A while and awhile: understand the difference
Write a while after a preposition, as in for a while or in a while, and in a while ago or a while back. Write awhile when it directly follows and modifies a verb, as in wait awhile.
English for work and meetings
Practice expressions used to talk about work, projects and other people. Try each recording before opening the explanation.
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Acronyms and abbreviations: understand the difference
Every acronym is an abbreviation, but not every abbreviation is an acronym. An acronym comes from initial letters and is said as one word; a general abbreviation may simply shorten a word, and an initialism is said letter by letter.
Adverb order in English sentences
When manner, place, and time all come after a verb, use manner plus place plus time: They practiced carefully in the hall after lunch. Keep the verb and its object together before these details. Move a time or place phrase when you have a reason to set the scene or emphasize it.
All is or all are: match the verb to the meaning
Use all are present for a plural group, such as all the students. Use all is present when all means everything as one whole or an uncountable amount, such as all the information.
Already, still, yet, and no longer: use time words clearly
Use already for an earlier-than-expected completed action, still for a continuing situation, yet for an expected action that has not happened, and no longer for a situation that has stopped.
Animal idioms: meaning, register, and examples
Animal idioms usually describe a feeling, action, or situation through an animal image. Read the whole sentence before guessing. In "After moving abroad, I felt like a fish out of water," the new place tells you that the speaker felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar with the situation.
Apostrophes: possession, contractions, and common errors
Use an apostrophe plus s for one owner, and after s for most plural owners. Use an apostrophe in contractions such as we're. Do not add one to ordinary plurals such as emails or to possessive pronouns such as yours.
Articles exercise: choose a, an, the, or no article
Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Choose the for a particular person or thing. Leave the article out when you make a general statement about plural or uncountable nouns.
Articles with transport and media
Use no article after by for a general method of transport. Use a or the when you mean one vehicle, trip, or service. With media, learn the usual phrase: watch television, listen to the radio, read the newspaper, and see a report on the news.
At the office or at office: which is correct?
Say He is at the office. In standard English, office is a singular countable noun here, so it usually needs an article. Use the because the workplace is known in the conversation.
Awesome meaning: everyday praise and formal alternatives
Awesome usually means very good or impressive in informal English. It can also describe something that inspires awe, especially something large, beautiful, or powerful.
Be used to and get used to
Be used to describes a present or past state of familiarity: I am used to the early bus. Get used to describes the change toward that state: I am getting used to the early bus. After both forms, use a noun or an -ing form.