“Auntie” and “aunty” are simply different spellings of the same word. Both words have the same meaning. However, “aunite” is more common in American English & “aunty” is more common in British English. Depending on where you are in the world, you have probably heard the words ‘Aunty’ or ‘Auntie’. But which spelling is correct? … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules March 4, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“Unto” is a preposition used to express movement towards a specific location, direction, or person, often with a sense of purpose or outcome. “Onto” is a preposition that indicates movement to a position on the surface of something, suggesting a physical placement or transition. There are many words in the English language which are frequently … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules March 2, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“Up to” is the correct form, used to indicate a limit or maximum amount, or to describe a responsibility or choice within certain limits. “Upto” is not recognized as a standard word in English; it is likely a misspelling or typo. Do you know the difference between “upto” and “up to”? Most people don’t! This … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 28, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“Too long” is the correct phrase when indicating that something exceeds a desired or acceptable length. Don’t you hate it when someone drones on and on? And on? It can be so frustrating when somebody won’t stop talking, especially if they’re not saying anything important. Would you say that this person has been talking for … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 26, 2024 by Janet Phelps
English is a tricky language with many nuances & parts of speech, making learning the language difficult for a new English learner or native speaker. A single “s” in a phrase, or even a word, can transform the meaning of that word, change it completely, or even simply be incorrect. Two phrases that often confuse … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 26, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“Drive safe” is an informal expression wishing someone to be safe while driving, while “drive safely” is the grammatically correct adverbial form advising how to drive. Where do you stand on the Drive Safe or Drive Safely debate? Are they both equally correct, or are there subtle differences between the two phrases? The English language … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 26, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“It is correct to say ‘too cute’ because ‘too’ is used to express an excessive amount or degree, whereas ‘to’ is a preposition or a part of an infinitive and does not convey excessiveness.” Many writers get tripped up with similar words such as to & too. Especially when it comes to giving a friend … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 26, 2024 by Janet Phelps
“Have had” is present perfect tense indicating possession or experience in the past continuing to the present, while “had had” is past perfect tense indicating an action completed before another action or time in the past. Many writers second guess themselves before writing the phrases “have had” and “had had”. For one, they just seem … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 14, 2024 by Janet Phelps
No matter which language you speak, slang & nicknames are used. You might call your brother Nicholas by his nickname ‘Nick’. You might also call your mother by her nickname ‘mama’. But is this correct? In this article, we’ll teach you how to choose between momma or mama. It is important to use the right … Read more
Categories Grammar Rules February 7, 2024 by Janet Phelps
When writing content, you need a grammar checker that provides accurate and applicable recommendations. There are numerous grammar checkers available. However, Wordtune and Grammarly currently offers the best product in this sector, but which one is the best for you? In this post, we’ll breakdown the difference between Wordtune vs Grammarly to help make your decision … Read more
The English language is full of colloquial or informal words and phrases that are used in daily conversation. For fluent English speakers these words and phrases are common knowledge. However, for people trying to learn English they can cause confusion. In this post, we’ll teach you about the difference between ole vs ol’ & how to use them correctly in your writing!
The informal word ol’ is very popular in casual conversation in the Southern United States. However, it can have different meanings depending on the punctuation and context of the sentence.
The word ol’ is a contraction of old. The literal definition is someone who has lived for a very long time period.
Just like the terms Momma and Moma, ol’ is a term of endearment that should be used only for family members. It should be used as an informal sign of love and respect for an elder such as a mother or father.
My ol’ man is the best.
I am a great man today because of how my ol’ lady raised me as a kid.
Steve’s ol’ grandpa was the most generous man I’ve ever met.
OL can have a totally different meaning if there is no apostrophe used. Be sure to read up on basic apostrophe rules to learn more.
OL is commonly used as an abbreviation for “old lady”. This is an informal way to refer to someone girlfriend, wife, or mother. Just like we saw in our post comparing maam or ma’am, informal vocabulary should NOT be used in formal text!
What is your OL up to tonight?
Is your OL ok with me coming over for dinner?
Tell your OL I said “Merry Christmas”!
But just like we saw in our post on sargent or sergeant, small spelling changes can make a huge difference!
The letters -OL can be used to mean “office lady”. OL is used as an informal nickname for a woman working in an office which primarily consists of men.
My girlfriend Jen just got a new office job as a secretary. She is officially an OL (office lady) now!
Remember, this is not a polite term and may be considered offensive to some people. This is the least popular of the use cases for -OL. Just like we saw in our post on lmao meaning, slang is not always appropriate to use!
Here are some common sentence example that show how to use ol’ in your writing.
Steve’s ol’ lady raised that boy well. He is always so well behaved.
Mark’s ol’ grandpop is a very generous man.
John was a good ol’ scientist who knew everything about chemical compounds.
Just like we saw in our post comparing the terms deactivate vs inactivate, even small spelling changes can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
Old is an adjective that describes how long someone or something has been alive. The adjective old is relative to the noun it is describing. According to Collins English Dictionary, it is a more formal word than ol’ and can be used in academic writing.
Here are some basic sentence examples that demonstrate how to use the word “old” in your writing.
