It’s a Barnyard Full of Animal Idioms

These idioms about animals are the cat’s meow. Here’s a short list of animal-related idioms and what they mean:

• Curiosity Killed the Cat: asking a lot of questions can get you into trouble.

I’d be careful with your investigation. Curiosity killed the cat, after all.

• Cry Wolf: give a cry for help or alarm when there is no danger.

He cried wolf so many times before that when he was attacked, no one came to his rescue.

• Beat a Dead Horse: talk about an idea or issue over and over again.

I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I really think we need to go over our sales strategy again.

• Sick As a Dog: incredibly sick.

I tried to get out of bed this morning, but I’m sick as a dog.

• For the Birds: something that is not worth one’s time; unimportant.

Don’t worry about those little details; they’re for the birds.

• Smell a rat: suspect inauthenticity or deliberate trickery.

He says he just wants to help our cause, but I smell a rat.

If you want to learn more about idioms, read this post explaining idioms about money.

Capital vs. Capitol

• Capital can be a noun or an adjective. Capital can refer to uppercase letters, accumulated wealth, or the city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government.
• A capitol is a building in which the legislative body of government meets.
• In the United States, the Capitol is a building in Washington in which the US Congress meets.
• Capitol Hill is a metonym for the US Congress, but also a neighborhood in Washington DC.

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With only one letter setting them apart from each other, capital and capitol are two easily confused words. The fact that both are often used when talking about politics or the government doesn’t help, either.

Definition of Capital

As an adjective, capital can describe uppercase letters, punishments that involve execution, something that relates to wealth, or something that is most serious, important, or influential:

The word “January” is always written with a capital J.

Mary was always against capital punishment.

We saw an increase in capital gains in the last quarter.

Peter’s capital offense was his unwillingness to say he’s sorry.

Some people think that The Old Man and the Sea is not Hemingway’s capital work.

As a noun, capital can refer to an amount of accumulated wealth, an uppercase letter, or a city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government:

Once you’ve accumulated enough capital, you can think about investing it in start-up businesses.

When you write in all capitals it will seem like you’re shouting.

Paris is the capital of France.

Definition of Capitol

A capitol is a building in which a legislature operates. In the United States, the Capitol is building in Washington DC where the United States Congress meets. Some countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia also have capitols; other countries, like Norway, Canada, and Kenya, call their legislative buildings parliaments:

In the United States, laws are passed in the Capitol; in the UK, they are passed in the Palace of Westminster; in Australia, they are passed in the Parliament House.

Capital and Capitol: Examples

But it frees up capital and adds 40 to 50 basis points to a key measure of Deutsche Bank’s financial health, its common equity Tier 1 capital ratio.

The Wall Street Journal

The thick smog that covers India’s capital of New Delhi has been identified as the worst the city has seen in 17 years.

The Weather Network

The letter, in which Mr Carney described himself as “Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant”, was branded at the top with a red-inked “Seen by the Queen” stamp in capital letters to show the sovereign had read the correspondence.

The Daily Telegraph

Nicolli had a big job—handling a big tree that will adorn the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn for the Christmas season.

KTVB

The capitol’s second floor houses a grand social hall where wakes of provincial government officials, grand balls, parties, concerts and meetings are held.

The Inquirer

Spelling Plurals with -s or -es

If a word ends in ‑s, ‑sh, ‑ch, ‑x, or ‑z, you add ‑es. For almost all other nouns, add -s to pluralize.

How to Spell Plural Nouns: With -es or -s?

When do you add ‑s and when do you add ‑es to make a plural noun? It’s not quite as arbitrary as it may seem.

If a word ends in ‑s, ‑sh, ‑ch, ‑x, or ‑z, you add ‑es. Consider the examples below:

I had to take only one bus; you had to take two buses. I had to do only one wash; you had to do two washes. I have a splotch on my shirt; you have two splotches. I’m carrying one box; you’re carrying two boxes. I heard one buzz; you heard two buzzes.

Some single nouns ending in -s or -z require more than the -es to form their plural versions. To pluralize these nouns, you must double the -s or -z before adding the -es. Some examples include:

Do you smell the gasses coming from the chemistry lab? How many fezzes can the boy possibly have?

