Editor's Corner

After sending out a recent Editor’s Corner about one of my pet peeves, a few of you sent me your own personal pet peeves and asked me to expound on them.

Thanks to an email from Ivonne, today I’ll address in regard to vs. in regards to (singular vs. plural).

Ivonne knew, but you may wonder, which is correct?

Lots of people get this one wrong. The correct usage is in regard to (singular). For instance, you would say, “This email is in regard to your question about correct English usage.”

But better yet, consider finding a less antiquated and wordy way to say what you mean. You can often use about in place of in regard to. Or, to be more direct, you can completely rewrite a sentence. Check out this progression of revisions:

Wordy start:In regard to your homeowner’s insurance, it was cancelled before the flood occurred.

Still too wordy: About your homeowner’s insurance, it was cancelled before the flood occurred.

Concise revision: Your homeowner’s insurance was canceled before the flood occurred.

How wordiness affects your editor:

For more information on this topic, read this article from Quick and Dirty Tips.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432