English is a fluid language. Nouns sometimes morph into verbs — transition, access and impact, in common usage of recent years. (Not that I necessarily approve. When n doubt, check AP style.) And verbs can be nouns in two of their forms:  infinitives and gerunds. An infinitive is to plus the base form of the […]

Elena Popina, a frequent (though usually anonymous) contributor to this blog, e-mailed me the other day: “Below are some  excerpts from the WSJ and Bloomberg which made me wonder why the author chose to write this way and not the other.” Actually, Lena, you mean . . . WSJ and Bloomberg that made me wonder […]