All other regular nouns can be pluralized by simply adding an -s. These are just a few examples:

I have one cat; you have two cats. I have one cup; you have two cups. I have one shoe; you have two shoes. I have one ski; you have two skis. I have one toque; you have two toques.

Adding -s or -es to a noun to make it plural is the most common form of pluralization, but there are many other plural noun rules that apply to words with certain endings.

5 Books Every Aspiring Writer Should Read

When it comes to giving aspiring writers advice, famous authors have suggested everything from imagining you’re dying (Anne Enright) to abstaining from alcohol, sex, and drugs (Colm Tóibín). The one pointer that nearly every personality seems to agree on, though, is that anyone dreaming of penning the next great novel should read, read, read.

And while the rule seems to be the more books the merrier, here are a few top recommendations for those counting on being the next F. Scott Fitzgerald, Maya Angelou, or Bret Easton Ellis.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

Recommended by some of the best in the biz, including Man Booker Prize–winning author Hilary Mantel, Dorothea Brande’s 1930s meditation on the process of creative writing delves into what it takes to become a writer from the inside out. Neither a technical manual nor a reference book, Becoming a Writer is more aptly a friendly but blunt guide, alongside which beginners can explore the art of authorship, the discipline necessary to achieve a finished work, and the false belief that writers are born and not made.

Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems by Edgar Allan Poe

Though widely lauded as the inventor of the modern detective story, Edgar Allan Poe is also credited as being the first great American literary critic. This long-celebrated anthology offers up evidence of both, presenting aspiring writers with the opportunity to dissect the master craftsman’s essays on good writing and the “unity of effect” before devouring the very tales that brought his theories to life and bricked in (“Cask of Amontillado” anyone?) his place in literary history forever.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

If you’re an aspiring writer looking for an inspiring success story, some sort of experiential solidarity with one of the most bestselling authors of all time, and a handy textbook full of useful advice, Stephen King’s part-master-class, part- memoir is it. Readers not only get insight into how the famous storyteller became a writer and hurdled massive life challenges; they get a handy collection of tried-and-tested tips, from philosophical musings (The magic is in you) to grammatical lessons (Don’t use passive voice) to plot pointers (Leave out the boring parts and kill your darlings).

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

One of the most important things to keep in mind as an aspiring writer is that, in fact, there’s no right way to write a story. A point that’s wonderfully illustrated by the great William Faulkner and his seminal work, As I Lay Dying . The celebrated novelist broke with convention to tell the tale of a poor Southern family’s quest to bury their matriarch, Addie Bundren, in the town of Jefferson through not one, not two, but fifteen different narrators. Faulkner brazenly pairs this technique with what was at the time a seldom-used narrative device called stream of consciousness writing. The result was a risky, out-on-a-limb work that, along with his other publications, would eventually earn him the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

As one character so wisely tells another in Japanese sensation Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84,

When you introduce things that most readers have never seen before into a piece of fiction, you have to describe them with as much precision and in as much detail as possible. What you can eliminate from fiction is the description of things that most readers have seen.

Nowhere is this more vital than in speculative or science fiction, and arguably, few do it consistently better than Canadian author Margaret Atwood. While her Man Booker Prize–winning The Blind Assassin and Arthur C. Clarke Award–winning The Handmaid’s Tale are classics as much as primers in the art of constructing convincing settings, aspiring writers will find a formidable and incredibly inventive blueprint in the post-apocalyptic world of Oryx and Crake.

Did you learn something unforgettable about writing from a recent read? Let us know in the comment section or via our Facebook or Twitter feeds, and we’ll consider adding it to the list.

Five Golden Gags to Use at Your Holiday Party

We’ve hit the fifth day of LitMas, and we’re still going strong! If you’ve missed any of our previous LitMas gifts, here’s a quick summary:

On the fifth day of LitMas, Grammarly gave to (you) . . . Five golden gags, Four reading tips. Three French phrases, Two Christmas stories, And a poem that is wintery.

For our fifth installment, here are five games, jokes, and memes you can use at your office holiday party. Depending on where you work, we know these events can range from joyous to joyless. If you need something to entertain the boss or appease the trendy interns, we’ve got you covered! Try one of these jokes to keep the season bright and festive.

