It is referring to, not referring too. For example:
“Referring” is a form of the verb “refer” and the word to is a preposition.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to spot errors with easily confused words like “too” and “to.”
A compound subject refers to the group of nouns or pronouns that perform the action of the verb or are described by the verb (e.g., “Elle and Miriam are going to the store,” “She and Miriam are tall”).
A compound predicate occurs when two or more verbs share the same subject (e.g., “Beck walks and runs daily”).
Compound subjects and compound predicates can be used together (e.g., “The fans and the team cheered and shouted to celebrate the win”), or a compound subject can be used with a simple predicate and vice versa.
A compound predicate with only two verbs does not use a comma (e.g., “I made my bed and took a shower”).
For a compound predicate with more than two verbs, a comma is used to separate the verbs or verb phrases, and the coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and”) is placed before the last verb.
In a compound predicate, two (or more) verbs share one subject (e.g., “Tan sings and dances very well”).
A compound sentence has two (or more) separate subjects that act on two (or more) separate verbs (e.g., “Tan sings, and Lina dances”).
Yes, since it functions as a noun, a gerund (e.g., “reading,” “thinking”) can be the object of a preposition in a sentence (e.g., “I’ve thought about leaving”).
Yes, an object of a preposition is considered compound if it consists of two or more nouns or pronouns (e.g., “I’m going hiking with Vera and Jonas”).
Yes, a sentence can end with to (e.g., “Whom are you talking to?”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “to,” “for,” “about”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
Yes, a sentence can end with with (e.g., “What can I pair this wine with?”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “with,” “for,” “to”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
Yes, a sentence can end with “for” (e.g., “I don’t know what this tool is for”). In the past, writers were encouraged not to end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., “for,” “to,” “about”), but this guidance is outdated.
Sentences and clauses frequently end with a preposition when the object of the preposition is a relative pronoun (e.g., “whom,” “what”).
Interrogative adjectives (also called interrogative determiners) are words that modify a noun or pronoun to form a question (e.g., “Which shirt do you like?”). The three interrogative adjectives are “which,” “what,” and “whose.”
Interrogative adjectives belong to a larger class of words, sometimes referred to as “interrogatives.” When “which,” “what,” and “whose” are used to stand in for a noun, rather than modifying it (e.g., “Which do you like?”), they are known as interrogative pronouns.
Indirect questions are questions that are embedded in a statement (e.g., “I wonder who will win this year;” “She asked Max where he was”).
Indirect questions often begin with an interrogative word (e.g., “where,” “when”), but they can also begin with “if” or “whether” (e.g., “My mom asked whether you want to stay for dinner”).
An indirect question is a special type of noun clause, often referred to as an interrogative clause. It is typically embedded within a declarative sentence, so it is not followed by a question mark. Additionally, the word order is the same as a declarative sentence (i.e., subject followed by verb).
When used as an interrogative to form a question, “what” refers to an (essentially) unlimited set of options, while “which” refers to a narrower or limited set. For example:
The choice of “what” or “which” often depends on the context of the sentence.
“Whose” is an interrogative word that is used to indicate possession. It can be used in questions as an interrogative pronoun (e.g., “Whose is this?”) or interrogative determiner (e.g., “Whose phone has a blue case?”).
It is also used as a relative pronoun in adjective clauses (e.g., “My neighbors, whose dog is always escaping, are building a fence”).
Sometimes, people get confused about the difference between “whose” and “who’s.” The words sound the same but have different meanings. “Who’s” is the contraction of “who is” or “who has” (e.g., “Who’s your favorite singer?”).
The interrogative adverbs are “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how.” They are used to ask questions about time, location, reason, or manner (e.g., “Where do you want to go for dinner?”).
These words are known as interrogative adverbs because the answers they prompt are adverbs, adverb phrases, or adverb clauses.
Interrogative adverbs are part of a larger group of words referred to as “interrogatives.” These words (typically starting with “wh-”) are used to form questions.
Coordinating conjunctions are single words that are used to link grammatically equal elements (e.g., “cheese and crackers”). There are seven coordinating conjunctions in English: “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” and “so.”
Subordinating conjunctions are words or phrases that are used at the beginning of a dependent clause (e.g., “until,” “if,” “even though”). They show the relationship between a dependent clause and an independent clause.
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that show the relationship between two grammatically equal elements (e.g., “either pizza or pasta”). The most common correlative conjunctions are “either … or,” “neither … nor,” “both … and,” and “not only … but also.”
A QuillBot grammar check can ensure you’re using the different types of conjunctions correctly.
Like all correlative conjunctions, “not only … but also” does not typically require a comma (e.g., “The weather forecast calls for not only rain but also hail”).
The one exception to this is when it is used to join two independent clauses, which each have a subject and a verb (e.g., “Ava not only speaks Spanish, but she also is learning French”). This sentence could also be rephrased to not require a comma (e.g., “Ava not only speaks Spanish but also is learning French”).
A QuillBot grammar check can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions correctly.
