Grammar Rules

Amazing Alliteration in Tongue Twisters

by ProWritingAid Jun 18, 2018

Tongue twisters are a great way to illustrate the idea of alliteration. In fact, the term "tongue twister" is a great example of alliteration in itself!

We've created a practice sheet of some of our favorite alliterative tongue twisters.

7 Grammar Rules the Best Writers Break

by ProWritingAid Jun 18, 2018

In life, writers must obey a single rule: write for your audience. If you’re writing fiction, your dialogue must be natural. So you write in conversational English, which is less than grammatical at times. And if you’re writing for academia or other stuffy audiences, your prose must be formal.

If you’ve learned the many rules of English usage and are adept at wielding them properly, feel free to break these seven rules now and then.

Sentence Length

by Liz McMahon Jun 18, 2018

The writer’s job is to cater to the reader. A plethora of long sentences will have the reader nodding off. In similar fashion a stream of short sentences will increase the pace of a passage rushing the reader through the action.

The secret? Use varied sentence length. Read on to find out what your sentences can do.

10 Websites to Help Improve Your Grammar

by Hayley Milliman Jun 06, 2018

Learning grammar doesn't have to be difficult! With these free tools, you'll be mastering your comma usage in no time.

Me or I: Setting the Record Straight

by Justin Cox Jun 01, 2018

When to use “me” instead of “I” is an important rule to learn. Selecting the wrong pronoun will ruin your writing and turn readers against you. Unlike “who” vs. “whom”, learning when to use “me” or “I” is very easy to learn.

3 Awful Oxford Comma Bloopers

by Gregory Heilers Jun 01, 2018

Are you a staunch defender or opposer of the Oxford comma? Regardless of where you stand, these three tales of Oxford comma woe will make you think twice the next time you debate the little mark's usage.

Let’s Get Possessive

by Justin Cox May 19, 2018

Defining possessive nouns is tricky. There are several unique rules that can confuse even the most seasoned writer.

The Apostrophe: When to Use It and When to Avoid It

by Liz McMahon May 19, 2018

The apostrophe, when used correctly, can add clarity to a piece of writing. But when misused, the results can be confusing. We take a look at getting it right.

Which Should You Use: Home or Hone?

by ProWritingAid May 19, 2018

People sometimes think they can use "home in on" and "hone in on" interchangeably, but the truth is much more gray. Let’s look at when to use each.

Commonly Misspelled Words

by ProWritingAid May 15, 2018

Here at ProWritingAid, we have discovered that our editing tool catches the same words over and over again!

Even the best writers have those words that they just can’t seem to get right.

To ‘to’ or not to ’too’: that is the question!

by Justin Cox May 09, 2018

Getting tripped up on the differences between “to” and “too” happens often. When do you use a single “o” and when do you use two? While this is one of the most common grammar mistakes, the rule is easy to master.

Their, There, They’re

by Liz McMahon May 09, 2018

Their, there, they’re. All three of these words sound the same, but have very different meanings.

Repeating Yourself is Redundant: or, A Pleonasm For Your Thoughts?

by Justin Cox Apr 30, 2018

Pleonasms are common in speech but should be avoided at all costs. Do you have what it takes to diagnose and eliminate them from your writing?

Know Your Acronyms

by Justin Cox Apr 30, 2018

While acronyms add a colloquial flair to writing, they are easy to misuse. If we’re not careful, improper usage will cause readers to cringe in pain.

ProWritingAid's Top 100 Spelling Corrections

by ProWritingAid Apr 26, 2018

Who among us hasn't made an embarrassing spelling mistake in an important e-mail or business document?

To vs. Too vs. Two

by Hayley Milliman Apr 20, 2018

To, too, two. We teach you how to decide which of these pesky little words to use in specific situations.

Than vs. Then

by Hayley Milliman Apr 20, 2018

"Then" and "than" are two pesky words that sound alike but have very different meanings. We explore when to use each term.

Using Adverbs: An Easy Guide

by Kathy Edens Mar 28, 2018

Here’s the truth about adverbs. They aren’t inherently good or bad: it’s all in how you use them. Let’s unpack when you should—and shouldn’t—use adverbs.

Does Your Writing Need a Paramedic?

by Dr. Marlene Caroselli Mar 14, 2018

The Paramedic Method aims to help writers learn to write more concisely, persuasively and actively. Dr. Marlene Caroselli outlines the method and sets three writing challenges. Does the Paramedic Method help you breathe life back into dead sentences? Have a go and let us know what you think!

When it’s Right to be Wrong