1 A Holiday Mad Lib to Entertain the Millennials

Who doesn’t love a good Mad Lib? We tested this holiday story in a hilariously raucous Facebook Live video that you can watch here. You can also read the resulting story below.

Dear Jonathan Taylor Thomas,

I received your letter with your gift requests, and I have a few questions. I appreciate you writing to me faithfully every year since you were teenage, and I know this year has been difficult for you, since your pet wombat passed away. You’ve been the tallest boy this year, and I’ve added you to the frisky list, of course. Also, I’m happy to get a pac man for your sister Jennifer Lawrence and crystal ball concert tickets for your brother Tom Hanks, and thank you for thinking of them during this warmest holiday season.

It was your list that struck me as odd. Why, for instance, do you need a bear under your tree? I highly doubt it will fit! I’m not sure I can procure lumber before December 25, since it’s very rare and expensive. Would you accept fuzzy socks instead? By the way, I’m not sure your mother Ellen or your father Denzel Washington would be very happy if I made you a chainsaw. They’re quite dangerous, you know! Could I just make you a toy truck instead?

Also, here are a few reminders for when I visit your house. Please make sure no creatures are stirring, not even an otter. Also, I require the customary baklava and wassail as I become quite famished on these gift-giving runs. (And don’t forget caviar for the reindeer!) Do you have a toaster? Will your parkas be hung by the toaster with care? For I certainly will be there!

I want to bring joy to all children, including you, so please advise on replacements for these items. I casually await your response.

With nostalgia, Santa

But why let Grammarly dominate the party? Surely you have a few millennials in your office who would benefit from a good go-to game this holiday season. Try this mad lib on your younger coworkers and let us know how it goes in the comments!

Dear [male child star],

I received your [form of communication] with your gift requests, and I have a few questions. I appreciate you writing to me faithfully every year since you were seven, and I know this year has been difficult for you, since your pet [animal] passed away. You’ve been a very [adjective] boy this year, and I’ve added you to the [adjective] list, of course. Also, I’m happy to get a [game] for your sister [female celebrity] and a [gift] for your brother [male celebrity], and thank you for thinking of them during this warmest holiday season.

It was your list that struck me as odd. Why, for instance, do you need a [animal] under your tree? I highly doubt it will fit! I’m not sure I can procure a [weird gift] before December 25, since it’s very rare and expensive. Would you accept [gift] instead? By the way, I’m not sure your mother [female celebrity] or your father [male celebrity] would be very happy if I made you a [dangerous toy]. They’re quite dangerous, you know! Could I just make you a toy truck instead?

Also, here are a few reminders for when I visit your house. Please make sure no creatures are stirring, not even an [animal]. Also, I require the customary [food] and [drink] as I become quite famished on these gift-giving runs. (And don’t forget apples for the reindeer!) Do you have a [source of heat]? Will your [article of clothing] be hung by the [source of heat] with care? For I certainly will be there!

I want to bring joy to all children, including you, so please advise on replacements for these items. I [adverb] await your response.

With [emotion], Santa

2 A Hauntingly Good Trio of Memes for the Office Grammar Pedant

Everyone knows one person in the office who just can’t let a sentence end on a preposition, constantly corrects who and whom, and has deep, abiding emotions related to the Oxford comma. Or maybe you are that person. Either way, here’s a grammar meme to keep the grammar love alive in your office.

3 A Brief Holiday Joke for Your CEO Executives are notorious for their short attention spans, so don’t make your holiday jokes too long when chatting up someone with a “C” or “VP” in their title. Want a short, appropriate joke to impress the higher-ups? Check out this one from Pinterest.

4 Another Holiday Mad Lib, in Case They Want More

If your first holiday Mad Lib went well, there’s a chance your colleagues might want another. If your holiday party isn’t going so well, it might be time to try another Mad Lib on your ever-patient audience. Give this one a shot, and let us know whether it sleighed or bombed in the comments!

[Famous person] the [adjective] magician lived in a run-down cottage at the edge of [city name]. One afternoon, after a recent [adjective] snowfall, he donned his [article of clothing] and [color] top hat and headed into town with his faithful [type of animal] sidekick, [animal celebrity]. As he walked, the [adjective] wind, a thing that seemed to possess magical powers of its own, kicked up and whisked his hat away.

