Search results for “od”

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 …

The words efficacy and efficiency are so similar in how they are spelled, pronounced, and used that they can be confused for each other. There is a difference, though. If you've ever wondered how to distinguish efficacy from efficiency, we'll leave you with a greater understanding in today's post. The Meaning of the Word Efficacy …

English uses the concept of tense to communicate an action's place in time. For example, in the sentence James threw the ball to first base, the infinitive verb “to throw” is written in the past tense to let us know that this action occurred in the past as opposed to the present or the future. …

You might vaguely recall learning about compound sentences at some point earlier in your education. There's also a chance a refresher may help, because review and practice are good for remembering grammatical guidelines. In this post we'll revisit what a compound sentence is and how it is formed. How Do We Create a Compound Sentence? …

American English is replete with style questions and details. One item that can remain elusive for those seeking consistency in their writing is the treatment of academic degrees. If you complete your education at a community college, have you earned an associate degree—or an associate’s degree? Let’s discuss that further and arrive at direction you …

The words imply and infer are related. They are also often used as synonyms or incorrectly swapped to mean the other thing. Today we'll help clear confusion concerning these two words. The Difference Between Imply and Infer To imply something means to suggest it indirectly. It's a way of giving information that allows another person …

A while and awhile both sound the same when spoken aloud, leading some to think that the two are the same or that one is a misspelling of the other. The two constructions—one as a two-word phrase and the other as a single word—mean different things. In today's post, we will explain the difference so …

When our favorite football team is losing often, do we write that we can't handle any more losses by them—or that we can't handle anymore losses by them? We might get confused about whether to use one word or two when we're expressing such an idea in American English. The two treatments (any more and …