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Category Archives: Style

Let it be

Of several small, versatile words that are widely used by English authors and hardly ever turn up in non-native texts, the one that’s missed most often is “let”.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 25, 2020June 25, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Style, Underused wordsTags:Door..., dunglish, engels, in staat stellen, laten, toestaan1 Comment on Let it be

Answering your own questions

Want your English to sound natural? Then don’t keep answering your own questions. Want to know more? Read on!

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 24, 2020Posted inAdvanced, StyleTags:dunglish, engelsLeave a comment on Answering your own questions

So-called

Watch the overtones: it’s not only telling you a term is used but also implying that it’s incorrect. A so-called expert or so-called friend is not to be trusted!

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 19, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Mistranslations, Overused words, Valse vriendenTags:dunglish, engels, zogeheten, zogenaamd, zogenoemdLeave a comment on So-called

By starting sentences like this…

… you are forced into a clumsy structure. Avoiding it lets you make the syntax snappier.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 17, 2020June 17, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Longwindedness, Passive voice, Style, Underused wordsTags:Door..., dunglish, engels, lijdende vorm, passivum3 Comments on By starting sentences like this…

People persons

The plural of person is ‘people’, except in legalese and occasional old-fashioned texts.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 16, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Grammar, Plurals, Wrong registerTags:dunglish, engels, personen1 Comment on People persons

We live on the Bovenweg

No, I’m afraid you don’t. You live on Bovenweg. There’s no article needed for a named street or road or square.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 12, 2020June 12, 2020Posted inAddressing, Advanced, Articles, GrammarTags:dunglish, engels, straatnamen2 Comments on We live on the Bovenweg

Noun stack order

A sequence of nouns for the sake of brevity, to make a snappy title or newspaper headline. Like the one above. The order in English isn’t the same as in Dutch, though.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 8, 2020June 8, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Grammar, StyleTags:dunglish, engels, naamwoorden2 Comments on Noun stack order

The prevention of longwindedness

Dutch writers love the structure “the + (verbal noun) + of” where English prefers the gerund: “preventing longwindedness”.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 5, 2020Posted inAdvanced, Grammar, Longwindedness, StyleTags:dunglish, engelsLeave a comment on The prevention of longwindedness

The minefield of academic titles

People are naturally very proud of their academic achievements and titles and want them stated in their communications. But it’s not as trivial as it might seem.

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 3, 2020June 3, 2020Posted inAddressing, Advanced, Cultural, Style, US-UK issuesTags:drs, dunglish, engels, ing., Ir., meester, mr., mw. mr., prof. dr.2 Comments on The minefield of academic titles

Overdoing short sentences

Dutch people like short sentences. More and more often nowadays. Very modern. Makes it impactful. Easy to write, surely?

Posted byMike WilkinsonJune 2, 2020Posted inAdvanced, StyleTags:dunglish, engels, Yoda-speak4 Comments on Overdoing short sentences

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