The word “that” is not an article but rather, a demonstrative pronoun.
The articles in English are the definite article “the” and the indefinite articles “a” and “an.”
Use “that” before a singular, countable noun that is clear from the context or that has already been mentioned (e.g., “I’m binge watching Ted Lasso again because I love that show”).
When you’re writing with indefinite articles, definite articles, or demonstrative pronouns, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker is here to help.
Continue reading: Is that an article?
The word “a” is an article. More specifically, “a” is one of the two indefinite articles (“a” and “an”).
Indefinite articles modify general versions of singular and countable nouns (e.g., “a bicycle” means “any bicycle” whereas “the bicycle Mia got for her birthday” refers to one specific bicycle”).
Use “a” before the noun it modifies, the first adjective that modifies the noun, or the adverb that modifies the noun’s first adjective.
Use “a” instead of “an” when the next word begins with a consonant sound (e.g., “She wore a gold necklace”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use the indefinite article “a” correctly in your writing.
Continue reading: Is a an article?
Neither is, not neither are, is grammatically correct because “neither” is a singular indefinite pronoun (e.g., “Neither (option) is okay”).
However, in informal English, we sometimes say “neither of X are” (e.g., “I think neither of those options are acceptable,” “I think neither of them are acceptable”) and “neither X nor Y are” (e.g., “Neither David nor Elise are here today”).
Deciding if is or are is grammatically correct with indefinite pronouns can be tricky. You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you check your sentences for correct subject-verb agreement.
Continue reading: Is it neither is or neither are?
Either is (not either are) is grammatically correct because “either” is a singular indefinite pronoun (e.g., “Either (option) is fine”).
However, in informal English, we sometimes say “either of X are” (e.g., “I don’t think either of those options are acceptable,” “I don’t think either of them are acceptable”) and “either X or Y are” (e.g., “Either Paula or Sasha are going to do it”).
Deciding if is or are is the correct choice with indefinite pronouns can be difficult. Why not use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you check the subject-verb agreement in your sentences?
Continue reading: Is it either is or are?
It is always information is (not information are) because it is an uncountable noun (e.g., “The information is on the website”). But you can say “pieces of information are” (e.g., “A few pieces of information are missing”).
Deciding if is or are is the right choice can be tricky. Why not use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help ensure that the subject-verb agreement in your sentences is correct?
Continue reading: Is it information is or are?
It is always everybody is (not everybody are)—e.g., “Everybody is meeting there at 5 p.m.”).
Knowing whether to use is or are with indefinite pronouns can be tricky because some are treated as plural, some as singular (like everybody), and some can be either.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to check the subject-verb agreement in your sentences.
Continue reading: Is it everybody is or everybody are?
We typically say and write family is (not family are) in American English, treating it as singular, like other collective nouns.
In British English, it is very common to use are with collective nouns (even in formal contexts) if the writer or speaker is thinking of the group as individuals rather than a single entity, (e.g., The family are all very health conscious). This use is not common in American English, but it is acceptable.
Knowing whether is or are is correct can be tricky. You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to check that the subject-verb agreement in your sentences is correct.
Continue reading: Is it my family is or are?
A contronym is a word that can also act as it’s own own antonym. Examples of contronyms include:
- Cleave: to split in two or cling together
- Dust: to cover with or to remove dust
- Sanction: to approve or penalize
- Fast: firmly fixed in place or moving rapidly
- Overlook: to supervise or fail to see
- Left: remaining or departed
- Screen: to show or conceal
- Trim: to add or reduce
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using contonyms correctly.
Continue reading: What is a contronym?
The subject is “what the sentence is about.”
If the sentence is in the active voice, then the subject of the sentence is the “doer” of the action described by the main verb.
For instance, in the sentence “Kate has to write her aunt a thank-you letter,” “Kate” is the subject (she is “doing” the writing).
If the sentence is in the passive voice, the subject is not the doer, it is the “recipient” of the action (or occasionally the thing being “transferred”).
For instance, if the information from the example above is expressed in the passive voice as “Kate’s aunt has to be written a thank-you letter,” the subject is “Kate’s aunt” (the recipient).
In the sentence “A thank-you letter has to be written to Kate’s aunt,” which is also in the passive voice, the subject is “a thank-you letter” (the thing being transferred).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to check that the verbs in your sentences “agree with” the subjects.
Continue reading: How do you find the subject of a sentence?
To change a sentence from the passive voice into the active voice, identify the “doer” of the action and then make it the subject of the sentence.
For instance, in this passive sentence, “The play was written by Shakespeare,” the verb is “write,” and the “doer” is Shakespeare. So, the sentence with Shakespeare as the subject will begin with “Shakespeare wrote…” If we add the rest of the information, the full sentence in the active voice is “Shakespeare wrote the play.”
You can use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to rephrase sentences that are in the passive voice.
Continue reading: How do you change passive voice to active voice?
