Then vs Than
“Then” and “than” look and sound similar but they mean very different things. THEN is an adverb, referring to a certain time, or “when” something happened or will happen. For example: “Let’s meet at 3 pm.” “Sounds good! I’ll see you then.” (“then” = 3 pm) “I had...
When to Use IN, AT, and ON
The words IN, AT, and ON are a part of speech called prepositions. Prepositions express TIME or LOCATION for people, places, and things. The front page photo to this article shows a variety of uses of IN, AT, and ON. After reading this, you should be able to identify...
How To Use “Recommend” Part 2
Yesterday, her boss recommended (that) she read the document carefully. This sentence is correct and shows another way to use “recommend.” In that sentence, there are two verbs: recommend and read. The person recommending wants someone else to read something. The word...
How To Use “Recommend” Part 1
“Recommend” means to present someone as worthy of confidence or as something you might like. You might recommend a book, restaurant, company, employee, or friend to someone else. We often use “recommend” in business because the word carries an official-sounding weight...
When to Use “Had Had”
When French comedian Gad Elmaleh started learning English in 2016 to perform his standup act in New York, he found a lot to laugh about in the peculiarities of his new language – and using the verb “had had” was among them. In his live performance show, “American...
Cultural Differences Between Hugging and Kissing in Writing
Have you ever received a text or email that closed with, “Xoxo” or “Xo” or “xoxoxoxoxox”? The x’s and o’s mean “kisses” (x) and “hugs” (o). Xox is an informal way to end a message to a close friend or family member. The amount of X’s and O’s is up to you. This...
February’s Pronunciation Practice: Silent Letters
PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE: SILENT LETTERS (r, l, and s) In honor of the silent “r” in February, this month’s words all have silent letters (r, l, and s). Watch below ⬇️⬇️ and see the February = FEB-yu-ware-i Lincoln = LINK’n Talk = tawk Walk = wawk Could = cood (the...
How to spell capital or capitol
Today is Inauguration day 2021. The ceremony takes place in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., and the 46th president, Joe Biden, will be sworn in on the Capitol steps. Which brings up the common confusion between the two words: CAPITAL and CAPITOL The two...
When Do I Use Lie vs Lay?
This may sound shocking, but there is no longer a distinction between “lie” and “lay.” Yes, there was a time -- 10, 20 or more years ago -- when using LIE or LAY showed the difference between good, standard English and “other.” But when the majority of native English...
Using “or so” and “about” with an Approximate Quantity
To express an approximate quantity of something -- a quantity of time, how many, how much, or how long – native speakers of English often use “or so” and “about”. For example, with “or so,” the phrase goes after the quantity: When is the webinar going to be? In three...