Grammar

Writing skills are among the most important English lessons taught to middle school students. These skills are those that they will utilize throughout high school, college and their careers....

Writing teachers frequently tell their students that a passage is “not parallel.” This means that similar ideas are expressed in different ways. This lack or parallel structure is awkward and...

English is the most spoken language in the world, so knowing it definitely adds to your communication skills and makes you more marketable business-wise as well. There are numerous ways to learn...

Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November; All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February, which hath but twenty-eight, Till Leap Year gives it twenty-nine. I tried to memorize that...

A comma splice is a common error in English sentences. This means that two subject and verb combinations are connected only by a comma. While this method of sentence combining is correct in some...

Many students and learners of English have trouble with sentence fragments. Fragments are fine in spoken English, but writing teachers usually do not allow them in compositions. There are several...

There are a few titles that are commonly used in English. Some show the gender of the person, while others show a profession or position. It is important to know how to use and spell these...

This quick-and-dirty guide should help you correctly cite your sources in MLA format. Please note that this guide does not involve the use of a citation generator, because citation generators are...

Misusing the forms of there and to are very common. Follow these steps to use them properly!

You and I... Me and you... She and I... Me and her... How do we know when to use "I", or when to use "me"? Here's the trick. It's easy, and almost impossible to forget.

When you give a book to a young child you're potentially sentencing the parent to hours of torture. How? It's the parents that truly suffer the agony of a bad kid's book when they're forced to...

Whether you're in elementary, middle school, high school, or college, it's imperative that you know your parts of speech. These steps provide you with a creative rap based on the parts of speech...

The difference between "it's" and "its" is easier than you may think. Read the instructions below, and learn how to tell which it's/its is which.

Pets are a great way to teach children to be responsible. Kids usually love animals and are willing to help at first, but as time goes by, they may get a little lazy. Here are some tips on getting...

The apostrophe is one of the English language's most frequently used and abused marks of punctuation. A simple trip to the grocery store may reveal signs that advertise "Tomato's" and...

How to correctly write a sonnet.

Often times the Introduction and Conclusion of a research paper or essay can be the hardest part to write. Gathering the facts and evidence is a little easier to translate into writing, where as...

To you, it may be common sense when to use these, but to some it may be more difficult. It is a common mistake, and if you don’t be careful you can fall into the trap of using the wrong “their”.

Even native speakers have trouble with "whom" in English! That is because it is becoming less and less common. But, if you want to write correctly, whether you are a student or not,...

Sometimes "some of" is used with a singular verb, and sometimes it is used with a plural verb. But do you know how to use it correctly? There are easy rules to help you, whether you...

"Sit" and "set" are two verbs that are often confused by English speakers. It is important to understand the difference since they are used all the time. Here are some easy...

Many English teachers want their students to find the object in a sentence. This is also called the direct object or the object of the verb. Not all English sentences have objects, but many do. ...

Even many native speakers of English make mistakes using “I” and “me.” However, it is not hard to use them correctly. There are a few rules which will enable you to decide which one to use in...

Many writers and English students are not sure how to use a comma with “and.” Sometimes you need it, and sometimes it is incorrect. However, there are some simple rules to help you know when to...

One of the hardest things to do is to edit a paper after you've spent all your creative energy just getting a first draft. Also, if you don't have anyone to tell you what to look for, you might...

If you don’t know how to double letters in the past tense with -ed, you are not alone! There are a few spelling rules which will make it easy for you to spell the past tense of many verbs in...

Many analytical left-brained people often ask me how to be a better technical writer, not realizing that writing is as systematic as math is. It's just harder to explain. But some very...

The most important thing any student can do to improve his/her chances on ANY test and to ensure success at school is to READ…READ…READ! You can support your child as a reader by helping him/her...

The most important thing any student can do to improve his/her chances on ANY test and to ensure success at school is to READ…READ…READ! You can support your child as a reader by helping him/her...

Being able to write a topic sentence that properly conveys the main idea of your paragraph is an essential skill as a writer. In order for your topic sentence to be as effective as possible there...

A perfect project for the crafters in your family! Put those stacks of old newspapers and colorful flyers from your recycle bin to use by creating colorful handmade paper perfect for note cards,...

A lifelong love of reading will serve your child well. What can you do to increase your chances of raising a reader? Here are some tips.

Written conventions, or grammar and spelling, can turn a great paper into a bloodbath of red int. To avoid this your child should have a general idea of what to look for in order to self-check an...

Both native and non-native writers of English have trouble using They're, Their, and There because the pronunciation is identical in each case. But if you learn what each one means, it will be...

Many people confuse "It's" and "Its" in their writing. Since the pronunciation is exactly the same, this is a common spelling error. However, there is a simple way to decide...

Students have difficulty grasping the concept of pronouns. I've used this exercise as an introduction to pronouns. Students like it because it's interactive and they can move around and have...

Many people who want to learn English grammar online are confused about how to use YOUR and YOU'RE. This article will make it all clear.

Everyone needs to read more in less time. There's so much to do, and we don't have time to read directions, or that book for school. Speed reading is a skill my junior high school teacher taught...

When writing eHow articles, titles for research papers, etc. sometimes, people tend to confuse which words should be capitalized and which ones should not be. Grammar school was a long time ago,...

Hyphenate a compound adjective correctly and your writing will be taken seriously. When writing is clear and punctuated correctly, the reader can easily read the writing and get straight to the...

If you are a teacher in California, taking and passing the CTEL (California Teacher of English Learners) Exam is the first step towards keeping your California teaching credential and keeping your...

A butcher paper barn is a great craft project for kids! Butcher paper is a thick, sturdy paper that usually comes in a roll. It is used by butchers to wrap meat. Find it for sale at grocery and...

Teaching prepositions doesn't have to be difficult, but how many teachers or even parents have been frustrated trying to make a child understand what a preposition is? It’s one thing to say that...

Do you struggle with writing? Maybe grammar or spelling are just not your forte? With a few simple steps, you too can tackle that dreaded English assignment: The Essay!

Writing can seem like a daunting task to some, but with some organization and fore thought, you can produce a professional and even thought provoking essay.

When your child focuses during class work and homework, they will cut their study time in half. When their focus is elsewhere, the concentration is not there and homework can take much longer....

Learn the secret to the most confusing punctuation mark, the semi-colon, from an actual college writing teacher, once and for all. This is the first and most straightforward advice on the topic.

Getting children from out of in front of the television is really not as hard as it seems. It only takes one good book to get them bit by the reading bug. Here’s how your kid could learn to love...

Whenever you write anything, you want to make sure it makes sense. Re-reading everything you write allows you to catch not only spelling errors, but grammatical errors as well. Tenses can tend to...

When you use ensure vs insure, the difference is important to the meaning of your writing. To communicate correctly, learn the difference between ensure and insure and you will communicate...