Grammar 8 figures of speech you didn’t learn in school Try out one of these advanced figures of speech. Learn about anaphora, chiasmus, metonymy and more.
History English words you didn’t know were German Did you know many of the words you use on a daily basis are derived from German? Here’s a handy guide to all the ways you’re speaking German.
Trending 5 Grammar rules to break We all know rules were made to be broken, and that’s especially true with grammar.
Slang Is that abbreviation an acronym or an initialism? Did you know there are different types of abbreviations? Let’s talk about the differences between acronyms, initialisms, and truncations, and how to use them.
Slang Swell, gas, neato: keep your cool through the decades While cool seems here to stay, other terms haven’t held their cool. Here are some of the most popular ways to grant a personal stamp of approval over the last century.
Trending Who are you calling an oxymoron? Oxymorons are some of the weirdest expressions in the English language. They are phrases in which each word means the opposite of the other on its own, but when you
Slang How to order your food across the country Regionalisms abound in American English, but you might find the most differences as eat and drink your way across the country. The term for a fizzy soft drink isn’t
History Words born in your favorite literature and poetry One of the best ways to improve your vocabulary is to read. But sometimes the words you come across in your favorite books aren’t even “real” words yet. A
Slang Use these phrases to improve your relationships You can always find new ways to improve your relationships and strengthen your connections with the people you love. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding the right words to
Trending You probably mispronounce these words you learned from books It’s true that reading improves your vocabulary, but whether it’s a graphic novel or a weighty textbook, it likely doesn’t include a pronunciation guide. Book lovers come
History Words you can’t help but sing Check out some of the most famous examples of words spelled out in songs. We bet you’ll never forget how to spell these words.
Trending How many ways can you pronounce the letter C? How many ways can you pronounce the letter C? It all depends on the vowels and consonants you pair with it.
Slang Use these old-fashioned phrases to describe the weather The next time you’re making small talk with a coworker, here are some classic weather-related expressions to sprinkle into the conversation.
Grammar When it’s OK to use a double negative Many of us grew up learning rigid grammar rules, and chief among them was the double negative. You couldn’t use them under any circumstance, and if you did, you’
History What is a 'schwa'? Schwa is more than just a fun word to say. It’s that upside-down “e” you've seen in the dictionary, squeezed into the string of phonetic symbols. But if you’
Grammar When is a proper noun proper? There are a number of categories of proper nouns, including brand names, organizations, publications, buildings, course names, historical periods, and even languages or nationalities.
History Color outside the lines with these colorful idioms Many hues of the rainbow have worked their way into common idioms and sayings. Read on to discover the veritable ROY G BIV of fun ways to paint with all the colors of the English language.
Grammar How to make your point with a one-word sentence Here are some words that work perfectly fine on their own as a complete sentence – with a bit of conversational or situational context, of course.
Slang Show me the receipts and other idioms for 2020 In the age of the internet, new idioms spring up all the time, and you might be surprised at how many you know (even if you wish you didn’t).
Slang Canadian slang to bring across the border Brush up on your Canadian slang so you know exactly what our northern neighbors are talking aboot.
Show off your knowledge with this word-related trivia There are some hidden fun facts in the words you use every day. Feel free to flex your linguistic chops with this word trivia the next time you’re stuck for an ice breaker.
Slang Modern Love: Relationship language in 2020 Relationships are confusing enough, but let's try to clear up some of the most confusing modern language in relationships.
Trending Embrace the art of writing in 2020 Get back to basics and embrace writing – in formats digital and traditional – for the upcoming year.
History What does Quid Pro Quo mean? How many of these common Latin phrases do you actually know the meaning of? Get ready to get “studium” (that’s schooled in Latin).
History Get cozy with these old-fashioned winter words We’ve dug deep into Old Man Winter’s archives to round up traditional words and expressions related to the coldest season of the year.
