Archive for 'English Language'
The Highly Versatile Em Dash Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 7, 2021
I’ve often remarked on this page that punctuation is a very important and often neglected part of learning English. Of all the little squiggles and lines that make up the world of punctuation, perhaps the most versatile and popular is what we call the em dash. Let’s take a look at what it is, how…
Commonly Used English Alliterations Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 30, 2021
Let me tell you a secret about English speakers that many of us don’t even realize. We love to speak in alliterations. We can’t help it. Our language is filled with alliterative phrases that we use every day. Even for those who don’t know what alliteration is. Understanding Alliteration I found myself the other day…
Learning English pays off Posted by carol on Sep 30, 2021
What’s up, guys? As I was working on our previous post about money problems, it came to mind how the phrase to pay off has another possible use, not money-related, but which is also equally relevant. Then I was reading on Olympic mascots later this week and the article mentions how those lovely creatures pay…
The Rules of Capitalization Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 23, 2021
We’re living in a time when it sometimes seems that the standard rules in English no longer apply. Whether it’s in texts, social media posts, or emails, English basics are being ignored. This is especially true for how and when to use capital letters, also known as the upper case of a letter. I know…
The Many Ways to Say, “Let’s Eat!” in English Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 16, 2021
When it’s time to eat, what do you say? Letting family, friends, roommates, and anyone else know that a meal is ready may be one of the most common things we do every day. Granted, many of us eat alone. But, assuming that you want to share a meal with someone, that announcement is pretty…
Coulda/Shoulda/Woulda Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 9, 2021
There are three common English verbs that everyone knows but many misuse: could, should, and would. All three verbs are in the past tense. All three are modal verbs. And all three, being past tense, are commonly paired with the auxiliary verb have – usually as a contraction. But they will mess you up. Could…
Fewer, Less, and Knowing the Difference Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 3, 2021
In English, we use quantifiers with our nouns all the time. A quantifier describes the number or amount of something within a phrase. Unfortunately, many English speakers confuse their quantifiers, using one when they should use another. Do you mean fewer of something or less of something? This is because many quantifiers are not specific…