English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
Use the verb sit when someone is doing it themselves.I sit on the sofa.The squirrel will sit in the tree. Use the verb set when you are talking about someone placing an object.I will set the book on the desk.The… Read more427. Using the Verbs Sit and Set
The apostrophe (‘) has two basic uses. 1. In a contraction. When we push two words together to make one word, we contract the two words by taking out some letters. An apostrophe goes into the space where the letters… Read more403. The Apostrophe – Use it Correctly
A clause is a group of words that includes a verb. A subordinate clause begins with a subordinating conjunction. Here are some subordinating conjunctions: if, when, since, because, while When you begin a sentence with one of these words, your… Read more398. Use a Comma with a Subordinate Clause
We sometimes begin a sentence with a prepositional phrase. This is called an introductory phrase. Always use a comma after an introductory phrase. Here are some sentence examples:After breakfast, Meg did the laundry.Before dinner, Sam practiced his piano piece.At the… Read more392. Put a Comma after an Introductory Phrase
A pronoun always takes the place of a noun. An indefinite pronoun takes the place of an unknown noun. The words each, either, and neither are indefinite pronouns. Because they are singular pronouns, they take a singular verb. Mom baked… Read more379. Indefinite Pronouns: Each, Either, Neither
An indefinite pronoun has no antecedent. We don’t know which noun is being replaced by the pronoun. That’s what makes them indefinite pronouns. Here are three more indefinite pronouns: everyone, no one, someoneThese indefinite pronouns are singular. They each take… Read more377. More Indefinite Pronouns: Everyone, No one, Someone
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
The pronoun our shows ownership. You and I together own something. That object is ours. This is our house. The house is ours. I brought our volleyball. The volleyball is ours. This is our chance of a lifetime. The chance… Read more372. Possessive Pronouns – Our/Ours
The prepositional phrase can be an important part of your writing. Use the prepositional phrase to add information and interest to your sentences. Because a preposition tells the position of something or someone, prepositions can help your writing to be… Read more354. Highlight on Writing – The Prepositional Phrase
Sometimes we us two or three prepositional phrases in a row. Each prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with an object of the preposition. Here is an example of multiple prepositional phrases in one sentence:That book is on… Read more351. Multiple Prepositional Phrases