At its simplest, a sentence contains a subject and a verb (e.g., “Sarah woke up”). If there is no verb or no subject, then it’s usually a sentence fragment.
Another way of testing whether you’re dealing with a sentence fragment is to ask yourself if it expresses a complete thought. If it doesn’t, then it is a sentence fragment (e.g., “No luck today”).
Look for clauses that leave you needing more information to fully understand them (e.g., “Yesterday at the hospital”).
Yes, a statement might have a subject and a verb but still be a sentence fragment. This is especially the case with dependent clauses. When a dependent clause is not connected to an independent clause, it is a sentence fragment:
To help you decide, you can ask yourself if the clause expresses a complete thought (e.g., “When Alex had a birthday party, I was able to help with the arrangements”) or if there is information missing (e.g., “When Alex had a birthday party”).
Sometimes it might take some rewriting to make a sentence fragment better. Rearranging the clauses and adjusting the punctuation can fix a sentence fragment:
In some cases, you may need to add a missing subject:
In other cases, you might need to add a subject and a verb:
A sentence contains at least a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
A sentence fragment is usually missing a subject, a verb, or both (e.g., “Wondering what to cook for dinner”).
In some cases, a clause might have both a subject and a verb, but also a subordinating conjunction. This makes it a dependent clause on its own, which is a sentence fragment (e.g., “After the second Act”).
A simple question to ask yourself to test if you have a sentence fragment is whether the clause contains a complete thought. If it does, then there is probably no problem.
Yes, a compound subject can be used in a simple sentence – a sentence that has only one subject-verb pair (e.g., “Terrence and I like to hike).
Compound subjects can be used in all sentence types (i.e., simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).
Subject-verb agreement for compound subjects can seem complex, but there are two basic rules to keep in mind.
For compound subjects connected with “and,” a plural verb is almost always used (e.g., “Carlos and Elise go to the same school”).
For compound subjects connected with “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with whichever noun is closest to it (e.g., “Either my parents or my sister picks me up from school” or “Either my sister or my parents pick me up from school”).
A dangling modifier is a modifier that does not have a subject within the sentence. In contrast, a misplaced modifier does have a subject, but the modifier and the subject being modified are separated.
The following sentence has a dangling modifier:
“Eager to leave the room, the presentation ended early.”
In this sentence, there is no subject indicating who was eager to leave the room.
In contrast, this sentence has a misplaced modifier:
“The frazzled woman’s hair was difficult to comb.”
The placement of the modifier “frazzled” makes it unclear if it is the woman who was frazzled or her hair.
A clearer structure would be the following:
“The woman’s frazzled hair was difficult to comb.”
A squinting modifier, also known as an ambiguous modifier, is a modifier that could possibly modify two different parts of the sentence.
The following sentence has a squinting modifier:
“Paolo works in a restaurant serving shrimp.”
In this sentence, it is unclear if Paolo’s specific job is serving shrimp in a restaurant or if the restaurant is dedicated specifically to shrimp.
This can be clarified as either of the following two sentences:
To identify a misplaced modifier, it is important to understand which word(s) in a sentence a modifier is describing. If the modifier is far away from those words, it likely needs to be moved closer.
Example:
“Running away with its tail between his legs, the child laughed after frightening the dog.”
In this sentence, the subject of the modifying clause “Running away with his tail between his legs” clearly refers to the dog, but another subject, “the child” is squeezed between the clause and what it describes.
Better phrasings would be as follows:
Nonrestrictive clauses, like all relative clauses (or adjective clauses), begin with a relative pronoun, typically “which,” “who,” “whom,” or “whose” (e.g., “I want to vacation in Majorca, which is part of Spain”).
The relative pronoun “that” is only used with restrictive clauses, never with nonrestrictive clauses.
Nonrestrictive clauses are set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.
Nonrestrictive clauses are used to give extra, nonessential information about a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase (e.g., “The summer Olympics, which take place every 4 years, will be in Paris”).
Unlike restrictive clauses, which are used to identify people or things, nonrestrictive clauses are typically used to give additional information about particular people or things. So, they are frequently used with specific nouns (e.g., “my mom,” “the new teacher,” “your house”) rather than general nouns (e.g., “kids,” “the man,” “books”).
When a relative clause is used to describe a proper noun (e.g., “David,” “Prospect Park”), a nonrestrictive clause is almost always used.
Both restrictive clauses and nonrestrictive clauses are types of relative clauses (or adjective clauses), which act as adjectives in sentences to describe nouns or pronouns.
Nonrestrictive clauses are set off from the rest of the sentence by commas. Restrictive clauses should not be set off by commas.
“Defining relative clause” is another name for a restrictive clause, which is a type of relative clause (or adjective clause) that gives essential identifying information about the noun or pronoun it modifies (e.g., “The girl who is holding a teddy bear is my daughter”).
Restrictive clauses cannot be removed from a sentence without changing its meaning or making it unclear.
