Episode Details

COMMENCEMENT: Last week a professor in my department asked me why we call a graduation ceremony “commencement” when the event marks the end of college. “To commence” means “to begin,” not end, so it seems like an odd name for the ceremony.

DELETE 'IT': Want a timeless, painless tip that quickly helps you clarify your writing? Look for it. What William Cobbett said two centuries ago still rings true: “The word it is the greatest troubler that I know of in language. It is so small, and so convenient, that few are careful enough in using it."

SPONSOR
http://amazon.com/kindleforkids

AMAZON AFFILIATE CODE
http://quickanddirtytips.com/amazon

FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL
Twitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirl
Facebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirl
Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/thatgrammargirl
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realgrammargirl
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.