring” has come to imply more joyful welcoming than literal bell-ringing. Here are some examples of correct usage:

We plan to ring in the New Year with close friends. How will you ring in the New Year?

“Bring in the New Year” is also grammatically correct but likely a derivation of the idiomatic “ring in the New Year.” Nevertheless, it makes complete sense to “bring in” or welcome the coming year.

3Bah, Humbug!

Though many of us know this as the catchphrase of Charles Dickens’ curmudgeonly character Ebenezer Scrooge, “Bah! Humbug!” has much older origins.

“Humbug” traces back to student slang from the mid-1700s and referred to a person who behaved in a deceptive, tricky, or jest-like way. The term was in continual use into the 20th century to reference frauds, fakes, and phonies.

Perhaps the most popular usage of the word, however, is in Dickens’ novella and stage adaptations of A Christmas Carol. When the surly Mr. Scrooge exclaims “Bah! Humbug!” he is claiming that Christmas is fake.

This sort of grumbly attitude toward the holidays has been adopted tongue-in-cheek by pop culture and playful neighbors alike, usually to highlight excessiveness during the season or even to call out a party pooper.

4Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

As we join friends and family to celebrate holidays and welcome the New Year, we are often encouraged to “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry.” This seasonably appropriate instruction is directly from the Bible, but the original lesson doesn’t mean what you think it does.

“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

— Luke 12:19, The King James Bible

Out of context, this may seem like Jesus encouraging relaxation, food, drink, and merriment. While there are Biblical recommendations for celebration, this quote is taken from the Parable of the Rich Fool—a story Jesus shares as a warning against storing wealth and greed. Luke 12:19 is an excerpt from the rich farmer’s reasoning, not an instruction from Jesus.

Over time, however, the phrase “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” has been used increasingly in popular culture to encourage gratitude for and celebration of abundance. This common usage is entirely appropriate during the holidays, as we reflect on the last year and anticipate the future.

The Ultimate Guide to Analyzing a Company’s Glassdoor Page

If you’ve heard of Glassdoor, odds are that you know you can find company ratings on our site. But while this is an important part of your job hunt research, the truth is that Glassdoor offers so much more than that (including job listings — more on that later!). So if you’re only looking at a company’s rating in order to assess what it’s like to work there, you’re missing out. But with so much information available, what exactly should you focus on?

I chatted with Jamie Hichens, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Glassdoor (and resident job search guru) to get the low-down on what job seekers should keep in mind when viewing a company’s Glassdoor page — here were a few of her top recommendations.

1 Company Reviews

Let’s start with Glassdoor’s bread and butter: company reviews. Using Glassdoor’s 33 million reviews and insights for approximately 700,000 companies, “you can see what current and former employees have to say about working there, including what’s working well, what needs improvement and advice to senior management. Depending on what you want in a company, reading reviews is a great way to better understand what goes on inside a company and the type of culture that is best for you,” Hichens says.

One important thing to keep in mind: “Most people on Glassdoor read 6-7 reviews before forming an opinion about a company, so we recommend reading several reviews as you conduct your research. There is no perfect place to work, so don’t focus on just the glowing reviews, or those that are overly negative — you want to see what a variety of people have to say, look for constant themes within reviews, and determine if the company is right for you or not. Interestingly, on Glassdoor, 7 in 10 people report that they are OK or satisfied in their jobs,” Hichens shares.

That’s right — don’t get thrown off if you see a negative review here and there. “Even the Best Places to Work have some negative reviews,” Hichens points out. “The important part when researching a company is to take into account themes you uncover from a variety of employees, and looking for reviews and details related to what’s important to you and your life in and out of work. What’s a bad review to one person may not be a bad review to someone else, so it depends on what’s most important to you.”

When looking at a company’s reviews, you might be wondering how they stack up against the average employer. “Of the 700,000 employers reviewed on Glassdoor, the average company rating is a 3.3, so employers with a higher rating are an above-average employer, while those with a lower rating are below-average employers,” Hichens says. But like I mentioned before: it’s important to keep in mind that this is just a part of the whole picture. “This is a useful data point to take into account, but it’s not everything. Make sure to still read as many reviews and insights as possible to really understand where the company is today, what it’s like in the department you might be working in and to fully understand where the company has been and where it’s going,” Hichens advises.

2 Salaries

For a long time, you had to wait until the very end stages of the interview process before you found out how much you’d get paid — a process that often ended in frustration or even feeling like you wasted your time pursuing a job that was way below your expectations. With Glassdoor, though, that pain point has become a thing of the past.

“On Glassdoor, you can see salary reports for specific jobs in specific cities at specific companies,” Hichens says, which “[helps] you get a better sense of what fair pay for a particular role should be.”

Not sure how to gauge whether or not those salaries are good deals? “You should also use our tool called Know Your Worth™ to get your current market value where you can ensure you are being paid fairly,” Hichens suggests. Just enter your company name, location, job title, years of experience, and a few other data points to get a free, personalized estimate of what you should be making — it’s incredibly useful not only for assessing salary offers, but also as a data point to bring up in salary negotiations.

Some job listings on Glassdoor will even say right within the description what the estimated pay is — Glassdoor’s recently launched salary estimates can help you instantly know what you could be paid before you even apply, so you know what to expect right from the get-go.

3 Interviews

In my opinion, Glassdoor’s interview reviews are one of the most underrated features on the site. They tell you not only whether or not previous candidates have generally had a positive, neutral, or negative interview experience, but also how long it takes, how difficult it is, whether or not the reviewer received an offer, and, most critically, which questions the company asked.

Think about it: when you know which questions a company’s recruiters and hiring managers have asked, you can prepare for and rehearse those exact questions, making it that much more likely that you’ll ace the interview (and ultimately land a job offer). If you really want to go above and beyond, check out our list of the 50 Most Common Interview Questions that employers ask.

4 Benefits

Benefits aren’t always the first thing you think of when you’re assessing a company, but for many people, perks like 401(k) plans, health insurance, and child care programs are make-or-break factors in deciding whether or not they take a job. So whether you care most about free lunches, the ability to work from home, or something else entirely, be sure to check out the “insights shared by employees on more than 50 benefits a company may offer to see how your potential total compensation package might compare from one employer to another,” Hichens suggests.

5 Ratings and Trends

Beyond the three major metrics you see at the top of a company’s “reviews” section — company rating, recommend to a friend score, and CEO approval rating — you can click “Ratings & Trends” to reveal a handful of other ratings as well, for factors like Culture & Values, Work/Life Balance, Senior Management, Comp & Benefits, and Career Opportunities. Clicking on this button will also reveal trends over time and the distribution of ratings.

“We know that the majority of people value company culture, career opportunities and trust in senior leadership when it comes to long-term employee satisfaction, so if this applies to you too, look for reviews where these themes are strongest. They might help point you to a company that values you more than others and can help foster your professional development in the near term and long-term,” Hichens says.

6 Jobs

If, after reviewing all of the items above, you decide that the company you’re reviewing is a good fit for you, it’s time to apply to one of their open positions!

“Glassdoor is now the second-largest job site and fastest growing in the U.S., so if you see a company you might want to work for, you can also see all of their open jobs on Glassdoor,” Hichens says. “If you like a company, apply to one of their jobs directly on Glassdoor while doing your research all in one stop.”

Now that you’re a bonafide Glassdoor expert, it’s time to put that knowledge to work — so go forth, research, and find the job that fits your life!

Similes

Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know which one you’re going to get.

Let’s use this example to understand what a simile is:

• A simile is a phrase that uses a comparison to describe. For example, “life” can be described as similar to “a box of chocolates.”
• You know you’ve spotted one when you see the words like or as in a comparison.
• Similes are like metaphors. But metaphors aren’t the same as similes.
• Similes are great for famous authors, public speakers, and folks who want to make their writing as exciting as a spontaneous show of fireworks.

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What is a Simile?

Here’s a tip: A simile (SIM-uh-lee) is a type of figurative language that describes something by comparing it to something else with the words like or as.