1. My grandma is quite old & is not as mobile as she used to be.
2. This building is old & needs to be rebuilt.
3. I feel so old today. All of my joints are aching!
4. I’m getting too old to play basketball on the weekends.
5. Steve was a good old boy and always listed to his parents.
Just like we saw in our last post about the word Lense, spelling is very important in your writing!
From a high level, the English language is comprised of prescriptive and descriptive grammar rules. Prescriptive grammar consists of following the traditional grammar rules exactly as they are written in the World College Dictionary and other texts.
Descriptive grammar is more informal and can change depending on where you are at in the country or world! For example, there are slang terms that are used in Philadelphia that would not make sense to someone from Wyoming.
Ol’ is an example of a geography based slang term. This phrase is most commonly used in the South as a contraction for old.
As you can tell from examine Google’s n gram data, “old” is far more popular in formal writing. And that makes sense! Ol’ is a contraction and should not be used in most formal writing situations.
However, just like we have seen in our analysis of the words too cute and to cute, data can change! As culture evolves, so does the vocabulary of our authors. So who knows, one day ol’ may be the word choice instead of old.
What does OL mean in slang?
Ol’ is a contraction for “old”. This means that something or someone has been alive for a long period of time.
Is it ol or ol ‘?
It depends on the context of the sentence. If you are trying to use the informal contraction for old, use the spelling ol’. If you are trying to use the abbreviation for old lady, use the spelling -OL.
What does OL mean in office?
In an office, OL stands for office lady. For example, “my sister just got a new office job so she is now an OL!”
What is OL management?
In management, OL stands for organizational learning.
What does Ole mean in Southern slang?
In southern slang, Ole is a common expression to show excitement.
By now you should be an expert of the meaning of ol’. This is a colloquial slang term that serves as a contraction of old. It is important that you do not use informal vocabulary in business writing, academic writing or other professional settings! If you need some extra help with this spelling rule, consider using our reword generator to make things easy for you!
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The basic fundamentals of a sentence include 3 main components: subject, verb, and object.
Subject – The noun or pronoun that is doing the verb.
Verb – Describes what the subject is doing.
Object – the thing that the action of the verb is being done to.
Here are 3 examples of run-on sentences. If you struggle with run on sentences, consider using our sentence rewriter tool to simplify your text in seconds!
I have a dog and a cat but I prefer dogs even though cats make better house pets.
She didn’t see the other car coming around the corner and now her car has a huge dent and she is going to be late for work.
The patient needs to stay in bed for the next few days so that he can recover from his surgery, he will be able to leave then.
The three main ways to correct run-on sentences are:
Adding a comma
Adding a semicolon
Adding a period to create two separate sentences
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What is a singular possessive noun, and how do you use them? Find out in this article.
The English language is full of various grammatical rules and categories, and nouns are no exception. There are several different nouns in English, and it’s essential to know when to use the right one and how to use it.
One type of noun you must know and already use all the time is a singular possessive noun. But what exactly is this type of noun?
Keep reading to learn what singular possessive nouns are and examples of how to use them in your writing. Plus, you’ll learn about other possessive nouns and how to use them properly.
Before jumping into the answer to what is a singular possessive noun, let’s start by explaining what a possessive noun is and nouns in general. Nouns and pronouns are foundational concepts in writing.
To start, a noun is a word that refers to a person, place, idea, or thing. They can be singular or possessive. There are several different types of nouns, including:
Proper nouns: Always starting with a capital letter, these nouns are used to name a specific person, place, idea, or thing – ex. Sandra, Australia, etc.
Pronoun: Used to replace another noun already introduced – ex. she, her, he, him, they, etc.
Common noun: Nouns that refer to a generic item, group, or place – ex. pen, school, car, etc.
A possessive noun, like Chris’s or Chris’, is a type of noun showing ownership or connection. You can make any noun a possessive noun. To make a noun a possessive noun, you must simply add an apostrophe and a suffix – the letter “s” – as in the following examples:
Sandra: Sandra’s hair
Australia: Australia’s Prime Minister
Car: The car’s engine
If the plural noun already ends with the letter “s,” then you’re only required to add the apostrophe to turn it into a possessive noun. For example, to make the name Jess possessive, you simply add an apostrophe to the end as the name ends with “s,” so it becomes Jess’.
Now that you’re caught up with your nouns and know what a possessive noun like parents house is, let’s discuss the different types of possessive nouns, including singular possessive nouns.
There are four types of possessive nouns:
Irregular possessive nouns
Possessive pronouns
Plural possessive nouns
Singular possessive nouns
Let’s take a look at these types of possessive nouns to understand each of them better.
An irregular noun is an important part of a sentence. It is defined as a noun that changes its spelling when it’s in its plural form. One example of an irregular noun is “woman” and “women.”
An irregular possessive noun is an irregular plural noun that shows possession. An irregular possessive noun behaves like a regular plural noun. You add an apostrophe and an “s” as a suffix.
In the previous example, “women” becomes possessive by adding an apostrophe and an “s,” therefore becoming “women’s.”
However, when the irregular plural noun ends with an “s,” then you just need to add the apostrophe, just as is the case with the word “knives,” which becomes “knives’” as a plural possessive noun.
A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that indicates possession. These are types of pronouns, like He and I vs Him and I, you regularly use in your everyday speech, and there’s a finite list of possessive pronouns. These include:
Mine
Theirs
Yours
Hers
His
What’s more is that many independent possessive pronouns do not need the letter “s” added to the end of it, such as “her” and “my.”
