Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."
Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.
Grammar Guru Tip #18
Although these three words sound alike, they have three very different definitions.
• Peek – to get a quick look at something.
• Peak – a topmost point (physical or figurative).
• Pique – to excite someone or get them interested in something.
Example:
I took a peek at the new iPhone. She reached the mountain peak in three hours. That new TV show piqued my interest.
Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.