Even if you don’t know the definition like the back of your hand, you’ve probably seen plenty of similes. For example:

I know that definition like the back of my hand. Those two are as different as night and day. He stood out like a sore thumb. That answer is as clear as mud. Grandpa has a memory like a sieve. The mouse is as dead as a doornail.

Here’s a tip: Need a trick to remember? Simile sounds a lot like similar. Similes compare similar things, with help from the words like or as.

More Simile Examples

Similes can make writing more colorful and interesting. If you don’t believe us, ask these famous writers.

William Shakespeare

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear…”

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5

As a side note, the word “Ethiop” isn’t exactly politically correct. But Shakespeare didn’t know that when he used it to evoke Juliet’s jeweliness.

William Woodsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er vales and hills.

“Daffodils”

That’s pretty lonely.

Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run?

“Harlem, 2”

Don’t defer your dreams, folks. You don’t know what could happen to them.

Similes in Writing

The above examples represent the height of poetic creation. But similes also boost everyday writing by painting a vivid image in just a few words. Compare these sentences:

Lois walked across the room with purpose. Lois moved across the room like a warship sailing into battle.

The first sentence is relatively bland. But the simile in the second sentence invites the reader to imagine an old-fashioned warship sailing to battle: stately, determined, proud, perhaps with a hint of danger. It characterizes Lois as an imposing figure and hints that she’s planning something big once she gets to the other side of the room.

Simile vs. Metaphor

Here’s a tip: Similes and metaphors are both used to make comparisons or elucidate concepts, but they aren’t the same.

While a simile makes comparisons with help from like or as, a metaphor states outright that one thing is another thing. It’s important to undersatnd the difference between a metaphor and simile.

To compare these forms of comparisons, here are some examples:

Life is like a box of chocolates. (Simile)

My life is an open book. (Metaphor)

That baby is as cute as a button! (Simile)

Baby, you’re a firework. (Metaphor)

Fun fact: Because they both make figurative comparisons, all similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes. For the most part, keep like and as in mind if you’re on the hunt for similes, and you’ll be set.

Test your knowledge of simile and metaphor with our quiz.

Similes and Exaggeration

Similes often make use of hyperbole, or exaggeration:

He runs as fast as lightning.

She’s as sweet as honey.

You sing like an angel.

Similes focus on a particular aspect of a comparison, so they keep hyperbolic statements from seeming over-the-top. Contrast these sentences:

Dirk’s a mean snake.

Dirk’s as mean as a snake.

The first version is a metaphor, but it’s so blunt that it risks seeming clumsy or childish. The second version, a simile, more clearly emphasizes the quality that Dirk shares with snakes: meanness.

Figurative language is an excellent way to add interest and imagery to your writing. So next time you’re struggling to find exactly the right words for a description, try to come up with a simile that’s as perfect as a flawless diamond.

Metaphor vs. Simile Quiz

Similes are often confused with metaphors because the serve similar functions. Take our short simile-metaphor quiz to check your understanding of these rhetorical tools.

The Do’s and Dont’s of Asking for a Promotion

You work hard. You’d like to see your efforts rewarded. In an ideal world, your superiors would recognize your talent and offer you a promotion. But advancing is rarely that easy. We’ve compiled the ultimate guide to asking for a promotion. Read on if climbing the career ladder is in your sights!

Positioning Yourself for a Promotion

• Do decide on a timeline. Asking for a promotion shouldn’t be an impulsive decision. Planning will allow you to make sure you’re at the peak of your performance and have your results well documented before you broach the topic.
• Don’t think a promotion will fix everything. Is a promotion really what you need in order to get where you want to be with your career? A promotion won’t make you happier if you’re not enjoying your current company and position.
• Do analyze your current performance Are you doing outstanding work? If you’re not meeting and regularly exceeding expectations, you’ll need to step it up in order to get on management’s radar. It also never hurts to volunteer for special projects.
• Don’t toot your own horn. Sure, you want to be noticed, but it’s important not to come across as arrogant. Do your best to show that you’re confident, not cocky.
• Do consider the timing. Is your company in a strong financial position? Is the climate generally positive? If not, it might not be the best time to jockey for a better position.
• Don’t disregard your manager’s goals. Before you ask for a promotion, you should know what your manager’s team objectives are and have a clear idea of how your contributions are helping to knock those goals out of the park.
• Do keep notes and gather statistics. In the months leading up to when you plan to ask for a promotion, make note of concrete accomplishments. If your job is one that uses analytics, compile statistics to show your successes—numbers talk!
• Don’t forget to do your homework. Know the skills the position you’re aiming for requires. Make sure you’re prepared to demonstrate how your skills and accomplishments are a good match for the job.
• Do plant a seed and get feedback.

Let your boss know that you’re interested in moving up in the future. Let them know where you’re at today, and how you see yourself evolving to fill a new role in the future. Have a concrete action plan and ask for feedback on it.

Asking for a Promotion

When you’ve positioned yourself and you’re ready to ascend the career ladder, ask your boss for a meeting to discuss your role. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Do plan the meeting. It’s a good idea to have your agenda outlined in advance so you can demonstrate that you’re a fit for the new position. Having everything laid out in advance allows you to focus on important points, which makes you appear more composed and confident.
• Don’t skimp on the presentation. If you have insights or data to share, get them down on paper so you can present them to your boss with flair.
• Do dress for success. Even if your company dress code is casual, take care with your appearance on the day of your meeting. You don’t have to wear a three-piece suit if your work attire is usually business casual, but make sure you’re looking clean and polished.
• Don’t make it all about you. Your boss likely doesn’t care that your rent went up, or that it’s been a couple of years since your last promotion. Remember, it’s not about what your company can do for you, but what you can do for the company.
• Do focus on the benefits. Your boss’s job is to look after the best interests of the company. He needs to see how promoting you will improve that bottom line.
• Don’t compare yourself to others. Resist the urge to focus on others, even if you work harder than a coworker who holds a higher position, or you know that someone on the same tier makes more money. Your meeting should focus on your own merit and accomplishments.
• Do think in terms of what you deserve, not what you need. You may well need more money, but unless you can prove that you also deserve it you won’t get far in your quest for a promotion. Be prepared to demonstrate why you’re the person for the job.
• Don’t assume you deserve a raise simply based on your length of employment. Many workers think that longevity should equal a promotion. That’s not the case in today’s workplace. You’ll need to show how your contributions create value.
• Do consider timing. It makes good sense to ask for a promotion just after you’ve achieved a significant milestone. If your biggest successes are months in the past, you’ll want to wait until some of your current projects have come to fruition.
• Don’t forget to rehearse before your meeting. At the very least, rehearse by yourself. If you can, ask a trusted friend to listen to your pitch. Consider these nine things you should never say when you’re asking for a promotion.

What to Do if You’re Turned Down for a Promotion

• Don’t give up. Don’t take rejection personally. If there are performance issues you need to address, own them. Otherwise, let go of factors that are outside your control. If you get a no, consider it a “not yet.”
• Do ask for a timeline and follow up. If you didn’t get the result you were after this time, set a timeline with your boss. Say, “I’d like to position myself for a promotion within the next X months. I’d be grateful for any feedback or suggestions you have on how I might get there.”
• Don’t complain. Whiners aren’t winners. If you hope to advance in your company, keep your attitude positive and goal-focused.
• Do take stock. If you’re convinced that your company is the best fit for you, revise your plan for advancing in your career and get down to work. If you’ve lost enthusiasm, weigh the pros and cons of moving on to another company.

Asking for a promotion is one of the most unnerving challenges any worker faces. But if you go into the process fully prepared and confident in your skills, you’ll increase the odds of successfully earning the career boost you deserve.

Here’s How to Know the Difference Between Miss, Mrs., and Ms.

Miss, Mrs., and Ms. are not interchangeable terms. Choosing the wrong title can cause offense, so it’s important to know the difference between the three titles. The guide below will describe how the titles Miss, Mrs., and Ms. have been used traditionally—but remember, if someone tells you they prefer a particular title, that’s the one you should use to address them.

What does “Miss” mean?

“Miss,” when attached to a name, is a title of respect for an unmarried woman. You can use it by itself as a term of address or combine it with a surname, a descriptor of a prominent characteristic, or something she represents.