A plural possessive noun describes ownership by more than one person, place, idea, or thing. The typical rule of adding an apostrophe and an “s” applies.
There are also plural possessive pronouns. Here are some examples:
Finally, there are plural possessive nouns that don’t need apostrophes and only end in the letter “s.” Examples are “parents” and “loaves.”
Finally, we have singular possessive nouns. Singular possessive nouns are one person, place, idea, or thing with a connection to or ownership of another element in that sentence.
What makes singular possessive nouns different from plural nouns is that they only refer to a single thing rather than multiple. This makes it easier to spot in a sentence and to use in your writing.
As with other possessive nouns, singular possessive nouns are formed by adding an apostrophe and an “s.” Here are a few examples of a singular possessive nouns in action:
Jason’s lunch is ready.
Toronto’s mayor is planning on running again.
Elijah’s dog is sick.
Now that you know what singular possessive nouns are and have seen examples of how to use them, here are a few extra tips on using them and other possessive nouns.
It’s possible to use two or more words to indicate possession, including creating a new single entity. This is called a compound possessive noun. Here’s an example: “Lily and Gerald’s home.” You only need the apostrophe and “s” in the last noun, “Gerald.”
Whether inanimate objects should become possessive nouns is still inconclusive. For example, “the tree’s trunk” vs “the tree trunk.” While this may be confusing, both can be considered right.
Remember, even if a singular noun ends in “s,” such as “molasses,” an ‘s is still added.
Singular possessive nouns are essential to fully understanding English grammar rules. However, they’re easy to use once you get the hang of them. If you need more help, use our grammar check sentence tool for FREE! Hopefully, you learned more than the answer to “what is a singular possessive noun” and feel more confident using all types of nouns in the future.
Have you ever heard someone ask “where are you at” in a conversation? Chances are that most people have. But is this phrase considered to be correct grammar? You will come to learn that there are many commonly used phrases in the English language. That does NOT necessarily mean they are correct! In this post, we’ll teach you about the phrase “where are you at” and if it is appropriate to use in your writing.
When it comes to American English, many people use the phrase “Where are you at”. But is this correct grammar?
Answer: No, it is not correct to use this phrase. The literal meaning of this sentence would be “At what location are you at”. It is redundant!
Technically speaking, the phrase “where are you at” is improper English that is most commonly used as slang in urban cultures. However, context is very important! No need to be a grammar nazi when sending a text message or having a conversation with a friend! This is very similar to the rules with discuss about or discuss that we covered in a previous post!
Here are 5 sentences that demonstrate how to use the phrase “where are you” correctly.
“Where are you? I’ve been looking for you everywhere around the office.”
“Can you tell me where are you right now? I need to meet you to give you something.”
“Where are you going? I’m bored and would like to join you!”
“I’m lost, where are you? Can you please give me directions so I can find the shopping mall?”
“Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you for an hour.”
Just like we saw with our analysis of which vs what grammar rules, small spelling differences can make a huge difference!
By analyzing Google’s ngram data it is clear that “where are you” is used more frequently! That is certainly not surprising as “where are you at” is not correct grammar.
Just like we saw with our breakdown of the words Beside vs Besides The Point, the popularity of phrases changes with time! As culture changes, so do the manner in which we communicate with each other.
Just like we saw when comparing the difference between yep vs yup, slang is very prevalent in the English language. Slang is the informal way a certain group of people communicates. It is usually impacted by location. For example, people in Boston speak differently than people in California!
For people trying to learn the English language, the word “Where” can often be a point of confusion. And it is easy to see why! Here are the 4 forms of this word.
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Where – Can be used as an adverb, conjunction, or pronoun to refer to a place or location. Remember, you can’t end a sentence with a preposition!
Ex: “Do you know where Mark was born?”
Were – Noramlly used in the past tense. This word is used to describe something that happened at some point in the past.
Ex: “Steve & Tom were at the mall yesterday!”
We’re – Used as a contraction of the words “we are”. This constraction is most commonly used to show that two or more people are in agreement.
Ex: “I made the decision that we’re going to the basketball game tomorrow.”
Wear – This is a verb that indicates you have something on your body as clothing.
Ex: “I am going to wear my new dress to the dance tonight!”
Just like we saw when analyzing the phrases “you both or both of you“, small spelling changes can significantly change a sentence.
Is it proper to say where are you at?
In American English it is not grammatically correct to say “where are you at”. The word “where” means “at what location”, so the phrase “where are you at” is redundant. This may be perfectly acceptable in informal conversation. Instead, try saying “where are you”.
Where your at or where you’re at?
Neither are grammatically correct in to say in the English language. If you are trying to discuss someone’s location in an informal tone, use “where you’re at”. “You’re” is a contraction for the words “you” and “are”.
What can I ask instead of where are you?
There are a few alternate phrases you could use: “Where are you located?”, “Where are you currently?”, “Where are you situated?”, “Can you tell me your location?”, or “Can you tell me where you are?” can all be used instead of “where are you?”.
Now you should have a firm understanding of the phrase “where are you at?” As it turns out, this phrase is a common colloquialism, but is considered slang. Avoid using this phrase in formal communication like business letters or academic papers! If you need some extra help mastering this spelling rule, consider using our own check grammar tool for FREE.
