5 Word-Related Car Games for Your Next Road Trip

Stiff legs. Sore behind. “Are we there yet, Mom?”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re going to Aspen, New Orleans, or Disney World. Long car rides bore the best of us. One of the fastest ways to bust boredom is to keep your mind active. Pack these nifty word-related car games in your overnight bag the next time you hit the road.

Character Sketches

Choose another car and take a good look at its passengers. Each person makes up a backstory about the passengers in the other vehicle and shares it with the others.

If you’re stumped, start by answering these questions about the folks in the other car:

1. Who are they? 2. Where are they going? 3. What are their hopes and fears? 4. What are their flaws and strengths?

Fiction writers use character sketches to spur their creativity. These thumbnails often morph into the fascinating characters we meet it books. You can do it, too – on wheels.

License Plate Decoding Game

What if every license plate harbored a secret meaning within its letters and numbers? That’s the premise behind the License Plate Decoding Game. The game works especially well when you’re caught in traffic because you have plenty of time to peruse and “decode” the license plates around you.

For example:

“PTA 247” becomes “Peanut butter tastes awesome to 47-year-olds.”

“YHB 711” becomes “Your hair looks bad seven days a week, eleven hours a day.”

License Plate School

If you’re traveling with little ones, consider using license plates to reinforce geography and phonics lessons learned at school. Edmunds.com suggests that children “collect” plates from the different states or try to find all the letters of the alphabet – first forwards, then backwards.

Related Words Game

The Related Words Game requires each player to brainstorm a list of words that relate to a specific starting word. The subsequent list must bring the topic back full circle. Whoever creates the shortest list wins.

For example, Player One might create a list like this:

• noodles • delicious food • cake • birthday cake • presents • wrapping paper • ribbons • strings • noodles

Player Two might create a list like this:

• noodles • yellow • egg yolks • chicken • chicken noodle soup • noodles

Because Player Two created the shorter list, he/she wins. You can play as many rounds of the Related Words Game as you like, but if you wish to limit the game, choose a random word like PIG. Each time someone loses a round, they take one letter of the word. For example, Player One earned a “P” for this round. Whoever spells the word “PIG” first loses the game.

Round Robin Story Game

Teachers have used round robin reading strategies in the classroom for decades. In this game, car riders use the round-robin style to create a groupthink story. Each rider contributes one word at a time. The entire story lasts four or five sentences. If possible, choose a scribe to write or record the words as they are generated.

If a player thinks a sentence sounds complete, any passenger can insert punctuation by shouting “Period!” or “Exclamation point!”

Here’s an example of an opening sentence created by a four-person car load:

Person 1: Once Person 2: upon Person 3: a Person 4: time Person 1: I Person 2: ate Person 3: twenty-six Person 4: frogs Person 1: and Person 2: turned Person 3: into Person: 4: a Person 1: wombat. (PERIOD)

No matter how silly the story gets, each word must make grammatical sense in the context of the story.

Vacations are essential for happiness and well-being, but getting to your vacation spot can be tedious. How will you break up the monotony during your next long car ride?

Top #SummerReads for 2013

Summer has simmered down and school is back in session. What better way to keep the summer spirit alive a little bit longer than by encouraging you to pick up some of the top #summerreads from the Grammarly community?

In early September, we asked our Facebook, Google+, and Twitter communities which books they would most recommend from their summer reading lists. We simultaneously ran a survey to get more information about summer reading. Of more than 450 survey respondents across all channels, we found that:

The majority of people identified themselves as female.

• 81.7% Female
• 16% Male
• 2.3% Preference not given

So, with the leaves turning and cool weather on the way, why not settle in with a hot cup of tea and start a new book? Below you’ll find favorites from our community.

Who’s heading to the library? What book are you going to read first?

4 Interview Tips for Introverts That Will Make You Comfortable in Any Setting

Introverts are energized by solitude rather than social activities. We value deep connections. We’re better listeners than we are talkers, at least where chatty small talk is concerned. Unfortunately, job interviews require us to be gregarious, make only a superficial connection, and chit-chat. About ourselves. The horror!