“Non-defining relative clause” is another name for a nonrestrictive clause, which is a type of relative clause (or adjective clause) that gives extra, nonessential information about the noun or pronoun it modifies (e.g., “I am going to visit Lake Superior, which is the world’s largest freshwater lake”).
Nonrestrictive clauses can be removed from a sentence without changing its meaning.
To break down a word and identify the root, it is helpful to first identify any affixes attached to the word. Prefixes and suffixes often modify root words, so removing these can reveal the root word and help you unlock the word’s meaning.
For example, “predated” has the prefix “pre-” (“before”) and the suffix “-ed,” which is used here to indicate the past tense. Removing the prefix and the suffix gives us the root word “datus,” or the past participle of “dare,” “to give,” in Latin.
Root words form the basis of word families, or groups of all the words derived from a given root.
Word families include all the inflections and derivations of a given root word. However, because language evolves over time, some words in a word family might have very different meanings, even if they share the same etymological root.
Direct objects are nouns that receive the action of a verb and answer the question “what?” or “whom?” (e.g., “I bought some flowers”).
Indirect objects are nouns that receive the direct object and answer the question “to whom?” or “for whom?” (e.g., “I bought Morgan some flowers”).
Both direct objects and indirect objects are used with transitive verbs. Direct objects are required after transitive verbs, and indirect objects are optional
In sentences, indirect objects receive the direct object and answer the question “for whom?” or “to whom.” For example, in the sentence “I gave the teacher my homework,” “the teacher” is the indirect object. It answers the question “To whom did I give my homework?”
Indirect objects are always optional in English. When they do appear, they always appear alongside a direct object, so they are only used with transitive verbs. Transitive verbs that frequently use an indirect object are called ditransitive verbs (e.g., “sell,” “bring,” “take,” “send, “show”).
An independent clause has a subject and a verb and can stand on its own as a complete sentence (e.g., “Puppies are playful”).
A dependent clause must be joined with an independent clause because it does not express a complete thought (e.g., “Puppies are playful because they have a lot of energy”).
Dependent clauses are marked by the use of subordinating conjunctions (e.g., “because,” “although,” “while”) or relative pronouns (e.g., “that,” “which,” “who”).
Independent clauses can be joined together using a semicolon (e.g., “I love my puppy Coco; she is so much fun”) or a comma and coordinating conjunction, like “and,” “but,” or “so” (e.g., “I wish I could play with Coco all day, but I have to work”).
Less commonly, a colon or an em dash can be used to link two independent clauses (e.g., “Let’s admit what the real problem is here: We haven’t devoted enough time to training”).
Independent clauses can also be joined with dependent clauses to form complex and compound-complex sentences. In a complex sentence, the independent clause is known as the main clause.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use different sentence structures correctly.
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.
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”).
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.
“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:
With is a preposition that can be combined with nouns and modifiers to form prepositional phrases. It has a few meanings, including the following:
“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:
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:
Their shows possession. There shows where something is or that it exists. And they’re is a contraction of they are.
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.
Good transition words and phrases for conclusions include:
The transition you choose will depend on the level of formality of your text and the argument you have made.
Using QuillBot’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you vary your word choice.
Good transition words and phrases to start a paragraph depend on the purpose of the paragraph and how it relates to the previous one.
| Function of paragraph | Transition word examples |
|---|---|
| Introducing a point | to begin with, first of all, first (or second or third) |
| Building on a previous point | furthermore, to illustrate, considering x, on the subject of x, similarly, consequently, returning to x |
| Contrasting with a previous point | however, in contrast, on the other hand |
QuillBot’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you integrate transition words into your writing.
Good transition words and phrases to show contrast include:
The transition you choose will depend on the level of formality of your text and your sentence structure.
QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you vary your word choice.
Some good transition words and phrases for essays include “first (of all),” “initially,” “to begin with,” “for example,” “in particular,” “conversely,” “in summary,” “overall,” and “finally.”
QuillBot’s free paraphrasing tool can help you add variety to the transition words you use in your writing.
Good transition words and phrases for the first body paragraph in an essay include:
QuillBot’s free paraphrasing tool can help you find options for transition words.
Complex sentences are made up of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Compound sentences are made up of two or more independent clauses connected with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon (or, less commonly, with a colon or an em dash).
| Complex sentence | Compound sentence |
|---|---|
| If it stops raining, I will go to the park. | It stopped raining, so I went to the park. |
| Kya was sleeping while the teacher was talking. | The teacher was talking, and Kya was sleeping. |
QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you vary your sentence structure to improve your writing.
An example of a complex sentence is “Desmond likes to stretch before he runs.” It is made up of one independent clause (“Desmond likes to stretch”) and a dependent clause (“before he runs”).
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using complex sentences correctly.
The relative pronouns “which,” “who,” “whom,” and “whose” can all be used to signal a nonrestrictive clause in a complex sentence.
These pronouns often introduce an adjective clause (or relative clause), which is a type of dependent clause. When that dependent clause is connected to an independent clause, it forms a complex sentence.
