One and Then the Other: Using Alternate and Alternative
When choosing between alternate and alternative, it's easy to get confused. Read More
Posts related to writing tips
What is the difference between fewer and less?
Use the adjective fewer to describe countable items; otherwise, use the adjective less. And here’s a tip: in general, if the noun is plural, use… Read More
It’s Alive—or Is It? Using the Relative Pronouns Who and That
Learn when to use the relative pronouns who and that Read More
Five Common Grammar Questions
An MLA editor addresses five common grammar questions Read More
Are scientific laws, theories, and terms capitalized?
Scientific laws, theories, and terms are lowercased except when preceded by a proper adjective. Read More
Is it OK to split an infinitive?
Yes, generally. An infinitive is the to form of a verb: to go, to be. Writers are often taught to avoid splitting infinitives—that is, to avoid placing a… Read More
How to Avoid Bracketed Changes in Quotations
Writers sometimes use bracketed changes in quotations. But these changes are often unnecessary. Read More
How do I refer to a work I coauthored?
If you refer to a work that you wrote in collaboration with another author or with other authors, refer to yourself in either the first… Read More
Should I use a singular or plural verb with a collective noun?
Collective nouns, like team, family, class, group, and host, take a singular verb when the entity acts together and a plural verb when the individuals… Read More
What’s the difference between who and whom?
Use the pronoun who to refer to the subject of a verb and the pronoun whom to refer to a verb’s object or to the object of… Read More