Amanda Hough's Blog: Writing and Editing Fiction - Posts Tagged "grammar"

I recently had an author reject my correction of the word less. I explained the correct usage, but she was adamant that she’d heard it used her way.
Writers often use the words fewer and less interchangeably, but each word has its own place in language. Consider this: Less is for objects that can’t be tallied. Fewer is for objects that can be tallied.

After we’ve worked with one another on a project, I will find fewer grammatical errors in your writing.
After we’ve worked with one another on a project, I will find less grammatical errors in your writing.

This is really easy. Just say it in your head as you write it.
Who’s is the contraction for “who is.” Period. That is all it is.
Whose is the possessive of “who.”
Writers get confused is because they think all possessives need an apostrophe. Not true. Possessive pronouns don’t have apostrophes (mine, its, theirs, whose for example). So just learn it. Who’s zooming whom? (Yes, I know that’s not the title but has always irritated me. Whose Diet Coke is on my desk? (Mine! So back off!.)