Grammar

What’s the difference between grammar and syntax? Grammar is a set of rules governing correct word strings in a language or text. Syntax is the arrangement or order of words and phrases to create clear, well-formed sentences. It can be a little confusing at first for new writers or students. But it’s easy once you…

Should you add a comma before and in a list of three or more items? Yes, because it eliminates confusion in a sentence. The comma before the word and in a list of three or more things is the Oxford comma. It’s also called the Serial comma. Writers use it to separate the last item…

Do you ever think about the spelling of the number 40 without a U, while other numbers like four and fourteen have one? It’s a strange exception to the rule, but the number has an interesting history. Spelling the number 40 is one of the little oddities of the English language. So what’s the story…

What are the do’s and don’t’s of making do and don’t plural in writing? It’s always a dilemma. You can easily use many verbs as nouns, in singular and plural. But the verb do is a tough one. As a singular noun, it’s fine, but there is no natural plural. Does only works in the…

There is one basic rule for dialogue punctuation. “Keep your punctuation inside the quotation marks!” There are a few more technical dialogue punctuation rules. But when you develop the habit of enclosing your punctuation, you will be right 95% of the time. How to punctuate dialogue Poor punctuation can confuse and irritate your readers. However,…

When it comes to writing in present perfect vs. past simple, it often depends on which side of the Atlantic you live. The simple past tense is more common in US English, while the present perfect is used more in British English. Of all the tenses in English, these are the two verb tenses that…

The past perfect tense is very useful in writing. We use it to show that an action occurred before another action in the past. It is a tense that concisely creates order without using time clause expressions like, and then or afterward. Although it is a perfect tense because it uses the auxiliary, had, it…

What are the best Grammarly alternatives for new writers or students? Grammarly is unquestionably a fantastic grammar, punctuation, and spelling checker. It is undoubtedly one of the best grammar-checking tools on the market today. However, an annual subscription is around $140.00, which can be a considerable investment for new writers. So, what are the best…

Do you capitalize mom and dad or the names of other family members like granddad or grandma? Yes, when the word is a proper noun. No, if it comes after a possessive pronoun such as your, my, his, or her. No, if the word is after an article, a, an, or the. When is Mom…

Almost every style guide will tell you to avoid the split infinitive. But is this generalized rule always valid? We all know the famous Star Trek example of breaking the rule: to boldly go where no man has gone before. It would sound awkward if I applied good English grammar. My grammar checker correction says…