Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
September 24, 2024
“Inter” is a prefix meaning “between,” whereas “intra” is a prefix that means “within.”
For example, the word “international” means “relating to or occurring between multiple nations.” On the other hand, “intranational” means “occurring within a single nation.”
Examples: Inter and inter in a sentenceBecause it was an international trip, we had to take a plane to get to our destination.
The country’s new policies focused on intranational developments.
The congressional hearing addressed both international trade agreements and intranational economic policies.
Published on
June 26, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
September 13, 2024
“Converse” is most frequently used as a verb that means “engage in conversation” (e.g., “Let’s converse about this later on”).
“Conversate” is a nonstandard word that also means “have a conversation,” but because it doesn’t follow standard English conventions, it should be avoided in professional and academic settings.
Examples: Conversate vs converse in a sentencInformal context:
Best option: We will converse about our worries during lunch.
Nonstandard (but sometimes accepted): We will conversate about our worries during lunch.
Formal context:
Best option: Sasha and Raphael wanted to converse but kept getting
interrupted.
Not accepted: Sasha and Raphael wanted to conversate but kept getting interrupted.
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
December 18, 2024
“Lead” (which rhymes with “seed”) is a verb that means “guide or direct” (e.g., “I will lead you to the classroom”). “Led” (which rhymes with “bed”) is the past tense and past participle form of “lead” (e.g., “I led her to the classroom”).
As a noun, “lead” has various definitions. It can refer to an example or precedent, leadership, or the distance someone or something has ahead of someone or something else. When used in this manner, “lead” also rhymes with “seed.”
“Lead” can also refer to a soft, gray metal. In this case, “lead” rhymes with “said.”
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
December 16, 2024
The difference between your and you’re is that “your” is a possessive adjective that indicates ownership (e.g., “Those are your tickets”), whereas “you’re” is a contraction for “you are” (e.g., “You’re going to love this”).
“Your” and “you’re” cause a lot of confusion because they’re homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different definitions (and, in this case, different spellings).
Examples: Your in a sentence
Examples: You’re in a sentence
Your package is on the way.
You’re going to love the present I got for you.
I will drop off your coffee on the way to work.
He told me you’re going to Bali next month on your honeymoon.
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
January 8, 2025
The correct phrase is all of a sudden, which means “quickly,” “unexpectedly,” or “at once” (e.g., “All of a sudden, the dog jumped all over me”). “All of the sudden” is an increasingly common error, although there is no grammatical rule that explains why “a sudden” is preferred over “the sudden.”
Examples: All of a sudden or all of the sudden in a sentence
And then all of a sudden, everyone jumped out and screamed, “Surprise!”
And then all of the sudden, everyone jumped out and screamed, “Surprise!”
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
November 21, 2024
“Has” and “have” are different forms of the verb “have,” which is primarily used to indicate ownership.
“Has” is used with singular subjects (e.g., “Dave”) and third-person singular pronouns (e.g., “it,” “she,” “he”).
“Have” is used in all other contexts, including with plural subjects (e.g., “kids”); first-person singular and plural pronouns (e.g., “I,” “we”); second-person singular and plural pronouns (e.g., “you”); and third-person plural pronouns (e.g., “they”).
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
September 13, 2024
“I could care less” is a variant of the expression “I couldn’t care less,” which means “I’m not concerned or interested in someone or something.”
Many argue that “I could care less” is grammatically and logically incorrect because the statement conveys that one does care a bit, but it’s possible to care even less.
Despite its literal meaning, “I could care less” has been in use for a long time, and most people would understand it to indicate a lack of interest in something.
Examples: I could care less in a sentenceI could care less about where we go; I just want to eat.
She said she could care less about how the game ended because she had fun either way.
I could care less about what the reviews say; I thought it was a great book.
Published on
June 25, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
November 21, 2024
Among and amongst are different spellings of the same word. Both are prepositions that mean “surrounded by or included within a group of people or things.”
It is more common to hear “amongst” in British English than in American English. However, “among” is the more popular variant in both dialects. Deciding which word to use is a matter of style and formality. Although “amongst” is often considered the more formal of the two, it can seem out of place when used in American English, whether in writing or conversation.
Examples: Among in a sentence
Examples: Amongst in a sentence
I found a rare flower hidden among the bushes.
Amongst the numerous proposals, only one innovative idea stood out to us.
She spotted a bird nestled among the branches.
During the excavation, a rare artifact was found buried amongst the rubble.
He found a beautiful antique book among all the garbage.
He found a piece of Renaissance art hidden amongst the lesser-known works.
Published on
June 24, 2024
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
January 8, 2025
The correct spelling is always separate, not seperate.
“Separate” is a word that can function as a verb or an adjective. As a verb, its primary definition is “to divide into different parts or groups.” When used as an adjective, it describes something that is distinct or a unit by itself.
Examples: Separate as a verb
Examples: Separate as an adjective
I need to separate the donations based on where they’re getting shipped to.
These toys must go into separate compartments.
Let’s separate the students by age group.
We will take separate cars to avoid being cramped.
We separated the room by placing a curtain down the middle.
We had to buy a separate piece of furniture to complete the look.
NoteSeparate can also function as a noun that refers to individual articles of clothing that can be worn in different combinations (e.g., “She packed separates for her trip to change up her look”). However, this usage is rare.