The breeze was so strong that the airborne hat soon disappeared from the magician’s sight. He sighed and [verb ending in -ed] on through the snow. Things just hadn’t been going his way. Why, just the night before he’d performed for a [adjective] little group of [living things (plural)]. When he’d gone to pull a [type of animal] from his top hat—his [superlative] trick—he’d pulled out a [kitchen implement] instead.

As he came into town, he encountered some children [verb ending in -ing] and [verb ending in -ing] around a/an [adjective indicating size] snowman. “It’s [male celebrity] the Snowman!” they cheered.

The magician drew closer to peer at the snowman. It had two [round object] eyes and a [vegetable] nose. To his surprise, the magician saw that the snowman was [verb ending in -ing]! He was also wearing the magician’s top hat.

The snowman spotted the magician and shouted, “[greeting]!”

“You can talk!” the magician cried.

“Of course!” said the snowman. He [verb ending in -ed] over to the magician and patted him on the shoulder. “There must have been some magic in this old top hat we found. The minute these kids placed it on my head, I started to [verb] around.”

The magician scratched his chin [adverb]. If his top hat was magical after all, then perhaps he should try to take it back. And yet, [verb ending in -ing] seemed to make the children feel [positive emotion]. Taking it away would certainly make them feel [negative emotion]. Then he was struck with a/an [adjective] idea.

“This [adjective] top hat belongs to me,” the magician told the snowman. “The wind carried it away as I was walking into town just now. I could take it back, but that would leave you without the ability to [verb]. How would you like to appear in my magic show, instead?”

“[Exclamation]!” cried the snowman. “I’ve always wanted to be in a magic show!”

So, the magician and the snowman put together a/an [adjective] show, which they called [sitcom title], and performed it all winter long. The show soon became [adjective]. They performed [adverb] until the spring thaw arrived and the snowman [verb ending in -ed]. But the magician wasn’t worried; he knew the winter winds next year would bring the snowman around again someday.

5 Only the Best Holiday Pun to Please the Punmaster of the Breakroom

Everyone knows “that guy” who makes puns constantly on work chat and near the coffee machine. Want to beat him at his own game? Try this classic holiday pun.

What’s your favorite joke for the holiday season? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking to “Get Lucky” this Saint Patrick’s Day? These Idioms May Help

It’s Saint Patrick’s Day! Walk into any department or grocery store at this time of year, and you may find yourself surrounded by leprechaun hats, green shirts, rainbow banners, shamrock-shaped candy, and other Irish-themed paraphernalia. Embedded in these symbols of Irish tradition is the idea of luck (good, bad, and uncertain) and the language associated with luck.

With that, here are some luck-related idioms commonly used in the English language:

To hit the jackpot

• Meaning: to achieve sudden or sensational success.
• Example: The hungry wolf thought he had hit the jackpot when he discovered a herd of sleeping sheep.

Goldmine

• Meaning: a source of something desirable (e.g., wealth, information).
• Example: Facebook and Twitter provide a goldmine of personal status updates.

Silver lining

• Meaning: a consoling aspect of a difficult situation.
• Example: The silver lining to losing my phone is that I no longer have to answer when my boss calls.

Saving grace

• Meaning: a redeeming feature that compensates for other negative qualities.
• Example: Senior discounts are the saving grace of old age.

To luck out

• Meaning: to be fortunate.
• Example: I lucked out in my art history class by having a photographic memory and consistent study habits. 

To thank one’s lucky stars

• Meaning: to feel grateful for avoiding a bad situation.
• Example: I thank my lucky stars that I bought an umbrella right before the thunderstorm.

To look a gift horse in the mouth

• Meaning: to be ungrateful for a favor.
• Example: When I complained about the size of my weekly allowance, my dad told me that I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

To count your chickens before they hatch

• Meaning: to rely on a desirable result before it happens.
• Example: You may have a large salary soon, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Knock on wood

• Meaning: a phrase that expresses the hope that (1) something desirable will happen or continue to happen, or (2) something undesirable will not happen.
• Examples:

(1)  I have done well on my math tests this year. Knock on wood!

(2)  Nobody in my family has had the flu this year. Knock on wood!

