For All Intents and Purposes—How to Use It

• “For all intents and purposes” means “in effect.”
• Don’t confuse this expression with the eggcorn “for all intensive purposes.”

If you conduct business, you have probably run across the phrase “for all intents and purposes.” What does this expression mean? Understanding the sense of the words will help you avoid a common but costly mistake.

The Bits and Pieces of Intents and Purposes

The first step is to understand the key elements of the phrase. An intent is a purpose, meaning, or design. A purpose is a reason that something exists or is done, the intended result of something, or the point at issue.

The Origin

The phrase “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” dates from sixteenth-century English law. Later, the shortened “for (or to) all intents and purposes” became more popular than the original phrase. It means “in every practical sense” or “virtually.” Even back then, lawyers liked to cover all their bases! An idiom is an expression whose meaning doesn’t correspond wholly or literally to the meaning of its individual words, or that doesn’t follow the usual grammatical conventions of a language. “For all intents and purposes” is idiomatic; the all doesn’t always include every intent or purpose. In short, it can mean “for all functional purposes, in effect.”

How to Use It

Let’s turn to journalism to discern how to use this phrase. Here are some quotes from around the web. Notice how the writer uses the idiom to mean “virtually” or “in effect.”

The weekend is, for all intents and purposes, an East Coast championship for drone pilots hoping to qualify for the U.S. National Drone Racing Championships, set for Aug. 5-7 in New York City. ―The Roanoke Times

“Our concern is we’ve got the trail essentially completed,” Sales said. “For all intents and purposes, it looks like the trail is open.” ―Napa Valley Register

With the roof up, the Targa feels to all intents and purposes like a 911 coupe. ―The Telegraph

The Wrong Way to Write It

If you intend to convey the sense of “in effect,” you don’t want to make the error of writing “for all intensive purposes.” This phrase is an eggcorn, a misheard or misunderstood phrase that an interlocutor transforms into a new word or phrase. (The name eggcorn comes from the tendency for some people to mishear the word acorn as eggcorn). So, “for intensive purposes” probably developed when someone misheard the similar-sounding “for all intents and purposes.” Intensive means thorough, vigorous, or concentrated. It’s evident from the context that most instances of “intensive purposes” should have been “intents and purposes.” Consider an example:

Since taking the new coaching position over a month ago, UNLV’s Marvin Menzies has been working fast and furious to broaden the depth of the trimmed down roster that he inherited during a chaotic post season in Vegas. For all intensive purposes, and considering the dire situation, the Rebel roster has certainly filled out with needed difference makers added every few weeks. ― MWConnection.com

If you make that mistake, it can distract your readers from your real message. If you remember what “for all intents and purposes” means, you should be able to use it correctly. If in doubt, you can always use a synonym like “in effect” or “virtually.”

15 Words Invented by Shakespeare

Guest post from Mignon Fogarty

The 452nd anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth is coming. He is not only known as a timeless playwright, but also as a prolific inventor of words. Although modern researchers have found that some words originally attributed to him, such as puke, have earlier sources, there are still many that hold up today as Shakespeare’s creations according to the Oxford English Dictionary:

Bandit

Henry VI, Part 2. 1594

Critic

Love’s Labour Lost. 1598.

Dauntless

Henry VI, Part 3. 1616.

Dwindle

Henry IV, Part 1. 1598.

Elbow (as a verb)

King Lear. 1608.

Green-Eyed (to describe jealousy)

The Merchant of Venice. 1600.

Lackluster

As You Like It. 1616.

Lonely

Coriolanus. 1616.

Skim-milk

Henry IV, Part 1. 1598.

Swagger

Midsummer Night’s Dream. 1600.

Shakespeare must have loved the prefix un- because he created or gave new meaning to more than 300 words that begin with it. Here are just a few:

Unaware

Venus & Adonis. 1593.

Uncomfortable

Romeo & Juliet. 1599

Undress

Taming of the Shrew. 1616.

