Grammar and usage, explained plainly
Free, careful answers to the questions writers actually ask: which word to use, where the comma goes, and what the old rules of style still get right.
Commonly confused words
126 sets of words people mix up, each explained with examples and a quick check. See them all, A to Z.
- Empathy vs. Sympathy
- Its vs. It's
- Principal vs. Principle
- Who vs. Whom
- Loose vs. Lose
- Farther vs. Further
- Advice vs. Advise
- Awhile vs. A while
- Capital vs. Capitol
- Choose vs. Chose
- Breath vs. Breathe
- Into vs. In to
- Who's vs. Whose
- That vs. Which
- Complement vs. Compliment
- Apart vs. A part
- Your vs. You're
- Anytime vs. Any time
Citations and research
How to cite sources in MLA, APA and Chicago style, with a worked example for every rule, plus the research skills that come before the citation: finding good sources, outlining and avoiding plagiarism. All citations guides.
- Annotated bibliography: examples and how to write one
- MLA heading: how to format it, with example
- MLA in-text citations: rules and examples
- MLA Works Cited page: format and examples
- Primary and secondary sources: definitions and examples
- Research paper outline: template and example
- How to cite a book in MLA (with examples)
- Bibliography vs. works cited vs. references
Writing
Templates, sentence frames and worked examples for the writing students are asked to do: paragraphs, essays of every kind, poems and short stories. All writing guides.
- How to write an argumentative essay
- How to write an introduction paragraph
- Claim, evidence, reasoning (CER): how to write one
- Narrative essay: how to write one, with examples
- How to write a summary
- Concluding sentences: examples and how to write one
- Topic sentences: what they are, with examples
- How to write a persuasive essay
The Elements of Style (1918)
William Strunk Jr.'s original handbook, the one his student E. B. White later revised, in full: eighteen rules, a list of words commonly misused, and exercises. Each rule has a short note on how it holds up today.
- Rule 2In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.
- Rule 5Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Rule 10Use the active voice.
- Rule 12Use definite, specific, concrete language.
- Rule 13Omit needless words.
- Rule 15Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form.