Search results for “p”

A noun phrase is group of two or more words that function as a subject, an object, or a prepositional object in a sentence. The phrase is led by a noun and joined by one or more modifiers that can come before the noun or after it. For example, if you write the man with …

Two words might sound the same in American English, but when they appear in writing, we see that they have different spellings and mean different things. Such is the case with tenant and tenet, two words that reach the ear similarly sometimes but have no relation. We will spell out their differences, starting with the …

We may often find ourselves distinguishing between two words that sound the same but have different meanings. In today’s post, we have a threesome of such words. That’s because palette, palate, and pallet are all said the same way, but each has a unique meaning and spelling. To help you tell them apart, let’s begin …

There are a lot of similar and confusing words in the English language, and you’ll often find patients and patience among them. In this post, we will look at the difference between the two. Patient and Patients These words create a challenge because patients and patience are homophones. That means they sound the same when …

A phrasal verb, also known as a verb with a particle, is a verb that combines with another word to describe an action. The particles within phrasal verbs will typically be prepositions, adverbs, or both: e.g., in, up, up with, off, on, down, over, and out. Examples It's getting dark out, so I think I'll …

Grammatically speaking, the names of streets and roads can get a little bit tricky. Do you know when to capitalize them? If you aren't sure, this short grammar post will give you helpful guidance. Street Name Capitalization Rules When we consider capitalizing the names of streets and roads, we separate them into two categories. The …

An indefinite pronoun is one that refers to an unspecified or unidentified person or thing. Unlike a definite pronoun, it is vague, and it does not have an antecedent. She drives the car. (The pronoun reference is specific to a person.) Anyone can drive the car. (The pronoun reference is general; no particular person is …

Winter might be coming, or you might have a spring in your step. The seasons tell us a lot about climate, mood, and even which fashions and foods are in style. But grammatically, they can sometimes summon a stump to trip over. For instance, do you know if you should capitalize the names of seasons when you're …

An interrogative pronoun introduces a question that seeks information. If the pronoun is not part of a question, it is not an interrogative pronoun. There are five interrogative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and what. Examples Who is the new park commissioner? Of whom are we speaking? Whose are the shoes by the door? Which …

As we often like to remind our readers, once you get further into the finer aspects of English grammar, the underlying concepts are often very accessible. Which brings us to the topic of today’s post: what are possessive adjectives? Possessive Adjectives: What They Are and How to Use Them Possessive adjectives are words that come …