Unearthly

A Winter’s Tale. 1616

Unreal

Macbeth. 1623

Visit the Grammar Girl site to learn about famous Shakespearean phrases and insults.

About the Author

Mignon Fogarty is the founder the Quick and Dirty Tipspodcast network and creator of Grammar Girl, which was named one of Writer’s Digest‘s 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Mignon is the author of the New York Times best-seller Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing and six other books on writing.Sheappeared as a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show and has been featured in the New York Times, Business Week, the Washington Post, USA Today, CNN.com, and more. She hates the phrase “grammar nazi” and loves the word “kerfuffle.”

Comma Before While

• Don’t use a comma before while when you mean “during the same time.”
• Do use a comma before while when you mean “whereas” or “although.”

When while is used as a conjunction, it has two meanings. One meaning is related to time. In the temporal sense, while describes something that is happening at the same time as something else. The other meaning of while indicates a contrast. In this sense, it means “whereas” or “although.”

No Comma With While Means “At the Same Time”

Don’t use a comma before while when you’re talking about two things happening at the same time.

I decided to take a nap under my desk while everyone else was in the meeting.

I decided to take a nap under my desk, while everyone else was in the meeting.

Let’s order the curtains while they’re still on sale.

Let’s order the curtains, while they’re still on sale.

Comma With While Means “Whereas” or “Although”

Use a comma before while in the middle of a sentence when you mean “whereas” or “although.”

I prefer chocolate cake, while my sister prefers key lime pie.

I prefer chocolate cake while my sister prefers key lime pie.

The price of eggs is rising, while the price of milk has stayed the same.

The price of eggs is rising while the price of milk has stayed the same.

While at the Beginning of a Sentence

When while is the first word of your sentence, you obviously shouldn’t add a comma in front of it. But if you’re using while to mean “whereas,” you still need to put a comma somewhere. Put it at the end of the clause that while introduces. The comma should go between the things that are happening at the same time.

While my sister prefers key lime pie, I prefer chocolate cake.

While the price of milk has stayed the same, the price of eggs is rising.

Waking the Muse: How to Find Inspiration

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” – Jack London

Many writers are of the mistaken opinion that great work only comes when they are inspired, but that’s backwards. A writer doesn’t wait for inspiration to find them; a writer creates inspiration by starting to write, even when they don’t feel like it. The simple act of writing will kickstart your brain and let your Muse know that it’s time to get started. However, for those times when nothing seems to work and your writing just feels bad, here are a few ways to inspire yourself.

Yeah, it’s counter-intuitive – but it works. A friend once told me she was having trouble working the dialogue out of her story. She told me how the character was obsessed with his work and couldn’t break away from it. Then she told me she had spent every day for three weeks on the novel. I told her to take a break; she was projecting her own worries onto the character. A few days later, she was able to return to the novel without difficulty. Relaxing allows your subconscious to work out the problems while your conscious mind takes a well-earned break.

Free write.

Don’t worry about writing anything in particular. Just jot your thoughts down into a journal. It’s usually better to do free writing and journaling by hand; it connects you with the writing more than the keyboard does. Spend just fifteen minutes writing down whatever comes to mind, even if it’s just the phrase, “I don’t know what to write,” over and over again.

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent van Gogh

Go somewhere different to write.

If you normally write at your desk, go to a coffee shop. If you always write indoors, take your laptop and go to the park. Changing up your surroundings can spark inspiration in the most unlikely of ways, and sometimes it can be fun to change your approach to writing.

Consume plot.

“Read” doesn’t adequately convey this idea, as the best writers look to a lot of different places to find inspiration. Find a great book that you enjoy. Revisit an old classic. Turn on the television and watch something new. Go online and browse fan fiction. Taking in all the forms of storytelling you can handle will inspire you. You’ll have your own personal take on a plot, or see an element that you can apply to your own work. Besides, what’s more inspirational than seeing the success of other storytellers?

Go for a walk.

