The exclamation mark (!) adds force, emotion, or urgency to a sentence. You’ll see it in sentences that show strong feelings, sudden reactions, or firm commands. Because it stands out on the page, writers need to use it with care.…
A conjunctive adverb is a word or adverbial expression that shows how one sentence or independent clause relates to another. Common examples include however, therefore, moreover, meanwhile, and otherwise. Unlike a coordinating conjunction, a conjunctive adverb does not grammatically join…
Every sentence needs balance. Some ideas can stand on their own, while others rely on something else to feel complete. Subordinating conjunctions are the words that make this connection possible. They link an idea that cannot stand alone to an idea that…
Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses that have equal grammatical status. The seven commonly taught coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so, remembered through the acronym FANBOYS. These words are short, but the conjunction you…
Comparative and superlative adjectives do not all follow the same pattern. Some take -er/-est, others use more/most, and a few have irregular forms. This reference groups common adjectives by formation pattern, followed by an alphabetical list of more than 100…
You often use extra details in writing to explain or clarify who or what you’re talking about. Instead of adding a new sentence every time, English lets you combine that detail directly within the sentence using an appositive phrase. An…
The ellipsis (…), often called the dot, dot, dot, is one of the most expressive punctuation marks in English. It can show that words have been left out, that someone trails off mid-thought, or that a pause adds tension or…
Adjectives allow us to describe the qualities of people, places, and things. But when we want to compare those qualities, adjectives take on new forms—known as the degrees of comparison. There are three degrees of comparison in English: positive, comparative,…
Most adjectives in English follow clear rules when you compare things. You add –er or use more to form the comparative, and –est or most for the superlative. But not all adjectives behave this way. Some completely change form when…