When a teacher goes down a list of names in a class, we call it taking attendance. But is another name for this roll call or role call? Role and roll are homophones, like play it by ear and year, so it’s very easy to confuse these two words. In this post, we’ll teach you the different meanings of these two popular phrases.
Everyone has been in a classroom or business meeting where the person in charge reads the names of all the participants. If they do not respond, the person is marked as absent. Is this process called roll call or role call? There are many tricky phrases and words in the English language, like bare with me or bear with me, that is very easy to confuse.
Roll Call – The noun “roll call” is defined as “a process of calling out a list of names to establish who is present.” The first roll call dates back to when the very first school was created…a long time ago.
Role Call – This is a common phrase that is a typo of the phrase “roll call”. Just like the words incase and in case, both phrases sound alike, but have different meanings.
Takeaway: If you are referring to the process of taking attendance, use roll call.
The phrase “roll call” is far more versatile than many people think, just like the words nonetheless or even nevertheless. Most commonly, it can refer to the roll being taken in a classroom, office, or another similar setting.
Can also be used when asking for volunteers; the person in charge may say something like “Let’s do a roll call for those interested in signing up for this event.”
Used when introducing members of a team; for example, “Now it’s time for a roll call of our favorite superheroes”.
Can be used for military purposes, you might use “roll call” when referring to an organized list of items—such as a shopping list—”I’m going to do a quick roll call of our supplies before we go shopping”.
Calling a roll call is a common but important practice in many classrooms, companies and other institutions.
The teacher or supervisor will announce the names of all people present during the roll call one by one, and each person needs to answer confirming his/her presence.
Roll calls are also an effective way to familiarize everyone with everyone else’s name, especially in large groups.
Another use of roll calls is to confirm attendance for critical events such as meetings and training so that no one will miss any important information.
As a security measure in certain organizations; supervisors can quickly complete a list of required personnel by doing a quick roll call check.
The phrase role call is a spelling mistake, like to long and too long, and should not be used in your writing. Role normally refers to a position an actor plays in a TV show or movie.
This phrase is commonly used in writing, but that doesn’t mean it is correct. If you are referring to calling attendance, you should say “call roll”.
In English, the words “roll” and “role” are similar in pronunciation yet have different meanings. There are many words, like gooses or geeses, which sound similar but have different definitions.
The verb “roll” typically involves moving an object around or over a surface. Just be sure to understand the difference between predicate vs verb in your writing!
For example, one might say that they rolled a ball across the room or that they rolled up their sleeves.
Alternatively, the noun “role” refers to a part or character someone plays in a given situation. This word can serve as a predicate noun. This might be a role in a job, relationship, or activity.
For instance, one person may have the role of leader while another plays the role of follower.
Takeaway: It is important to remember that “roll” should only be used as a verb when discussing motion and movement, while “role” should always be reserved for describing characters and positions in various social contexts.
I often give my students simple memory tricks to memorize spelling and grammar rules. To memorize this spelling rule better, consider this trick:
In the old days, a list of names would be rolled up on a piece of paper. Remember the phrase “roll up a roll call” to avoid making this silly spelling mistake again.
There are also different spelling rules depending on where you are located in the world. For example, the aunty or auntie USA spelling rules are different in the UK!
Use Role Model instead of Roll Model
Use Dice Roll instead of Dice Role
Use Role Play instead of Roll Play
Use Let’s Roll instead of Let’s Role
What is correct roll or role?
If you are talking about a job or duty that you are assigned, then the correct word is “role.” For example, “I have the role of treasurer on the executive committee.” If you are talking about a type of behavior, then the correct word is “roll.” For example, “He likes to roll around in the mud.”
What are role calls?
“Role call” is a common typo for the phrase roll call. A roll call (or roll call procedure) is a process in which the attendance of a body or meeting is verified. Some people also call this process “calling roll”.
What happens during roll call?
At many schools and workplaces, roll call is used to verify that everyone is present. The person in charge of taking roll call will typically call out a name and wait for a response. If there is no response, the person in charge may assume that the person is absent and mark them as such. The word roll and word role are commonly confused.
Is Roll Call required for a meeting?
In general, roll call may be required for a meeting in order to make sure that all attendees are present and accounted for.
The English language is full of homophones. These words are pronounced the exact same but have different meanings. The phrases roll call or role call are no different! By now you know that roll call is the correct phrase to use when referring to attendance. Role call is simply a common misspelling that new writers often make. Use our spelling review tool if you need some extra help!
An email sign off is your final signature at the bottom of an email. Using the right email sign off projects a level of respect & courtesy to the email recipient. However, using the wrong email sign off can be disrespectful or insulting.
There are dozens & dozens of different ways to end an email. The phrases “best regards”, “sincerely”, and “yours truly” are amongst the most popular sign offs. In this post, we’ll bring you 50+ different email sign offs that you can use.
We’ll also break down the difference in business email sign offs & give you a free list of various professional email sign offs you can take.
An email sign-off is the phrase or statement that marks the conclusion of an email message. It is also called an email signature by some writers.
The most common email sign-off use in a variety of contexts is “best regards.” If you have ever emailed for business, school, or fun, chances are you’ve seen this exact sign off!
