In English, homophones can be some of the most difficult word pairings. They are particularly difficult in the case of liar vs. lier, as they both sound the same and are spelled similarly. So, is this confusion warranted? Do these words mean different things? To… continue reading
Snuck or Sneaked (or Snooked?)
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
What’s the Difference Between Scarred and Scared?
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
How to Write a Pitch for a Business Loan
You’ve done your research, and you know you need a business loan to get your startup off the ground. But before you can borrow money, you have to write a pitch that will convince a lender to give you the funds you need. Writing a… continue reading
Should You Use “Never Mind” or “Nevermind” in Your Writing?
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
Labeled or Labelled? Are Both Right?
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
What Is The Meaning Of “Touch Base”?
Let’s discuss the meaning and original of “touch base.” Colloquial idioms can be extremely difficult for native English speakers and English learners. They are confusing to use with a grammar context, and they people often don’t know what they mean. In the case of “touch… continue reading
Follow Up, Follow-Up, or Followup?
Ever got stuck scratching your head about whether its follow up, follow-up, or followup? Let’s shed some light here: “Follow up” is a verb form meaning the act of checking on something or pursuing further examination on a topic. “Follow-up” is a noun form describing… continue reading
Is Payed a Word? Or Is it Paid?
What is the proper way to talk about the verb “to pay” in the past tense? Is it paid or payed? The infinitive “to pay” has many meanings, most relating to offering something (most commonly money) to someone else, commonly in return for services or… continue reading
‘Tis the Season: Unwrapping the Essence of the Phrase
Let’s discuss the famous phrase “‘Tis the season:” ‘Tis is just shorthand for “it is,” originating in the mid-16th century. The abbreviation gradually fell out of favor after the 18th century. The expression “T’is the Season” gained popularity after appearing in the song “Deck the… continue reading