Quick Answer The past tense of bend is bent. It is the same with “have,” “has,” or “had” — always bent. Every day: I bend my knees when I exercise. Yesterday: I bent the wire. Many times: I have bent this spoon before. Bend and Bent — See the Pattern Read these sentences. Look at…
Quick Answer Alumni is plural. It means a group of people who finished school or university. The singular (one person) is alumnus (for a man) or alumna (for a woman). One: He is an alumnus of Oxford University. More than one: The alumni came back for the school party. Alumnus, Alumna, Alumni — See the…
Quick Answer Most nouns add -s to make the plural: cat → cats. But some nouns change in a different way. These are called irregular plural nouns. child → children | tooth → teeth | sheep → sheep Man, Men — See How Irregular Plurals Work Look at these sentences. Can…
Quick Answer To imply means to suggest something without saying it directly. To infer means to understand something from clues. The speaker implies. The listener infers. Example: “She implied the food was bad. I inferred she wanted to leave.” See the Difference: Imply and Infer in Action Read these sentences. Watch who is sending the…
Quick Answer The plural of fish is usually fish. Use fishes only when you talk about different types (species) of fish. Most of the time, just say “fish.” Same kind: I caught three fish at the lake.Different types: The scientist studies many different fishes. One Fish, Two Fish — See the Pattern Look at these…
Quick Answer An ellipsis is three dots (…). Use it to show missing words, a pause, or a thought that is not finished. “I wanted to tell you, but…” (the thought trails off — we do not know the rest) Three Dots, Three Uses — See How an Ellipsis Works Look at these sentences. Watch…
Quick Answer The past tense of hurt is hurt. It does not change. “Hurted” is not a real English word. Example: I hurt my knee yesterday. Hurt, Hurt, Hurt — See the Pattern Look at these sentences. Can you see the pattern? I hurt my arm yesterday. (past) She has hurt her back before. (with…
Quick Answer i.e. means “in other words” — use it to explain what you mean. e.g. means “for example” — use it to give examples. The shop closes early, i.e., at 3 p.m. (= I am telling you the exact time.)I like warm drinks, e.g., tea and hot chocolate. (= I am giving you some…
Quick Answer Use a colon (:) after a complete sentence to introduce a list, an example, or an explanation. The part before the colon must be able to stand on its own. ✓ She packed three things: a book, a pen, and her keys. ✗ She packed: a book, a pen, and her keys. The…
Quick Answer Both gray and grey are correct. They mean the same colour. Use gray in American English. Use grey in British English. Neither one is wrong. Gray vs Grey — See the Difference Look at these examples: Did you see the pattern? The only difference is one letter — a or e. The colour…