Adjective clauses can be either restrictive or nonrestrictive. Nonrestrictive clauses are set off with commas.
My best friend, who is named Ana, is coming to visit me.
The CEO, whom most people assumed was going to retire, took a job at another company.
Emilio, whose apartment I am renting, has decided to move back to town.
Note that the relative pronoun “that” is only used in restrictive clauses.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure your writing is free of errors.
An example of a compound sentence is “Rakesh likes baseball, but Simone prefers basketball.”
This sentence, like all compound sentences, has two independent clauses (“Rakesh likes baseball” and “Simone prefers basketball”). The two independent clauses are joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (“but”).
Other coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “so”) can also be used to form a compound sentence. Alternatively, a semicolon can be used (e.g., “Rakesh likes baseball; Simone prefers basketball”). An em dash or a colon can also be used to form a compound sentence, but this is less common and requires a specific relationship between the two clauses.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your compound sentences are free of errors.
A compound sentence is made by combining two simple sentences (or independent clauses) with a comma and coordinating conjunction or a semicolon (or, less commonly, with a colon or em dash).
Complete the assignment for homework, but skip the last question.
The team blew an early lead; it was a tough loss.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your compound sentences are structured correctly.
Simple and compound sentences differ in their number of independent clauses (i.e., a group of words with a subject and verb that can stand on its own as a sentence).
Note that simple sentences can have compound subjects (e.g., “Jack and Lucy went shopping”) or compound predicates (e.g., “Jack went shopping and cooked dinner”) or both (e.g., “‘Jack and Lucy went shopping and cooked dinner”).
A compound sentence, in contrast, is formed when two full simple sentences are connected.
Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure your sentences are structured correctly.
An example of a compound-complex sentence is “I want to go to London, but Carrie wants to go to New York because it is closer.”
This example has the necessary components of a compound-complex sentence:
QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you vary your sentence structure in your writing.
You can write a compound-complex sentence in many different ways, but it must have the following components:
These components can be arranged in essentially any order. For example:
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use compound-complex sentences correctly.
Since not only … but also is a correlative conjunction, there is no exact synonym. However, instead of using not only … but also, you could rewrite the sentence to use a conjunctive adverb such as “moreover” or “furthermore” instead.
He won the election; moreover, he won by a landslide.
He won the election; furthermore, he won by a landslide.
The QuillBot Paraphraser can help you rewrite sentences and find alternative ways to express your meaning.
The choice between the correlative conjunctions either … or and neither … nor depends on your intended meaning.
When there is already a negative (e.g., “not,” “never “) in your sentence, use “or” to avoid a double negative (e.g., “We did not eat or sleep on the flight”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions correctly.
Some examples of sentences using neither … nor (a correlative conjunction) are:
Neither … nor is also used in some well-known expressions, such as:
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “neither … nor” correctly.
The correct form of the correlative conjunction is neither … nor (e.g., “We have neither the capital nor the name recognition to expand into a new market”). “Or” is never used with “neither.”
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions and negatives like “neither … nor” correctly.
Either … or is a correlative conjunction that can be used in a variety of ways in sentences. Some examples are:
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using either … or correctly.
Both object complements and subject complements rename or describe a noun or pronoun.
| Object complement examples | Subject complement examples |
|---|---|
| That makes me sad. | I am sad. |
| Let’s paint our nails blue. | Our nails are blue. |
| The state elected her governor. | She is the governor. |
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use subject and object complements correctly.
An object complement can be a noun or noun phrase, but it can also be an adjective or adjective phrase.
Object complements follow a direct object and describe or rename it. For example:
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using object complements correctly.
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence is the “doer” of the action (e.g., “He cooked the food”), but in the passive voice the subject is the “recipient” of this action (e.g., “The food was cooked by him”).
You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to identify uses of the passive voice in your writing.
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.
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.
A contronym is a word that can also act as it’s own own antonym. Examples of contronyms include:
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using contonyms correctly.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
The word “an” is an indefinite article that modifies a noun. It can go right before the noun, before the first adjective that modifies the noun, or before an adverb that modifies the noun’s first adjective.
Use this indefinite article in these situations:
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors when you’re writing with “an.”
The word and is not an article. It’s sometimes confused with the indefinite article “an,” but it’s a different part of speech.
And is a coordinating conjunction, so you can use it between two grammatically equal words, phrases, or clauses. For example, “and” can go between two independent clauses (e.g., “George had a sandwich for lunch, and Martha had soup”).
When you’re using indefinite articles or coordinating conjunctions in your writing, the QuillBot Grammar Checker is here to help.
The word “of” is not an article but rather, a preposition. As a preposition, “of” begins a prepositional phrase, which also includes a noun. The following examples include prepositional phrases (in bold) that begin with “of.”
In contrast to a preposition, an article is a determiner that modifies a noun. The definite article in English is “the,” and the indefinite articles are “a” and “an.”
