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 …