A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. It also connects closely related thoughts. In this review, we’ll further consider how the semicolon operates in forming lists that involve items in a series. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation Some of us at some point may have come …

Different words play different roles in a sentence. Direct objects are words that have a specific function in forming a statement. Being able to identify and understand their role is a useful skill for those who want to be clear and versatile in their writing. Today's post will review direct objects and give some examples …

Those who study the art of composition are likely to hear references to mood and tone along the way. The terms may seem or sound synonymous, but they identify different aspects of substance in writing. If you're looking to further develop the style and impact of your writing, particularly as emotional depth is concerned, you …

Those who write in American English may sometimes wonder when to abbreviate a word as well as how to abbreviate it. This review will help address those questions. An abbreviation is a shortened or contracted form of a word or a phrase (e.g., Mister to Mr.). If you're ever in doubt about when and how …

Although they may have nearly identical spellings, loose and lose have different pronunciations and entirely separate meanings. In today's post, we will break down the meaning and usage of each word. The Meaning of Loose Loose is an adjective that means "not tight" or "not contained." Here are a few examples of loose being used …

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 …