Miss Penelope Edwards is the new nursery school teacher.

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is Miss Universe 2017.

Excuse me, Miss. You dropped your change purse.

Well, aren’t you little Miss Traveler?

How do you use “Miss?”

Typically, in a business setting, you would use “Miss” along with an unmarried female’s last name. Don’t worry if you don’t know the woman’s last name; pausing after Miss often prompts the woman to supply it to you. Usually, it’s polite to continue using the formal title until the addressee invites you to use her first name. Make sure to use “Miss” for unmarried women you don’t know well or who hold positions of authority, such as a teachers or supervisors.

Note: In some geographical regions, “Miss” appears with a first name. People use it as a sign of respect or affection for women. When used with young girls, a chastisement may accompany it.

Thanks for the invitation, Miss Janice. You are a great neighbor!

Miss Tamara Jasmine Hunter! Put that toy down and clean your room right now.

What does “Mrs.” mean?

“Mrs.” is a title of respect for a married or widowed woman. As in the case of Miss, it appears with names and characteristics. Sometimes the title includes her husband’s first and last name rather than her own, especially for written correspondence or when the wife’s name is unknown; this practices is becoming far less common than it was in the past, however.

Address the envelope to Mrs. Donald Belmont.

How do you use “Mrs.”?

At work, when addressing married women, and when speaking to women in a position of authority, use “Mrs.” along with the married female’s last name. Again, wait for an invitation to drop the formal title before using a woman’s first name.

Mrs. Jones is an amazing electrical engineer.

What does “Ms.” mean?

What if you don’t know whether someone is married or not? People began to use “Ms.” in the 1950s as a title of respect. Unlike “Miss” or “Mrs.”, it doesn’t indicate a woman’s marital status. The title became popular during the women’s movement of the 1970s because “Ms.” seemed a suitable equivalent of “Mister,” a title of respect for both unmarried and married men.

“Miss” or “Ms.”?

Both “Miss” and “Ms.” apply to women who are unmarried or whose marital status is unknown. Which you choose depends on the preference of the woman. Interestingly, some newspaper editors avoid the issue by omitting titles and instead referring to men and women by their full names. However, newspapers usually retain the titles if they appear in a quote.

Prince Harry has said he knew his bride-to-be Meghan Markle was “the one” from the moment they met, as the couple made their first public appearance since the announcement of their engagement.

The Telegraph

”There are simply not enough good things I can say about Mrs. Wendy Hassemer, ” said Cory Chavez, one of her former students at Pojoaque Valley High School, where she taught for 13 years and served as a drama club sponsor, school play director, and all-around mentor.

Santa Fe New Mexican

How to Use “Ms.”

Apply the same rules as you would for “Miss” and “Mrs.” However, there are differences in pronunciation.

How to Pronounce “Miss”, “Mrs.”, and “Ms.”

How you pronounce these titles depends on where you live. Let’s start with the easiest. “Miss” rhymes with “this” in all geographical regions.

However, “Mrs.” may sound like “mis-iz” or “mis-is” in the North or North Midland areas of the United States. On the other hand, Southerners may pronounce “Mrs.” as “miz-iz” or “miz.” “Miz” is also the pronunciation of “Ms.” Therefore, in the South, “Mrs.” and “Ms.” may sound identical.

British English vs. American English

In British English, you may see “Mrs.” spelled out as “missus” in print, though this is rare in American English. Another difference is punctuation—Brits don’t use a period after Mrs. Here are two examples from news sources:

Paul Brown, co-editor, Climate News Network: “. . .Never forget that after years of campaigning by Greenpeace in the Antarctic in the 1980s, it was the 5,000 individual letters from members of the Women’s Institutes protesting about the British government’s plans to mine there that changed MrsThatcher’s policy.”

Positive.News

Dennis Beaumont, 44, of east Hull, has been queuing since 7.30am, said: “I’ve been here since 7:30 am and I don’t think I’m going to get them. Put it this way, I would sell the Missus, the kids and the house to get a pair.”

Mirror

While most people use titles such as “Miss”, “Mrs.”, or “Ms.” to show respect, you can risk offense if you don’t use them correctly. Therefore, invest a few moments to become familiar with how these titles work. If you think before you speak, and defer to women’s preferences as to how you should address them, you will be able to build respectful relationships with the women in your life.

9 Workflow Strategies That Will Make You a Faster Writer

Whether writing is your livelihood or your side hustle, being able to produce content quickly is a skill you’ll never regret developing. And not only will a solid process help you write faster, it will ease editing frustrations by making your draft more organized from the start.

I write all day, every day, and although I’ll never be the fastest writer in the world, I’ve had to make some serious adjustments to my own process in order to get things done and meet my deadlines. Using the process of drafting this article as an example, I’ve laid out my strategies. May they have you writing with speed and clarity in no time flat!

Before You Begin

1Do some reconnaissance.

No matter how well you know your topic, odds are good you’d benefit from a little inspiration. When I set out to write this article, I knew that I’d talk about my own workflow. But I also wanted to have a look at how other writers have approached the topic.

I did a Google search on my topic, and then scanned some of the top resulting articles. As I scanned, I took notes. My recon reading often helps me remember things I want to talk about. It also gives me a good idea of how other writers have covered this angle. Can I bring something new to the conversation that will help my post stand out?

2Decide what you want to say.

As I read for inspiration, I begin to formulate a plan for my article in my head. I want what I offer to be unique somehow, and I want to add my own personal touch to whatever I write. That means I have to decide how I want to cover this topic.

With this article, I decided to present a few tips for solidifying an idea, writing about that idea, and editing a draft. I thought about my process and decided which of my writing habits were most conducive to writing quickly and easily. (Hint: Taking a break to look at cute animals on Instagram is not, as it turns out, very helpful. But still, aaawww!)

Keep your topic focus narrow. In this article, I focused on strategies for writing faster, honing in on a specific skill (fast writing) rather than a broad angle (writing in general.)

3Create a quick outline.

Say it with me: Outlines are our friends!

When I was a managing editor, one of the biggest problems my writers had was organization. They tended to write as the ideas flowed into their heads, and often that made for a disjointed, rambling article.

If you’ve ever grown impatient while listening to someone tell a story, wanting them to just get to the point, then you know what it’s like to read an article that lacks organization. My dear content creators, no one wants to try to fish a few salient points out of your stream of consciousness. Let the stream flow as you outline so you can organize your article and create SEO-friendly headings.

And the bonus? Your article will be easier to write because you’ve gathered and organized your thoughts in advance.

When You’re Writing

4Write when you’re groggy.

When I stumble out of bed, pre-coffee, writing is the last thing on my mind. And yet, once I’ve got my good friend joe (as in cuppa) by my side, I dig in. And my writing always flows a lot better than I think it will. I’m regularly surprised by this fact, but science tells me I shouldn’t be.

According to Research Digest:

Insight-based problem-solving requires a broad, unfocused approach. You’re more likely to achieve that Aha! revelatory moment when your inhibitory brain processes are at their weakest and your thoughts are meandering.

5Get it down first.

Once you’ve got your outline created, you’re ready to put meat on the bones. Now is the time to get out of your own way and just write. Don’t retrace your steps, don’t edit as you go, and don’t stop for research.

If you’ve done some reconnaissance reading, you likely have enough information to start writing. I like to fill in my research blanks after my article is finished. Simply write everything off the cuff, and leave a placeholder where you want to add some research later. Journalists use the letters TK, which is journo lingo for “to come.” But I tend to just type “RESEARCH” and keep rolling.

6Write in chunks.

I find that certain parts of my story spring to mind earlier than others. I may have something I want to say immediately about a certain topic, so I’ll get that down first, lest I lose the momentum. It’s perfectly okay to skip to different segments of your article as you’re inspired to write about them. In fact, as I’m writing this paragraph, my intro paragraph is still unwritten. I’ll get back to it.

When You’re Editing

7Fill in your research holes and link to relevant posts.