Many times, the block on our writing is self imposed. Your consciousness is getting in the way. If you let your mind go blank and just take in the sights and sounds of the world around you, your brain will sort everything out. In addition, it has been shown that walking improves your creativity. You’ll burn off some of those calories and spark your mind at the same time!

Inspiration isn’t some sort of mystical force that only comes around when it feels the time is right. It’s there, inside of you, right now. You just have to find it. Like Jack London said, chase it with a club. Force it to work for you. Don’t be a slave to the need for inspiration.

What inspires you to write?

15 More Sources of Inspiration for Content Creators

Writers of the world, unite! Creators of content are always on the lookout for more, well, content. Sometimes that means research, sometimes that means tips on building a business, and sometimes that just means looking at cool stuff and feeling inspired.

If you’re a fiction writer, content marketer, journalist, designer, or other kind of content creator in search of suggestions specific to the type of writing you do, head on over to Grammarly’s colossal list of tips, techniques, ideas, and sources for all your content creation needs (and maybe more). If you’ve exhausted that list and are already out for more—or on the flip side, if you’re not into job-specific how-tos and would rather explore broader sources of inspiration—this is the list for you. Here, Grammarly has compiled cool sites about writing, reminders to keep reading, and creative sources with a human focus. There are also inspirations to tune into on a daily basis and sites to support you in writing specific genres of fiction. Whether you’re looking for tips on a particular project or just want new sources of motivation (and maybe a giggle or two), there’s something here for you.

Reading, Writing, and Watching

Goodreads If you’re in the writing game, chances are you’ve heard that the most important thing you can do for your writing is reading. Goodreads lets you keep track of books you’ve read, find others like them, and read and write reviews (some bloggers use it as a gateway to lure readers to their own sites). Plus, there’s a blog, news about and interviews with featured authors, and awards for books of the year. Whether you’re looking for something to read, a place to write, or a list of titles that are already taken, Goodreads has mountains of material for you.

Subway Book Review Existing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and online, SBR gives you black-and-white photos of subway riders holding their favorite reads, followed by each photo subject’s words on why the book they’re carrying is important, interesting, or generally worth a read. The creator takes shots of people with real, paper books only: she says of her subjects, “They tell me about their lives and they tell me secrets and they tell me all of these magical things. I don’t think that a tablet or an iPhone can do that in the same way.” The project combines human interest with book recommendations. What could be better?

Wordstuck If you think you’ve got a big vocabulary, you might get stuck on the words on this site. Wordstuck posts obscure words in English and other languages that are bound to level-up your lexicon, or at least provide fun trivia. Whether you have to cope with palinolia (English: obsessive repetition to the point of perfection) around your vocabulary or just want to impress your parea (Greek: group of friends), Wordstuck will have something for you. Plus, it offers great visuals to accompany each word.

The Writers’ Helpers Not sure what to write? The Writers’ Helpers provides daily prompt challenges and monthly contests to go along with each prompt. Some prompts are for fiction, some for nonfiction, and most can be spun however you desire. Whether you want to join the competition or are just looking for a cornucopia of new ideas, these helpers have something for every writer.

Humans of New York Begun as a photography project, expanded to include interviews with photography subjects, and now spun off into two books, Humans of New York aims to “create an exhaustive catalogue of the city’s inhabitants.” With often intimate portraits and quotes or stories about the people pictured, HONY has gained an enormous social media following. HONY’s Facebook and Instagram started the phenomenon, but there are lots of copycat sites, from Humans of Bombay to Humans of Toronto. That’s the power of making strangers seem a little less strange.

Inspirations of the Day

Pun of the day That just about puns it up.

Whether you like to use jokes in your writing or not, sometimes a good (bad) pun can provide the spark that lights your own creativity—or at least gives you a laugh (or an eye roll) to boost your mood and set you on your way.

Earthshots Photo of the Day What’s more inspiring than beautiful photos of nature? Earthshots has got you covered every day of the year. A great writing prompt: pick a photo and describe it—or alternately, describe a scene that happens there. Or if that’s more work than you’re looking for, just look at the pictures. We promise, they’re pretty.

