Search results for “sentence”

Prepositions are certain words that go directly before nouns. They often show direction; for example, below, above, over, under, around, through, in, out, between, among, to, toward(s), etc. Other common prepositions include of, for, from, with, like. Rule: You shouldn’t use or end a sentence with an unnecessary preposition, i.e., when the meaning is clear …

Have you wondered whether there is a right way and a wrong way to use the words farther and further? The different uses of the two words can be subtle. Let's have a closer look. Farther: Refers to physical distance only. Examples: We had to walk farther than the map indicated. Reno is farther from …

How do you punctuate if something in quotes ends in a necessary exclamation point or question mark but the sentence continues? The Chicago Manual of Style offers this example: Tichnick’s angry reply, “I do not know the man!” took us all by surprise. Note the comma after reply but no comma after the exclamation point.

NOTE: Please see our article Diving Back Into Dialogue: Part II, for an expanded discussion of this topic. Internal dialogue is used by authors to indicate what a character is thinking. Direct internal dialogue refers to a character thinking the exact thoughts as written, often in the first person. (The first person singular is I, the …

If you decide to take the free Grammar Mastery Quiz, you’ll eventually come to #40, which has turned out to be confusing for many. Question 40: The department's principal/principle concern is the safety of all employees. First, let’s figure out what part of speech the word is in the sentence above. Since it describes concern, …

The three words, assure, ensure, and insure, are often confused. All three words share an element of "making an outcome sure." However, rather than using these words interchangeably, I'd like to point out the unique aspects of each word so that you can use them to communicate your intention clearly. Assure is to promise or …

[Note that our discussion of this topic also has been updated as it applies to use in 2024.] Sic is a Latin term meaning "thus." It is used to indicate that something incorrectly written is intentionally being left as it was in the original. Sic is usually italicized and always surrounded by brackets to indicate …

Parentheses indicate that the writer feels that the material contained within is of less importance or should be deemphasized. Rule: Use parentheses to enclose words or figures that clarify or are used as an aside. Examples: I expect five hundred dollars ($500). Note: Another grammar tip titled "Writing Numbers as Both Numerals and Words," treats …

Have you run across the situation where one sentence ending with a colon is followed by another sentence? Do you capitalize the first word of that second sentence? Why would you use a colon between the two sentences rather than a period or a semicolon? Rule for colons between sentences: Use a colon instead of …

Ellipsis marks (three dots) are used to show the omission of a word, phrase, line, or paragraph(s), from a quoted passage. The plural of this word is ellipses. The Three-dot Method There are many methods for using ellipses. The three-dot method is the simplest and is appropriate for most general works and many scholarly ones. …