Due to circumstances beyond my control, I haven’t posted on this blog for several weeks. And if I can’t write better than that sentence, I shouldn’t be posting at all. The point is to call your attention to the use, or rather misuse, of due to. It’s one of the most common mistakes in English, […]

Relative clauses — those subordinate clauses that add information to sentences — can be confusing, even to native speakers of English. They can help you avoid monotony in sentence structure and achieve that variety in rhythm prized in English writing. Some relative clauses serve as giant adjectives or adverbs. For example: You’ll find the mailboxes […]

As we approach the first Obama-Romney debate and the home stretch of the 2012 election season, here are some resources for international students who could use a little guidance through the thicket of the American political system. First, remember from my orientation talk that AP has already set up a style guide to the elections, […]