Search results for “colon”

The English we speak in the U.S. today represents centuries of influence, change, and inheritance. We can see this, for example, in how American English has been used in the 2020s as compared with during the 1820s. We can also readily recognize differentiating factors such as how our word choices differ from those in other …

Expressing ourselves with words is as much nuanced art as it is refined precision and clarity. One can wield superior knowledge of grammar and verbal construction but not always reach readers with compelling rhythm and voice. The same can be said about our arrangements of words when we speak. Consider the following statements: We are …

Each writer's art is the formation of voice and technique over time. The more we write, the more we find and reveal thoughts and words connected only as we might convey them. The more we study and apply the principles for shaping good writing, the more eloquent and precise we can become. Writing differs from …

Imagine you are driving down the road in your car. Picture the signs, lights, and symbols you see on the way to help you know where to go at which speed, as well as when to stop and go. Now envision what your route would be like if those indicators were absent or misplaced. Punctuation …

Let's say you're starting a group at your school or in your industry. You know you have a gathering of like-minded students or professionals. Would you refer to your group in writing as an organization or an organisation? On that note, why do we have two separate but similar spellings floating around? Let's answer that. …

In writing and in speech, we will often include information that further specifies or identifies what we are communicating: Caleb's son, Richard Jane Doe, the mayor Linus, Lucy's brother When we include this extra information, we are using what is known in grammar as apposition. We also refer to these additional details as appositives. Apposition …

Would you please hand me that flower vase, my dear? Joaquin, how much rice does the recipe call for? You know, my friend, I'm not sure if we're going to make it on time. Most of us are familiar with expressions like these. We might also communicate in similar ways when writing salutations such as …

It's another new year, and all of us at GrammarBook.com hope yours is off to an inspired start—including looking forward to another full year of mastering American English. At the start of each new year, we review what we've explored with you during the previous twelve months of discussion and study. The 2022 master quiz …

Therefore, moreover, and furthermore are curious words in modern English. They appear often enough to make us somewhat familiar with their usage and meaning. At the same time, they are deployed rarely enough (and with a classical feeling) such that we might not always be sure we're using them correctly. That leads us to today's …

Mr. Burns is wiser than I. Tara knows more about football than baseball. Yama's thinking seeks truth; his writing, the expression of it. Many of us are familiar with these types of statements in English. They are elliptical sentence constructions, which omit sentence components without losing clarity. Those components can be words, phrases, or clauses. …