Published on
July 2, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
December 16, 2024.
Lay means to “position someone or something horizontally or flatly, either in a resting position or to serve as a layer that covers another surface.” Lie means “to be or put oneself in a horizontal, reclined position on a surface.”
The difference between these two commonly confused words is that “lay” is a verb that is done to someone or something else (e.g., “I asked him to lay the cloth down on the table), whereas “lie” describes an action or state of being one does themselves (e.g., “My dog likes to lie in the sun”).
Examples: Lay in a sentence
Examples: Lie in a sentence
I will lay my baby sister down in her crib and then go downstairs to help clean.
I will go and lie in bed early tonight since I am not feeling well.
The dog sitter likes to lay newspapers on the floor as a precautionary measure.
Belle’s favorite pastime is to go to the beach and lie on the sand.
Do you mind if I lay this down on the table before we begin?
Thomas likes to lie under the stars and name the constellations.
Published on
June 27, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
November 14, 2024.
There are several ways to say how are you in Spanish, including:
¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
¿Cómo te va? (How’s it going?)
¿Cómo va todo? (How’s everything going?)
¿Qué tal? (What’s up?)
¿Cómo has estado? (How have you been?)
¿Cómo te ha ido? (How have you been?)
¿Cómo andas? (How are you?)
Cómo estás (pronounced “ko-mo-ehs-taas”) is the simplest and one of the most common ways to say “how are you” in Spanish. Although it is considered more casual than other options, “cómo estás” is widely acceptable in both formal and informal settings (e.g., “Hola, mucho gusto. Soy Dra. López. ¿Cómo estás?”).
TipQuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you write in Spanish with the right tone and style for your audience, whether you’re writing formally or informally. Try it today!
Published on
June 27, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
September 4, 2024.
“Bestest” is an adjective meaning “very best.” Although it’s technically a word, it is considered nonstandard and should therefore be avoided in professional and academic contexts.
However, it’s acceptable to use the word “bestest” in informal settings, such as when you want to affectionately emphasize that someone is your most cherished friend.
Example: Bestest in a sentenceLaura is my bestest friend in the whole wide world.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
December 18, 2024.
Subjective is an adjective that describes something as being based on individual perspectives and experiences (e.g., “That movie is too long in my opinion”). Objective means that something is based on verifiable data or evidence (e.g., “That movie is 180 minutes long”).
The difference betweensubjective and objective writing is that the former is based on personal viewpoints, whereas the latter is based on observable facts.
Subjective examples
Objective examples
I don’t like the icing on the cake.
That cake has cream cheese icing.
Dogs are so much better than cats.
Dogs are the most popular pets in the world.
Tacos are tastier than pasta.
Tacos are a Mexican dish, whereas pasta is Italian.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
September 12, 2024.
Although “possum” and “opossum” are often used interchangeably, they’re actually two distinct animals.
Possums are marsupials that are native to Australia and the nearby islands of New Guinea and Sulawesi. On the other hand, opossums—which are also marsupials—can be found throughout the Americas.
Possums and opossums differ in several ways, in addition to their geographic distribution.
Possums
Opossums
Belong to the order diprotodontia
Belong to the order didelphimorphia
Can weigh from half an ounce to twenty pounds (varies by species)
Can weigh from two to fourteen pounds (varies by species)
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
January 10, 2025.
“Weather” refers to the state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Words like “rainy,” “dry,” “cold,” and “hot” are often used to describe the weather (e.g., “I checked the weather app and saw that it’ll be rainy later”).
“Whether” indicates a choice or expresses doubt (e.g., “I wonder whether she’ll eat at home or go out to a restaurant”).
Examples: Weather in a sentence
Examples: Whether in a sentence
I asked her to check the weather before we went on a hike.
She wanted to know whether I bought the gift or made it.
I’m going to the beach, regardless of what the weather is like.
He said he’d pass the exam whether he studied or not.
“To” is a preposition that is typically used to indicate movement towards something (e.g., “She drove to the store”). It’s also frequently used as a function word that indicates that the following verb is an infinitive (e.g., “My niece loves to dance”).
“Too” is an adverb that means “also” or “very” (e.g., “That’s too much candy for us”). It describes something as being excessive, additional, or more than enough.
Examples: To in a sentence
Examples: Too in a sentence
We should go to the party.
They were too scared to go inside the haunted mansion.
Eddy wanted to play the video game.
Lauren ate too much and had a stomach ache.
TipHere’s an effective way to test if you’re using the right homophone: Replace the word in question with “also” or “very.” If the sentence still makes sense, then “too” is the appropriate choice.
A row consists of people, things, or information placed in a straight line, side by side. A column consists of elements arranged one on top of the other.
In other words, the difference between a row and a column is that a row is horizontal, whereas a column is vertical.
An effective way to distinguish between a row and a column is to remember this rhyme: “row means left to right, column means height.”
Examples: Row in a sentence
Examples: Column in a sentence
The books were aligned in a row from left to right.
The plates were stacked one on top of the other, forming a neat column.
We were seated in the first row.
My baby brother knocked down the column of folded clothes.
The kids were standing in a row for their class photo.
It took me hours to stack the coins into neat and organized columns.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA.
Revised on
January 20, 2025.
“Worse” is a comparative adjective that describes something as “of poorer quality or condition.” It is used to explain that something has a lower quality when compared to something else.
“Worst” is a superlative adjective that describes something as “of the poorest quality or condition.” It indicates that something is of the lowest quality when compared to something else.
Examples: Worse in a sentence
Examples: Worst in a sentence
The movie was bad, but the sequel was worse.
That was the worst ice cream I’ve ever tasted.
The tea was bitter, and the coffee was even worse.
She said stubbing her toe was the worst pain she’s ever felt.
Yes, the rain was brutal, but the cold weather was worse.
I encountered the worst interpretation of the book while in class.
