Grammar Girl's Guide to the English Language

Preface

 

2018: 

In the late 1990s, I worked as an editor in several different capacities. I wanted to a way to remember my favorite grammar rules, and Google was just a twinkle in someone's eye, so I created this web site. At the time --- the Internet as we know it was ruled by AOL and Prodigy ---  this web site became incredibly popular. I can't even remember where I initially hosted it. I may have originally hosted it on Geocities. 

For the purpose of nostalgia and fun, and to share my own style guide from way back when, I've unearthed it. I have made as few changes as possible. Except for defunct links, you are looking at and reading exactly what I published then. 

Enjoy! 

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2000: 

There are lots of folks who think they know grammar inside and out. Unfortunately, they don't. They can't. There are style books to support every different idea that might be thought up. For the most part, there are no definitive answers. An important thing to remember in editing and writing is that there are never any absolutes. An exception to a rule depends on the usage in question.

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What I have put together here is a compilation of notes I have made over the last few years in which I worked as an editor in various capacities. I was first a technical editor for a software consulting firm. Then I served as a scientific editor for a government research agency. With each position, I discovered that the rules are different. Previously, I edited for a newsletter and a magazine. These again had different standards. Creative writing and speaking also impose a new set of rules. Currently I am employed by a publishing house as a web site designer. Again, this job presents a whole new set of grammar conventions for electronic media. So this is just a mess of all of it. My pet peeves. My quirks. Things I stumble over or routinely forget.

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The point I'm trying to make is that you may disagree with me on one or many rules of usage. That's fine. I'm okay with it. I'm sure that for every book that supports my point, there is a book to support yours. Let's just agree to disagree. There is no reason to send any sort of hate mail, mean mail, or anything else my way. 

Take care,
 

Grammar Girl