I was well into adulthood before my extroverted dad admitted that, despite my preferring solitude and books over people, I turned out pretty okay. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been told that I should “just be more social.” Although one-third to one-half of the population are introverts, Western society tends to value the gregarious over the observant and introspective.

The pressure to act as though we love social interaction intensifies when it comes time to interview for a new job. Introverts disdain small talk and are uncomfortable in the spotlight, and job interviews require us to manage both those things with flair. Fortunately, we can use the power of introversion to not only survive the interview process but crush it.

1Fake it.

Okay, at first blush this advice may sound like I’m asking you to deny your true self. But that’s not quite what I’m suggesting. It’s more a matter of getting a foot in the door at a time where first impressions matter. A lot.

There’s some value in the expression “Fake it till you make it.” It’s possible to act more confident than you feel, and it’s also possible to seem more extroverted than you are. Before your interview, remind yourself that, despite your preference for deeper conversations with people you know well, you’re actually good at “peopling.” Do you smile and make eye contact with cashiers when you go shopping? Do you return a friendly hello when someone greets you? Can you engage in a conversation with a random stranger? If you’re like most introverts, you manage all these things just fine.

Odds are, you’ve already found yourself pretending to be more extroverted than you are. So, when it comes time to interview, remind yourself of your chameleon-like ability to blend in and act like a people person even when you’d rather be home reading or watching a movie. Once you’ve proven that a preference for solitude doesn’t mean you can’t interact with people (it’s a commonly held myth that all introverts are shy), you can let your introvert flag fly with pride.

2Be prepared.

When I lived in a tornado-prone part of the country, our local TV weather team had a motto I loved: “Be prepared, not scared.” The head meteorologist believed that information, rather than hype, was necessary to help local viewers ride out the storms. As a weather buff, I was a huge fan.

We have a tendency to generate a lot of hype in our own minds when we’re working our way up to an event as significant as a job interview. Hype is the enemy because it generates anxiety. Preparation is the only way to vanquish it. Before your interview, research the company. Write down anything you may want to ask the interviewer. Give thought to how you’ll answer some of the most common interview questions. Here’s some advice to help you get started.

Organization can help, so bring notes and a professional-looking portfolio. It can even be useful to do some scouting before your interview. Drive to the location so you know where you’re going. Do your best to get the name of the person who’ll be interviewing you and see if you can do a little research into that person’s background. The more you know, the less anxious you’re likely to feel.

3Reference introversion as a positive.

The world is full of introverts, and science shows that we’re pretty darn smart. Sixty percent of gifted children are introverted, as well as seventy-five percent of those identified as highly gifted.

When my son was little, I gave him a coin to drop into a fortune telling machine. The fortune teller (it reminded me of the famous carnival machine in the Tom Hanks movie Big) spit out a card that read:

A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he heard, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. You’re just like that wise old bird.

It fit. My son is as introverted as I am. And hey, we introverts are like wise owls—we speak less and listen more. We take time to process things. We’re generally very creative when given a quiet space in which to work. We’re awesome.

Talking about your tendency toward introversion can play to your favor during a job interview. No only might the interviewer share your tendencies (or at least closely relate to someone who does), but you can help him or her recognize introverted traits as positive. Here’s a great example:

Let’s say the hiring manager asks, ‘What’s your greatest strength?’

You can reply along the lines of, ‘As an introvert, I’ve discovered that I’m a natural listener and observer. It’s second nature for me to seek out pain points or obstacles that others are facing. Once I’ve gathered enough information, I’m ready to make a thoughtful and impactful contribution.’

—Aja Frost for The Muse

4Know that you’re not alone.

Consider that up to half the population are introverts, many of whom act a lot more extroverted than they are due to societal pressure. You stand nearly fifty-fifty odds of sitting right across from a fellow introvert at your interview.

But even if you find yourself face-to-face with an extrovert instead, the chances of that person knowing and caring about an introvert are higher than you may think. Just because introverts prefer solitude doesn’t mean we’re alone in the world. It also doesn’t mean that there’s any reason to be ashamed of being introverted just because the more gregarious people seem to get all the attention.

