Search results for “p”

Than and then look and sound alike, and both are used in casual conversation all the time. Because of their similarity, they can sometimes be tricky to keep straight, especially in writing. In today's post we'll review the differences between than and then so you know how to use both correctly within your communications. The …

A common debate in English grammar can concern whether commas need to be used before conjunctions such as and, or, and but. These debates may stem from the fact that different people have been taught different guidelines about this punctuation. Style guides often differ about it as well. Today's post will help to clear things …

Suppose you wake with the strange sensation that you have just been in a desert made of brown sugar in a room where it was raining toasted marshmallows. Was all that sugar something you had dreamed, or had you dreamt of something sweet? If you're someone who focuses on improving your mastery of American English …

Do you ever have a hard time separating the one-word already from the phrase all ready? These words sound the same when spoken aloud unless you conscientiously emphasize the pause between them. Given that, it's easy to see why people might confuse them. In today's post we'll look at the differences so you can use …

Every English verb has an infinitive, which is the base form of the verb before it is conjugated. It consists of the word to and the present form of the verb (the infinitive stem): e.g., to run, to sing, to write, to follow. Although an infinitive is the base of a verb, it does not …

A subordinating conjunction is a word or a phrase that begins and therefore introduces a dependent (subordinate) clause. The subordinate conjunction marks how the dependent clause will modify the independent clause with information such as manner, place, time, contrast, cause, or a condition. Some common subordinating conjunctions include: after except that that although if though …

A lot, alot, and allot: These words are all used often in writing. Some people also consider them to be either interchangeable or the same word with different spellings. In truth, a lot, alot, and allot are not the same. Two of them have separate meanings, and one isn’t even a word at all. For …

American English can be flexible and expressive in conveying thoughts and ideas. For example, we might write or say something such as that guitar has been lounging in my living-room corner since Reagan was president. Many of us may understand what that sentence conveys, but some of us might also ask ourselves if a guitar …

You're walking down the street. Someone hands you a piece of paper explaining a community effort. Did that person just give you a flyer, a flier, or something else? Let's answer that. Flyer vs. Flier as a Word Choice In the U.S., a promotional piece of paper using words and pictures to deliver a message …

The chances are good that you have seen (and may even own) some collectibles. At the same time, you probably have other things that were collectable. The real question, though, is whether you know the difference between the two words. If not, today's post should be a big help. Collectible vs. Collectable Let's start by …