Search results for “p”

Many of us may have learned about prepositional phrases in school, but unless we are writers, editors, or teachers, we might not think about them often even though we use them every day. In this brief discussion, we'll review what prepositional phrases are and look at some reinforcing examples. What Is a Preposition? A preposition …

A reflexive pronoun in English is one that refers back to itself: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. It is used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same. It can act as either an object or an indirect object: We should finish it by ourselves. (object of a …

As March 17 approaches, some people may wonder how to write the name of the holiday that honors Saint Patrick. Do You Use an Apostrophe When Spelling St. Patrick's Day? The day is recognized as the "Feast of St. Patrick" in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. The Associated Press Stylebook identifies the holiday …

English (and language in general) uses tense to indicate the timing of a verb's action in the present, the past, or the future. The simple past tense in English communicates that an action occurred at an earlier time. The action has been completed, and it is not continuing in the present or into the future. …

You may have heard of an anagram or anagram words. They may appear in puzzles and quiz questions, as well as on the occasional game show. So what are they and how do they work? Anagrams are words or phrases that can be formed from the letters of other words. For example, both night and …

As the third Monday in February approaches, some people may wonder how to write the name of the American holiday that honors U.S. presidents. The answer may surprise you, since authorities seem to disagree on the spelling as well as the name itself. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the official name is "Washington's Birthday" …

We use auxiliary verbs—also known as helping or modal verbs—all of the time in American English. Even if you aren't familiar with the definition of an auxiliary verb, there's a great likelihood you've used many today before reading this. In this discussion we'll review what an auxiliary verb is. We'll also provide you with examples …

American English includes many details concerning items of style. One such item is the abbreviation of professional titles and academic degrees. By becoming more familiar with this usage, you will become more precise in your daily formal writing. This precision can then also potentially conserve more space for other words you're expressing. Abbreviating Professional Titles …

Could you give the correct word for the plural of diagnosis? This question can sometimes trip writers, speakers, and even editors. In today's review we'll give you the answer, as well as touch on the reason these types of words can be tricky to form and remember. We'll also share a few tips to help …

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 …