Now that you’ve finished writing your draft, it’s time to connect the dots with research and add links. You may still have a little writing left to do to flesh out the research you’ve done, but it shouldn’t take much time since you’ll be working from reference material. Don’t forget to add links to relevant posts from your own site whenever you can.

I added the research from Research Digest and the Editorial Freelancers Association (below) to this article after I finished the draft. All I had to do was add the links and flesh out some text explaining the research. (Oh, and I also added this paragraph to explain the process.)

Here’s a tip: Organization tools like Evernote are great for jotting down quick research references. See our list of apps for writers for more suggestions.

8Do a developmental edit.

According to the Editorial Freelancers Association, “a developmental editor helps an author develop ideas—or develop a manuscript if it already exists—into a coherent, readable work.”

Congratulations! You’ve just become your own developmental editor. Now’s when you’re going to ensure that your article is indeed well organized (your outline should’ve helped with that.) Make sure you edit for clarity, and don’t forget to clean up any wordiness.

Here’s a tip: I recommend reading your article aloud. Run-on sentences and other syntax problems become glaringly obvious when you read them out loud, helping you identify what needs fixing.

9Proofread, proofread, proofread.

And finally, proofread. You’ve put all this effort into your article, so make sure you give it a thorough going-over to check for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If you need a little help, there’s an app for that.

Do you have some handy tips for speed writing? Share them in the comments below.

Verb Conjugation–Grammar Rules

Verb conjugation refers to how a verb changes to show a different person, tense, number or mood.

Person:

In English, we have six different persons: first person singular (I), second person singular (you), third person singular (he/she/it/one), first person plural (we), second person plural (you), and third person plural (they). We must conjugate a verb for each person. The verb to be is a particularly notable verb for conjugation because it’s irregular.

Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Be:

First Person Singular	Second Person Singular	Third Person Singular
I am	you are	he/she/it is
First Person Plural	Second Person Plural	Third Person Plural
we are	you are	they are

Tense:

Verbs are also conjugated according to their tenses. Verb tense indicates when the action in a sentence is happening (e.g., in the present, future, or past). Regular verbs follow a standard pattern when conjugated according to tense. Look at the examples below: Conjugation of the Regular Verb to Live (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
live	lived	will live
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am living	was living	will be living
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have lived	had lived	will have lived
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been living	had been living	will have been living

Conjugation of the Regular Verb to Work (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
work	worked	will work
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am working	was working	will be working
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have worked	had worked	will have worked
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been working	had been working	will have been working

Irregular verbs do not follow a standard pattern when conjugated according to verb tense. The following examples illustrate this point: Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Eat (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
eat	ate	will eat
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am eating	was eating	will be eating
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have eaten	had eaten	will have eaten
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been eating	had been eating	will have been eating

Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Drink (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
drink	drank	will drink
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am drinking	was drinking	will be drinking
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have drunk	had drunk	will have drunk
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been drinking	had been drinking	will have been drinking

26 Words and Phrases to Never Use in a Resume

Resumes are tricky things. The tried-and-true resume tropes of old no longer make the cut in today’s competitive market.

Odds are good that your resume will go through an applicant tracking system scan to determine whether it contains the right keywords before it even hits a hiring manager’s desk. But let’s assume you’ve passed that test and your resume is awaiting review. The difference between getting an interview and getting a thanks-but-no-thanks email (or no acknowledgement at all) could come down to the words or phrases you used in your resume. Here are twenty-six of them to eradicate.

Avoid cliches like the plague.

Google’s dictionary defines a cliche as “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.” The last thing you want to display on a document meant to dazzle an employer is a lack of original thought. Here are a few offenders to watch for.

1Best-of-breed

If you’re a prize standard poodle and you’ve recently scored a prestigious win at Crufts, then by all means use this term. Otherwise, thirty-eight percent of employers who responded to a CareerBuilder survey think you should slash it from your resume immediately.

2Think outside the box

There’s a certain irony in using a played-out expression to say that you’re a creative, original thinker. This one’s almost certain to make a hiring manager groan, or at least roll her eyes.

3Go-to person

You want to show that your colleagues rely on you for answers. Unfortunately, this trite phrase is more likely to make it seem like they rely on you as a source of antiquated tropes.

4Track record

Yeah, we get it, Seabiscuit—you’re always charging over that finish line, proving that you’re the fastest and the brightest. But the fastest and the brightest could find a better way to express that than “track record,” don’t you think?

5Win-win

No-no. This term has had its day. Let it fade from existence gracefully.

Buzzwords are beastly.

Office jargon—we love to hate it, don’t we? You probably wouldn’t have to think very long to come up with five stock words or phrases from office culture that make you cringe (at least inwardly) every time you hear them. Unfortunately, these words and phrases are pervasive. It’s all too easy to find yourself throwing them into your resume without a second thought. Time to send these beastly buzzwords out to pasture.

6Synergy

We bet you can’t find even one person who’ll defend the use of the term “synergy” in business culture, but you’re welcome to try. Go ahead. We’ll wait. Twenty-two percent of CareerBuilder survey respondents rated this one a deal breaker.

7Action (used as a verb)

You didn’t “action” that major project. Although verbs describe action, the word action itself is a noun. Please use it that way.

8Dynamic

Don’t get us wrong, dynamic is a solid word. It refers to a force that stimulates change or progress, or a system or process characterized by constant change and progress. All good things! But this word is so good that it’s become played out. These days, it’s a red flag signifying that you can’t think of a better way to express yourself.

9Going forward

You may want to show that you single-handedly led a project in a more positive direction, but if you say that the changes your team implemented “going forward” were successful, you may find hiring managers twitching rather than applauding.

10Thought leadership

Of course hiring managers are looking for people whose ideas are authoritative and influential. But if you use a tired phrase like “thought leader” to describe yourself, you’re likely to come across as lacking vision rather than having it.

Filler is useless.

Every word counts when you’re trying to keep your resume lean. Many people include stock filler words and phrases simply because they seem like part of a time-honored tradition. But your resume is a place to stand out from the pack, not merge with it.

11Responsible for

Boooo-ring. Use active verbs to describe your responsibilities. “Responsible for leading a committee” should become “Led a committee.”

12Salary negotiable

Yes, yes, the recruiter knows that you’ll negotiate your salary. But you have to be offered a position first. With this phrase on your resume, your odds of that are decidedly slimmer.

13References upon request

It’s assumed that if you’re asked to provide references you’ll give them. This phrase just takes up space.

14Phone and/or Email

Of course you should put your phone number and email address on your resume. But no, you don’t have to identify them as such with the words Phone and Email.

And twelve more words to eliminate . . .

The words and phrases above are some of the biggest resume offenders. Here are twelve more words and phrases you can also obliterate with impunity.

• Go-getter
• Value add
• Results-driven
• Team player
• Ambitious
• Proactive
• Hard worker
• Seasoned
• Strategic thinker
• Self-motivated
• Problem-solver
• Detail-oriented

“Show, don’t tell” is the golden rule.

When you’re creating or updating your resume, remember that showing is more powerful than telling. Instead of saying that you “think outside the box” say that you “envisioned and designed an innovative social media strategy that increased engagement by eighty-nine percent in three months.”

Remember to give concrete examples of your skills and successes—while avoiding cliches, buzzwords and filler—and your resume will shine like a beacon to recruiters and hiring managers everywhere.

We Studied 750 Top LinkedIn Profiles. Here’s How to Write Yours Better.

Your LinkedIn profile is likely among the top—and thus most clicked—results if someone happens to Google you. And a well-curated LinkedIn summary can offer them a wealth of information about your professional background. So whether you’re just quietly cruising through options or firing off applications like it’s your other job, you want your profile to shine.

Maybe you’ve already done the obvious, making hundreds of connections and racking up tons of endorsements. But there are still all these boxes where your writing is supposed to go, and you’re never quite sure what to say. What words would a radiant master of LinkedIn put here, you wonder. We have an answer for you.

We’ve been studying this question by analyzing the language on hundreds of top-tier LinkedIn profiles. We looked for patterns and trends to better inform what works—what can enhance your reputation and advance your career. In the end, we culled data from 750 profiles of employees at Fortune 500 companies, including entry-level workers, managers, and directors. From this, we distilled four key findings.

