Grammar and Usage

Sarcasm vs. facetiousness – are they interchangeable? Well, sarcasm adds an interesting intonation to your writing, making it seem witty and (hopefully!) hilarious. Of course, just like any other language device, sarcasm is best used in moderation. In everyday speech, it’s best served amongst peers… continue reading

We published an article on this topic a few years back, which is where we recommend you begin – it can be found here. After receiving numerous questions regarding the subject, we decided to address the issue again with a little refresher. So WHICH One Is… continue reading

Compare to vs. compare with: are they the same?  Well, there is actually a slight yet very practical difference between ‘compared with’ and ‘compared to.’ While ‘compared to’ underscores a similarity between two things, ‘compared with’ does the opposite. It contrasts them. Now, mixing the two up is hardly… continue reading

Sic can mean several things: An adverb indicating that something is being quoted exactly as is, including any possible errors. Another way to say such in Scottish A verb meaning “to strike” or “to pounce.” As in sic ’em! Sic is that strange little word that tends to lurk within… continue reading

What are direct and indirect objects?  How do we identify them in in a sentence? Well, in short, a direct object is what receives the action that the sentence talks about. It is directly affected by it. While an indirect object is something/someone for which/whom this… continue reading

Without even realizing it, you reach for them every day in your speech and writing. What are they? Conjunctive adverbs. And although you may not consciously think about them, it’s crucial to have a firm grasp on just what a conjunctive adverb is. And understand… continue reading