Welcome
Hello. Welcome to You Don’t Say.
My name is Stephen Dolainski. I’m a reading and English teacher in Los Angeles, where I have worked in adult education for 16 years. I’m also the author of Grammar Traps: A Handbook of the 20 Most Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and Romantic Days and Nights in
When I started out as an editorial assistant way back in the 1980s, I didn’t know a dangling modifier from a dangling earring. I could usually tell if something didn’t “sound right,†but I was hard-pressed to offer any specifics. Gradually, as I copyedited other writers’ material, I learned about misplaced modifiers, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and so many other pesky grammatical and usage details. There’s a lot to learn.
Some people think I’m a stickler for grammar rules. I’m not. Really. First of all, I don’t know all the rules, and I don’t always agree with some that I do know. Besides, I make plenty of mistakes myself. I happen to have a little more experience than most people in knowing where to look for mistakes. It’s been my experience that most of us tend to make the same mistakes over and over.
What I have tried to do through my book Grammar Traps and this blog is to help folks avoid the most common and obvious grammar and usage mistakes. There are worse things in life than using who or whom incorrectly. But a mistake is a big deal if it causes confusion or misunderstanding or makes you look sloppy or unprofessional.
I regret that at the moment the site is not set up to receive your comments. Perhaps in the future. Meanwhile, you can contact me at info@grammartraps.com.
Enjoy You Don’t Say.