From the Grammar Police

Kinda sorta maybe possibly-ish…

We revisit the double qualifier, one of the all star examples of cowardly writing. It’s an absolute fact that his name could be called. There’s a chance his name will be called. Pick one.

It’s handgun.

This says Michigan voters were about to make their final decision in the upcoming primary election. It’s their only decision.

Yes, we acknowledge context overcomes the modifier misplacement that suggests that while the justice was at a hearing, she was “swatted” and threatened. But it was an easy fix: “Barrett testifies at hearing about…”

The misplacement here suggests the president changed his Moscow story. Cohen did.

We spotted this phrase many times online. We will argue few or none of those posts offer something for everyone. Or does the hyperbole get a pass? Readers?

We’ve repeated this ad each year, around Labor Day, since we first posted it in September 2021. It has run exactly the same, week after week. Has this company not yet realized the ad says 10 million dollars dollars? We suspect it has.

And we go to the video archives! Click for Segment 15: If only.

Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong" features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police.” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, menus, TV news graphics, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we can credit you properly. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com

Haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet? Do it now! And tell your friends!

NOTE: Eliot and Lou Ann are available for speaking engagements, and can travel. Reach us through the comments section. Just think of all of your employees getting back to work on a Monday, their heads filled with all the ways we’ve shown them to be better communicators!