badtzphoto would like to know:

“What is the difference between "Are you trying to make me laugh?" and "Don't make me laugh!"There is little difference between the two besides the fact that the former is in question form and the latter is in command form. Both express a level of disbelief and mockery that vary according to the context and tone of the person ( Read more... )

debirlfan asked us "What are the rules for American versus British usage for 'hospital' and 'surgery'?

It's true that British usage on these common medical terms differs from what's encountered in the United States. We'll take a closer look at how these words work.
( With help from the cast of Bleach )

todeskun asked us, "When do you use 'fit' versus 'fitted'? As in, 'it fit him to a T' or 'it fitted him to a T'?"

It turns out that which one you use depends on which side of the Atlantic you live. Let's take a closer look.
( We'll be assisted by the cast of Batman ... )

midnitemaraud_r asked us, "Does forward/forwards work the same way as toward/towards?"

Let's take a look, with help from the cast of the movie The Princess Bride.
( In fact, it's not inconceivable that someone could be confused by this ... )

aqua_crescent asked, "What is the difference between 'gold' and 'golden'?"

With examples from Once Upon a Time

( So what exactly is the difference between 'gold' and 'golden'? )

sosaith asks, "When someone is dead or something doesn't exist anymore, should you ever use the present tense to describe them?"

The answer is "it depends." Let's get down to the particulars with the cast of Rosemary Sutcliff's YA historical novel The Eagle of the Ninth - or, if you prefer, the cast of "The Eagle" (2011). ( Dead and/or gone - but not forgotten! )

campylobacter has a question about the difference between snugly and snuggly. Let's take a closer look at these close cousins with help from our immortal friends from Good Omens, Aziraphale and Crowley.
( On with the word geekery! )

Is it Ms. or Ms?

The answer is, well, either--and it will take a little more exploration to determine which to use. ( with examples from Alias and James Bond )

t_verano poses an interesting question: When is it appropriate to use "which" vs. "that"? What is the appropriate comma use in each situation?

Is there, in fact, a distinct rule that applies to this situation? Or does it depend entirely on mood, which can change from one moment to the next?

( Let's find out, with examples from Discworld... )

callistosh65 asks: When is it appropriate to use toward vs. towards? Does this change in British fandoms?

With examples from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and usage guidelines from Garner’s Modern American Usage.

( Why yes, it does change in British fandoms. )