Many hugely successful people identify as introverts. They include Bill Gates, JK Rowling, Barack Obama, and Mark Zuckerberg. Even Dr. Seuss, according to Susan Cain (author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking), “was afraid of meeting the kids who read his books for fear they would be disappointed at how quiet he was.”

We are here, we are here, we are here! And we’re quietly awesome.

Three French Phrases English Loves to Borrow

For the third day of LitMas, we’re offering you three French phrases English speakers love to borrow. There’s something kind of glamorous about sprinkling foreign phrases into your conversations every now and then, don’t you think?

1 Joyeux Noël

’Tis the season of wondering what noel means. In French, Noël simply means Christmas. If you’re not sure about joyeux, go ahead and take a guess—you’re probably right. Joyeux means happy. So joyeux Noël is the French way of saying merry Christmas. Now you have something magnifique to say to your Francophone friends!

2 Amuse-bouche

Hosting a fancy holiday dinner party? Don’t forget the amuse-bouches. They’re like hors d’oeuvres (hey, there’s another French phrase!), but amuse-bouches are typically served as bite-size morsels. Amuse-bouche is French for “mouth amuser.” Feel free to amuse your guests with this fact.

3 Canard

OK, this one takes a little bit of explanation. Canard is French for duck. To English speakers, a canard is a hoax or an untrue rumor. Huh? The meaning comes from the old French idiom vendre des canards à moitié, to half-sell ducks (or, in other words, to trick someone). This may be the word you’re looking for if you get stuck listening to Uncle Carl pontificate about conspiracy theories at dinner.

And, no, we don’t know how one goes about half-selling a duck. If you figure it out, let us know.

Bonus phrase: RSVP

Speaking of parties, do the right thing and RSVP to that invitation. Your host needs to know how much ice to get! RSVP stands for répondez s’il vous plaît, meaning “please respond.”

Which French phrases will you trot out this holiday season?

4 Infuriating Work Habits and How to Avoid Them

Considering all the time you spend at the office, it’s no surprise that your workspace, coworkers, and overall approach to everyday tasks have a big influence on your morale. We’ve all been there: you’re chatting with colleagues and you get a little heavy-handed with the emojis, or you’ve got an update most of your team will enjoy so you pop it into the general chat. It seems innocuous enough, but as it turns out, these—and other—little tendencies can really get under others’ skin. We polled our community to see which behaviors are the worst. Here are four irritating work habits that we’re all guilty of and tips on how to avoid them.

Emoji Overload

Despite how it might feel sometimes, it is possible to overuse emojis—especially at work. When we asked our community, 54 percent said that excessive emoji use was worse than noncommittal one-word replies (46 percent). Emojis are suboptimal because they have layered meanings, and as such aren’t necessarily inclusive. Furthermore, certain emojis or too-frequent use of emojis can seem unprofessional. Here is how to get your emoji use under control.

How to Avoid It

Obviously, the best way to stop emoji overload is not to use them. But it’s not always necessary to completely eliminate emojis. Try identifying people and situations that you should not use emojis with. Conversations with managers and new professional contacts, mass emails, or large group chats are all iffy situations for emojis. Furthermore, it can be helpful to know that some emojis are too casual or even borderline offensive. Stick to the oldies: smileys and thumbs up.

Giant Group Chat

These unwieldy group chats usually have too broad a scope, too many members, or both. At one time or another, we’ve all been guilty of sharing too much or too often in a general chat. Our community even voted this peeve worse than sending work messages way too early in the morning. Here are some helpful tips for deciding what and when to update in the general chat.

How to Avoid It

Though one person alone cannot tame the beast that is “Giant Group Chat,” you can make things easier on your co-workers by:

• Highlighting or formatting important general updates so they are easier to find in the chat.
• Tagging the most relevant stakeholders so they are more likely to get updates.
• Duplicating very urgent or important messages in another channel—like email.
• Messaging people directly if the conversation isn’t relevant to the whole group.

