Dear Heloise: As a retired high school English teacher, I read with interest the letter concerning how written and spoken English standards have deteriorated in the United States. Based on my experience, my students in middle school would tell me that there was little to no exposure to grammar ...

Dear Annie: I'm 29, living in New York City, with a job I love and a great group of friends -- none of whom are single. Half are married or engaged, the other half coupled up in serious relationships. I'm generally OK being single, but going out as the perpetual third wheel is wearing on me. ...

Dear Heloise: King Alfred the Great would never have said “you” to one person, since this was the plural form, and “thou” was the singular form. (This can be compared to the German “du” and the Spanish “tu.”) After the French-speaking Normans in 1066 forced a two-tier society on ...

Dear Annie: I've been married for 35 years and have four children and seven grandchildren. We are a blended family. All the children lived with, and were raised by, my husband and me. One of my daughters was always kind of a black sheep, always doing things outside the box. As a young child, ...

Dear Annie: My 14-year-old daughter spends far too much time on social media, and I am beginning to see it affect her mood, confidence and sleep. She checks her phone the moment she wakes up and often stays online long after she is supposed to be asleep. If a friend posts a picture without ...

Dear Heloise: This is the time of year when many “DIYers” use hand clippers and cutters to trim flowers, bushes and small branches. Often, they become coated with dried sap and plant material from use. While there are products that are available for this purpose, I’ve found that kitchen ...