Ever since I started my college career, my grammatical skills have been constantly put to the test.  I used to think I had a knack for grammar, but writing hundreds of papers has shown me just how naive I was.  I have repeatedly been forced to reexamine what I thought I knew.  

When I google my many, many grammatical questions, one site that pops up often is quickanddirtytips.com--more commonly known as “Grammar Girl.” The site is run by magazine writer, Mignon Fogarty. It’s very user friendly and modern, plus it seems like Mignon has an answer for almost everything.  From the homepage, you can quickly access recent tips, popular tips, and archives--all are tagged with cute images and memes.  

In addition to the site’s modern layout, its grammar tips are often modern sounding as well, making them easy to read. My one complaint about the site is that, despite its name: “Quick and Dirty Tips,” the tips are often long-winded. Sometimes, I have to skim a lengthy article to find an answer, and my brain just can’t take the excess information.

This week’s grammar error was my own.  A manager sent me an instant message requesting the starting dates of her new employees.  At first I typed, “They’re starting on…” but I decided to change my verbiage to, “Their effective dates are…” at the last minute.  Unfortunately I forgot to change the pronoun when I changed the rest of the sentence, and sent the message as, “They’re effective dates are…”  I was super ashamed of myself.