National Geographic Another spot for shots of the day, plus explorations of nature, people, and unfamiliar corners of the Earth that are bound to make you learn something. Nothing like new knowledge to help you think outside the box.

Brainy Quote Whether you’re into seeing a quote of the day or you’re on the lookout for something specific, Brainy Quote has an enormous repository of quotations from famous folks around the world and throughout history. Search authors, browse pictures, and explore topics like love, politics, knowledge, fear, or friendship. Whether you’re looking for something specific or need an inspirational boost, you’re more likely to be overwhelmed by possibilities than come up short.

Word of the day Whether you want to expand your vocabulary, test your knowledge, or practice your craft by incorporating specific words into your writing, it’s worth checking out Dictionary.com’s word of the day (or alternately, the daily word picked by Merriam-Webster, Word Think, or other similar sites). Many also have email newsletters you can subscribe to, so there’s no chance of skimping on your daily word.

Sites for Genre-Specific Writers

SF Site If you write science fiction or just have been bit by the sci-fi bug (sorry: body-invading alien), this is a great place for resources, reviews, news, interviews, and everything intergalactic. If you want more where that came from, the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction lists lots of additional resources for sci-fi readers and writers, while Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America is a must-join organization for writing professionals in the genres.

Fantasy Writers You guessed it: this is a site for fantasy writers (and readers) to read and participate in forum discussions, find updates, read other people’s stories (including ones by published authors), and explore resources to help the writing process. There’s also a monthly writing challenge. You have to sign up to see stories others have submitted, but if you want to find a community of fellow fantasy writers, it’s worth your time. To see more fantasy sites, check out this list.

Kidlit If you write for children or young adults, a site that labels itself as being about how to write and publish children’s books will be a good pitstop. The site is regularly updated with general blog posts, and has sections on the ins and outs of publishing, revision suggestions for books targeted to different ages, and general advice.

Writing Romance This list of resources is compiled by Writing World, a site with tips about the career and practice of writing professionally. The section on romance has guides on the basics of romance, characters, and plot, as well as specific posts on topics ranging from how to craft romantic dialogue and emotional scenes to details like humor, suspense, avoiding cliché, and picking the right title. Plenty to fall in love with here.

Writing the Mystery Also put together by Writing World, this list compiles resources for researching and writing mystery and crime novels. If you’re planning to write in this genre, you probably need to brush up on your forensics. Beyond the researching side of writing, there are also tips on the right kind of dialogue to match your plot, creating a crime scene, and giving your killer a motive. With these resources, your mystery stories will be dead-on.

There you have it: ways to keep reading and writing, inspirational tidbits, and genre-specific sources to keep you going. For more sources on careers in writing and creativity in general, check out our list of inspirational online content.

The one problem with all this cool content: with so much out there to pay attention to, you’ll have to make sure you make time to create your own, too.

Political Correction: How “PC” and “Reclaimed” Words Got Their Start

Any Google News search for “political correctness” will yield three general groups of results: pieces slamming one public figure or another for their lack of politically correct discourse, thinkpieces describing why the “PC police” are ruining free speech, and articles debating whether certain actions or speech patterns are “politically correct.”

While online pundits and thinkpiece authors spend a lot of energy debating whether terms or usages are PC, or condemning certain figures for their use or avoidance of PC language, there aren’t as many discussions about the history of politically correct language. Why do some English speakers distinguish appropriate terms from slurs, insults, and problematic figures of speech? Also, what does it mean when other English speakers say they are “reclaiming” or “reappropriating” a word?

What Is Politically Correct Language?

Let’s start this discussion of political correctness with a working definition of “politically correct” that goes beyond South Park’s “PC Principal.” According to Merriam-Webster’s definition, this means,

agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.

As we can see from this definition, political correctness begins with a belief in using inclusive language—words and phrases that have not historically been used to demean, belittle, or insult any particular group of people. An English speaker who doesn’t believe in using inclusive language is probably not in favor of political correctness, either.

