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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
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?
A learned explanation that is not wicked hard
Words Commonly Mispronounced
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
Commonly Confused
Usage Notes
Spelling & Pronunciation
Punctuation
Popular
How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
Be dashing—and do it well
'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
How to pick the right one
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
Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
When each letter can be seen but not heard
More Commonly Mispronounced Words
We're here to help
How to Use Accents and Diacritical Marks
You know, the markings above and below letters.
Commonly Confused
Commonly Confused
'A' and 'An' and the Patterns of Their Use
Which gets used where?
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
What's the difference between 'sympathy' and 'empathy'?
You don't know how it feels
Usage Notes
See More
Point of View: It's Personal
First, second, and third person explained
31 Useful Rhetorical Devices
Beyond 'simile' and 'metaphor'
Fun! Funner!! Funnest!!!
We got a whole mess of fun here, folks
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
See More
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?
10 Words You See But Don't Hear
How to pronounce 10 words with unpredictable stress and vowel sounds
Read
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The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
But which is correct?
Punctuation
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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
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