Boss CC Sneak Attack

A sneak attack is when someone adds your boss to a thread to intimidate you or encourage a specific outcome. This peeve significantly beat out excessive forwarding with more than 65 percent of poll respondents voting in favor—one of our most strongly supported peeves in the series. Including the manager unnecessarily is decidedly uncool. Here’s how to tell when to CC your boss.

How to Avoid It

Sometimes it can be difficult to know for sure if your boss needs to be looped in on certain issues. Make sure to think about your motive. If you are adding your manager to a chat or email thread because she needs to be abreast of what’s happening or you need her insight, it’s a great idea. If you are adding the boss to get attention or sway team members to behave a certain way, don’t do it. It’s passive aggressive and makes teammates resentful.

Background Noise on Calls

There are already too many frustrating ways that video conferencing and conference calls can go wrong. Background noise is understandably one of the worst because it’s largely preventable. Sixty-one percent of our poll respondents rated excessive background noise worse than unhelpful message updates. Luckily, there are a number of simple troubleshooting tips to prevent feedback on your calls.

How to Avoid It

Background noise during conferencing isn’t completely preventable, but you can make it less of a nuisance by:

• Finding somewhere quiet to take your call.
• If calling from home, alerting others in the house before you start your call.
• Using headphones so the microphone doesn’t pick up feedback from your speakers.
• Muting your microphone as needed.

Which of these bad work habits bother you most? What other peeves do you have? How would you fix them?

Which common writing error is the worst?

This poll is part of a series that Grammarly is running aimed at better understanding how the public feels about writing, language learning, and grammar.

Please take the poll and share your thoughts in the comments. We can’t wait to hear from you!

If you are interested in more, check out last week’s poll.

12 Aquatic Collective Nouns That Will Make Your Heart Squee

You know what to call a group of cows or sheep, but do you know the names for groups of animals in the ocean? Why neglect your friends under the sea? Learn which animals congregate in a cast today!

Army of Herring

Attention! Most fish swim in schools, but herring swim in armies.

Bed of Oysters

Buried in the sand of the ocean floor or on the beach, you can find a bed of oysters. Clams, too, are found in beds. Is that why they are so famously happy?

Cast of Crabs

A cast sometimes refers to the actors who work on a television show. At the beach, the only cast you are likely to see is a cast of crabs.

Couples and Pairs of Octopuses

According to one commenter on Yahoo Answers, when it comes to octopuses, “two is company, and three’s a crowd.” Octopuses tend to go solo unless they pair up to mate.

Gam of Whales

Gam is an archaic word for a social party. Its origin is unknown, but it may come from a nautical term referring to a meeting of whaling ships at sea for the crews to exchange news. Is that why whales, being the social creatures they are, are sometimes called a gam when they meet up together?

Herd or School of Seahorses

People who keep aquariums may have several seahorses, which they might call herds or schools. However, because seahorses don’t really hang out together in the wild, they don’t have an official group name.

Pod of Dolphins

Most people remember that dolphins swim in pods. According to Dolphins-World.com, if food is abundant in an area, several pods of dolphins join together to form a super pod. Pod may also refer to groups of whales or seals.

Raft of Sea Otters

Most rafts are made of wood, but it you see a furry one, it may be made up of a group of sea otters. They like to float on their backs as they chow down on tasty mussels and abalone.

Smack or Bloom of Jellyfish

A group of jellyfish is called a smack. Ocean currents determine where jellyfish drift, so if there is a strong breeze, thousands of jellyfish may be blown into the same area. That huge group is a bloom.

Shiver of Sharks

A group of sharks is a shiver, and that’s what you might do if you see one of them swimming near you. But don’t worry, they prefer to eat other sea creatures. If a group of them eats together, it’s a frenzy.

Swarm of Krill

What about the little guys? A group of krill is called a swarm. Just in case you’re wondering, krill are the shrimp-like crustaceans that whales love to eat.

Walk of Sea Snails

Not every sea creature swims. Some of them prefer to promenade with their friends. Sea snails move pretty slowly, which is why we call groups of them walks.

How many of these did you know? It’s cool to learn about animal collective nouns, isn’t it? Why not learn about the names for adorable baby animals next?