1Employees—especially entry-level workers—could often say more about themselves up top.

Filling out your profile summary matters, but only 42 percent of the entry-level employees we analyzed seemed to bother. Managers and directors both did so a bit more often—closer to half in our study.

We suspect people overlook the profile summary because they’re often busy describing their work experience further down their profile—or waiting until they’re actually looking for a new job to make a proper introduction atop their page. In fact, regardless of their experience level, people proved more likely to fill out the work experience section. Especially among managers, 65 percent did so, cranking out a robust 192 words on average for each job they described. (More on word counts further down.)

The top of your LinkedIn profile is an opportunity to summarize what you’re about—to make an impression beyond the array of jobs you’ve held. You might try thinking of it as an opportunity to answer the question, What makes me an outstanding candidate for my next career move?

Communicating as much may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be an epic undertaking; the folks who filled out their profile summary in our analysis averaged between 70 and 100 words.

Also, as LinkedIn itself notes, while this field allows up to 2,000 characters, it will only display the first two lines before readers have to click to see more. This isn’t the place to save the best for last, so be sure to showcase your strongest attributes and achievements in the first sentence or two.

(An intriguing side note: Directors had appreciably more misspelled words in their profile summaries than entry-level workers—a ratio of six to two, by our count. What accounts for this seemingly lackadaisical approach to orthography among directors is a mystery.)

2Speak the language: Directors used more business terms.

Every profession has its own unique shorthand that insiders use to communicate conveniently. (Are you a leader in innovative solutions that impact return on investment? Or more hot on high-level abstraction? …You get the idea.)

While we’ve noted before that this can cause trouble when you’re trying to reach a broader audience that’s not on the same wavelength, it’s a practical inevitability among a group of people all working in the same field. On LinkedIn, using these words might just signal to peers, Hey friends, I’m one of you.

Comparing against a list of 100 of the most common such terms, we found that directors used more than three times as much industry parlance as entry-level workers. Managers, perhaps fittingly, were in the middle.

The single most-used example, which led across all three levels of experience, was the word “leader.” If you’re curious, tab over to your profile now and see if you spot any from our overall top five: leader, strategic, solution, innovative, ROI.

Notably, entry-level employees also often sought to portray themselves as proactive in their profile summaries, while the word dynamic was a standout word among managers in our study. Directors, perhaps tasked with the most budgetary responsibility, particularly emphasized ROI.

“These kinds of terms help recruiters easily search and find qualified candidates on LinkedIn,” says Angela Ritter, a recruiter for Grammarly who reviews upwards of 200 resumes each week. “Having common business language on your profile is important, but you have to be prepared to talk about your expertise with those terms. ”

3Is your LinkedIn profile saying too much, or just enough?

Our analysis found that the higher up you go in a company, the longer your job title tends to become. Where the typical entry-level worker we studied has around three words in their job title, managers had four and directors had six.

This pattern held true across the hundreds of profile summaries we analyzed. While entry-level employees who filled in this field offered an average of 70 words in their profile summary, managers put down 80 and directors piled on 97.

But that trend was not the case further down the page, where managers led with a striking 192 words on each entry for work experience. Directors were in roughly the same ballpark with 169, but entry-level workers lagged markedly, totaling a mere 106 on average.

What accounts for this discrepancy isn’t certain, but the takeaway for neophytes is evident: There’s likely room to talk a bit more about what you’ve done.

For her part, Ritter urges recent graduates to talk about their accomplishments: “If you’re a recent graduate, keep your relevant internship and college leadership roles on your LinkedIn page,” she says. Such credentials are worth hanging onto until you’re at least two jobs into your career.

“When you’re fresh out of school, detailing your collegiate accomplishments can play a factor in landing a position. It further demonstrates your work ethic and ability to multitask to a hiring manager who is getting to know you.”

One other thing to note as you tab over to your LinkedIn account and consider your profile title: does it look a little short, or perhaps overlong? We found the typical profile title is around six words—or seven, if you’re a director.

4Entry-level employees don’t use LinkedIn for recommendations as much as they could.

Here, the trend is stark: people with entry-level jobs received scant recommendations on LinkedIn, and they gave even fewer.

While entry-level employees in our study received some 61 recommendations in total, managers outpaced them fourfold, with 277. Directors nearly doubled that figure again, with 519 recommendations received.

The pattern was even more prominent when it came to giving recommendations. While the newcomers we looked at gave just 24, managers tallied more than ten times as many, with 267. Among directors, the disparity was more than twenty-fold; they gave a total of 532 recommendations.

It’s worth noting here that across experience levels, the more recommendations a LinkedIn user gives, the more they tend to receive. If you’re looking to up your count, there are worse strategies than to simply mash out a few recommendations of your own for deserving colleagues, then see who returns the favor.

Alternatively, you could also just reach out and ask a couple of people. If you go that route, try a polite email instead of a request sent through LinkedIn, so it’s harder to miss.

Put your best self forward.

Skimming job listings isn’t most people’s idea of a picnic. Between drafting a cover letter, waiting for a response, and the often nerve-racking process of interviewing, landing a dream job isn’t easy. Even updating your LinkedIn profile can be a disquieting chore if you’ve neglected it for a month or six. (It happens.)

What it takes to make a solid impression with a recruiter or potential future colleague shouldn’t be a mystery. Grammarly is here to help you look sharp as you make your way forward.

Uses of Verbs–Grammar

Verbs tell you what the subject of a sentence or clause is doing (or being). Verbs are conjugated according to person, number, gender, tense, aspect, mood, or voice.

Verbs are at the heart of sentences and clauses; they are indispensable to the formation of a complete thought. A verb can express a thought by itself (with the subject implied) and be understood.

Run!

Believe!

Action vs. Nonaction Verbs

Action verbs simply indicate an action or occurrence.

Gloria walked across the room.

The shark swam menacingly close to the shore.

Even when used figuratively rather than literally, some verbs can still be considered action verbs.

The singer broke with tradition by shaking hands with his fans.

In this example, the singer didn’t really break anything, but the verb is still an action verb.

Conversely, nonaction verbs can indicate a state of being, sense, emotion, desire, possession, or opinion. The most common nonaction verb is to be.

I am a good person.

The baby felt cold without her blanket.

My mother loves me.

I have four tickets to the show.

Verb Tenses

Verbs change in form, or tense, to indicate whether the actions or states are occurring in the present (or are happening continuously), occurred in the past, or will occur in the future.

I take the bus.

I am taking the bus.

I took the bus.

I will take the bus.

These examples indicate the simple present, present continuous, simple past, and simple future tenses respectively. Further possible tenses include present perfect (I have taken the bus), present perfect continuous (I have been taking the bus), past continuous (I was taking the bus), past perfect (I had taken the bus), past perfect continuous (I had been taking the bus), future continuous (I will be taking the bus), future perfect (I will have taken the bus), and future perfect continuous (I will have been taking the bus). All the latter uses would require additional grammatical elements to form complete thoughts. To ensure good writing, it is important for verbs to be used consistently and in a logical sequence so that the time period being written about is properly understood. Verbs can also have up to five different forms: root, third-person singular, present participle, past, and past participle.

Verb Moods

Among a verb’s many properties is mood. A verb’s mood, sometimes referred to as a mode, can be either indicative, imperative, or subjunctive. The most common of these is the indicative mood. Indicative mood is used for statements of fact or opinion and to pose questions.

Every rose has its thorn.

A cat has nine lives.

Is the moon made of cheese?

The imperative mood is used to express commands. Subjects are often implied rather than expressed in sentences with imperative verbs. In the following examples, the subject you is implied:

Put that down!

Please exit the building in single file.

The subjunctive mood is used to express a verb with an action or state that is doubtful, imagined, conditional, desired, or hypothetical.

I wish you were here.

It is implied by this sentence that you are not actually here, but I wish that were not so. Were is in the subjunctive mood. Conditional verbs (which often appear with if/when statements) also receive a subjunctive treatment.

If I were a younger man, I would run three miles a day.

