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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
Using Bullet Points ( • )
Point of View: It's Personal
First, second, and third person explained
31 Useful Rhetorical Devices
Beyond 'simile' and 'metaphor'
Commonly Confused
Punctuation
Spelling & Pronunciation
Usage Notes
Popular
How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
Be dashing—and do it well
Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide
A guide to plural and possessive names
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?
As in: learned, alleged, and wicked
What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
In which we definitively answer a thoroughly uncontentious question
More Commonly Misspelled Words
Because spelling is tricky
Words You Always Have to Look Up
The dictionary is here to help
Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
Here's your explanation, and you're welcome
Commonly Confused
Commonly Confused
'A' and 'An' and the Patterns of Their Use
Which gets used where?
Read
'Gray' vs. 'Grey': What is the difference?
Spelling isn't all black and white
Read
7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
We promise you're not the only one who has trouble with these words
Read
Is It 'jail' or 'prison'?
How they differ and overlap
Read
See All
What's the difference between 'sympathy' and 'empathy'?
You don't know how it feels
Punctuation
See All
How to Use Word Division Dots and Syllable Hyphens
Dictionary secrets, revealed!
A Guide to Using Colons
We'll get to semicolons later.
To Use or Not Use the "?" in Requests
"Would you read this, please."
Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?
The shifting role of the apostrophe
Comma Splices: What They Are and How to Correct Them (or not)
Adventurous writers pull them off regularly
See All
Spelling & Pronunciation
Spelling & Pronunciation
Commonly Misspelled Words
Spelling is hard
Read
Why does English have so many silent letters?
Inexplicable silent letters, explained
Read
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
See All
The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
But which is correct?
Usage Notes
See All
Can You Use 'Comprised of'?
It's been in use for centuries.
Is it 'graduated' or 'was graduated from'?
No, this will not be on the test
Fun, Funner, Funnest
Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'
8 Grammar Terms You Used to Know, But Forgot
Plus yodeling
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?
The awkward case of 'his or her'
See All