Although it’s true that inclusive language is more than political correctness, one of the biggest misconceptions about PC language is that it’s a new phenomenon. The Harvard Political Review tracked the history of the phrase “politically correct” and found that the term has been used since the 1700s, although it didn’t take on its current meaning until the 1960s. In the ’60s, political parties in the United States would debate whether actions, policies, and language were “correct,” with procedural, almost clinical connotations. The next usage shift came in the 1990s, when “PC” began to take on negative connotations for some political parties in the U.S., even as it was wholeheartedly adopted by others. Today, “politically correct” can be used in many contexts, from debates that hark back to the political procedure discussions to condemnations of any limitation of speech.

A (Brief) History of Reappropriation

Of course, if a word is deemed politically incorrect by a person or group, then who decides whether or when it’s appropriate to use again? This is where reappropriation and reclamation of language enter the PC landscape. And like political correctness itself, these have a long academic history.

“Reclamation” (or the related term “reappropriation”) has been used in the field of social science since the mid-1960s, often in reference to either tangible assets lost by certain groups (land, natural resources) or cultural customs believed to be lost (traditions, language). Although its official definition varies with use, “reappropriation” involves a group bringing back an idea, custom, or object that had once been used by others in a way the group perceived as negative or hurtful. For example, the term “queer” was reclaimed by some members of the LGBT community in the 1990s, when the former slur started to have new meaning as a sexual or gender identifier.

If you look at the Google Ngram chart below, you’ll notice that the frequency of the word “reclamation” has remained low but steady in printed books since the early 1910s. The more active “reclaim,” however, began rising in popularity in the 1960s, overtaking its academic predecessor in the mid-1990s. Additionally, “problematic,” a term often lobbed at words deemed inappropriate because of their derogatory or prejudiced nature, rose sharply in popularity starting in the 1970s and reaching a peak in the late ’90s.

So, it would seem that as political correctness was gaining new meaning in the 1960s and 1990s, the discussion of reclamation or reappropriation of language was similarly piquing public interest. But what does this history have to do with the state of PC and reclaimed discourse today?

What Is “Reclaiming” a Word?

Although numerous groups have reclaimed words or phrases, here’s what the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network has to say about reclaimed language:

As language evolves, some individuals and communities choose to identify with terms that had previously been used as slurs against them. These words are “reclaimed” and given new meaning, often imbued with a sense of pride and resilience. Examples include “queer,” “dyke,” and “tranny,” among others. It’s important to remember that identity is unique to each individual; not all members of a community readily accept the use of reclaimed words, as they may still find them offensive and hurtful.

This definition, and others like it, exist across multiple groups who are currently working to “reclaim” certain words once deemed offensive or politically incorrect. The examples above are specific to the LGBTQ community, which has reclaimed numerous words over the years. But it maps back to the larger trend outlined by Merriam-Webster’s definition of the word “reclaim”:

to get back (something that was lost or taken away)

But why would you want to “get back” something that was once used to degrade your identity?

According to Tony Thorne, curator of the Slang and New Language archive at Kings College, it’s a simple issue of control. If you control the language, you can control the narrative about your group. As he says, “Reappropriation of ethnic and sexual slurs starts as an act of bravado by a few of the oppressed, then may become an empowering mechanism for a much wider community.” Under this reasoning, reclaiming a potentially negative word like “queer” could help members of the LGBT community feel as though they’ve changed the narrative about sexual or gender identity. It also can allow English to reuse once politically incorrect words as positive watchwords for certain interested people or groups. As GLSEN mentions above, though, people outside these marginalized groups should be careful when using reclaimed words, since they can still be offensive to certain people, even if their definitions and usage are rapidly changing.

English Evolves

However we may personally feel about either political correctness or reclaiming language, there is one fact all English speakers must acknowledge—English evolves. Any grammar pedant who claims a static set of rules for English needs a gentle history lesson; English has always changed and always will.

