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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
7 Uncommonly Doubled Letters
For word games and other shenanigans
'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
How to pick the right one
Putting Adjectives in the Right Order
You do this without even thinking
Commonly Confused
Usage Notes
Spelling & Pronunciation
Punctuation
Popular
Using Bullet Points ( • )
More Commonly Mispronounced Words
We're here to help
The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
For example, the different ways to use them
What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
Graveyards are sometimes smaller, but not always.
Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
And which is the United States?
Why does English have so many silent letters?
Inexplicable silent letters, explained
Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
When each letter can be seen but not heard
How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
Be dashing—and do it well
Commonly Confused
Commonly Confused
Is it 'forty' or 'fourty'?
This is usage
Read
Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
Here's your explanation, and you're welcome
Read
Is It 'jail' or 'prison'?
How they differ and overlap
Read
'Deduction' vs. 'Induction' vs. 'Abduction'
Mmm, logic
Read
See All
'Awhile' vs. 'A While'
There are rules, but who's listening?
Usage Notes
See More
Can you end a sentence with a preposition?
Yes, a preposition is something you can end with.
First, Second and Third Person Explained
First, second, and third person explained
31 Useful Rhetorical Devices
Beyond 'simile' and 'metaphor'
Are 'funner' and 'funnest' real words?
We got a whole mess of fun here, folks
Can you use 'comprised of'?
It's been in use for centuries.
See More
Spelling & Pronunciation
Spelling & Pronunciation
The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
But which is correct?
Read
How to Remember the Spelling of 'Definitely'
A definitive answer.
Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?
And who put it there, anyway?
You're (Probably) Saying It Wrong
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
Read
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10 Words You See But Don't Hear
How to pronounce 10 words with unpredictable stress and vowel sounds
Punctuation
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Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?
The shifting role of the apostrophe
A Guide to Using Colons
We'll get to semicolons later.
To Use or Not Use the "?" in Requests
"Would you read this, please."
All About Ellipses ...
How to use them … and talk about them
How to Use Word Division Dots and Syllable Hyphens
Dictionary secrets, revealed!
See More