The Word Guy

The Word Guy

The Word Guy

Teacher, writer, editor and language columnist Rob Kyff is an expert with words. Through his weekly columns in several publications, a multitude of published books, as well as in his classrooms, he shares his language and grammar tips and provides fun facts about the evolution of the English language.

Recently Published

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Why Do We Call Food 'Grub'? Apr 29, 2026

THE WORD GUY BY ROB KYFF FOR RELEASE: APRIL 29, 2026 Why Do We Call Food 'Grub'? (Author's warning... Read More

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Grill, Baby, Grill! Apr 22, 2026

Q: My husband and I disagree about the terms "grilling" and "drilling." If I'm "grilling/drilling" s... Read More

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Reader 'Emotes' Over 'Burgling' of Nouns to Make Verbs Apr 15, 2026

A subhead for a recent New York Times story about the audit of a federal department read, "Auditors ... Read More

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Anagrammatic Word Pairs Display 'Latent Talent' Apr 08, 2026

"I just commented to my husband," writes Bobbie Lehigh of Edwards, N.Y., "that it seems quite quiet ... Read More