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One interesting thing about grammar is that we may often use it correctly without even realizing how or why. In other words, we might know the best way to apply a word or a phrase even if we can't explain it. As natural to us as the air that we breathe, simple subjects appear in …

Adjectives add to vivid writing and speaking, and we use them often, perhaps without even being aware. In this discussion, we'll explain what an adjective is, look at examples, and offer some guidance for using them well. What Is an Adjective? An adjective is a word that describes the qualities of a noun (an object, …

Whether in conversation or in writing, we have likely shared expressions such as "if I were you" or "if I was in your position." We might also find ourselves shifting between "if I was" and "if I were" when making such statements. In these cases, we have a 50 percent chance of being grammatically right. …

Adverbs are important to writing and speaking in English. However, even though adverbs are taught in school, many of us may not often consider them in such a way; they become words rather than parts of speech to us. We'll review what adverbs are, how they are used, and what they can add to our …

Imagine you are reading the police-report section of your community newspaper. Someone has been committing a rash of local burglaries. The description in the report says, "The man is identified as being age 20 to 25 and approximately 5'9" to 6' tall with shoulder-length blond hair weighing 160 to 170 pounds." You furrow your brow …

If you decide to stay in college long enough, you may eventually be required to write a thesis, which is an original academic work that demonstrates the research and critical-thinking skills you've developed along the way. Most graduates have to write only one thesis, but what happens if several students are discussing theirs as a …

Inquiry and enquiry are closely related words—so close that some consider them to be the same and others don't know what differences (if any) exist. This can make precision a challenge, but it's one that we can master with a bit of mindfulness. Let's discuss proper use when we're stuck at whether to make an …

An infinitive is the root form of a verb before it is conjugated. It contains the main verb and the word "to": to write, to study, to wish, to walk. An infinitive is split when something separates the main verb from its "to." Few grammatical items have received a rougher rap. As with starting a …

You might be familiar with the word "colloquialism." Even if you aren't, there's a good chance you use colloquialisms often, especially in your speech. They're so common to us that we may not even notice them unless we come upon one we don't recognize. Let's review the definition of colloquialisms as well as some examples. …

English verbs are simple to work with when they are regular—i.e., they follow an obvious pattern for conjugating their past tense and past participle. Verb Infinitive Present Tense Past Tense Past Participle to breathe breathe, breathes breathed breathed to dine dine, dines dined dined to jump jump, jumps jumped jumped The pattern is basic and …