Thursday, April 26, 2012

4 Irish Authors Who Will Inspire Your St. Patrick’s Day

Did you know that St. Patrick’s Day, which is on March 17, is celebrated differently in the United States and Ireland? Irish-Americans initially celebrated the holiday as a show of solidarity and strength of the Irish in a foreign land; the celebrations have evolved to include parades, shamrocks, green outfits, green beer, and corned beef and cabbage. In Ireland, it’s a religious holiday and, in the past, the pubs would close; today, there are parades and shamrocks for tourists, but you’d be hard-pressed to find corned beef and cabbage anywhere.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

What Is a Subordinate Clause?

A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence; it merely complements a sentence’s main clause, thereby adding to the whole unit of meaning. Because a subordinate clause is dependent upon a main clause to be meaningful, it is also referred to as a dependent clause.

Whether you use the term subordinate or dependent to describe the clause, this clause’s function is clear: it provides informational support to the main event of the sentence.

#GrammarlyChat

If you missed our March #GrammarlyChat, get caught up with our Storify summary: https://storify.com/Grammarly/grammarlychat-blogging-and-self-publishing.

If you missed our February #GrammarlyChat, get caught up with our Storify summary: https://storify.com/Grammarly/grammarlychat-writing-for-work-and-job-searching.

If you missed our January #GrammarlyChat about books and reading, get caught up with our Storify summary: https://storify.com/Grammarly/grammarly-chat-books-and-reading

Friday, April 20, 2012

Check Your Answers for Grammar Skills Test—Intermediate

So, you want to know what your English grammar level is? You’ve come to the right place. This post will cover the answers and additional learning resources for “Grammar Skills Test—Intermediate.” The Intermediate test covers subject-verb agreement, modifiers, word order, tenses, conditionals, negative constructions, and auxiliary verbs.

Correct answers are highlighted. Links go to additional learning resources to help you continue improving.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Is the Cover Letter Dead?

The cover letter was once a valuable tool for all job seekers hoping to get by the HR gatekeeper. However, the rise of innovative tech, social media, millennials, and good old-fashioned networking is killing the cover letter.

The only thing missing from the decline of the cover letter is a time of death. In fact, chances are your cover letter won’t even be read, according to Fortune.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Check Your Answers for Grammar Skills Test—Master

So, you want to know what your English grammar level is? You’ve come to the right place. This post will cover the answers and additional learning resources for “Grammar Skills Test—Master.” The Master test covers reported speech, conditionals, prepositions, tenses, adverbs vs. adjectives, the irrealis mood, and restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses.

Correct answers are highlighted.

5 Strategies to Improve Your Business Writing

Guest post by Greg Fowler 

Even if your career isn’t focused on writing, the ability to write well can strongly influence your business opportunities. A poorly-executed email, or a resume filled with mistakes, can damage your reputation. To advance your career and impress your boss, develop your writing skills by employing the following five strategies.

Keep Your Writing Concise Brevity is important.