Showing posts with label american english. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american english. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Abbreviation

An abbreviation, simply put, is a shortened form of a word. In writing, abbreviations are useful when you need to squeeze a lot of writing into a small space. You can also use them in place of long or cumbersome phrases to make your sentences easier to read.

One thing to remember about abbreviations is that certain ones are considered informal. If you are writing something very formal, it’s better to err on the side of spelling things out.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Period

The period, called a full stop in British English, is one of the first punctuation marks we learn about when we begin reading and writing. Compared to commas or semicolons, the rules for using periods are blessedly simple.

What Does a Period Do?

The most common use of the period is, of course, to end a declarative sentence. Interrogative sentences (questions) end with a question mark.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Texting: Ppl, Srsly, It’s OK 2 Uz TxtSpk Sumtimz

Text speak gets a bad rap.

It’s been pegged as barbaric, accused of ruining the English language, identified as a symbol of the millennial generation’s laziness, and perhaps worst of all, it’s been strung up as the next bad habit liable to rot kids’ brains.

That puts it in the same category as American English, according to Prince Charles, and rock ’n’ roll, according to conservative evangelical parents of the 1950s—two institutions that turned out pretty okay, according to the majority.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Among vs. Amongst: What’s the Difference?

Amongst and among mean the same thing, but among is most common, particularly in American English. Both words are prepositions that mean “into, surrounded by; in the midst of, so as to influence; with a share for each of; in the number, class, or group of; mutually; or by all or with the whole of.”

Linda Richman, a Saturday Night Live character, would often give her audience an interesting topic to ponder, such as “The peanut is neither a pea nor a nut,” delivering the line in an exaggerated New York accent.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Double Negatives: 3 Rules You Must Know

You probably have been told more than once that double negatives are wrong and that you shouldn’t use them. However, usually, it’s left at that — without any explanation of what exactly a double negative is or why it’s considered incorrect (in standard English). We want to fix that. Here is the essential list of things you must understand about double negatives.

1 In standard English, each subject-predicate construction should only have one negative form.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

When Should I Use Inquire vs. Enquire?

  • Traditionally, enquire simply meant “ask,” while inquire was used for formal investigations.
  • In the UK, the two words are used interchangeably, although inquire is still the more commonly used word for formal or official investigations.
  • In the United States, inquire is the strongly preferred spelling in all uses.

For the most part, you can use either enquire or inquire and not make a mistake.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Is It Favorite or Favourite?

It is sometimes said that the United States and the United Kingdom are two countries separated by a common language. Despite the fact that English is the most widely used language in both countries, a distinction is often made between the English used in the United States—American English—and the English used in the United Kingdom—British English. The differences between the two varieties of English are usually subtle, but they exist nonetheless, particularly around spelling.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Catalog vs. Catalogue

  • Catalogue and catalog are both acceptable spellings.
  • Catalog is most popular in American English.
  • Catalogue is the most common form in other parts of the world.

Some stores compile lists of products you can buy from them. These lists (often in book form) are sometimes accompanied by descriptions and photos of the products. You may see this book described as either a catalog or a catalogue.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Fulfil vs. Fulfill

  • Fulfil and fulfill are both correct spellings of the same word. It means “to put into effect,” “to achieve,” “to carry out,” or “to realize.”
  • Fulfil is the spelling commonly used in English speaking countries like the UK and Australia.
  • Fulfill is the spelling commonly used in the United States.
  • In Canada, they use both spellings.

Fulfill is one of those words with multiple spellings.