Have a friend or relative who’s quick to correct your typos? Give them a gift that celebrates their love of (grammatically correct) language.
1. THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE ILLUSTRATED; $14
William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White’s extensive—and sometimes snarky—guide to grammar was published in 1920, but it’s still considered a go-to for writing purists who are wary of change. The bookshelf staple, with a foreword by Roger Angell and updated with 57 colorful illustrations by Maira Kalman, is sure to offer up hours of education (which is entertainment to the language lover in your life).
Find It: Amazon
2. PENCILS; $9
These pencils will help keep common homophones straight. The retro sets of five are decorated with gold foil letters hand-pressed onto the sides. The Etsy store also offers up a set of red pencils that feature short, grammar-positive statements.
Find It: Etsy
3. QUOTE EARRINGS; $10
High marks: The delicate metal earrings are less than an inch tall, making them a subtle but charming choice for any punctuation lover.
Find It: ModCloth
4. *YOU’RE NECKLACE; $22 AND UP
The pendant, which comes in the material of your choice, is dedicated to a well-known pet peeve amongst the literate.
Find It: Etsy
5. PUNCTUATION POSTER; $36
Everyone knows about the question mark and the semicolon, but what about the interrobang? This simple poster, available in three different sizes and 60 different colors, celebrates the punctuation that really helps writers get their point across. It’s printed on satin luster paper with ChromaLife 100 inks, creating a long-lasting piece of artwork.
Find It: Etsy
6. SHADY CHARACTERS; $16
Keith Houston’s book offers up a thorough look at the history of the written word. Readers can learn about the rich stories behind punctuation marks, including tales that cover everything from Ancient Roman graffiti to George W. Bush.
Find It: Amazon
7. AMPERSAND MARQUEE; $20
The ampersand is a divisive punctuation mark in writing, but it’s widely loved in design; the attractive logogram can be found everywhere from wedding invitations to tattoos. This metal light stands at almost 10 inches, making it a nice statement piece in any home.
Find It: Amazon
8. POP CULTURE PARTS OF SPEECH; $29
Grammar is even more accessible with the help of beloved pop culture characters. ET, Robocop, Holly Golightly, Walter White, and more all come together to help teach tricky grammar terms. The poster is broken down into seven basic parts: nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions.
Find It: Pop Chart Lab
9. OWL SHIRT; $15
Do you have a friend who’s always correcting everyone with a stern “whom?” With the help of two owls, this shirt pokes light fun at two counterparts to the oft-neglected word. The lightweight, cotton shirt comes in a classic white with sizes for men, women, and children.
Find It: Amazon
10. MOBY DICK SENTENCE DIAGRAM TOTE; $22
This large, 16-inch-wide tote bag features the opening and closing lines from the classic book, Moby Dick. The diagrammatic words follow the Reed-Kellogg system (a parse tree that breaks down the grammatical structure of a sentence). The thick canvas bag is screenprinted on both sides and has a collapsible gusset for storing.
Find It: Pop Chart Lab
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November 29, 2016 – 6:00pm