Simile and Metaphor—What’s the Difference?

While both similes and metaphors are used to make comparisons, the difference between similes and metaphors comes down to a word. Similes use the words like or as to compare things—“Life is like a box of chocolates.” In contrast, metaphors directly state a comparison—“Love is a battlefield.”

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Here are some examples of similes and metaphors:

Life is like a box of chocolates. (Simile) My life is an open book.

To vs. Too

• To is a preposition with several meanings, including “toward” and “until.”
• Too is an adverb that can mean “excessively” or “also.”
• Just to be clear: two is pronounced the same as to and too, but it can’t be used instead of either of them because it’s a number.

In the hierarchy of things that drive grammar sticklers mad, to and too are near the top. It’s very common to see them confused, abused, and misused, and not just in YouTube comments or on Reddit.

Affective vs. Effective: What’s the Difference?

Is affective just another word for effective? Are the two words similar and entangled in the way the verbs affect and effect are? No, affective is not just another word for effective. And affective and effective are not derived from the verbs affect and effect. They come from the nouns affect and effect.

Affective is usually used in the field of psychology and addresses emotions and feelings.

Is Being a Perfectionist Really a Good Thing?

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.

—Anne Lamott

“I’m such a perfectionist!”

People sometimes utter that phrase with pride, wearing the title as a badge of honor, but I’ve never understood why anyone would think perfectionism is something to be pleased about. I’ve cried myself to sleep over a mistake, and I remember my embarrassing gaffes for years after everyone else involved has forgotten them.

Emigrate vs. Immigrate–What’s the Difference?

• Emigrate means to leave one location, such as one’s native country or region, to live in another.
• Immigrate means to move into a non-native country or region to live.
• Associate the I of immigrate with “in” to remember that the word means moving into a new country.

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Is emigrate an alternative spelling of immigrate? If not, what’s the difference between immigrate and emigrate?

The Meaning of Emigrate

Emigrate is not an alternative spelling of immigrate.

Altogether vs. All Together

• Altogether means “completely,” “all things considered,” or “on the whole.”
• All together means “everyone together” or “everything together.”

It’s often said that the whole isn’t necessarily the sum of its parts. That maxim applies when you turn “every day” into “everyday,” and it’s the same when you turn all together into altogether—you get something completely different.

The Difference Between All Together and Altogether

All together refers to all the members of a group.

Grammar Basics: What is Subjunctive?

Isn’t the imagination a wonderful thing? In English, the subjunctive mood expresses hypothetical and conditional expressions. Let’s explore.

How to Recognize the Subjunctive

Most of the time, the subjunctive mood of a verb looks exactly like the indicative form. The only way to know the difference between the two is by the context of the sentence. However, you can recognize third person singular verbs in the subjunctive mood because there is no S on the end of the them.

Stop Confusing These Words: Immigrate and Emigrate

The difference between these two words is all about coming and going. When you immigrate, you’re coming to a new country. When you emigrate, you’re leaving your home country.

Immigrate: to move into a country from another one to stay permanently.

My ancestors immigrated to the United States sometime in the 1800s.

Emigrate: to leave the country in which one lives, especially one’s native country, to reside elsewhere.

How to Write a Resignation Letter and Exit in Style

When it comes to making big shifts in the direction of your life, changing jobs ranks right up there among the most significant. You’ll be leaving behind familiar faces, tasks, and roles to sail into unknown waters. It’s energizing and daunting at the same time!

Once you’ve made the decision to leave your job, you’re faced with the challenge of leaving on good terms. How you tender your resignation letter can mean the difference between building a network of positive connections and burning bridges.

24 of the Most Basic Grammar Rules

Have you mastered these basic grammar rules? If you’d like to answer yes, review your knowledge with the articles below. You might be surprised at how many rules you remember and how many rules you still need to learn.

The nouns that pronouns replace are antecedents. The antecedents must correspond to the nouns they refer to in gender and number.

What are some of the most commonly confused phrases in English and how can you say them correctly?