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you use “of” correctly in your writing.
The word “the” is an article. “The” is the definite article in English (as opposed to the indefinite articles “a” and “an”).
“The” is one of the determiners that can modify specific rather than general versions of nouns. When readers know exactly which noun you mean, use “the” or any other determiner (e.g., “my” or “this”) besides indefinite articles.
You can use “the” before all of these types of nouns:
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use “the” and other articles or determiners correctly in your writing.
Use “the” in a sentence to modify a specific version of a noun. Anytime your reader knows the exact noun you mean, use the definite article “the” or any other determiner besides the indefinite articles “a” or “an” (which are for general versions of nouns).
“The” can modify nouns that are singular, plural, countable, or uncountable. Some examples of “the” in a sentence include the following:
When you’re writing sentences with “the,” QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
Very is an adverb that means “to a great extent.” It’s an adverb of degree, which is a type of qualifier.
In a sentence, “very” usually goes before the adjective that it modifies (e.g., “The very loud thunder shook the whole house”).
When you’re writing with “very” and other qualifiers, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you choose the right words.
The meaning of possibly is “somewhat likely.” “Possibly” is a qualifier and an adverb of probability.
Use “possibly” to modify a verb when you want to show that something might happen (e.g., “Depending on financial aid, Martin can possibly start law school this fall”).
You can also use “possibly” to modify an adjective (e.g., “Dave is possibly the nicest person I’ve ever met”).
QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you use “possibly” and other qualifiers correctly in your writing.
In most cases, spell out numbers under 10, which include cardinal numbers (e.g., “four books” and “nine teachers”) and ordinal numbers (e.g., fifth grade). However, there are exceptions and variations, depending on the style guidelines you’re using.
For example, APA, MLA, and Chicago guidelines require numerals for numbers under 10 when they’re part of dates, times, and measurements (e.g., “The veterinarian fed the kittens a high calorie diet until they weighed 2 pounds”).
You can also use numerals for one through nine when they go after nouns and are part of a series (e.g., “Chapter 7 takes place in a cave”).
Always check with your style book, instructor, or workplace guidelines when you’re unsure about how to spell out cardinal numbers or ordinal numbers.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can also help you use numbers correctly in your writing.
Most (but not all) style books say to hyphenate numbers that have two words (e.g., “forty-six days”).
Unless your style requirements say otherwise, use a hyphen (-) when you need to write the words for a double-digit cardinal number (e.g., “thirty-one flavors”) or ordinal number (e.g., “twenty-first birthday”).
Some of the most common guidelines for hyphens and numbers are as follows:
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you with hyphens, cardinal numbers, and more.
An ordinal number is defined as a number that identifies a position in a sequence or system of levels or rankings.
You can write ordinal numbers as words (e.g., “third”) or cardinal numbers combined with “-st,” “-nd,” “-rd,” or “-th” (e.g., “20th”).
For example, someone might live on the 31st floor of a building or win fourth place in a competition.
When you’re writing with ordinal numbers, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
The guidelines to spell out numbers in APA style writing are as follows:
When you’re working on APA style essays, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you write numbers correctly.
The definition of a modifier is “a word, phrase, or clause that modifies another word, phrase, or clause in a sentence.” The word “modify” means “to change.”
Modifiers—such as adjectives, adjective phrases, adjective clauses adverbs, adverbial phrases, adverbial clauses, participle phrases, and prepositional phrases—enhance or limit the meaning of the words they modify.
For example, in the sentence, “Erin bought a blue convertible car,” the adjectives “blue” and “convertible” modify the noun “car.”
Modifiers should usually go as close as possible to the words they modify. When you’re writing with modifiers, try QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to avoid errors.
A compound modifier is two or more words that act as a single adjective to modify a noun. Another term for this is “compound adjective.”
For example, in the sentence “The committee hired a well-known author to speak at the conference,” the compound modifier “well-known” describes the noun “author.”
Compound modifiers are often connected with a hyphen (e.g., “my eight-year-old daughter” or “self-cleaning oven”).
When you’re writing with compound modifiers, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
Yes, for is a preposition (e.g., “I bought this card for Ellen”).
The word “for” can also function as a coordinating conjunction meaning “because” (e.g., “I did not doubt him, for I knew him to be an honest man”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to use the preposition “for” correctly in your writing.
For is typically a preposition when determining its part of speech (e.g., “Is this coffee for me?”).
However, “for” can also function as a coordinating conjunction meaning “because” (e.g., “I accepted, for it was a fair offer”).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It will help you to pick up errors with the preposition “for” in your writing.
Yes, for can be used as a conjunction meaning “because” (e.g., “She wore her winter coat, for the wind was bitterly cold”).
However, the word “for” typically functions as a preposition (e.g., “She has lived here for ten years”) rather than a coordinating conjunction in modern English.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use the word “for” correctly in your writing.