Were and would run indicate the subjunctive mood.

Of course, it is also important to follow the grammatical rules for conjugating verbs, including all those pesky English irregular verbs.

Pronouns

What Is a Pronoun?

Pronouns make up a small subcategory of nouns. The distinguishing characteristic of pronouns is that they can be substituted for other nouns. For instance, if you’re telling a story about your sister Sarah, the story will begin to sound repetitive if you keep repeating “Sarah” over and over again.

Sarah has always loved fashion. Sarah announced that Sarah wants to go to fashion school.

You could try to mix it up by sometimes referring to Sarah as “my sister,” but then it sounds like you’re referring to two different people.

Sarah has always loved fashion. My sister announced that Sarah wants to go to fashion school.

Instead, you can use the pronouns she and her to refer to Sarah.

Sarah has always loved fashion. She announced that she wants to go to fashion school.

Personal Pronouns

There are a few different types of pronouns, and some pronouns belong to more than one category. She and her are known as personal pronouns. The other personal pronouns are I and me, you, he and him, it, we and us, and they and them. If you learned about pronouns in school, these are probably the words your teacher focused on. We’ll get to the other types of pronouns in a moment.

Antecedents

Pronouns are versatile. The pronoun it can refer to just about anything: a bike, a tree, a movie, a feeling. That’s why you need an antecedent. An antecedent is a noun or noun phrase that you mention at the beginning of a sentence or story and later replace with a pronoun. In the examples below, the antecedent is highlighted and the pronoun that replaces it is bolded.

My family drives me nuts, but I love them. The sign was too far away for Henry to read it. Sarah said she is almost finished with the application.

In some cases, the antecedent doesn’t need to be mentioned explicitly, as long as the context is totally clear. It’s usually clear who the pronouns I, me, and you refer to based on who is speaking.

It’s also possible to use a pronoun before you mention the antecedent, but try to avoid doing it in long or complex sentences because it can make the sentence hard to follow.

I love them, but my family drives me nuts.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns make up another class of pronouns. They are used to connect relative clauses to independent clauses. Often, they introduce additional information about something mentioned in the sentence. Relative pronouns include that, what, which, who, and whom. Traditionally, who refers to people, and which and that refer to animals or things.

The woman who called earlier didn’t leave a message. All the dogs that got adopted today will be loved. My car, which is nearly twenty years old, still runs well.

Whether you need commas with who, which, and that depends on whether the clause is restrictive or nonrestrictive.

Who vs. Whom—Subject and Object Pronouns

Now that we’ve talked about relative pronouns, let’s tackle the one that causes the most confusion: who vs. whom. Who is a subject pronoun, like I, he, she, we, and they. Whom is an object pronoun, like me, him, her, us and them. When the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, the object form is the one you want. Most people don’t have much trouble with the objective case of personal pronouns because they usually come immediately after the verb or preposition that modifies it.

Please mail it to I.

Please mail it to me.

Ms. Higgins caught they passing notes.

Ms. Higgins caught them passing notes.

Is this cake for we?

Is this cake for us?

Whom is trickier, though, because it usually comes before the verb or preposition that modifies it.

Whom did you speak to earlier?

A man, whom I have never seen before, was asking about you.

Whom should I say is calling?

One way to test whether you need who or whom is to try substituting a personal pronoun. Find the place where the personal pronoun would normally go and see whether the subject or object form makes more sense.

Who/whom did you speak to earlier? Did you speak to he/him earlier?

A man, whom I have never seen before, was asking about you. Have I seen he/him before?

Whom should I say is calling? Should I say she/her is calling?

If the object pronoun (him or her) sounds right, use whom. If the subject pronoun (he or she) sounds right, use who.

Before we move on, there’s one more case where the choice between subject and object pronouns can be confusing. Can you spot the problem in the sentences below?

Henry is meeting Sarah and I this afternoon. There are no secrets between you and I. It doesn’t matter to him or I.

In each of the sentences above, the pronoun I should be me. If you remove the other name or pronoun from the sentence, it becomes obvious.

Henry is meeting I this afternoon. No one keeps secrets from I. It doesn’t matter to I.

Demonstrative Pronouns

That, this, these and those are demonstrative pronouns. They take the place of a noun or noun phrase that has already been mentioned.

This is used for singular items that are nearby. These is used for multiple items that are nearby. The distance can be physical or metaphorical.

Here is a letter with no return address. Who could have sent this? What a fantastic idea! This is the best thing I’ve heard all day. If you think gardenias smell nice, try smelling these.

That is used for singular items that are far away. Those is used for multiple items that are far away. Again, the distance can be physical or metaphorical.

A house like that would be a nice place to live. Some new flavors of soda came in last week. Why don’t you try some of those? Those aren’t swans, they’re geese.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are used when you need to refer to a person or thing that doesn’t need to be specifically identified. Some common indefinite pronouns are one, other, none, some, anybody, everybody, and no one.

Everybody was late to work because of the traffic jam. It matters more to some than others. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen.

When indefinite pronouns function as subjects of a sentence or clause, they usually take singular verbs.

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Use a reflexive pronoun when both the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or thing.

Henry cursed himself for his poor eyesight. They booked themselves a room at the resort. I told myself it was nothing.

Intensive pronouns look the same as reflexive pronouns, but their purpose is different. Intensive pronouns add emphasis.

I built this house myself. Did you yourself see Loretta spill the coffee?

“I built this house” and “I built this house myself” mean almost the same thing. But “myself” emphasizes that I personally built the house—I didn’t hire someone else to do it for me. Likewise, “Did you see Loretta spill the coffee?” and “Did you yourself see Loretta spill the coffee?” have similar meanings. But “yourself” makes it clear that the person asking wants to know whether you actually witnessed the incident or whether you only heard it described by someone else.

Occasionally, people are tempted to use myself where they should use me because it sounds a little fancier. Don’t fall into that trap! If you use a -self form of a pronoun, make sure it matches one of the uses above.

Please call Sarah or myself if you are going to be late. Loretta, Henry, and myself are pleased to welcome you to the neighborhood.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns come in two flavors: limiting and absolute. My, your, its, his, her, our, their and whose are used to show that something belongs to an antecedent.

Sarah is working on her application. Just put me back on my bike. The students practiced their presentation after school.

The absolute possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs. The absolute forms can be substituted for the thing that belongs to the antecedent.

Are you finished with your application? Sarah already finished hers. The blue bike is mine. I practiced my speech and the students practiced theirs.

Some possessive pronouns are easy to mix up with similar-looking contractions. Remember, possessive personal pronouns don’t include apostrophes.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used in questions. The interrogative pronouns are who, what, which, and whose.

Who wants a bag of jelly beans? What is your name? Which movie do you want to watch? Whose jacket is this?

How to Network: 5 Simple Ways to Stand Out

Want to advance your career? Expanding your network can play a huge role in your success, but for many of us networking events can feel intimidating, panic-inducing, or just plain awkward.

So how do you set yourself apart from the job-seeking hordes, and still retain your dignity?

Whether you have no idea how to network or just want some pointers for upping your game, here are five simple ways you can stand out from the competition.

1Create a Personal Connection

When you head into a networking situation, you may have some important career-goals you want to accomplish, like landing a new job, finding a mentor, or raising funds for your current venture. If you’re feeling tempted (or pressured) to go into full-on sales mode with everyone in your path, it’s time to slow your roll.

Effective networking is all about kindling new relationships—not frantically exchanging business cards with twenty people who won’t remember you.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, take the time to connect with two or three key people on a personal level. Head in with the mindset that you’re there to make friends—not to get a job interview or hawk your wares. If you treat other human beings like stepping stones or cash dispensers, they’re going to pick up on that vibe.

So instead of droning on with a laundry list of why you’re awesome, try having a genuine conversation. Keep the elevator pitch of what you do to about thirty seconds, and make sure you’re asking questions and listening to the other person.

Connect with them on any interests and experiences you have in common. Maybe you both love to travel, grew up in the same area, or have kids. If you know you’ll be meeting specific people, do some homework ahead of time so you’ll have an idea of the key topics that interest them.

