Grammar guides
Common grammar mistakes, explained simply
Quick answers to the grammar, spelling, and punctuation questions people ask most, with examples you can remember.
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10 Common Grammar Mistakes in Emails (and How to Fix Them)
Small grammar mistakes can make a professional email look careless. Here are the 10 most common errors in work emails and how to fix each one.
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How to Check Grammar on iPhone
iPhone's built-in tools only catch spelling. Here's how to check grammar, punctuation, and word choice on your iPhone in a few seconds.
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What Is a Comma Splice? 4 Easy Ways to Fix It
A comma splice joins two complete sentences with only a comma. Learn how to spot one and four easy ways to fix it, with before-and-after examples.
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How to Use a Semicolon Correctly (With Examples)
A semicolon joins two closely related complete sentences or separates items in a complex list. Learn the two main rules with clear examples.
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Who vs. Whom: A Simple Way to Choose
Use who for the subject and whom for the object. Learn the he/him trick that makes choosing between who and whom easy, with examples.
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Then vs. Than: When to Use Each
Use than for comparisons and then for time or sequence. Simple examples and a quick trick to stop mixing up then and than.
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Affect vs. Effect: Which One Should You Use?
Affect is usually a verb and effect is usually a noun. Learn the difference, the exceptions, and an easy way to remember which is which.
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Your vs. You're: What's the Difference?
Your means something belongs to you; you're means 'you are'. See examples, a quick memory trick, and the mistakes people make most often.
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Its vs. It's: The Simple Rule You'll Never Forget
Its shows possession; it's means 'it is' or 'it has'. Learn the one test that tells you which to use, with clear examples and common mistakes.
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Their vs. There vs. They're: How to Tell Them Apart
Their, there, and they're sound the same but mean different things. Learn the difference with simple examples and a quick trick to always pick the right one.
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Lay vs. Lie: Finally Understand the Difference
Lay needs an object (you lay something down); lie doesn't (you lie down). Learn the tricky past tenses with a simple chart and examples.
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Me vs. I: "John and Me" or "John and I"?
Should it be 'John and I' or 'John and me'? Use the drop-the-other-person test to choose between me, I, and myself every time.
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The Oxford Comma: Should You Use It?
The Oxford (serial) comma is the comma before 'and' in a list of three or more. See when it prevents confusion and how to use it consistently.
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Active vs. Passive Voice: What It Is and When to Use It
Learn to spot the passive voice, why it can make writing weak or unclear, how to rewrite it in the active voice, and when passive is actually better.
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To vs. Too vs. Two: How to Use Each One
To is a preposition, too means 'also' or 'excessively', and two is the number 2. Examples and memory tricks to get them right every time.
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Whose vs. Who's: The Difference Explained
Whose shows possession; who's means 'who is' or 'who has'. Learn the one-step test, see examples, and avoid the most common mix-up.
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i.e. vs. e.g.: What They Mean and How to Use Them
e.g. means 'for example'; i.e. means 'that is'. Learn the difference, how to punctuate them, and an easy way to remember which is which.
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Fewer vs. Less: When to Use Each
Use fewer for things you can count and less for things you can't. Clear examples, the common exceptions, and a quick test.
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Lose vs. Loose: Easy Ways to Remember
Lose means to misplace or fail to win; loose means not tight. Learn the difference with examples and a simple spelling trick.
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A vs. An: The Sound Rule (Not the Letter Rule)
Use a before consonant sounds and an before vowel sounds. Learn why it's an hour but a university, with examples and the tricky exceptions.
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Weather vs. Whether: Easy Ways to Tell Them Apart
Weather is about rain and sunshine; whether introduces a choice or doubt. Learn the difference, plus when to use 'whether or not' and 'whether vs. if'.
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Dangling Modifiers: What They Are and How to Fix Them
A dangling modifier describes the wrong thing, often with funny results. Learn how to spot dangling and misplaced modifiers and two ways to fix them.
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Run-On Sentences: How to Spot and Fix Them
A run-on sentence joins two complete sentences with no punctuation. Learn to spot run-ons and fix them with a period, semicolon, conjunction, or rewrite.
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Apostrophe Rules: Possessives, Plurals, and Contractions
When to use an apostrophe and when not to: possessives (the dog's bowl), plural possessives (the dogs' bowls), contractions, and the plural mistake to avoid.
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Subject-Verb Agreement: Rules and Examples
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. Learn the tricky cases: long subjects, 'each', 'everyone', 'or', and collective nouns.
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A Lot or Alot? The Correct Spelling Explained
'A lot' is always two words; 'alot' is a common misspelling. Learn the rule, the difference from 'allot', and better alternatives in formal writing.
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Past vs. Passed: How to Choose the Right One
Passed is the past tense of the verb 'pass'; past refers to time or position. Learn the one-question test with clear examples.
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Good vs. Well: Which One Is Correct?
Good is an adjective and well is usually an adverb. Learn when to say 'I'm good' or 'I'm well', and why 'you did good' sounds wrong in formal writing.
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Everyday vs. Every Day: One Word or Two?
Everyday (one word) means ordinary; every day (two words) means each day. A simple swap test tells you which one to use.
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Accept vs. Except: What's the Difference?
Accept means to receive or agree; except means 'not including'. Learn the difference with examples and an easy way to remember which is which.
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