Everywhere a sign and a line: Cue vs. queue

Seeing this error in a few writers’ manuscripts indicates the need for an entry about these two similar-sounding words.

Cue can be either a noun or a verb for a signal to do something: The teacher’s nod was Annie’s cue to begin her presentation.

Queue can be either a noun or a verb for lining up: The students got into a queue for lunch.

The line of writers mixing up these two words now should be a lot shorter!

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.