Search results for “oppo”

Clear communication in writing depends on more than precise punctuation and word choice. It also relies on proper placement of modifiers. If related elements are not in proximity or the sentence does not otherwise make internal references clear, we will have a statement such as the following: To avoid an accident while driving at night, …

Numbers can often present different style questions in American English. When should we spell them, and when shouldn't we? In particular, what are ordinal numbers and what are cardinal numbers, and how do we treat them? Mastering these distinctions will refine your precision in your daily writing. For this discussion, we'll review style guidance from …

We know that a noun in English is a person, place, or thing that functions as a subject or an object in a sentence. A noun also can operate as a subject or object complement or as an appositive. Nouns can further be grouped into types of nouns: common nouns (concrete, abstract, collective) proper nouns …

Another year of exploring the vast terrain of American English comes to a close. Once again, our routes of study with you have been rich with thought and discovery. We are thankful that you, our dedicated readers, joined us in the pursuit of greater precision and eloquence for self-expression. Each year, we wrap up the …

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 …

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. …

Let's say you need to stand and deliver a speech tonight. Will you be behind the podium, lectern, or pulpit? Most of us have heard these words, and we generally understand they relate to public speaking. However, some of us might be uncertain about the distinctions among a podium, a lectern, and a pulpit. We'll …

The last couple of years have seen a greater emphasis on how we refer to and write about cultural identity in a wonderfully diverse country such as the U.S. In this discussion, we'll share some current style guidance you can consider. When we seek reinforcement for certain style items at GrammarBook.com, we most often refer …

Many of us may have at some point wondered whether we should use data as a singular or plural word. The right answer can be evasive. How to treat data can influence our writing and sentence structure in different ways. Let's review this word more closely to reach a conclusion we can work with. Is …

Which word do you use if you’re playing a game with more than one small, numbered cube that you have to roll? Today we’ll look at the word dice, along with some related thoughts. The Plural of Dice: Are We Using Correct English? To begin with, asking “What is the plural of dice?” is a …