So, whether the Internet implodes because of the PC debate or not, English speakers will continue to change the rules for accepted terms and usage among certain groups. When you find yourself uncertain about a potentially loaded term, it helps to ask members of certain groups which words they prefer. If that’s not a possibility, it may also help to avoid some new or changing words you aren’t entirely sure how to use.

Of course, not everyone agrees that politically correct language is important. But let me challenge us all to take ten seconds to consider how our words may affect others. Let’s all try harder to make the Internet a more inclusive place. Perhaps we can create a future state of English that allows people to define themselves however they choose, in whatever terms they deem fit. If those terms are accepted by the wider English-speaking public, great! If not, perhaps we should allow previously unheard voices to introduce themselves in their own words.

Finally, to those who dislike political correctness and reclaimed words, let’s talk about it! Leave a comment below to continue the discourse on this language trend.

“Seasonal” Words: Do They Exist?

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language,

Henry James once wrote.

With the start of spring and the promise of summer, now is a good time to think about seasonal words. Writers, by nature, are collectors of words and catchy turns of phrase, but are there some that should be retired when they fall out of season? Look to literature for inspiration.

Words for Spring

Spring is associated with birth and youth, and the emergence of color after drab winter days. Vernal, verdant, fertile, burgeoning, and callow are favorite spring words, as are blossoming, sprouting, and bursting forth. A line from Rainer Maria Rilke says it best:

Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.

Spring is also the perfect time to express words of love. Pablo Neruda, master of love poems, invokes spring themes:

I want to do to you what spring does with the cherry trees.

You can’t help thinking of romance with spring-like phrases such as breathe in and come alive.

Words for Summer

In summer, the song sings itself.

wrote William Carlos Williams. Summer is the season of daydreams, beach walks, and carefree afternoons soaking up the sun. Languid, languorous, and leisurely are favorite summer words, as are jaunty, jovial, and happy-go-lucky.

Summer is also the season of heat and passion. Think sizzling, sweltering, searing, and scorched. In Mad in Pursuit, Violette Leduc describes summer well:

I walk without flinching through the burning cathedral of summer.

Of course, no summer vocabulary is complete without recreational words like picnic, cookout, camp, and vacation.

Words for Autumn

Autumn is the only season that has two names. The word fall for the third season appeared in the 16th century; prior to that time, only summer and winter were defined seasons with names. Spring and fall were shortened from “spring of the leaf” and “fall of the leaf” to define the in-between seasons.

Fall is the season of harvest, of crisp weather, and (of course) pumpkin spice latte. William Blake’s famous poem “To Autumn” begins,

Oh Autumn, laden with fruit and stained with the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit beneath my shady roof.

Autumn is crackling, golden, and vibrant – a cornucopia of color.

Back to school sale, Indian summer, and pumpkin patch are uniquely autumn phrases that rarely get used once fall has passed.

Words for Winter

When winter comes, it brings words such as snowflake, shiver, frostbite, and flurry. John Updike wrote of winter:

The day is short, the sun a spark hung thin between the dark and dark.

Earmuffs, parka, mittens, boots – winter has its own wardrobe of words. It has its own menu, too: hot cocoa, hearty stew, fruitcake, Christmas cookies, and milk.

Some winter words melt away with spring: icicle, hibernate, toboggan, snowball fight, wind chill factor, and arctic blast.

Words for Holidays

Each holiday has a unique lexicon of seasonal words. New Year’s Eve brings resolutions and Auld Lang Syne. April heralds Easter bunnies and Easter bonnets, egg rolls and egg hunts, and the iconic marshmallow Peep. In July, we get fireworks, parades, and patriotism wrapped in the American flag. Christmas is the mother lode: Santa, mistletoe, Black Friday, eggnog, nutcracker, Scrooge, tinsel, wassail, carol, and Yule.

Most words are evergreen and show up all year round, but some words evoke seasonal memories and feel out of place when they’re used out of turn. Pumpkin pie and picnic, for example, elicits a seasonal disconnect.

What are some of your favorite words to conjure up a warm spring day or a cold winter night?