Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

And what about 'barefaced'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

It's a natural question

Popular

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

The dictionary is always here to help

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Sorting out eggcorns, mondegreens, and more

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Hint: neither is wrong

Are 'funner' and 'funnest' real words?

We got a whole mess of fun here, folks

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

For example, the different ways to use them

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

A learned explanation that is not wicked hard

Commonly Misspelled Words

Spelling is hard

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

And which is the United States?

Commonly Confused

Commonly Confused

When to Use It's vs. Its

A Simple Rule to Avoid Embarrassment

Usage Notes

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Can you end a sentence with a preposition?

Yes, a preposition is something you can end with.

Hypercorrections: Are you making these 6 common mistakes?

When your 'correction' is incorrect

How to use [Sic]

The politics of editorial comment.

A Comprehensive Guide to Forming Compounds

Everything you need to know

'Broadcast' or 'Broadcasted'?

Conjugating an irregular verb
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Spelling & Pronunciation

Spelling & Pronunciation

10 Words You See But Don't Hear

How to pronounce 10 words with unpredictable stress and vowel sounds

Punctuation

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To Use or Not Use the "?" in Requests

"Would you read this, please."

All About Ellipses ...

How to use them … and talk about them

The History of 'Ampersand'

How the '&' got its name

Comma Splices: What They Are and How to Correct Them (or not)

Adventurous writers pull them off regularly

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

The shifting role of the apostrophe
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