Telephone English: clear calls
Open with your name, say why you are calling, use direct questions to check details, and finish by confirming the next step.
Everyday listening
Start with short recordings, then work through longer phrases. Listen once for the situation and again for the words.
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Tell or say: choosing the right reporting verb
Use tell when you give information or instructions to a person. Use say when you focus on the words or message. Tell normally needs a listener; say normally needs the words or an idea.
Tell or say: choosing the right reporting verb
Use tell when information or an instruction goes to a person. Use say when the sentence focuses on the words or message. Tell normally takes a listener directly after it; say normally takes the message.
Terrible at or terrible on: choose the natural phrase
Say terrible at plus a skill, subject, activity, or task. Use I am terrible at directions, not I am terrible on directions. The phrase is strong, so choose a softer expression when the situation needs care.
That, which, and who in relative clauses
Use who for people and which for things in non-defining clauses. In a defining clause, that can refer to people or things, and who or which can also be possible. Do not use that after commas.
The bare infinitive: use the verb without to
Use the bare infinitive after modal verbs such as can, should, and must. Use it after do in questions and negatives, and after active let and make. The verb stays in its base form without to.
Therefore, hence, and thus: what is the difference?
Use therefore when you want a direct formal link from a reason to a result. Use hence in formal writing, especially before a noun phrase or when the meaning is from now. Use thus for a result or for the meaning in this way.
Though vs although: meaning, position, and examples
Use though or although before a subject and verb to show an unexpected contrast. Use though, not although, at the end of a sentence.
Till or until: meaning, form, and sentence position
Use till and until to mean up to a particular time. They can come before a time expression or before a clause. Until is more formal, while till is more informal.
Tire or tyre: choose the American or British spelling
For the wheel covering, write tire in American English and tyre in British English. For becoming tired, write tire in both varieties.
Titles and names in English writing
Capitalize a person's name and a courtesy title before it. Capitalize a job title when it directly comes before a name, but use lowercase when the title describes a role after the name or in general.
Too, too much, and too many
Use too with an adjective or adverb: too loud or too quickly. Use too much with an uncountable noun: too much traffic. Use too many with a plural countable noun: too many emails. Each form means that a limit has been exceeded.