The Web Site of Professor Paul Brians

Paul Brians in profile

Paul Brians (1942-) earned his PhD in Comparative Literature at Indiana University and joined the Department of English at Washington State University in 1968. He taught literature, interdisciplinary humanities, and world civilizations courses. He retired in 2008 and now lives on Bainbridge Island.

This is the website featuring Brians’ Common Errors in English Usage, photography, and various study guides and other helpful resources.

Paul Brians’ e-mail: paulbrians@gmail.com

Common Errors in English Usage

What is an error in English?

The concept of language errors is a fuzzy one. I’ll leave to linguists the technical definitions. Here we’re concerned only with deviations from the standard use of English as judged by sophisticated users such as professional writers, editors, teachers, and literate executives and personnel officers. The aim of this site is to help you avoid low grades, lost employment opportunities, lost business, and titters of amusement at the way you write or speak.

Go to list of errors
Book cover: Paul Brians Common Errors in English Usage, Third Edition - Revised and Expanded; forward by "Grammar Girl" Mignon Fogarty

Books by Paul Brians

*Disclaimer: This link leads to an external website that is not hosted by the university. The views and content expressed are those of the faculty member and do not represent the official positions of the university.