Grammar

There is a simple way to make sure you are using neither nor clauses correctly every time. All you need to do is remember that the first letter in each of the words starts with an N for not. In other words, these two words are always negative. The positive form is either-or. We use…

You are often writing in the future tense when referring to an action or event at a time in the future. When you do, you would never think about how you use English grammar to construct meaning in your phrases. It is just a tense that comes naturally. But would it surprise you to know…

You certainly use a lot of adjectives when you write. But do you know that there is a correct order of adjectives? In its simplest forms, you add an adjective before a noun or plural nouns or after the verb to be. They can add descriptive properties quickly and easily to any noun. Sure, you know that…

Can you find the 27 figures of speech in this cartoon? Our English language is rich with literal and figurative language. But what is a figure of speech? It is a rhetorical device that a writer or speaker deliberately uses to create an implied comparison with a word or phrase. A common figure of speech…

Can you start a sentence with but? I am sure you must recall your high school English teacher told you that beginning a sentence with a conjunction was wrong. It was one of the grammar diktats that my teachers drummed into my young head. “Never start a sentence with and or but!” Those were the…

Obviously named after Ernest Hemingway, the Hemingway app is a popular free writing tool created by Adam and Ben Long. Compared to other grammar and spelling checkers and writing software, it is quick, easy, and a much simpler alternative. A desktop version of the Hemingway Editor is available for Mac and PC, which is quite cheap.…

Every writer tries to write without making basic English grammar errors. However, readers are quick to notice common grammar mistakes in any form of writing. It doesn’t matter if you are writing a blog post, an article, a novel, or even a social media post. You want to make sure people understand, appreciate, and enjoy your…

The most flexible and versatile punctuation mark—the Em Dash There are many ways to use dashes in writing. But it is necessary first to make the difference between a hyphen, and an em dash vs en dash. En and em dashes are longer than the hyphen. An em dash is often used to indicate a break…

How do you check your writing for sentence fragments and run-on sentence errors? Finding a solution is simple once you can recognize what the problem is with a sentence. When you write in a hurry, you will always have a few corrections you will need to make. It’s easy to make little grammar and spelling…