One useful trick for language-learning is to make a point of figuring out how to ask for help early on. If you’re visiting a traditional Japanese inn and the front desk staff just asked you a question, your trip is going to go a lot more smoothly if you can clue them in to the …
Marcel Iseli
There are plenty of expressions that we take for granted in English. We say them to others without thinking twice, and we expect others to know what we mean and to respond in kind. For example, we say “good morning” as a greeting to others. When you think about it, the expression in full should …
In this article, you will learn how to use commas with the adverb “instead.” Without further ado, let’s dive right in. [toc] Do you need a comma before or after instead? A comma before “instead” is usually not needed. When instead is used as an introductory adverb at the beginning of the sentence, …
If it’s later than afternoon, but not night yet, what time is it? No, that’s not the start of a terrible dad joke. The answer is, of course, “evening.” But when is evening, exactly? Let’s take a look at the complicated nuance, and long history, of this seemingly simple word. What time is “evening”? …
The use of commas in written English may already seem as clear as mud. Similarly, cohesive devices such as pronominal adverbs may also make a learner feel like twisting a knife. Despite being intimidating in nature, the function of commas and pronominal adverbs remains hugely the same which is to logically bind words, phrases, or …
Japanese thrives on context. Although it has a reputation for being unusual in that regard, in fact context is important in nearly all languages. In addition to the linguistic context of a specific sentence, many languages also have special rules for specific social or cultural contexts. In English, for example, the way you speak to …
When it comes to punctuation, the comma is probably the most used punctuation next to the period. However, unlike the period, using commas can be tricky which can lead to committing errors in their use. These mistakes can make your writing less effective, especially when readers have a harder time understanding due to the improper …
Words like yes, no and maybe are important parts of the English language despite how small they are. While you’re not likely to use these words in a written context very often, there are some situations where they can save you a lot of time and significantly aid in clarity. To use them properly, however, …
English has a few different words that can mean “have,” like possess, own or keep. Japanese is the same way, with a few different words that can mean slightly different things in different contexts. In this article, we’ll look at Japanese words you can use to mean “have.” How do you say “have” in …