Thursday, October 30, 2014

Is textspeak a second language?

This poll is part of a series that Grammarly is running aimed at better understanding how the public feels about writing, language learning, and grammar.

Please take the poll and share your thoughts in the comments. We can’t wait to hear from you!

If you are interested in more, check out last week’s poll.

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.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Between vs. Among—What’s the Difference?

  • Use between when referring to one-to-one relationships.
  • Use among when referring to indistinct or nonspecific relationships.

We already touched on the difference between between and among when we talked about the difference between among and amongst. But let’s take a closer look at these two commonly confused words. We might even dispel a grammar myth in the process.

When to Use Between

There’s a common and oddly persistent belief that between should be used only when there are two elements, and among should be used when there are more than two elements.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

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.

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.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Capital vs. Capitol

  • Capital can be a noun or an adjective. Capital can refer to uppercase letters, accumulated wealth, or the city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government.
  • A capitol is a building in which the legislative body of government meets.
  • In the United States, the Capitol is a building in Washington in which the US Congress meets.
  • Capitol Hill is a metonym for the US Congress, but also a neighborhood in Washington DC.

Monday, October 20, 2014

These Books Will Help You Truly Relax on Vacation

“An adventure awaits,” “an escape from the ordinary”— travel ads often promise journeyers a chance to leave the ennui of their normal lives. But did you know that you don’t have to board a plane reach an exotic, remote location? In escapist literature, writers create a rich, absorbing environment for their characters. Readers live vicariously in a captivating alternative reality. While the characters in the novel run for their lives or fall head over heels in love, the readers unwind and enjoy the experience from the safety of the real world.

Friday, October 17, 2014

What Novel Are You? The Quiz

If you were a novel written during a special month, what novel would you be? Take this quiz and find out which classic novel corresponds with your personality!

In the quiz, you will be presented with multiple-choice questions. There are no right or wrong answers. Just choose the answer that most closely matches how you feel or what you think. Have fun!