Mental Floss
  • AMAZING FACTS
  • BIG QUESTIONS
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #TBT
    • MOVIES
    • MUSIC
    • POP CULTURE
    • TV
  • HISTORY
    • HISTORY
    • ARCHAEOLOGY
    • BAD OLD DAYS WITH A.J. JACOBS
    • BIOGRAPHIES
    • BLACK HISTORY MONTH
    • KING TUT
    • TITANIC
  • LISTS
    • LISTS
    • BOOKS
    • FOOD
    • LANGUAGE
    • WORDS
  • LIVE SMARTER
    • LIVE SMARTER
    • HEALTH
    • SMART SHOPPING
    • TRAVEL
    • HACKS
    • FUN
  • QUIZZES
    • QUIZZES
    • KENNECTIONS WITH KEN JENNINGS
    • BRAINTEASERS
  • SCIENCE
    • SCIENCE
    • ANIMALS
    • ENVIRONMENT
    • SPACE
  • ALL STORIES
  • NEWSLETTER
      Mental Floss

      GRAMMAR

      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey

      Getty Images

      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.”

      Arika Okrent

      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey



      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      A spirited pour.

      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      The little conjunction that could.

      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      Yea or née?

      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.

      Ellen Gutoskey
      PREVNEXT
      Mental Floss
      ABOUT
      CONTACT US
      NEWSLETTERS
      PRIVACY POLICY
      COOKIE POLICY
      TERMS OF SERVICE
      ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
      SITEMAP
      A-Z Index

      © 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved