Word Smarts

  Did you learn that a paragraph needs at least three sentences? It’s OK to toss out the rulebook sometimes. Learn why some writing styles benefit from shorter paragraphs. What defines a “good” paragraph? Some English teachers would say it must be at least three sentences — enough for an introduction, a supporting sentence, and a transition — but that isn’t always true. The rules of paragraph structure are widely disputed in writing instruction, particularly regarding the guidance that every paragraph should be three to five sentences. While some champion this method as a way to teach students to write cohesive paragraphs, others call out its limitations. Ken MacRorie, author of the influential creative writing book  Uptaught,  says  that “formula-style” essay structure forces students “to write mechanically instead of self-expressively.” If the guidelines around paragraph length seem unclear, that’s because they are. Even academic institutions diverge in their recom...

  Rules were made to be broken, and that’s especially true with grammar. The next time you’re facing writer’s block, break free from your grammar bonds and embrace doing something different. Whether you’re a writer by trade, or simply crafting an email, a thank-you note, or a particularly important text, the message matters. But rules were made to be broken, and — despite our love of the Oxford comma and proper spelling — that’s especially true with English grammar. As the culture and means of communication change, so do words and how we use them. The next time you’re facing writer’s block, break free from your strict grammar bonds and embrace doing something different. Here are five outdated rules you can leave behind. 1) Don’t end your sentence with a preposition. English teachers may cringe, but this rule is just begging to be broken. Conversation is becoming more casual, and ending sentences with a preposition is a side effect of that. For example: “He’s someone I can have a me...

  Dictionary Definitions from  Oxford Languages  ·  Learn more containerized /kənˈtānəˌrīzd/ adjective 1. packed into or  transported  by container. "containerized cargo" 2. Computing (of a program or application) run in a discrete environment set up within an operating system specifically for that purpose and  allocated  only essential resources. "containerized applications have smaller footprints because they only include the elements of the operating system they need"

Whether it’s from new technology needing new words to talk about it, or young people inventing and repurposing slang, words and their definitions change all the time. by Jennifer A. Freeman Whether it’s due to new technology that demands new terminology, or  younger generations inventing  and  repurposing slang , words and their definitions change over time. Sometimes a word gains a different usage in slang or casual conversation, and the updated context gets picked up in print, and soon a new definition appears in the dictionary. Ask a lexicographer, and they’ll tell you that the definition of a word is only accurate if that’s the way people are using it. Let’s take a look at some words that have been through a veritable roller coaster of meanings throughout the centuries. Fantastic In the 14th century, the original meaning of “fantastic” was “only existing in the imagination,” as if in a fantasy. It took on its more general, superlative meaning — “wonderful or very good...