They may be spelled the same, but they don’t have to be. Words that have the same sound and same spelling are homonyms and may also be homophones or homographs.
Continue reading: Do words have to be spelled the same to be homophones?
Their shows possession. There shows where something is or that it exists. And they’re is a contraction of they are.
Continue reading: What is the difference between the homophones their, there, and they’re?
In a three-word compound adjective, a hyphen is typically used between each word in the sequence (e.g., “a well-thought-out plan”).
When a three-word compound adjective incorporates a compound proper noun, such as “New York,” it is generally unnecessary to use a hyphen between the words that comprise the proper noun (e.g., “New York-style,” “Great Gatsby-themed,” “Franz Kafka-inspired”).
In cases like these, many writers use an en dash instead of a hyphen (e.g., “New York–style”) to emphasize that both words of the compound noun are connected to the other word to form the compound adjective.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using hyphens and compound words correctly.
Continue reading: How do you hyphenate a three-word compound adjective?
An example of a prepositional phrase is “in the washing machine.” A prepositional phrase combines a preposition (e.g., “in,” “on,” “with”) with nouns and modifiers. They can act as adjectives, adverbs, and nouns in a sentence.
Here are some other examples of prepositional phrases:
Continue reading: What is an example of a prepositional phrase?
“On” is a preposition that can be combined with nouns and modifiers to form prepositional phrases. It has a range of meanings, including the following:
Continue reading: Is “on” a prepositional phrase?
With is a preposition that can be combined with nouns and modifiers to form prepositional phrases. It has a few meanings, including the following:
Continue reading: Is “with” a prepositional phrase?
“Of” is a preposition that can be combined with nouns and modifiers to form prepositional phrases. It can express a range of meanings, including the following:
Continue reading: Is “of” a prepositional phrase?
There are three types of dependent clauses: adverbial clauses, adjective clauses, and noun clauses. Dependent clauses are categorized into these types based on the role they play in a sentence.
Continue reading: What are the types of dependent clauses?
Dependent clauses typically begin with a word called a dependent marker. This dependent marker can be either a subordinating conjunction (e.g., “because,” “before,” “unless”) or a relative pronoun (e.g., “that,” “which,” “who”).
Continue reading: How can dependent clauses be identified?
Semicolons are a useful way of joining together two independent clauses that are closely related (e.g., “Please take your shoes off; I’ve just mopped the floor”).
You can also use conjunctive adverbs to express the relationship between the clauses, which give insight into how your ideas are connected (e.g., “The experiment yielded unexpected results; moreover, it led to a reevaluation of our hypothesis”).
Semicolons add nuance and sophistication to your writing, but they should not be overused as this can make them less effective in helping information stand out.
Continue reading: When should I use a semicolon to link independent clauses?