2Invest in the Relationship

Once you’ve established a personal connection with someone, it’s important to continue fostering the relationship. Follow up with them by email within twenty-four hours.

Show them you’re a valuable contact with a lot to offer. This can be as simple as:

• Sharing a helpful article that’s relevant to your conversation.
• Giving a referral for a service they need (like a great graphic designer or financial planner).
• Offering to help out with their passion project.

Be a generous giver and don’t expect or imply that you want anything in return. Positioning yourself as an asset will set you apart from the chorus of voices constantly asking them for things.

Make a point of keeping in touch and suggest meeting up for coffee or lunch if it feels appropriate.

When the time comes that you do have an ask, they’ll be happy to help you out since they know you personally and appreciate the ways you’ve helped them.

When that coveted job opening comes up, you’ll be the first person they think of.

3Promote Their Work

What if your networking prospects are mainly online instead of in-person? Reaching out to create a personal connection “virtually” can feel overwhelming. Sure, you could take your chances with cold-emailing, but it’s always smart to start establishing a relationship before putting an ask out there.

A great way to build connections with people is to engage with the work they’re doing.

Have a favorite thought leader you’d love to interview for your podcast? Read their blog posts, leave intelligent comments, share your favorite posts, and remember to tag them.

Want to get published on a particular site? Start following the journalist writing about your niche topic. Engage with and share their work. Tweet a quote from their latest article and mention the author—they’ll likely retweet it.

People are much happier to engage with you when they see that you’re genuinely interested and you care about the work they’re doing.

4Connect Through Body Language

If you do get to meet folks in person at a networking event, be sure you’re building connection and trust through your body language.

Put away your phone and quit skulking in that dark corner. Be friendly and smile (this increases your perceived trustworthiness). Make great eye contact, show them they’re the center of your attention and you’re not just looking around for someone better to talk to.

Stand confidently with your feet pointing toward the person you’re conversing with. Keep your arms open (crossed arms communicate that you’re blocking people out).

If food and drinks are served, get them one at a time so you’ll always have a free hand to give a firm handshake. A handshake is a great way to both start and end a conversation.

5Play to Your Strengths

Not all networking situations will be a great fit for you. You’ll get the most out of your networking efforts by attending events where you know you’ll be able to shine.

Feel sharpest in the mornings? Sign up for the 7:00 a.m. breakfast. Confirmed night owl? Hit up the after-hours soiree. Love to mingle with the crowd? Head on over to that 500-person dinner.

Practice your conversation skills and body language in situations where you feel comfortable so you’ll have greater confidence when you attend events that push your boundaries.

And when you follow up with your new contacts, you can suggest activities that play to your strengths— whether that’s a one-on-one coffee date or drinks with a group of friends in your industry.

50 Awesome Holiday Words to Know This December

The holidays are upon us, and these winter celebrations with their many traditions each have a rich and varied vocabulary.

From Krampus to kinara, latke to plum pudding, frankincense to yule—there’s a whole host of fantastic holiday words to explore.

So broaden your lexicon and enter the holiday spirit with these fifty awesome holiday words!

1. Advent:

A Latin word meaning “coming;” the Christian season of expectant waiting and preparation beginning four Sundays before Christmas.

2. Bauble:

A small, decorative sphere hung from a Christmas tree.

3. Boxing Day:

A British holiday celebrated the day after Christmas; traditionally when servants and tradespeople were given a “Christmas Box” by employers.

4. Carol:

A festive song or hymn sung at Christmas.

5. Christmas:

A religious and cultural festival celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth that is typically observed on December 25th.

6. Chimney:

A hollow structure allowing smoke from an indoor fireplace to vent outside; also Santa Claus’s magical entryway into homes.

7. Dreidel:

A four-sided top used by children to play a gambling game during Hanukkah.

8. Druid:

A highly-educated priest or professional in the ancient Celtic cultures of Britain and Gaul.

9. Eggnog:

An alcoholic drink made with cream, sugar, eggs, and distilled spirits.

10. Elves:

Magical, pointy-eared creatures who build toys for well-behaved children.

11. Epiphany:

A Christian feast day celebrated on January 6th, commemorating the Magi’s visit to the baby Jesus.

12. Father Christmas:

The English personification of Christmas, now synonymous with Santa Claus.

13. Feliz Navidad:

A Spanish phrase meaning “Happy Christmas.”

14. Frankincense:

An incense symbolizing holiness.

15. Gingerbread:

A cookie made with molasses and ginger.

16. Grinch:

A grouchy spoilsport who doesn’t enjoy Christmas.

17. Hanukkah:

The eight-day “festival of lights” commemorating the rededication of the Jewish temple around 200 B.C. The holiday is celebrated by lighting candles, eating fried foods, playing games, and giving gifts.

18. Holly:

An evergreen bush with red berries and prickly leaves used as winter holiday decoration in pagan and Christian traditions.

19. Immanuel:

A Hebrew name meaning “God with us.”

20. Jolly:

Cheerful and good-humored.

21. Kinara:

A candle holder for the seven candles lit during Kwanzaa.

22. Krampus:

A half-goat half-demon character of European folklore who punishes misbehaving children during Christmas.

23. Kwanzaa:

A seven-day festival celebrating African American cultural heritage, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. Festivities include candle lighting, singing, storytelling, poetry reading, and feasting.

24. Lapland:

A region in Finland rumored to be where Santa Claus lives.

25. Latkes:

Pancakes made of grated potato, fried in oil, and served during Hanukkah.

26. Magi:

The Zoroastrian priests of ancient Persia. According to tradition, three of these “wise men” visited the infant Jesus.

27. Manger:

An open box or trough holding food for livestock.

28. Mele Kalikimaka:

A phonetic translation of “Merry Christmas” into the Hawaiian language.

29. Menorah:

A nine-branched candelabrum used during Hanukkah.

30. Miracle:

An extraordinary and welcome event, unexplainable by scientific laws.

31. Mistletoe:

A parasitic plant with white berries, hung from doorways as a Christmas decoration. People are expected to kiss when standing beneath it.

32. Mittens:

Gloves with one opening for the thumb and another for the four fingers.

33. Myrrh:

A fragrant oil symbolizing suffering and mortality.

34. Nativity:

The place and conditions of a birth; commonly used to refer to the birth of Jesus.

35. Naughty:

Badly-behaved. “Naughty” children traditionally received coal from Santa Claus instead of presents.

36. Noel:

“The Christmas season”; derived from Old French.

37. North Pole:

Believed by many Westerners to be Santa Claus’s home.

38. Nutcracker:

A device used to crack open the shells of nuts.

39. Plum Pudding:

A steamed Christmas cake resembling a cannonball, filled with dried fruit.

40. Poinsettia:

A Mexican shrub first used as a Christmas decoration by Franciscan friars in the 17th century.

41. Santa Claus:

A mythical, white-bearded man clad in red who delivers presents to well-behaved children on Christmas Eve; based on legends of the historic Saint Nicholas’s generosity.

42. Sleigh:

A sled typically pulled by horses or reindeer.

43. Stocking:

A long sock, traditionally filled with small Christmas gifts.

44. Tidings:

Breaking news.

45. Tinsel:

Slender strips of shiny metallic foil used as Christmas decorations.

46. Toboggan:

A long, wooden sled used to coast down snow-covered hills.

47. Wassail:

A hot, spiced cider drink, traditionally served to poor carolers by their wealthy neighbors.

48. Winter Solstice:

The first day of winter and shortest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere).

49. Wreath:

A circular arrangement of greenery or flowers.

50. Yule:

A pagan festival celebrating rebirth and renewal, held on the winter solstice.

Are Emojis Language?

Whether you love them or hate them, you have to admit, emojis have taken over. Following the latest update by the Unicode Consortium, the body that dictates language on digital devices, there are now 1,085 officially-recognized emojis in circulation. Five years after their introduction in the United States, emojis have started to dominate messaging and social media apps. Swyft estimates that 6 billion of the emotion pictures are sent in messaging apps every day, and Instagram reports that over half of all Instagram posts include at least one emoji.

