Category: English Grammar
Learn the difference between “like” and “such as.” In traditional grammar, “like” means that things are similar in some way, while “such as” means you are giving examples. The …
Know when it’s okay to start sentences with “And,” “But,” and “Or.” Some people think that it is always wrong to start a sentence with the words “And,” “But,” …
Be careful when using double-negative construction. Double-negative construction means using two negative-meaning words in the same sentence. In some cases, two negatives cancel each other out and make the …
Don’t split infinitives. An infinitive is the word “to” follow by a verb-to go, to study, and so on. Splitting an infinitive means putting a word between “to” and …
Try not to end sentences with prepositions. Although this is not a hard-and-fast rule, many teachers hate it when you end sentences with prepositions such as “around,” “of,” “about,” …
Use “a” and “an” correctly. The article “a” is used before words that start with consonant sounds: a house, a bird, a scary thought. The article “an” is used …
Avoid useless words and phrases. In spoken English, the two useless expressions that pop up most frequently are “like” and “you know.” A third offender is the word “well.” …
Be able to recognize a compound sentence. A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences that are joined by a comma (or sometimes a semicolon) and a coordinating …