Quick Answer The Oxford comma is the comma you put before “and” or “or” in a list of three or more things. It makes your sentence clearer. Without: I love my parents, Batman and Superman. With: I love my parents, Batman, and Superman. With and Without the Oxford Comma — See the Difference Look at…
Quick Answer A pun is a joke that plays with words. It works because one word has two meanings, or because two words sound the same. For example: “I used to be a baker because I kneaded dough” — “kneaded” sounds like “needed.” What Is a Pun? See How It Works A pun makes you…
Quick Answer A portmanteau is a word made by mixing parts of two words together. The new word has a meaning from both words. br(eakfast) + (l)unch = brunch (a late morning meal) Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch — See How Portmanteaus Work Look at these words. Can you see how they are made? Did…
Quick Answer A participle is a word made from a verb. There are two types. The present participle ends in -ing (like running). The past participle ends in -ed (like played) or has a special form (like broken). Running, Broken, Playing — What Are Participles? Look at these sentences. The blue words are all participles:…
Quick Answer Hyperbole is when you exaggerate on purpose to make a strong point. It is not meant to be true — it is meant to show how you feel. Example: “I am so hungry I could eat a horse.” (You are not really going to eat a horse. You are just very hungry.) What…
Quick Answer A comma splice is when you use only a comma to join two full sentences. It is a common mistake. Fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a joining word like and, but, or so. Example: “It is raining, we should stay inside.” → “It is raining, so we should stay…
Quick Answer The verb “to be” is the most important verb in English. Its forms are am, is, are, was, were, and been. Example: “I am happy.” Am, Is, Are — See the Pattern Look at these sentences. Can you see which form goes with which person? Did you see the pattern? The form changes…
Quick Answer A cliché is a phrase or idea that people have used so many times that it is not interesting or original anymore. For example: “Everything happens for a reason.” Common Clichés — You Have Heard All of These Before Look at these phrases. You probably know every single one: Did you notice? You…
Quick Answer The present tense has four forms. Each one shows a different way something happens “now”: simple present (habit: I eat), present continuous (right now: I am eating), present perfect (finished, but linked to now: I have eaten), and present perfect continuous (started before, still going: I have been eating). The Four Forms —…
Quick Answer The plural of deer is deer. The word never changes. One deer, ten deer — always the same. One: I saw one deer in the forest.Many: I saw five deer in the forest. One Deer, Two Deer — The Word Never Changes Look at these words. Can you see what happens? Did you…