We can all agree they’re popular, but here’s a different question: do emojis count as language, modern hieroglyphics, or some other form of pictorial communication?

What Makes a Language?

It can be difficult to decide when a new mode of communication is a “language” rather than a dialect within a larger linguistic landscape. Often, things considered by some as discreet languages are in fact creoles or dialects that do not differ enough to branch completely from parent languages. However, as with many aspects of culture, new innovations emerge, and occasionally these are distinguished as entirely new languages.

According to Johanna Nichols, former professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley, the gold standard for distinguishing languages is “mutual intelligibility.” In other words, if a speaker of one language and a speaker of another try to converse, will they understand one another? If the answer is “yes,” the second speaker is using some sort of dialect. If the answer is “no”, that person has created or adopted a new language.

However, the mutual intelligibility concept doesn’t always provide a clear picture of how languages relate to each other, since some dialects seem more different from each other than certain groups of languages do. For example, Americans might have trouble understanding Southeast Asian pidgin English speakers, but Spanish speakers might catch the gist of something said in Portuguese. Also, this does not help us to determine whether an entirely new communicative system is, in fact a language. Are emojis merely images that might be interpreted differently by different groups of people? Or are they universal?

If you’re interested in learning more about how languages become officially recognized, check out this list of books on the evolution of English.

Communicative System vs. Hieroglyphics vs. Language

Before we get to emojis as language proper, let’s debunk one misconception—emojis are not hieroglyphics. Although they may represent a shift back toward more representative characters, they function very differently from hieroglyphics. As prominent Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch pointed out in a recent SXSW presentation on the subject, language has moved from more concrete characters to less concrete versions, allowing humans to communicate abstract concepts.

Unfortunately, most signs point to emojis lacking the characteristics of a true language. For example, when given a string of emojis, two people will not always interpret them the same way. Additionally, emojis cannot be conjugated or combined in ways that function like a true linguistic system, meaning that, although they are a helpful bunch of symbols, they aren’t “a particular, conventionalized system for representing abstract meaning, like English or Japanese or ASL.”

One thing is for certain: emojis are a communicative system. They allow people to communicate emotions, actions, or impressions that they don’t feel they can express in text. The Oxford English Dictionary supports this analysis of emojis, and cites it as the reason they made the “tears of joy” emoji their Word of the Year in 2015.

The Verdict? It’s Complicated

If you adhere to the strictest definition of language, emojis definitely do not make the cut. However, if you define a language as “a system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other,” emojis have a chance. Whether or not they can replace English or any other formal language, emojis have evolved into a meaningful communicative system, allowing users worldwide to express feelings, thoughts, and ideas in new visual ways.

It may be some time before a major linguistic authority like Merriam-Webster or the OED comes to a definitive verdict about emojis as a distinct language. In the meantime, it’s interesting to track patterns in our usage of emojis. Are we using them instead of words? To replace phrases? As simple visual aids to our written texts?

Whether or not emojis are a language in their own right, they represent an interesting and deeply entertaining evolution of language worldwide. And that’s not a bad thing. ?

How to Write an Outline: 4 Ways to Organize Your Thoughts

When I was a novice writer, I chafed at the idea of using an outline. I was certain organizing my thoughts in advance would stifle my creativity and make my writing stiff and uninspired. After all, how can serendipity happen if you’ve got everything planned?

But then I started creating content for a living, and I needed to turn out several polished articles every week. I write at least 240,000 words per year to earn my keep. That’s only about half of War and Peace, but it still feels like a lot. I try to write quickly so I’m not still awake toiling away at the keyboard at 1 a.m. with a cup of tea and a couple of graham crackers. (1 a.m. graham cracker calories do seem to count, by the way.)

I discovered that it was taking me a long time to finish my articles because, when my creative mind was unfettered, I had a tendency to ramble in a chaotic stream of consciousness that I would then have to go back and structure in order for it to make sense. Not only that, but I would over-research. I’d wind up with a thousand words before I realized I was only one third of the way through my article. I’d have to go back, refocus, trim down, and sometimes even start over.

And so, I started outlining. And it saved me. Not only from sleep deprivation, but from graham-cracker weight gain. Here’s my step-by-step process. And it works!

1 Do some reconnaissance reading.

Unless I know my topic inside and out, I start with a little reconnaissance reading. I head to Google and look at what others have written on my topic. I try to think of new and interesting ways to address it. I look for an angle.

The easiest way to find an angle is to look for knowledge gaps in the articles you scan. Let’s use this article as an example. I searched to see what others had written on the topic of how to write an outline. I found a lot on the basics of structure, but not much about how to actually use outlines to improve the organization of your writing. Voila! An angle!

As you’re reading, take notes when you see interesting research or quotes you might want to share. Note the URLs, too, so you can reference them with links in your article. I keep my notes in a Google Doc on the same page where I’m eventually going to create my outline and write my article. Having all the information in one place will allow you to write faster when the time comes.

Here’s a tip: Don’t go too far down the research rabbit hole! Remember, you’re just doing a little reconnaissance reading. It’s easy to over-research, which wastes valuable writing time. Plan to write first, and then add research later.

2 Write down your objective.

Now that you’ve figured out an angle, it’s helpful to write down an objective. What do you want the reader to understand by the end of this article? Put some thought into your objective and see if you can write it in one sentence. My objective for this article was:

At the end of this article, readers will understand why outlines are useful and how to use them to organize their writing.

Everything you write should support your objective. An objective will help you stay focused and prevent you from drifting off on tangents.

Here’s a tip: Academic papers often include a thesis statement. A thesis states a premise or theory that your paper will go on to prove. It’s different from an objective. If you need more specific help with writing a thesis statement, try checking with any university writing center.

3 Create a list of all the main points you want to make.

I often begin this step while I’m doing my recon reading and ideas are popping into my head. This can be a quick brainstorming process. Don’t invest a lot of energy in organizing just yet. You’ll get to that in the next step.

4 Organize, revise, and eliminate.

Now it’s time to organize the list of points. Figure out the structure of your article. Will it work well as numbered how-to steps? A listicle? In standard essay format?

Take a look at the points you’ve jotted down and begin putting them into a logical order. Cross-check each point to make certain that it’s relevant to your objective. If you’ve strayed off the path and included extra information that doesn’t really fit the scope of your article, eliminate it.

Here’s a tip: Save things that don’t make it into your article—information that was extraneous to the article you’re working on now but may be interesting enough to pursue in a separate article some other time. I keep an idea file that I store as a Google Doc. Reference your file when you need a little article inspiration.

You may come across a few things that don’t quite fit into your article as their own sections, but seem important to mention nonetheless. Those elements make great sidebars. In this article, you’ll see them used as tips. Pretty nifty, huh?

As you revise, start putting your outline into a standard format. You don’t have to be too formal about this process, just organize everything into a bulleted or numbered list. (If you want to be traditional, use Roman numerals. I think they make my outlines look fancy.) Include topic segments. Under each topic segment, indent and include the points you’ll discuss in each paragraph. You don’t have to get too granular here—all you’re looking for is enough information to help you remember where you’re going and keep you organized and on track. My outline for this article looked like this:

I. Intro

A. I didn’t used to outline

B. Becoming a professional writer made me change my tune

C. Outlining brings structure to chaos

II. Do some recon reading

A. Look for angle, ways the topic has not been covered

1. Look for knowledge gaps

B. Take notes while you’re reading/record URLs

C. Don’t go too far down the research rabbit hole

III. Make a quick list of the points you want to make

IV. Organize the list into a formal outline

A. Get rid of anything that doesn’t support objective

1. Save extra stuff in a clip file for future use

B. Some extra stuff is worth keeping as tips/sidebars

C. Demonstrate standard outline format

An outline isn’t a prison—it’s there to guide you, not control you. You can take conscious detours, or change things around as you write. Outlines are just guidelines, so they shouldn’t feel restrictive. And yet, you’ll be surprised how the simple act of creating one will give your articles more structure and keep them focused and on-point. You’ll write with more clarity, and you’ll do it all faster and more efficiently. Outlines for the win!