No, for is not an adverb. The word “for” typically functions as a preposition (e.g., “She’s going on vacation for two weeks”), but it can also function as a coordinating conjunction meaning “because” (e.g., “I will go now, for it is late”).
Phrases that begin with “for” often function adverbially (e.g., “… for two weeks”). However, “for” is a preposition in these phrases.
If you use “for” as a conjunction in modern English it can sound very formal or old-fashioned. You can use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to rephrase sentences that contain “for” as a conjunction.
The correct English spelling is “nobody” (one word) instead of “no body” (two words). “Nobody” is a negative and an indefinite pronoun that means “not one person.” It’s the opposite of “anybody.”
A sentence that uses “nobody” should not use another negative—such as “not” or “never.” For example, “There was nobody else on the bus” is correct, but “There wasn’t nobody on the bus” is incorrect because it’s a double negative.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you instantly find and fix errors with “nobody” in your writing.
Some synonyms for fit in when it means “have or find time to do” are:
Some synonyms for fit in when it means “belong to a group” are:
QuillBot’s free Paraphraser will help you to find the best synonym for “fit in” in your specific context.
You can use in or into with some verbs like “throw”, “put,” “dive,” and “jump” in some contexts (e.g., “throw it in/into the trash,” “put it in/into the trash,” “dive in/into the water,” “jump in/into the water”).
However, “in” typically indicates location (e.g., “It’s in the kitchen,”) whereas “into” typically indicates movement in the direction of a location (e.g., “She took it into the kitchen).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to avoid confusing “in” and “into” in your writing.
In formal English, use home in on, not hone in on, when you mean “focus mainly on a particular aspect” or “successfully find a target” (e.g., “The article homes in on the negative issues,” “The video shows the missile homing in on its target”).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to check that you’re using phrases like “home in on” correctly in your writing.
The adverb hand in hand means “together.” If something “goes hand in hand” with something else, it means that the two things are very closely linked (e.g., “Quality and price often go hand in hand”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use phrases like “go hand in hand with” correctly in your writing.
If it is check in or check-in depends on the context.
If you’re using check in as a phrasal verb, then there is no hyphen (e.g., “We can check in after 3 p.m.”)
If you’re using it as a noun or as part of a compound noun, then hyphenate it (e.g., “Check-in is from 3 p.m.,” “The check-in time is 3 p.m.”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use hyphens correctly in your writing.
The phrasal verb go on means “continue” (e.g., “I can’t go on paying all the rent on my own,” “You go on with the filing then, and I’ll write the invoices”).
“Go on” can also mean to talk about something for so long that it becomes irritating (e.g., “He went on about his job for ages”).
QuillBots free Grammar Checker can help you to use phrasal verbs like “go on” correctly in your writing.
The phrase on the go means “very busy” (e.g., “We were on the go the whole day, so we didn’t have much time for sightseeing”).
Have you tried QuillBots free Grammar Checker? It can help you to use idiomatic phrases like “on the go” correctly in your writing.
If you say “I’m on my way” or “I’m on the way” to someone on your cell phone, it means that you have already started traveling to the place where you’ll meet them (e.g., “Yes, I’m on my way. The bus is coming now, so I’ll see you in about 20 minutes”).
So, in this context “way” means “journey.”
QuillBots free Grammar Checker will help you to use tricky phrases like “on my way” correctly in your writing.
Some double negative examples include the following:
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It can help you instantly find double negatives and similar errors.
The correct phrasing is not ever because not never is a double negative.
For example, one could say “I have not ever been to Paris” or “I haven’t ever been to Paris, but not “I have not never been to Paris” or “I haven’t never been to Paris.”
Mistakes like “not never” sometimes happen when you’re busy writing, but not to worry! QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can instantly find and fix these errors.
Yes, ain’t is a word. “Ain’t” is an informal contraction for “is not,” “are not,” “am not,” “do not,” “does not,” “have not” or “has not.” Like double negatives, “ain’t” is part of many English dialects, but it’s not advisable in formal English writing.
For example, if you’re writing a formal essay or communicating at work, it’s better to say “Laughter isn’t always the best medicine” than “Laughter ain’t always the best medicine.”
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid “ain’t” in formal writing.
With is capitalized in a title if you are following APA Style because it is a preposition with four letters or more. With is not capitalized in a title if you are following MLA Style, where all prepositions are lowercase.
If you are using a style guide, check its rules for the capitalization of titles. If you are not following a style guide, then you can choose if you want to capitalize “with” in your titles, but it is important to be consistent.
Consult your style guide to see if you should write headings and subheadings in title case or sentence case.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to identify errors with capitalization in your texts.
It is without, not with out.
“Without” typically functions as a preposition and is spelled as one word (e.g., “Do you want your burger with or without ketchup?”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to correct errors in your writing—like writing “without” as two words instead of one.
A complex sentence contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses (aka dependent clauses). The main clause is an independent clause that could be its own simple sentence because it expresses a complete idea and has a subject and a verb.
For example, each of these complex sentences has a main clause in bold.
