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Category: Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at 6:00 am

A phrasal verb, also known as a verb with a particle, is a verb that combines with another word to describe an action. The particles within phrasal verbs will typically be prepositions, adverbs, or both: e.g., in, up, up with, off, on, down, over, and out. Examples It's getting dark out, so I think I'll …

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What Is a Past Participle?

Posted on Friday, July 16, 2021, at 6:00 am

English grammar has its share of technical terms, so unless you regularly teach or study the language, you might furrow your eyebrows if you hear things such as present perfect tense or infinitive verb. Many of us may use such components in our writing and speech without being fully aware of what they are. That …

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Is Stupider a Word?

Posted on Friday, June 4, 2021, at 6:00 am

A leading principle in learning grammar is that there are no stupid questions. However, there can be questions about the word stupid. That brings us to the topic of today's post: Is stupider really a word? Or would it be better grammar to say more stupid? Neither is very polite, and the answers might surprise …

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Alternate vs. Alternative: Which Word Do You Need?

Posted on Monday, May 24, 2021, at 6:00 am

You are probably familiar with the words alternate and alternative. You may have even used them interchangeably. Many native speakers of American English think the words mean the same thing, but they have slightly separate definitions and uses. Which word do you need in a particular sentence? In this article we'll give you the answers …

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Helping Verbs: Examples of Helping Verbs

Posted on Friday, May 14, 2021, at 6:00 am

You may have heard of helping verbs, which are also referred to as modal and auxiliary verbs. In this discussion, we'll review what a helping verb is and how it works with another verb. What Is a Helping Verb? A helping verb is a verb that combines with a main verb to form a verb …

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Loose vs. Lose: Correct Usage

Posted on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 6:00 am

Although they may have nearly identical spellings, loose and lose have different pronunciations and entirely separate meanings. In today's post, we will break down the meaning and usage of each word. The Meaning of Loose Loose is an adjective that means "not tight" or "not contained." Here are a few examples of loose being used …

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Transitive Verbs: What Is a Transitive Verb?

Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at 6:00 am

Most people understand what a sentence verb is: a word that expresses an action performed by a subject. English verbs are further categorized into transitive and intransitive verbs. In this discussion, we'll review what a transitive verb is and how it functions in a sentence. A transitive verb is one that expresses an action that …

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Subjunctive Mood: What Is the Subjunctive Mood?

Posted on Monday, April 19, 2021, at 6:00 am

A GrammarBook reader came across this sentence: If I were very lucky, I would get the chance to go. She asked, "Shouldn't I be followed by was, not were, since I is singular?" This is type of question is common within English grammar, particularly because it walks the line between the conditional tense and the subjunctive mood when a dependent if clause is …

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Compound Predicates

Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at 6:00 am

The two main components of English sentences are subjects and predicates. Together, they form clauses. The complete subject is the main part of the sentence that contains at least one noun (or noun equivalent) and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate contains at least one verb and its auxiliaries, modifiers, and completing words if …

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Aid or Aide: Which One Do You Mean?

Posted on Friday, March 26, 2021, at 9:00 am

The words aid and aide are spoken the same way, and the only difference in their spelling is a single e. Does that mean you can use either one? Actually, the two words have entirely different meanings and uses. We will explain them in today's short post. How to Use the Word Aid The word …

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