Vocabulary

When first learning English, conjugating verbs can often seem like a piece of cake. Although this is true for most regular verbs, the situation can get a little more confusing when you take irregular verbs into account. On top of this, some English words can be… continue reading

It is rare in the English language to have tricky words that aren’t homophones or homonyms. Nevertheless, there always seem to be one or two exceptions that are explicitly there to give us a headache! A good example is scarred and scared, which act like, but… continue reading

Some English language relationships are so interesting and intricate. Take never mind, for instance. Is it never mind or  nevermind? The simple variance in these two terms is enough to make them function differently.  In short, when never mind is used as two words, it… continue reading

Was that folder labeled or was it labelled?  Although they may seem to be two different words entirely, “labeled” and “labelled” are words that refer to the same thing. To be clear, however, they do have a difference in their dialect usage. When To Use… continue reading

The English language is full of pitfalls. Compound words can be especially tricky, as they act as a singular word yet have the characteristics of two separate words. For instance, “some day” and “someday” are often used interchangeably, even though they have different meanings, and belong… continue reading

Let’s have a look at a confusing pair of words: cavalry vs. calvary. First the quick answer: Cavalry refers to horseback mounted troops Calvary describes the place surrounding Jerusalem where Jesus Christ was famously crucified Now let’s look under the hood. You may have seen… continue reading

As with most words pronounced the same, “drier” and “dryer” are two homophones that cause much confusion for English writers. A “homophone” is a term that refers to words that have the same pronunciation yet different spellings. These words are especially tricky to use in English writing,… continue reading

Have you ever seen an eagle “sore?” Or should it be “soar?” You see, this is the issue that many writers face when trying to use these two words. They sound similar, have the same pronunciation, but have different meanings (also known as homophones), making them difficult… continue reading

Will you speak afterward or afterwards? Or is it later?  Let’s shed some light: “Afterward” and “afterwards” can be used interchangeably, although the former is considered standard in American English. An “afterword” is a section of a book that comes after the main body, intended to… continue reading

In this article, we take a close look at advice vs. advise. These similar words can confuse readers and writers due to their proximity in spelling and pronunciation. Let’s define both and learn how you can use them in your writing!  Here is the short answer: “advise” is… continue reading