The Grammar Doctor Is In....

and it ain't me. Seriously, all writers should have command of the language they are using, but let's face it, English is a tricky language. I'd wager nearly everyone runs into a problem or has a question every now and again.

Personally, I have claimed the title of Queen of the Misplaced Comma. I sprinkle commas liberally throughout my writing, sometimes whether the sentence needs them or not. This isn't deliberate. Oftentimes, I put them in where it seems there is a natural break in the sentence and this is often wrong.

Also the words its and it's drive me nuts. Whenever it comes time to use one or the other I have to stop and think, "Okay, 'its' is the possesive, right? No, wait. One would say 'That is John's dog.' so why isn't it "it's?" Because "it's" is the contraction for "it is." Right? Aaaaaaargh!!" And on it goes.

Thankfully, there are numerous resources on which a writer can rely. I found a handy little website this morning called Dr.Grammar.org . This site is a quick-reference tool that answers basic grammar questions in a fun, memorable way. Of course, this one little page can't cover everything. The works cited list alone tells the story.
English is tricky. Use with care.