Email sign-offs are used by a wide range of people for a wide range of purposes. Professions & fields such as executives, educators, healthcare workers, artists, and even students all utilize email sign-offs. The hard part is choosing the right sign off for your specific situation.
Email sign-offs are important because they convey professionalism, show respect, and provide closure. A well-chosen email sign-off shows respect for the recipient and helps to establish a positive impression.
Picking the right email sign off is also important because it creates a certain tone for your email. It can prevent the recipient from misinterpreting your tone or message. Choosing the right email sign off helps to convey your intentions clearly.
Here are the 50 email sign offs that you can use to wrap up your emails.
Best regards. A versatile and professional choice suitable for most formal and semi-formal business emails.
Sincerely. Ideal for formal business correspondence, such as job applications and cover letters.
Yours truly. Classic and formal, often used in legal or official documents.
Yours sincerely. A slightly warmer variation of “sincerely” suitable for business emails and letters.
Kind regards. Polite and friendly, commonly used in professional emails.
Warm regards. Conveys a bit more warmth and personal connection than “kind regards,” good for friendly work-related emails.
With gratitude. Expresses appreciation and is fitting for emails where you’re thanking someone.
Cheers. Informal and friendly, often used among colleagues or acquaintances.
Best. Casual and commonly used in quick, friendly emails or with close contacts.
Regards. A simple and widely accepted sign-off for most business emails.
Cordially. Adds a touch of formality and politeness.
Yours faithfully. Traditional for formal business letters, especially when you don’t know the recipient’s name.
Take care. Warm and friendly, suitable for emails to friends or colleagues.
All the best. A friendly and casual sign-off appropriate for most situations.
In appreciation. Indicates gratitude and is great for thank-you emails.
With appreciation. A more formal way to express gratitude.
Yours faithfully. Traditional in British English for formal letters.
Fondly. Indicates affection and is suitable for informal emails to friends or close colleagues.
Yours. Simple and personal, used in both formal and informal emails.
Respectfully. Formal and respectful, often used in professional communication.
With respect. A slightly warmer way to convey respect in a professional context.
Yours cordially. A formal sign-off with a touch of warmth.
Yours truly. Classic and formal, suitable for a wide range of business emails.
Many thanks. Expresses gratitude and is fitting for emails of appreciation.
Yours in friendship. Warm and personal, appropriate for friendly emails.
Yours in solidarity. Used when expressing support or unity with the recipient.
In appreciation. Indicates gratitude and is great for thank-you emails.
Until next time. Ideal for ending emails with the expectation of future contact.
Be well. A warm and friendly sign-off, often used in personal emails.
With warmest wishes. Friendly and heartfelt, suitable for personal correspondence.
Yours in thanks. Expresses gratitude and appreciation.
Yours in service. Suitable for formal business correspondence, especially in service-oriented roles.
Warmest regards. Expresses warmth and is appropriate for friendly business emails.
With best wishes. Conveys good wishes and is often used in personal emails.
With kind regards. A polite and friendly sign-off for professional emails.
Yours with appreciation. Formal and appreciative.
Ever so sincerely. Very formal and polite, suitable for business correspondence.
Yours in appreciation. Expresses gratitude formally.
Yours as always. Indicates a consistent and ongoing relationship.
Yours for now. Suitable for casual, temporary, or transitional situations.
In friendship and gratitude. Expresses warmth and appreciation, ideal for personal emails.
In sincere appreciation. A formal way to convey heartfelt thanks.
Wishing you the best. Suitable for well-wishing and positive sentiments.
Yours with thanks. Formal and appreciative.
Warmest thoughts. Conveys warmth and good wishes, appropriate for personal emails.
With kindest regards. A friendly and polite sign-off.
In respect and appreciation. Suitable for formal emails where respect and gratitude are emphasized.
Until we speak again. Suggests future communication and is ideal for maintaining connections.
Sending good vibes. Informal and friendly, suitable for casual emails.
With heartfelt thanks. Formal and deeply appreciative.
The best way to end a business email largely depends on the specific context and the relationship between the sender and the recipient. You need to ask yourself some questions before choosing the best professional email sign off.
Am I emailing an intern?
Am I emailing my boss?
Am I emailing a potential customer?
“Best regards” is the best and most widely accepted business email sign-off is. This expression coveys the appropriate level of politeness and professionalism regardless of the business contact you’re emailing.
There are other business email sign offs you can choose including “respectfully”, “thank you”, or “sincerely”. All of these can work & convey a similar message and respectful tone to the recipient.
Just remember that business emails differ from emails from friends & family. Emails with friends are typically more relaxed, informal, and may even have some jokes or friendly banter. Using overly casual or inappropriate language can give the impression of unprofessionalism or rudeness.
Below are the 3 main things that you should consider before picking your email sign off.
Nature of the Relationship. Think about your relationship with the recipient. You should not speak to all people the same way.
Context Matters. Take into account the purpose and context of the email (i.e. job application, client meeting, friendly catch-up).
Cultural Sensitivity. Consider the cultural norms and practices of the person you are emailing. You do not want to accidentally offend someone.
Closing an email inappropriately can leave a negative impression. Here are some of the worst ways to close an email.
Not using an email sign off.
Use of overly familiar or casual language.
Use of inappropriate jokes.
Use of abbreviated sign-offs like “K” or “Thx”.
