English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
Parallel lines are two lines always the same distance apart, like railroad tracks. Parallel structure in writing is a little different. We use parallel structure in a sentence when we list three phrases or three clauses evenly. If we wanted… Read more239. Highlight on Writing: Parallel Structure
We know that nouns name people, places, and things. Nouns also name ideas.Nouns that name ideas are called abstract nouns. You can’t see an abstract noun. You can’t touch an abstract noun. They are not objects. They are ideas. Look… Read more193. Abstract Nouns Name Ideas
Some common nouns name people. A common noun names a person by the role they take in life or the job that they do. Common nouns always begin with a lower-case letter. Here are some examples of common nouns that… Read more446. Common Nouns that Name People
When writing a business letter, the greeting is followed by a colon instead of a comma. If you know the name of the person to whom you are addressing the business letter, use their name with a colon, like this:Dear… Read more408. Use the Colon in a Business Letter Greeting
Section A: Place a comma correctly into each sentence below. 1. We took a trip to Sedona Arizona.2. We also stopped in Amarillo, Texas to see the Cadillac Ranch. 3. While we were driving, Jon told us “This is the… Read more390. More Practice with Commas
The word my is a possessive pronoun that we use when talking about ourselves and what we own.That is my silver van.I dropped my phone and cracked the screen.I ate my dinner on the patio. Notice that the word my… Read more374. Possessive Pronouns – My/Mine
Section A: Find the word or words in each sentence that should be capitalized. 1. today is friday.2. Last year, we read the book to kill a mockingbird. 3. This year, we’re reading a tale of two cities.4. I hope… Read more365. More Practice With Capital Letters
Sometimes a compound noun is two words connected with a hyphen. (-)A hyphenated compound noun looks like this: self-esteem The two nouns, self and esteem, joined with a hyphen make a new word.This new compound word has a meaning all… Read more268. Hyphenated Compound Nouns
A complex sentence is made up of two clauses: an independent clause and a subordinate clause. An independent clause is the main idea of the sentence and is strong enough to stand alone. The dog can stay in the yard.This… Read more236. Highlight on Writing: Rearranging the Clauses in a Complex Sentence
The -tion ending on a word signals that the word is a noun. We call -tion a suffix. Any word that ends in -tion is a noun. We can change a verb into a noun by adding -tion to the… Read more194. Verbs Become Nouns With -tion Ending