When you’re writing with complex sentences, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
Yes, a subordinate clause is a dependent clause. “Subordinate clause” and “dependent clause” have the same meaning—a group of words that has a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
A subordinate clause is not a complete idea because it begins with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., “when”) or a relative pronoun (e.g., “which”). It needs to be combined with a main clause in a complex sentence (e.g., “After we ate dinner, we watched a show”).
When you’re writing sentences with subordinate clauses, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use correct grammar and punctuation.
The phrase is I would love to or “I’d love to” (not “I would love too” or “I’d love too”) when you’re accepting an offer. For example:
Here, the word to is part of the full infinitive, but the verb does not need to be repeated (i.e., it’s short for “I would love to come”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to avoid mistakes with commonly confused words like “to” and “too.”
It is in regard to, not in regards to (e.g., “I am writing in regard to your recent inquiry about our products”).
“In regard to” means “concerning” and is used interchangeably with “in regards to.” However, “in regard to” is the standard form that you will find in dictionaries, so it is best to say and write “in regard to” in formal contexts. The word to is a preposition in this phrase.
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It will help you to avoid mistakes with commonly confused words like “regard” and “regards.”
It can be led by or lead by.
It is led by in passive sentences where it means “managed by” (e.g., “This project was led by Helen, our head of Marketing”).
It is lead by in the phrase “lead by example” (when used in the present tense), which means setting an example for the people you are managing by behaving the way you would like them to behave, (e.g., “If you want your team to be honest with you, you need to lead by example by being honest with them”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to avoid mistakes with tricky irregular verbs like “lead.”
It can be affected by or effected by.
It is typically affected by, meaning “influenced by” (e.g., “The harvest was badly affected by the poor weather conditions”).
However, it can be “effected by” if you mean “initiated by,” “implemented by,” or “caused by” (e.g., “This was one of the positive changes effected by the organization”). The word effect is not commonly used as a verb like this in everyday language.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to avoid errors with commonly confused words like “affect” and “effect.”
It can be by or bye.
Spell it “bye” if you mean “goodbye.”
Spell it by if you are using it as a preposition (e.g., “… written by Shakespeare,” “A town by the sea,” “… painted by hand”).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It can help you to avoid mistakes with homophones like “by” and “bye.”
It is on the plane or in the plane depending on the context. “On” is usually the correct preposition of place for a plane, but sometimes “in” is also a correct option.
Use “on” to describe travelling or riding by plane or other form of mass transportation where you can stand or choose a seat (e.g., “I took a nap on the plane”).
You can use “in the plane” or “on the plane” when you’re distinguishing between a location “inside” rather than “outside” the plane (e.g., “I’m still at the gift shop, but my wife is already in the plane”).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It will help you use “on” and “in” correctly in your writing.
On the beach or at the beach are correct, but the best preposition of place depends on the context.
Use “on the beach” rather than “at the beach” when the location is the surface of the beach or a coastline (similar to how you’d say “on a street” or “along the coast”)
Use “at the beach” for a point on a map or a geographical location.
When you’re unsure about which preposition to use with “beach,” try QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker.
The correct phrase is usually in line when you’re waiting for your turn in a line of other people (e.g., “We waited in line at the restaurant”). On line is a regional variation in New York but uncommon in other places.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use correct prepositions of place like “in” and “on” in your writing.
You say that someone is up and about when they don’t have to stay in their bed anymore after an illness or injury (e.g., “He’s almost better; I think he’ll be up and about tomorrow”).
It is also used to mean “awake and active” in some varieties of English, such as British English (e.g., “What are you doing up and about so early? You normally sleep in on Saturdays”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to use idiomatic expressions like “up and about” correctly in your writing.
You say something is about time when you think that it should have already happened, but it hasn’t happened (e.g., “It’s about time they fixed this road; it’s full of potholes”).
If you say something was “about time,” you think that it should have happened much sooner than it did (e.g., “It was about time she won an Oscar; she should have won at least three by now”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to use idiomatic phrases like “about time” correctly in your writing.
The adjective roundabout means “indirect” or “unnecessarily complicated” (e.g., “That was a very roundabout way of saying no”).
In some varieties of English, such as British English, roundabout is also a noun meaning “traffic circle” or “playground merry-go-round.”
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to check that you’re using the word “roundabout” correctly in your writing.
It is make sense, not make since (e.g., “I don’t understand that sentence; it doesn’t make sense to me,” “Sure, I understand; that makes sense”).
The word since typically refers to the starting point of a time period that lasts up to the time of speaking (e.g., “I haven’t made peanut butter cookies since my kids were little”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you pick up typos like “since” instead of “sense” in your writing.
It is ever since, not every since (e.g., “We went to that restaurant on our first anniversary, and we’ve been going there every year ever since“).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It will help you pick up typos like “every since” instead of “ever since” in your writing.
No, since is not a coordinating conjunction, but it can be used as a conjunction and be classified as a subordinating conjunction (e.g., “I normally shop there since it’s a bit closer,” “You’ve loved these cookies since you were a child”).
