Boston Globe language columnist Jan Freeman has launched a new blog, "Throw Grammar from the Train" (subtitled "Notes from a Recovering Nitpicker"). It's a great title for what's sure to be a great outlet for clear-headed thinking about English usage. Read it here. (And read our interview with Jan about her new book, Ambrose Bierce's Write it Right, here.)

As the American Dialect Society gears up to vote for Word of the Year, the City Dictionary website has announced its own selection of "words with local flavor."  Continue reading...

Our own Mark Peters takes a look back at a decade in euphemisms, by trawling through the annual selections of "most euphemistic" words by the American Dialect Society — from courtesy calls to scooping technicians.  Continue reading...

In September of 1988, a high school student of mine turned in a piece of writing that changed my professional life and provided me with the most rewarding experience I ever had as a school publications adviser.  Continue reading...

Can you imagine trying to explain the word currency without using the words money, exchange or country? Or, how about trying to explain epic without referring to the words hero, narrative or poem? This activity, borrowed from Hasbro's Taboo game, is a great way to have students review a list of vocabulary words from class in a fun, engaging format.  Continue reading...

When did shall go out of fashion as the first person marker for the future tense? Or was it ever in fashion? This month in the Lounge we look at the career of English's most mismanaged modal.  Continue reading...

How can students use the Visual Thesaurus to help them complete a challenging Victorian sentence completion exercise?  Continue reading...