When Verbs Confuse, Dictionaries Clarify – But Not Without Drama

When Verbs Confuse, Dictionaries Clarify – But Not Without Drama

In a witty and relatable piece titled “A Word, Please,” grammar expert June Casagrande dives into a surprising discovery: Merriam-Webster has been quietly updating how it displays verb forms—potentially making readers doubt their memory. What she frames as “dictionary gaslighting” actually highlights the evolving role dictionaries play in making language accessible.

For readers and educators alike, this humorous revelation underscores why tools like The Dictionary Project remain so vital. When third graders receive their own dictionaries, they gain more than just a list of words—they’re given access to grammatical confidence. These books teach verb forms like “swam” and “swum,” “drank” and “drunk,” and why both “dreamed” and “dreamt” are valid.

While Merriam-Webster may tweak formatting, the message is clear: knowing how to use a dictionary is still a crucial skill. And literacy projects that distribute physical dictionaries to students help build lifelong learners who can navigate changes in language with confidence.