Let’s learn the difference between rise vs raise. Rise vs Raise – Summarizing the Difference If we are to make a list of English words that are often confused, raise and rise are sure to show up. Let today be the last day you confuse them. Raise is a transitive verb, which means it requires an object. In “Manny raised …
Which vs That: Introducing Clauses
Let’s learn when to use which vs that. Which vs That – How Are They Different? Which and that both connect an adjective clause to the noun or pronoun modified, but they differ in terms of the relevance of the clause attached to them. To review, clauses can be defined in two ways: restrictive (essential) and non-restrictive (non-essential). Which vs That …
Onomatopoeia: A Word that Mimics a Sound
From an early age, we’re taught to identify animals by imitating the sound they make. For example, cats go “meow,” dogs say “woof,” “moo” for cows, and so on. The process of forming a word that mimics the sound of a thing or person is called onomatopoeia, which is also the term for the resulting word. Aside from animal sounds, …
Quadratic Formula: Equation & Examples
Let’s learn how to use the quadratic formula. Using the quadratic formula is one of the methods used in solving quadratic equations, especially when the equation cannot be solved by factoring. The quadratic formula solves any quadratic equation in the standard form: ax2+bx+c = 0, where a ≠ 0. So, make sure the equation you’re working on is in the …
Expletive: A Word that Does Not Add Meaning
Let’s learn about the definition of an expletive and how it is used. What are Expletives? There are better ways to start a sentence other than with “there are.” In English grammar, certain words and phrases are considered expletives – words that do not add meaning to a sentence and are often used as fillers. They are also called empty …
Compliment vs Complement: What’s the Difference?
Let’s learn about the difference between compliment vs complement. The Difference Between Compliment vs Complement “You look great!” is a compliment, but “Your red dress complements your figure” means your red dress enhances your figure or completes your look. Compliment and complement are commonly confused words mainly because they’re homophones – words that sound similar but have different meaning and …
Area of a Rectangle: Formula & Examples
Let’s learn how to determine the area of a rectangle. A rectangle is a four-sided shape with equal and parallel opposite sides. Remember that area refers to the total amount of space enclosed in a shape. The area is expressed in square units such as square meter (m2), square in (in2), or square kilometer (km2) To find the area of …
Lay vs Lie: What’s the Difference?
Let’s learn about the difference between lay vs lie. The Different forms of Lay vs Lie: Although English is one of the most widely used languages in the world, it is complex and hard to learn – especially if it’s not your first language. So, if you’ve ever committed the error of interchanging lie and lay, don’t sweat it; you’re …
Compound Complex Sentence: Sentence Structure
Let’s learn about compound-complex sentence structure. We’ve been taught since pre-school that the basic parts of a sentence are its subject and verb. Taking that to heart, let’s delve into the different kinds of structure – the simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Why do you need to learn these? Because the plain existence of a subject and a verb in a sentence …
Complex Sentence: Sentence Structure
Let’s learn about complex sentence structure. We’ve been taught since pre-school that the basic parts of a sentence are its subject and verb. Taking that to heart, let’s delve into the different kinds of structure – the simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Why do you need to learn these? Because the plain existence of a subject and a verb in a sentence …