I decided to concentrate on very common, all too frequent errors, to the point they seem to be commonplace and completely accepted by editors and the general public. Someone please tell me our writing skills have not degraded so much.
I. Apostrophes in Contractions
If the writer is using "curly apostrophes," then the apostrophe has a tail. The tail is turned to the right or to the left. When single apostrophes are used to enclose a word or quote, the first has the tail turned to the right; the second has the tail turned to the left.
In contractions, though, the single apostrophe is always...ALWAYS...turned to the left--even if it appears at the beginning of the word. Why, then, are so many authors and editors allowing apostrophes at the beginning of a contraction to turn to the right--as though it wants to enclose the word?
The rule is that no matter where the apostrophe occurs in a contraction, the tail should be turned to the left.
I have seen this rule broken on publisher's websites, especially around Christmas when the word 'tis was used frequently. It appeared over and over on TV in commercials.
Common contractions with the apostrophe at the beginning are:
'tis, 'til, 'fore, etc. In each instance, the tail of the apostrophe should be turned to the....LEFT. The program may use the wrong one, but you can change it.
II. The Three Little Ps-Peek, Peak, Pique
In truth, these words are bothersome, for even I admit using them wrong when in a hurry. However, if I use one in a manuscript, I should take time to write the one that fits the sentence.
Peek: to glance or look quickly
"She peeked around the edge of the curtain."
Peak: a pointed end or top; to reach a highest point or summit; the highest or utmost point of anything.
"The house had a peaked roof."
"The mountain had the highest peak of all."
"Production peaked at an all-time high."
Pique: a fit of displeasure; ruffled pride; to arouse or provoke
"In a pique, she stomped away from him."
"Trying to hold her head high, she was piqued that she did not win the championship."
"Her interest piqued, she sat down across from the handsome man."
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas