Search results for “APP”

Many of us have seen a run-on sentence or what we thought might be one. Even if we couldn't explain technically why it was a run-on, we intuited that such a sentence included elements that were either improperly joined or insufficiently separated. In this discussion, we'll further review run-on sentences as well as different ways …

Sometimes two words that have similar spellings and the same pronunciation can cause confusion in our writing. You may have experienced such confusion if you have read the expressions bear with me and bare with me. When the phrase is spoken aloud, the spelling doesn't matter, and you typically understand what's being said. In writing, …

Among the many style items involved in American English, references to academic degrees remain a common source of uncertainty. Do we write doctoral degree or doctorate degree? What is the difference between a Ph.D. and an M.D., and when should the credentials appear in our writing? We'll address such questions to provide direction you can …

If you write, speak, and read English, you've likely come across the word suffix before. If you know what a suffix is and how it functions, you have a useful feather in your grammatical cap. If you are unsure of what a suffix is or don't recall its applications from what you learned in school, …

Most of us know that we're not supposed to drive or park on a street curb. We might also head to the fridge or the pantry to curb our appetite. But what should we do if we come across a kerb—in writing or in real life? Today we'll look at the words curb and kerb, …

Most fluent writers and speakers of American English have little trouble distinguishing past tense from present tense verbs. For example: I practice my grammar daily implies something’s happening right now. I practiced my grammar every day indicates the action has already taken place. But what if you want to write about something that’s going to …

A plural possessive noun is a plural noun that indicates ownership of something. Example The dog's food is in the bag on the floor. (singular possessive: one dog) The dogs' food is in the bag on the floor. (plural possessive: multiple dogs) In the two sentences, the nouns dog and dogs are neither the subjects …

Idioms are a big part of language—as well as a common source of confusion, particularly for non-native speakers. Because idioms are used so often in communications from emails to text messages to daily conversations, understanding them is important to mastering American English. In today's post we'll explain what idioms are and how they work, as …

A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects other words or phrases as well as clauses of equal rank. The seven coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. (One way to remember them is by using the acronym FANBOYS as a mnemonic device: For And Nor But Or Yet So.) We …

Some writers and speakers of American English may have a basic understanding of what a phrase is but may not always be able to define one or identify it in a sentence. In today's post, we'll further explore and explain what a phrase is. How Do You Define a Phrase? A phrase is a sequence …