Search results for “however”

One of many things that make the English language both fascinating and perhaps confusing is that it always evolves over time and across regions. Because of that, there can be subtle differences in English usage and expression from one place or era to the next. That can sometimes create uncertainty about spelling, usage, and interpretation. …

The words saw and seen have similar meanings and uses. Both refer to the use of sight in the past tense. However, they are not interchangeable. If you have ever confused the two, or feel like you couldn't explain the difference between saw and seen, this post will be very helpful. We will define each …

"Would you bring me to the train station?" "How much money are you taking to the concert?" You've probably said, read, or heard such expressions. Bring and take are common verbs in English, and we use them often in our daily writing and speech. But are the questions above correctly conveyed? Both verbs involve actions …

Have you ever heard of a concrete noun? Right away we'll establish that it isn't a noun that weighs more than others—rather, it is a division of nouns. Being familiar with concrete nouns can help you further improve your grammar and your communicative skills. In this quick post, we'll discuss what a concrete noun is, …

If you want to say how you ordered letters to form a word, would you express that you spelt the word or spelled it? For many of us, both versions might feel as if they are the same, so how can you choose the right one? We'll address that for you here. Should You Write …

Whether in conversation or in writing, we have likely shared expressions such as "if I were you" or "if I was in your position." We might also find ourselves shifting between "if I was" and "if I were" when making such statements. In these cases, we have a 50 percent chance of being grammatically right. …

Adverbs are important to writing and speaking in English. However, even though adverbs are taught in school, many of us may not often consider them in such a way; they become words rather than parts of speech to us. We'll review what adverbs are, how they are used, and what they can add to our …

Imagine you are reading the police-report section of your community newspaper. Someone has been committing a rash of local burglaries. The description in the report says, "The man is identified as being age 20 to 25 and approximately 5'9" to 6' tall with shoulder-length blond hair weighing 160 to 170 pounds." You furrow your brow …

If you decide to stay in college long enough, you may eventually be required to write a thesis, which is an original academic work that demonstrates the research and critical-thinking skills you've developed along the way. Most graduates have to write only one thesis, but what happens if several students are discussing theirs as a …

Inquiry and enquiry are closely related words—so close that some consider them to be the same and others don't know what differences (if any) exist. This can make precision a challenge, but it's one that we can master with a bit of mindfulness. Let's discuss proper use when we're stuck at whether to make an …