Use of overly long sign offs that can be distracting.
Remember, the tone and style of your email sign-off should align with the overall tone of your message and the nature of your relationship with the person receiving the email.
Do email sign-offs influence professional communication?
Yes, email sign-offs can influence professional communication by conveying respect, professionalism, and the tone of the message.
Is there a universally “best” way to end an email?
No, there isn’t a universally “best” way to end an email, as the choice of sign-off depends on factors such as the context, your relationship with the recipient, and cultural norms.
No you should be an expert on how to end an email. In some cases, email sign offs are just as important as the email itself! Remember, in order to pick the best email sign off you’ll need to consider context and your relationship with the receiver. The best sign off for business emails, academic emails, and friendly emails will all be different! And don’t for get to use our own review grammar software to proofread your email in seconds.
Writers use adjectives and adverbs to add detail and specificity to their writing. Adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. However, overusing these modifiers can slow down the pace of your writing and make it sound choppy. In this article, we’ll discuss how to use adjectives and adverbs effectively in your writing. We’ll also offer tips for avoiding overuse.
Adjectives, disorganized or unorganized, are words that describe nouns or pronouns. Generally, an adjective that comes before a noun will be written right next to the noun.
Adjectives answer the questions such as:
Which?
How many?
What kind?
Example:
In the sentence “The black cat ran,” cat is the noun and the adjective black comes directly before it.
An adjective that comes after the noun will also usually follow a verb, as it does in the sentence “The cat is black.” In this sentence, black serves as a descriptive adjective.
There are two types of adjectives. These are “fact” adjectives and “opinion” adjectives.
A fact adjective is an important part of a sentence that states something that can not be changed. In the sentence “The sky is blue,” the adjective “blue” is factual because the sky is always blue. Colors, sizes, shapes, and other similar types of descriptions tend to be fact adjectives. An adjective qualifies as a noun, or pronoun.
An opinion adjective shows the personal preference of the speaker. In the sentence “That car is hideous,” the adjective “hideous” is an opinion — to a different speaker the car may be “perfect”, “beautiful”, or simply “okay”.
More than one adjective can be used to describe a noun. You can do this by simply placing the adjectives next to each other if they come before a noun. “The small black cat ran,” is an example of this. And to make things even more confusing, adverbs can be changed into adjectives. But we’ll save that lesson for another time.
Fact: If the two adjectives come after the noun you should insert the word “and” between the adjectives: “The cat is small and black.”
As anyone who has ever compared two things knows, adjectives are a handy tool for making distinctions. After all, how else would we be able to say that one thing is “better” than another?
However, not all adjectives are created equal. Some can only be used to compare two things, while others can be used to compare three or more. These are known as the comparative and superlative degrees, respectively
Definition: Adverbs are words that can modify or describe adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. They may come before or after the modifier.
Adverbs, like the words yup or yep, will answer the questions:
Remember – you can identify adverbs becasue they end with an “ly.”
In the sentence, “The cat walks slowly,” the word “slowly” is an adverb describing how the cat walks. It is also an example of how an adverb modifies a verb. Other examples of adverbs include the words anyways or anyway and even the phrases “drive safely & drive safe“.
In the sentence, “The food is grown locally,” the word “locally” is an adverb describing where food is grown.
“When” can be answered by an adverb either as a specific time period, a frequency of times something is done, or the duration of time it takes to do something. In, “She bought it today,” the word “today” describes the specific time period an item was bought.
In, “She always laughs,” the word “always” is an adverb that shows how frequently she laughs.
In, “The cat is perpetually moody,” the adverb “perpetually” shows the duration of the cats moodiness. Because “moody” is an adjective describing cat, this is also an example of how an adverb modifies an adjective.
The word “very” is an adverb often used to modify another adverb. In this case, the adverb will come directly before the other, as in “The cat walks very slowly.”
There are five basic types of adverbs:
Degree
Frequency
Manner
Place
Time
Degree adverbs indicate the degree or intensity of an action or quality.
For example, “He ran slowly.”
Frequency adverbs indicate how often an action is performed.
For example, “I visit my grandparents every Sunday.”
Manner adverbs indicate the manner in which an action is performed.
For example, “She spoke quietly.”
Place adverbs indicate where an action takes place.
For example, “Put the book on the table.”
Time adverbs indicate when an action takes place.
For example, “I will leave tomorrow.”
Adjectives and adverbs are often confused in the English language because they both describe things. Adjectives, like the phrase “due to“, describe nouns and pronouns, whereas adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. In order to determine whether a word is an adjective or an adverb, there are a few key things to look out for.
Words that end in -ly
Words that appear after the verb
Words that describe how you perform the action
Words that end in -ly are almost always adverbs. This is a good rule of thumb, but there are a few exceptions, such as the word “singly” (which can be an adjective or adverb) and the word “closely” (which is only an adjective).
Words that end in -ic are usually adjectives. For example, the word “granitic” is an adjective that describes something made of granite. However, this is not always the case. Take the words “too cute” for example.
Can the word appear after the verb?
If the answer is yes, then it’s an adverb.
For example, take the sentence “He ran quickly.” The word “quickly” appears after the verb “ran,” so we know it’s an adverb.
On the other hand, adjectives usually come before the nouns they modify.
