An exclamation mark (!) is a punctuation mark used to express strong feelings, sudden reactions, emphasis, or urgency. It is also called an exclamation point, especially in American English. For example: The missing dog has finally been found! The exclamation…
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…
An appositive phrase is a noun phrase placed beside another noun or noun phrase to identify, rename, or explain it. For example: My neighbor, a retired architect, designed the garden. A retired architect refers to the same person as my…
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…
The same comparison can often be expressed in more than one way. You might say that one building is taller than any other building nearby, call it the tallest building nearby, or say that no other building nearby is as…
Irregular adjectives change in unusual ways when we compare people or things. For example, good becomes better and best, not gooder and goodest. Unlike most adjectives, these forms do not follow the usual patterns of adding -er/-est or using more…