Fat chance

• Meaning: little or no possibility of success.
• Example: John hates exercise—a fat chance he has of winning the swim competition!

That ship has sailed

• Meaning: the opportunity has passed.
• Example: I wanted to be a famous child actor, but when I turned thirty and had not starred in any movies, I realized that that ship had sailed.

Rough patch

• Meaning: a difficult situation or period.
• Example: Jim is going through a rough patch right now because he lost his job and his girlfriend dumped him.

Appositives—What They Are and How to Use Them

An appositive noun or noun phrase follows another noun or noun phrase in apposition to it; that is, it provides information that further identifies or defines it. Such “bonus facts” are framed by commas unless the appositive is restrictive (i.e., provides essential information about the noun).

Appose is a very old word that one doesn’t cross paths with much except in the realms of grammar and science. It came to English from Middle French via Latin, and means “to put near, side by side, or alongside.” It doesn’t quite mean the same as oppose, but it is quite close in meaning to juxtapose. Apposition is used in medical science to describe how cell walls defend themselves by thickening themselves with layers of protection. In grammar, an element is said to be placed in apposition to another element if it provides an extra layer of description to it.

What Is an Appositive?

At its heart, an appositive is bonus information.

Hermione Granger, a witch at Hogwarts School, is accomplished at spells.

The core of this sentence is Hermione Granger is accomplished at spells. A witch at Hogwarts School is an appositive noun phrase that gives us additional information about Hermione Granger.

The Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel’s masterpiece, can be found on the Champs de Mars.

This is a sentence about where the Eiffel Tower can be found. The appositive phrase Gustave Eiffel’s masterpiece tells us a bit more about the sentence’s subject noun, Eiffel Tower.

My childhood friend, Anne-Marie, loved horses.

Here, the core sentence is My childhood friend loved horses. It works as a sentence on its own, but the appositive, the proper noun Anne-Marie, gives the reader supplemental information about my friend. It renames her.

Commas and Appositives

Appositive nouns and noun phrases are often nonrestrictive; that is, they can be omitted from a sentence without obscuring the identity of the nouns they describe. Another word for nonrestrictive is nonessential. Always bookend a nonrestrictive, appositive noun or phrase with commas in the middle of a sentence. If the noun or phrase is placed at the end of a sentence, it should be preceded by a comma.

Use Commas to Frame Nonrestrictive Elements

Frédéric Chopin a Polish composer was one of the most celebrated virtuoso pianists of his day.

Frédéric Chopin, a Polish composer, was one of the most celebrated virtuoso pianists of his day.

My brother often likens himself to Zeus the god of thunder.

My brother often likens himself to Zeus, the god of thunder.

Depending on the tone you want to achieve and the context, you may also choose either parentheses or brackets to frame a nonrestrictive appositive phrase.

My brother often likens himself to Zeus (the god of thunder).

My brother often likens himself to Zeus—the god of thunder.

Whichever way you choose to punctuate it, the key is to realize that My brother likens himself to Zeus is the core sentence and that the god of thunder is nonessential to that sentence. It is nice to know, but it is not essential in terms of function.

Think of a sentence with a nonrestrictive appositive in it as a motorcycle with a sidecar attached to it. The sidecar is a lovely addition to the motorcycle and changes the overall experience of taking it for a spin, but the motorcycle could go on without it. The nonrestrictive appositive is your sidecar, and it needs punctuation to attach it to the motorcycle, which is your sentence.

Commas and Restrictive Elements Don’t Mix

When an appositive noun or noun phrase contains an essential element without which a sentence’s meaning would materially alter, do not frame it with commas.

My friend, Bill, owes me fifty dollars.

My friend Bill owes me fifty dollars.

There are no commas here because Bill is an essential description of my friend. We can assume from this sentence that the speaker has many friends, but the one who owes him or her money is Bill. The unlikely circumstance under which the first sentence could be construed as correct would be if the speaker has only one confirmed friend, and that friend’s name is Bill.

Now think of a motorcycle again, except now without the sidecar. This is the restrictive appositive motorcycle. If anyone wants to hitch a ride on this motorcycle, he or she will have to ride double behind the driver. With this type of appositive, there is no disconnection between the driver and the passenger; one has his or her arms around the other. The restrictive appositive motorcycle zooms out of sight—without commas.