Generally when there’s an “and” between nouns, we tend to think that this creates a plural subject. For example, “My boyfriend and I are skating” means that two people are doing something, so the subject is plural. If the two subjects being joined by “and” are separate and distinct, then use a plural verb. Example: […]
Mute can either be an adjective meaning “silent” or a verb meaning “to deaden or soften a sound.” However, it is rather common, especially in America, to hear someone mistakenly use this word to refer to something that is irrelevant. The word that they really want is moot. For example, it’s quite common to hear […]
The main clause of a sentence is the independent part of the sentence that can stand on its own as a complete sentence. Below are two main clauses in the form of simple sentences. Example I forgot to get the mail. I asked Dave to pick it up. The same two main clauses can sometimes […]
Semicolons are useful signals that help readers negotiate the highway of English. If the period is a red light (stop for a while), and the comma is a flashing yellow light (slow down briefly), the semicolon is a flashing red light. More specifically, the semicolon is useful in four situations: Uniting: When you want to […]
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