WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Grammar Minute: The Return of the Biweekly Meeting

Episode Date: March 2, 2025

We're back with more workplace confusion on today's episode of Grammar Minute!

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we're saving the English language 60 seconds out of time. I'm Lauren Smith, and I was recently invited to another bi-weekly meeting. I had no idea when to show up, and I could tell no one else did either, because the announcement was met with confused silence. The problem with the word bi-weekly is that its dictionary definition is both every other week and twice per week. Thus it becomes a meaningless word that you should never use. What can you say instead? Twice weekly and every other week are less concise, but, but they're clearer. In situations where you can't be both concise and clear, which are very rare,

by the way, choose clarity. It's most important that your audience understands you, not that you get the message out in as few words as humanly possible. It's time to retire biweekly. Twice weekly and every other week are acceptable substitutes unless you want people showing up way more or way less than they should. That's your Grammar Minute. Visit thegrammerminut.com for more tips and tricks. Thank you.