QuillBot’s free Paraphraser will help you find alternative ways of formulating clauses beginning with the conjunction “since.”
Outside can be an adjective or an adverb. It can also function as a preposition or a noun.
A free QuillBot grammar check can help you use words like “outside” correctly.
The choice of you’ll or y’all depends on the meaning of your sentence.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you avoid mistakes with “you’ll” and “y’all” in your writing.
It can be “this is she” or “this is her” depending on the context. In formal contexts—such as answering the phone at work—use a nominative case pronoun for a predicate nominative after “is.”
In everyday situations, though, “this is her” is perfectly fine (“My grandmother sent me this photograph, and this is her next to the tree”).
The QuillBot paraphrasing tool is an excellent resource when you’re exploring formal and informal ways to use pronouns.
It can be you and me or you and I depending on the sentence. “You and I” is correct for a sentence subject because it’s in the nominative case (e.g., “You and I should have lunch”).
“You and me” is correct when you need the accusative case for a direct object or the dative case for an indirect object or object of a preposition (e.g., “The restaurant reserved a special table just for you and me”).
Use the subject pronoun “I” for nominative case and the object pronoun “me” for the accusative/dative case (aka the objective case).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker for help with pronouns? It can show you which pronouns are correct in any piece of writing.
“Him and I” is incorrect, but you can use “him and me.” “Him” and “me” are both object pronouns, so they can be used together when you need the objective case (which includes the dative case and the accusative case).
The subject pronoun “I,” which is one of the nominative case pronouns, cannot be combined with the object pronoun “him.” “I” can only be a subject or a predicate nominative.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can instantly find and fix errors—such as “him and I”—in your writing.
“Her and I” is not correct, but you can use “she and I” because they’re both nominative case pronouns that can be part of a compound subject (e.g., “She and I lived together during college”).
“Her” is not a nominative case pronoun but rather, an object pronoun. You can say “her and me” when you need the objective case (which includes the dative case and the accusative case).
When you combine two pronouns with “and,” they need to be in the same case.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can instantly find and fix errors—such as “her and I”—in your writing.
If something is above reproach, it means that there is no reason to criticize it, especially in terms of moral correctness (e.g., “A judge’s conduct must be above reproach,” “The journal stated that the peer-reviewed article is above reproach and will not be retracted”).
QuillBot’s Paraphraser will help you to find alternatives for “above reproach” that fit that context of your text.
If a newspaper article is above the fold, it means that it is on the top half of the front page and therefore in the most important place (e.g., “The editor wants to run the article above the fold”).
The term “above the fold” is also used to refer to the upper part of a webpage or email that is visible without the user having to scroll down (e.g., “The most important links on the homepage should all be above the fold”).
If you’re ever writing something that’s above the fold, the QuillBot Grammar Checker will help you ensure that it’s error free.
The correct use of dative case or objective case depends on what language you’re studying. In English, the three grammatical cases are nominative, genitive, and objective (which includes dative and accusative).
In some languages (e.g., German, Latin, and Russian), dative case is one of four or more total cases, including nominative, genitive, accusative, and dative.
Dative case applies to an indirect object that receives the direct object. For example, in “Mom bought him ice cream,” “him” is an indirect object, and “ice cream” is a direct object.
Dative case and accusative case in English both use object pronouns (e.g., “me”) or reflexive pronouns (e.g., “myself”) rather than subject pronouns (e.g., “I”). In other languages, the accusative and dative cases have different sets of rules.
When you’re writing sentences with indirect objects and direct objects, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you choose the correct object pronouns.
The phrase under no circumstances means “never” or “in no situations” (e.g., “Under no circumstances should fire extinguishers be used to hold open doors”).
You can use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to help ensure that you’re using the phrase “under no circumstances” correctly in your writing.
The phrase under par means “disappointing because it is below the expected standard” (e.g., “Although somewhat under par for a movie from this director, it’s still definitely worth seeing).
“Feeling under par” means feeling slightly unwell (e.g., “I was feeling a bit under par this morning, but I’m full of energy now”).
“Under par” is a golfing analogy. In golf, “par” is the number of shots it should take an excellent golfer to complete a particular hole, so it has a meaning similar to “average.”
Have you tried QuillBot’s Grammar Checker? You can use it to help check that you’re using the phrase “under par” correctly in your writing.
Its is a possessive adjective that means “belonging to it” (e.g., “The squirrel shook its tail”). Other possessive adjectives include
“my,” “your,” “her,” “his,” “its,” “our,” “their,” and “whose.”
Possessive adjectives do not have apostrophes like possessive nouns (e.g., “Shelly’s house” or “the dog’s blanket”). Possessives are also considered genitive case.
“Its” is sometimes confused for “it’s,” which isn’t a possessive but a contraction for “it is.”
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you find and fix errors with possessive adjectives and other uses of the genitive case. It can also help you avoid errors with Its versus it’s.
