The most common punctuation marks in English are probably the period and the comma. However, good writing in English will usually make use of the colon and the semi-colon. Although these look similar and have similar names, their functions are completely different. Here, I’ll explain the functions of the colon and the semi-colon.
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I’ve seen experienced writers stumble over the correct usage of these words, but knowing the rule associated with their correct use can help avoid the grammatical pitfall of their misuse.
(Source: dailywritingtips.com)
Among the pairs of words writers often confuse, affect and effect might be the most perplexing, perhaps because their meanings are so similar. Affect, with an “a” means “to influence,” is easily conflated with effect, with an “e” most often means “a result.”
(Source: dailywritingtips.com)
A double negative is the use of two negatives in a single clause. They are acceptable in many standard and non-standard dialects and foreign languages. When this occurs, the second negation intensifies the negativity of the sentence as a whole. Although the double negative construction is used in informal language to intensify a negative meaning, in formal language it is usually considered unacceptable.
(Source: grammarly.com)
This is a common grammar mistake, most likely because both words sound alike. One thing that could help you remember when to use either your or you’re is remembering that the apostrophe in you’re indicates that it is a contraction or a shortening of two words, namely “you” and “are.” In this case, the apostrophe stands in for the missing letter “a.”
When do we use them? Do they always travel in pairs? Are they used just for quotes? Does punctuation go inside or outside of them? What are single quotation marks and how are they used? Below are answers to these questions and more. That said, one thing I’ve noticed is that they are often used incorrectly to lend emphasis to words and phrases. For instance, a college campus flyer reads:
“You’re invited”
Resume workshop
“All” majors
“Free”
The person who made the flyer apparently wanted to emphasize “you’re invited,” “all,” and “free,” but the misplaced quotation marks just make it seem as though the writer is being sarcastic.
Be sure to write what you mean. If you want to emphasize specific words or phrases, you should use boldface type or italics.
Continue reading to learn more about effectively using quotation marks. Also, feel free to visit our editing service website at: http://wordsmiths1900.wordpress.com/
These two little words cause a lot of confusion and as a result they are often misused. Here is some information on the two words that will help you to use them correctly.
It’s a contraction for it is or it has.
Its is a possessive pronoun meaning, more or less, of it or belonging to it.
And there is absolutely, positively, no such word as its’.
A SIMPLE TEST
If you can replace it[‘]s in your sentence with it is or it has, then your word is it’s; otherwise, your word is its.
ANOTHER TEST
Its is the neuter version of his and her. Try plugging her into your sentence where you think its belongs. If the sentence still works grammatically (if not logically) then your word is indeed its.
EXAMPLES
It’s been good to know you. Contraction: it has
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Contraction: it is
The dodo bird is known for its inability to fly. Possessive pronoun: its inability = the dodo bird’s inability.
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Make sure your paper meets the requirements spelled out in the assignment. The number one question most students ask is “how long does it have to be?” The real answer, no matter what the instructions say, is that every paper needs to be exactly as long as it needs to be to make its point. However, almost every topic can be stretched to fill out a book, or condensed down to a one-page summary; by including a page-count, your professor is giving you a target not for the number of words but for the level of detail you should include.
Contrary to popular opinion, writing shorter papers well is much harder than writing longer papers. If your professor asks you to write 8 – 10 pages, it’s not because she doesn’t think you can write more than ten pages on your topic; more likely, it’s because she doesn’t think you can write less than eight.
Advice for Student:10 Steps Towards Better Writing
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(Source: lifehack.org)
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