For example, in the sentence “He’s a slow driver,” the word “slow” comes before the noun “driver.”
So if you’re ever unsure whether a word is an adjective or adverb, just ask yourself where it appears in the sentence. Chances are, you’ll be able to figure it out.
There is a simple way to remember the difference between these two types of words.
Adjectives describe nouns
Adverbs describe verbs
In other words, adjectives tell you what something is, while adverbs tell you how you do something. Both adjectives and adverbs are important parts of a sentence.
For example, if you want to describe a slow car, you would say “The car is slow.” Here, “slow” is an adjective that is describing the car.
The word “very” is an adverb, which means it modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. An adverb answers questions about how, when, where, to what extent and why something happens.
For Example: She sang very beautifully. In this sentence “very” is modifying the adjective “beautifully”.
Remember, adjectives describe or modify nouns!
Q: Is quickly adverb or verb?
Quickly is an adverb that typically indicates speed or haste. For example, if you say “I need to quickly finish this project,” it usually means that you want to finish the project as soon as possible.
Q: Is faster a adjective or adverb?
Faster can be a noun, an adverb or an adjective. As a noun, it means “the rate at which something happens”. As an adverb, it means “more quickly than usual” and as an adjective, it means “happening at a greater speed than usual”.
Q: Is not a noun or adverb?
Not is an adverb, which means it modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. For example, “I did not see that coming” uses not to modify the verb “saw.”
Q: How do you make adverbs from adjectives?
You make adverbs from adjectives by adding –ly to the ending. For example, if you want to make the adjective “happy” into an adverb, you would add –ly and get “happily.” Likewise, if you want to make the adjective “angry” into an adverb, you would add –ly and get “angrily.”
Q: How are adverbs formed?
Adverbs are generally formed by adding -ly to the end of the related adjective. For example, the adjective slow can be turned into the adverb slowly by adding -ly. An adverb describes the verb, but can also modify adjectives.
Q: What are uncomparable adjectives and adverbs?
Uncomparable adjectives and adverbs are those that describe absolute states or conditions. They are not subject to comparison or degrees of intensity. For example, the adjective “dead” is uncomparable because someone cannot be “more dead.” On the other side, the comparative degree of an adverb is used to compare two things.
Q: How are adjectives and adverbs alike?
Most adjectives and adverbs are alike in that they both describe something by modifying other words. Both adjectives and adverbs can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. When the adjective appears in its regular form, it is called as a positive degree.
Q: What is an example of an adjective and adverb?
“She is a sweet girl.” In this example, “sweet” is the adjective. “I ran quickly to the store.” In this example, “quickly” is the adverb describing the verb “ran”. Most adverbs end in “-ly”
Now you know the difference between adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs describe verbs (among other things). Both parts of speech are different and useful in their own way. If you’re looking to take your writing to the next level, consider using an adverb instead of an adjective on occasion. Just be sure that it still fits with the tone of your piece!
Most writers are familiar with apostrophes. However, an extra level of complexity is added when dealing with nouns in the plural form & plural possessive form. In this article, we will example the correct plural possessive form of the word business. Read on to find out if the correct spelling is business’s or business’!
We know that learning how to use apostrophes can be difficult for new & experienced writers. This is especially true when it comes to the plural form of the word business.
Business’s – Singular possessive form of the word business. This spelling is used to show that a singular business has ownership of something.
Business’ – Plural possessive form of the word business.
Takeaway: The correct spelling of the singular or plural form of the word business depends on the sentence context.
The word “business’s” is the singular possessive form of the word business. It is used to show that something belongs to a specific company or business.
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word business’s in your writing.
The business’s revenue increased by 20% this quarter, thanks to strategic marketing campaigns.
The business’s expansion plans include opening three new branches in different cities.
The business’s customer service team strives to provide prompt and efficient assistance to all clients.
However, as we saw in our post about the difference between the words vendor or vender, spelling matters. So pay close attention to your spelling & punctuation!
The word business’ is the plural possessive form of the word business. For new writers, it may look odd that the apostrophe is after the -S. It is used to show that something belongs to multiple businesses. Below are some examples of how to use the possessive plural form correctly.
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word business’ in your writing.
The employees of the business’ main office were thrilled to receive bonuses for their hard work.
The investors were impressed by the business’ strong financial performance and decided to increase their stake.
The business’ website underwent a complete redesign to enhance user experience and attract more visitors.
Just like we saw in our analysis of the words Brasillian and Brazilian, even small spelling mistakes can make a major difference in a sentence.
Businesses is the plural form of the word business. This word does NOT indicate possession & does not contain any punctuation.
The word businesses is used to mean more than one business. For example, “Mark Cuban owns many businesses!”
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word businesses in your writing.
Local businesses play a vital role in supporting the economy of our community.
The government implemented policies to encourage the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Many businesses have embraced digital transformation to stay competitive in today’s rapidly changing market.
By analyzing the data from Google Ngram Viewer you can see that business’ is the more popular term. However, the correct spelling & punctuation depends on the context of the specific sentence.
But just like we learned in our post about the 10 Basic English Grammar Rules, punctuation mistakes are common. New writers often makes mistakes when it comes to using apostrophes!
Here is a list of different possessive apostrophe rules that need to be followed.
