Grammar

When are Quotation marks used? Why do some books have single quotation marks and others double quotation marks? The Grammar Detective will help you find the answers.

Fewer and fewer people know how to use "less" and "fewer" correctly in English these days. However, if you teacher is lowering your grade because of such mistakes, you need to...

Writers often find the correct use of "advise" and "advice" confusing. Whether you are a student of English as a Second Language or a native speaker, it is important to use...

Time clauses in English are a type of subject and verb combination that connects to another clause called the main clause. Writing students are sometimes confused about what punctuation to use...

Sometimes student writers want to indicate that a quotation contains another quotation. There is a standard method to make this clear to the reader. Just follow these steps.

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...

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

How to correctly write a sonnet.

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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!

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....

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...

Helping your child with homework is very important; it teaches your child to work independently and helps to reinforce and extend learning done at school. It also helps your child be more...

Tips to help your child get organized for school and sports.

Knowing when to use “Its” versus “it's” can be tricky. I always have to stop and think which one is for belonging to something and which one is for "it is.” I think the reason why I have such...

As parents we want our children to hit every milestone at a speedy pace. Unfortunately some children like to do things in their own time. As a mother of 2 young children I found that my youngest...

Did you ever get told that you can't start a sentence with the word "because"? Untrue! BECAUSE it is quite simple to understand, you can be using subordinating conjunctions the next...

A predicate nominative can seem intimidating until you find out that RENAMING is the name of the game!

In this article, you will learn how to write a really good essay. I will teach you everything you need to know about writing essays. And if you doubt my knowledge, I was one of the best writers in...

An indirect object may sound like a grammar mystery, but it is really quite simple to find in a sentence. A few quick steps will lead you right to it!

Although most versions of Microsoft Word come with a spell checker and English grammar checker, there are many reasons why you may want to get another. Perhaps you simply don't like the grammar...

The spelling of the words 'under way' and 'underway' are often confused. In fact, 'under way' is spelled as one word incorrectly so often that it might just be the most misspelled word(s).

Correct spelling in the English language can be tricky. Sometimes, plural nouns are some of the trickiest words to spell. But they do not have to be hard. First of all, a noun is simply a...

Charter schools are independent public schools (which means they are free) that are proposed by teachers, school leaders, parents, non-profits, or other members of the community. The school is...

Has your English teacher ever asked you to write a sentence using a transitive verb? Did your heart race and your hands get sweaty? No need to fear the verb! It's really a simple process to...

The verb is the most important part of speech in the English language. Selecting the right verb can turn your writing from the ordinary into the extraordinary. And while many think opening a...

In English the "ed" form of verbs can be tricky when it comes to spelling. I hope the following easy and clear rules will help you figure out the right spelling.

The English language is one of the hardest languages to learn. And I can see why. Words like life and live are so similar that oftentimes people confuse the two and use the wrong word in their...

Let's face it. Standard English can be a challenge to write whether you are new to the language or grew up in the U.S. Here are some commonly misused words and grammar rules to remember them by.

This topic is a pet peeve of English teachers and linguists, and is also a topic that comes up on standardized writing tests. It is very easy to understand once you think about it the right way. ...

Many people have trouble with the correct usage of “fewer” and ”less.” Incorrect usage in speech is one thing, but the written word is held to a higher standard. So those of us who put our work...

Do you love words? Sometimes when you are writing you like to have some fun with words. Palindromes are fun and so are oxymorons. If you want to know the difference, it will only take a...

Interjections can be understood from the word itself. Inter means that something is going into or putting itself into something. The latter part of the word comes from inject which also means to...

How to identify a comma splice and how to fix it

Here’s some basic information to help you brush up on adjectives and adverbs. Using adjectives and adverbs in your writing can help make it more interesting.

Learning to quote someone in Japanese is supremely easy. Part of the simpleness stems from the fact that direct and indirect quotes are structured the same way. So once you learn the basic concept...

Quotes, or quotation marks, are punctuation marks that can be used in many different ways. The uses of quotes include setting off dialogue, quoted material, titles of short works, and definitions....

If you've done any academic writing, you've surely encountered some Latin abbreviations, like 'e.g.' The usage of some of the common abbreviations is pretty straightforward, luckily.

Many times a hyphen is misused in writing. Here are the proper times when a hyphen should be used