The colon (:) acts as a pointer that introduces a list of items or examples, or…
Writing dates: British and American styles
There are various ways of writing calendar dates in English. We can talk about writing formally…
Telephoning terms and etiquette you should know
Telephone conversation is a daily activity, but a call is not all about how much is…
Round & square brackets: use them, look smarter
Some of us have used round and square brackets interchangeably over the years because we didn’t…
Anyway and anyways: before you use them next time
Anyway and anyways have always been a pair of words contending with each other across the…
Singular ‘they’: facts you can’t ignore
Quick tip: Singular they had been in existence long before its criticism by traditional grammarians. Linguists…
Question mark: did you know these rules?
The question mark (?) is another simple punctuation mark we use every day just to make…
Mx: a new word taking over?
English language is evolving—that’s a fact; some words have been coined and used for over 30…
Unforgiveness: not an English word?
Quick answer: No, unforgiveness is not an English word. Have we been foolish for using it…
Onset and outset: most controversial pair simplified
Onset and outset (both nouns) are apparently the most controversial English pair I’ve come across. I…
Been and being: when and how to use them
The difference between been and being in meaning and usage has been a popular problem in…
‘Presently’ and ‘at present’: what you should always remember
These words have generated a lot of arguments over the years and some grammarians have refused…