Singular nouns: To indicate possession for a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an “s” at the end of the word.
Plural nouns: For regular plural nouns, add only an apostrophe after the “s” at the end of the word to show possession.
Plural nouns not ending in “s”: For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s”to show possession.
Joint possession: If two or more people possess something together, add an apostrophe + “s”.
Indefinite pronouns: To show possession with indefinite pronouns such as “one,” “someone,” or “everyone,” add an apostrophe and an “s”.
Names ending in “s”: When a singular proper noun ends in “s,” you can either add an apostrophe and an “s” or just an apostrophe after the name.
Add these rules to your proofreading checklist to avoid making simple punctuation mistakes. However, you should remember that these are general rules & there are always exceptions such as when to use apostrophes after -Z amongst other rules!
Here is a list of synonyms for the word “business”. Consider using these words to add variety to your writing and word choice.
Company
Enterprise
Firm
Corporation
Organization
Establishment
Is the spelling “business’s” considered correct when indicating ownership?
The spelling “business’s is correct when trying to indicate the singular possessive form of the word business. For example, “the business’s revenue decreased significantly during the holiday season.”
What is the difference between business and business’s?
Business is a singular noun and business’s is the singular possessive form of business. Adding the -‘S shows ownership.
What is the possessive form of company’s?
Company’s is the correct singular possessive form. The spelling “companies” is the plural form to indicate more than one business.
By now, you should have a clear understanding of the difference between businesses, business’s, and business’. Although these are all very similar forms of the word business, they have different meanings. Instead of trying to memorize, you should understand the context of your writing in order to pick the correct spelling. Even a small spelling & punctuation change can totally modify the meaning of a word or phrase! If you need extra help with grammar & punctuation rules, consider using our Grammar Check Tool to make things easy!
Parts of a sentence are like the building blocks of communication. They can be combined to create complex structures, or used individually to produce short, concise messages. Structure your sentences incorrectly…and your reader’s attention will be lost. In this article, we’ll take a look at the different parts of a sentence and their functions.
A sentence has many different parts, each with its own important role to play. These are just a few of the important parts of a sentence – without them, communication would be impossible!
An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. And every paragraph begins with a creative sentence starter.
A clause containing both a subject and a predicate, meaning that it can stand alone as a complete and grammatically correct sentence.
In other words, it’s a mini-sentence. For example, “I slept for eight hours last night” is an independent clause. But “I slept” is not, because it’s missing a subject (“who slept?“) and a verb (“slept what?“).
Similarly, “For eight hours last night” is not an independent clause either, because it’s also missing a subject. If you are curious if you drafted your independent clause (sentence) correctly…give our Sentence Checker tool at try!
Takeaway: Independent clause must have all three components: a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. If it’s missing any of those things, it’s not an independent clause.
A dependent clause, however, contains a subject and a verb but no complete thought.
A clause that contains only a subject or a predicate, meaning that it cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Dependent clauses are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions, such as “although,” “because,” “when,” or “as well as“.
For example, the following sentence contains two clauses: “I am studying for the test” is an independent clause, while “although I am tired” is a dependent clause. In this sentence, the dependent clause modifies the independent clause by explaining why the speaker is studying for the test.
Without the dependent clause, the sentence would simply be stating that the speaker is studying for the test without providing any context or explanation.
The subject in a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is performing the action.
In other words, it is the noun or pronoun that is doing the verb. For example, in the sentence “The cat is sleeping,” the subject is “cat.” The subject should also agree with the verb in the sentence, we call this subject-verb agreement!
Similarly, in the sentence “I am writing a paper,” the subject is “I.” The subject can also be implied, as in the sentence “It is raining.” In this case, the subject is the weather phenomenon of rain, which is implied by the pronoun “it.”
Another Example: I gave Lindsay a book. Since the I in this sentence is the person giving the book, I is the subject.
The part of the sentence that is not the subject. This can include the verb or verb phrase and its objects.
Example: I gave Lindsay the book. Giving is the action, so it is the verb in the predicate, while the book is being given to Lindsay, meaning that they are objects of the sentence. Everything after I in this sentence is the predicate. Remember that there are eight different parts of speech in the English language.
The receiver of the action of the verb, or who or what completes the description of the subject. There are several types of objects including direct and indirect objects. If you don’t understand objects, you will always have syntax & grammar issues in your writing.
Types of Objects
Direct Object – The recipient of the action. Example: I gave Lindsay the book. In this example the book is what is being given, so it is receiving the action and is the direct object.
Indirect Object – An indirect object indicates to or for whom or what the verb is performed. Example: I gave Lindsay the book. In this example the act of giving is done for Lindsay, so Lindsay is the indirect object.
Subject Complements – Subject complements follow a linking verb and renames or describes the subject. Example: A dog is a mammal. In this sentence, mammal is another term describing the dog, so it is a subject complement.
Object Complements – A word or phrase that renames or describes the direct object of the sentence. Example: They called their son John. In this example, their son is being called, and the name John is just further information renaming the son. John is the object complement.
A phrase in a sentence that begins with a preposition and ends with a pronoun, noun, or noun phrase. Example: We went to the park. The prepositional phrase begins with the preposition to and ends with the noun park. This noun is the object of the prepositional phrase.
Identify the direct object in the sentence below: Tom dropped the brick on his foot.
