GRAMMAR

Jive vs. Jibe vs. Gibe: What’s the Difference?

This information might not jibe with what you’ve heard before.

What Does "The" Mean?

It’s the most frequent word in the English language, accounting for around 4 percent of all the words we write or speak. But what the word 'the' means is surprisingly complicated.

These words are tripping up Google users.

‘Congradulations’: The Most Commonly Misspelled Words in the U.S.

Belive it or not, spelling errors are a fact of life.

You just know which one Goldilocks is going for.

Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: What’s the Difference?

Deciding when to use an em dash instead of some other punctuation mark is largely up to you—except in situations that call for an en dash or hyphen.

Compliment vs. Complement: What’s the Difference?

If you’re talking about a free hotel breakfast, the word you want is ‘complimentary.’

Recurring vs. Reoccurring: What’s the Difference, and When Should I Use Each?

Yes, they’re synonyms. But there’s a little more to the semantic story of ‘recur’ vs. ’reoccur’ than that.

What's the Difference Between 'Burned' and 'Burnt'?

'Burnt' and 'burned' are both acceptable, but they serve different purposes.

Stink vs. Stank vs. Stunk: What's the Difference, and When Should I Use Each One?

When does something stink, when did you believe something stank, and when might it have stunk?

The situation has clearly gone from bad to worse.

How to Use Worse vs. Worst Correctly in 6 Common Phrases

What's the 'worse' or 'worst' that could happen if you use the wrong form of this commonly used word? Here's what to know.

Is “As I Lay Dying” Grammatically Incorrect?

Musician Sufjan Stevens recently jumped on the “open letter to Miley Cyrus” bandwagon with a tongue-in-cheek critique of her grammar in the song “Get It Right.”

The historic—and historical—grand opening of New York City's Brooklyn Bridge in May 1883.

Historic vs. Historical: What’s the Difference and Which Should I Use?

Do they historically mean the same thing? Yes. Do they have separate definitions in modern usage? Also yes.

People have apparently been saying cold slaw since the 18th century.

11 Commonly Misheard Phrases That Actually Make Sense

Is it coleslaw or cold slaw? Deep-seated or deep-seeded? There are right answers, but the wrong ones seem kind of right in their own right.

Why Are Some Liquors Called 'Spirits'?

One theory suggests that we call liquor 'spirits' because of alcohol’s association with one spirit in particular: the Holy Spirit. But there are other theories.

Where vs. Whereas: When to Use Each One Correctly

One historical definition of ‘whereas’ is ‘preamble.’ But that’s probably not the one you’re looking for.

Where Does the Word Née Come From?

Née’s meaning is technically “born,” and we borrowed it from the same place we got déjà-vu and cul-de-sac.

If you're writing a conditional statement, then you should use then.

Then vs. Than: When to Use Which

‘More than’ or ‘more then’ isn’t a matter of opinion. But there was a time when they were interchangeable.

Disinterested vs. Uninterested: What’s the Difference?

Should you use ‘disinterested’ or ‘uninterested’? It depends on the context, the era, and how much you care about the grammar sticklers in your life.

Hopefully this article will have a positive effect on your grammar skills.

Affect vs. Effect: How to Use Each Word Correctly

Affect or effect? These examples—and a grammar hack from TikTok—will help you remember the difference.

If you use the wrong one, you can always claim it was a typo.

Semicolon vs. Colon: When to Use Each One

Semicolon-versus-colon is one of the most fearsome face-offs in the grammar game. Here’s how to come out on top.

Insure vs. Ensure: What's the Difference?

Insure and ensure started out as alternate spellings of the same word, but today they have slightly different definitions.

She's ready to captivate her classmates with a rousing debate on each vs. every.

Each vs. Every: What’s the Difference?

There’s a reason why “Every of my feet” sounds so wrong, and why “Almost each foot” is equally weird.

"May I please use can when asking permission to do something?"

Can vs. May: When to Use Each Term

Many a teacher has reinforced the grammar rule that ‘may’ is for asking permission—not ‘can.’ But there’s a little more to it than that.

What Does It Mean to ‘Put the Kibosh’ on Something?

People have multiple theories about the origin of "putting the kibosh" on something, but one is most likely correct.

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7 Surprising Places We Got Phrases About Food

From chopped liver to spilled milk, we examine the origins of seven of the most popular food-related idioms.