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 #31
Many people get mixed up when spelling "desert" and "dessert." An easy way to remember the difference is to think of the two S's in dessert standing for "sweet stuff."
Or, if you have a sweet tooth, you'll probably want seconds when it comes to dessert. So, remember that "dessert" is the one with two S's.
Also, "desert" has multiple meanings. We commonly associate it with a dry, barren area of land. However it also means to abandon or to leave. If you feel deserted, you probably feel as though someone abandoned or left you.
Examples:
I'd like more of that chocolate cake – it was an excellent dessert!
While driving through Arizona, we discovered just how dry the desert can be.
When my friends left the party, I felt deserted.
At least there was a table full of desserts.
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.