Ever come across two words you thought were identical, only to have someone tell you they’re not? English is full of word pairs like this. Some, like retail vs resell, are specialized words. Others are surprisingly common. Take the words “advice” and “tips.” Is giving a tip the same as giving someone advice? Should you …
Vocabulary
“What are the different abbreviations for “without,” and when exactly do we use them?” – if these questions have been sneaking up on you, you’ve certainly come to the right page. Thumbs up, thumbs up. Today, we’ll try to help you make jotting down notes more manageable and faster by looking into the different abbreviations …
Just like there are many ways to say thank you, there are lots of options for politely turning somebody down. Of course, when someone asks you to do something you don’t want to take on, it’s tempting to react brusquely. They’ll definitely leave you alone if you’re rude, right? While that might be true, rudeness …
“We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…” These words are the opening lines of the preamble to the United States Constitution, and they’re well-recognized as a result. Grammatically speaking, there are some really interesting things going on in the Constitution. For starters, can something actually be “more …
When phrases are confusing in written English, it’s usually because they are old and have lost their original meaning. Then there’s the internet, where phrases are confusing because they’re brand new. The abbreviation “ikkk” is a great example. (Not sure what a phrase is? Check out our article on clauses vs phrases. Otherwise, keep reading!) …
One of the hardest things about learning a new language can be understanding the slang. Even if you are a native speaker, slang can be hard to keep up with up! This becomes increasingly true as you get older since slang usually is invented by and circulates through younger people. If you are older than …
As anyone who’s had to explain to the fire department the metaphorical meaning of “this place is on fire” knows, the context in which you use words is very important. Although you might not be accused of physical violence when you say you’re pulling someone’s leg unless you add no pun intended, misinterpreting the phrase …
Have you ever heard a phrase that you didn’t understand? Or, worse, a phrase that you thought you understood but that turned out to mean the opposite? This may seem unlikely, but the fact is it’s fairly typical. The classic example is “literally,” which originally meant that something actually happened but now often means the …
Metaphors are a figure of speech where you compare something to another, unrelated thing. Using them is a great way to build your fluency and speak well in any language. English has many interesting metaphors, like using “let that sink in” to mean “understand that fully.” Today, we’ll look at an animal-related metaphor, “look what …