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Let Dr. Mike Zizzi teach you to uplift your world via truly *authentic* writing (and speaking! and listening!) We need more of YOUR voice (not AI's).

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Tag: language

Stage 2-d: Run-on or compound?

Welcome back. In the prior post, labeled Stage 2-c, we explored — and in some ways exploded — the idea of any universally proper sentence length. I hope that essay helped you to take an interesting and useful step along our Stage 2 pathway. We now move to the next lesson, Stage 2-d, where we…

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MZ-general

Stage 2-a: From “Simple” to “Surprise Me” – Introduction

We have learned, in Stage 1, that — in English grammar — every complete sentence must include, as its essential component, a main clause (MC), which combines a subject (S) – what we are talking about – and its predicate (P) – what the subject is 1) being, 2) having, or 3) doing. This pair–that-makes–one,…

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Stage 2 posts

Stage 2-b: Across the muck . . . we need *stepping stones*!

By now, you know all about main clauses (MCs) — also commonly known as independent clauses — and you understand them not just as grammatical factoids, but as a team that, together, constitutes the sentence’s very essense. Something (that you named) either does, has, or is something (according to you). It’s that simple, ha ha….

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MZ-general

Stage 2-c: The proper length of a sentence

As you know by now, I cherish authenticity — such that things you say could have been said by you, only. For example, just to show my own authenticity, including my poetic leanings, I might re-arrange those opening eight words like this: “As you, by now, know, I cherish authenticity . . .” (hear the…

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MZ-general

Words Matter

“Words Matter,” so get them right! I’ve dedicated my academic and professional life, along with much of my personal life, to studying, teaching, theorizing, and writing about the endless meanings, implications, and applications of the brief, common, and commonly mis-used expression, “words matter.” How? Why? To what effect? Making what possible? Causing what limitations? Overcoming…

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foundational issues

Stage 1-a: “The Essence of a Sentence” – Introduction

Stage 1-a: The Essence of a Sentence – “Introduction” As I will remind you elsewhere (sorry to nag, but it’s vitally important), your learning will benefit greatly if you read and study my system — all three “stages” — in their sequential order. So start here, then work your way through all the Stage 1…

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MZ-general

Let’s get political — NOT!

Don’t let that knee jerk! I want to get an early start on demonstrating the lack of political side taking that I will demonstrate and also hope you will be able to emulate, when that would help you, which is often, in our present times of unprecedented (at least in the past century) divisiveness. For…

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authenticity

Welcome to our “Movement”

Hello Readers, soon to be “Writers-in-Movement” Welcome to my blog-style home for ideas (related to writing, rhetoric, speaking, listening, and more) that I know will piss off some people and please others to their soul. I’m starting a movement: “Not PC, GC.” That is, I want to put a dent in language-harming “political correctness” (PC),…

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Controversy Corner

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