Brackets are used for a number of purposes:
Use #1: Sometimes, you may wish to clarify or add to an original quote. Put words that are being added to an original quote within brackets.
Example:
Original: She said, “I found their services invaluable.”
Amended: She said, “I found their [IT] services invaluable.”
Always put the changes in brackets, not parentheses. [...]

Knowing whether to use effect or affect may not qualify you as a genius, but you will be demonstrating an understanding about a grammar issue most people find perplexing. I trust that the strategies offered here will clear up any confusion you have had.
Rule: Use the verb effect when you mean bring about or brought [...]

Spacing after Periods, Colons, Question Marks, and Exclamation Marks
Originally, typewriters had monospaced fonts, so two spaces after ending punctuation marks such as the period were used to make the text more legible. However, most computer fonts present no difficulty with proportion or legibility, so use just one space after a period, colon, question mark, or [...]

When asked what the most common English usage error is, I don’t have to think hard. The “winning” mistake is the misuse of the apostrophe, especially with its/it’s.
First, let’s get rid of a myth: There is no such thing as its’. Why? Because its’ would be meaningless. If its’ existed, it would be indicating plural [...]

Punctuation within sentences can be tricky; however, if you know just a few of the following rules, you will be well on your way to becoming a polished writer and proofreader.
Rule: Use a comma between two long, independent clauses when conjunctions such as and, or, but, for, nor connect them.
Example: I have painted the [...]

Here are some tricks of the editing trade that will make your writing look more polished instantly.
Trick #1: Use concrete rather than vague language.
Example of vague language: The weather was of an extreme nature.
Example of concrete language: Thunderstorms tore open the sky, bringing a deluge of rain.
Which sentence would make you want to continue reading?
Trick [...]

You will impress your family and friends with your grammar skills if you can distinguish between lie and lay. These words confuse even the best editors, so you pretty much have to memorize a chart and then practice to build your confidence.
Lie vs. Lay Chart

Present

Past

Past Participle
(used with forms of have)

To recline

lie, lying

lay

has/have/had lain

To put or [...]

Let’s crack the code for who and whom. It is easier than you might imagine. In addition, I will give you the technique for learning when to use whoever vs. whomever. The following are informal methods rather than rules; however, they really work!
Rule: Use who when you could replace it with he.
Example: Who/whom [...]

You don’t need to learn how to diagram a sentence to be able to learn the rules of grammar and punctuation. Let me help you use pronouns correctly without any unnecessary jargon.
First, let’s define a pronoun: a pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. We can divide pronouns into three categories:
Subject [...]