Author: GrammarBook.com

Threw and through are two words that sound exactly the same (making them homonyms), but with completely different meanings. That makes them easy to tell apart, once you know the distinctions. In today's post we will explore the meaning of each, give you some examples, and quiz you on the difference. Ready to get started? …

Most people understand what a sentence verb is: a word that expresses an action performed by a subject. English verbs are further categorized into transitive and intransitive verbs. In this discussion, we'll review what a transitive verb is and how it functions in a sentence. A transitive verb is one that expresses an action that …

When assessing the grammatical validity of these ones and those ones, you will probably run into a few schools of thought. Opinions often branch into one of three areas: Both are correct. Neither is correct. These ones is incorrect, but those ones can be acceptable. Who has it right? And more important, which (if either) …

Perhaps you have seen the words first and firstly in sentences and wondered which one is correct—or if firstly is even a real word. If so, today's post can help. First Things Firstly As a starting point, let's note that both first and firstly are technically correct in a grammatical sense. That means you can …

The which vs. that usage dilemma pops up when working with dependent clauses—also known as subordinate clauses—that require one of these two relative pronouns. A dependent clause contains a subject and a predicate but cannot stand alone as a complete, independent sentence. Which and that are used with essential (also called restrictive) clauses, which contain …

A GrammarBook reader came across this sentence: If I were very lucky, I would get the chance to go. She asked, "Shouldn't I be followed by was, not were, since I is singular?" This is type of question is common within English grammar, particularly because it walks the line between the conditional tense and the subjunctive mood when a dependent if clause is …

Are there any three identically pronounced words in the English language that can give people so much trouble? Even those who grew up with these words in school can confuse them. If you doubt this, simply visit your favorite social media site after reading this article. There's a chance you could see incorrect usage, particularly …

The two main components of English sentences are subjects and predicates. Together, they form clauses. The complete subject is the main part of the sentence that contains at least one noun (or noun equivalent) and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate contains at least one verb and its auxiliaries, modifiers, and completing words if …

You might sometimes wonder whether it's all right to use the word alright. As it turns out, there is a mostly right answer to that. The Meaning of All Right and Alright The two-word expression all right is a short way of saying "all is right." That phrase itself is a quicker version of the …

If you grew up attending American schools, at some point you probably received the advice to "write in the active voice." Although English instructors tend to hold passive-voice statements in lesser esteem, many English speakers (including college graduates) still often use them. Others might even have trouble identifying them in sentences. So what exactly is …