Parallel Construction in English

How to Apply Parallel Construction in English

Parallel construction is an important concept for students of the English language to understand. It refers to the use of balanced structures within sentences and paragraphs, either in terms of similar grammatical forms or repeated words. This article seeks to provide a guide on how to apply parallel construction when writing in English. The first…

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misplaced modifier

How to Correct Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced modifiers are one of the most common mistakes writers make in their writing. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies another part of the sentence but isn’t in the right place to do so effectively. This article will provide an overview of how to identify and fix misplaced modifiers when…

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Use Period Correctly

How to Use a Period Correctly

There are two main categories of writing that determine how to use a period correctly within sentences; fiction writing and non-fiction writing. This article is primarily about general English non-fiction writing, so please keep in mind that the rules for writing styles outside of this style may vary widely. There are specific rules for writing…

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How to Use the "Oxford Comma" in Technical & Business Writing

Oxford Comma in Technical and Business Writing is also known as Serial comma Series Comma Harvard Comma It’s the comma before the “coordinating conjunction” (and “and” or “or”) in a list of three items. For example: “I love soup, steamed vegetables, and a good cigar in the evening.” Why use the serial comma? Not including…

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English Grammar – Should I Use "I" or "Me"?

Sometimes people are confused whether to use “me” or “I” in a sentence. For example, which is correct: “Me and Jimmy watched a movie”… or “I and Jimmy watched a movie”? First off, it always sounds better if you cite the other person FIRST, as in “Jimmy and me…” or “Jimmy and I…” A Method…

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English Grammar – How to Use LIE and LAY Correctly

© Ugur Akinci Do you have any trouble using the verbs LIE and LAY correctly?  Do you use “lie” when you are supposed to use “lay,” or the other way around? Then let me try to help you. Here is the main difference between them: LIE means to “recline.” It is an INTRANSITIVE verb. It…

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If You Ask a Rhetorical Question, Answer It, Right Away

If you pull your readers into a topic by asking a rhetorical question that’s perfectly acceptable as a writing style. But if you do that, you’d better answer your own question right away. Otherwise some of your readers can be really frustrated. Rhetorical questions increase the stakes. They introduce a tension that needs to be relieved by…

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Avoid “Double Possibility” in Your Statements

When copywriting, avoid double possibility in your statements. That’s the fundamental rock on which all copywriting stands. George Bernard Shaw once wrote a very long letter to a friend and ended it with the following post script: “Sorry, I didn’t have the time today to write you a short letter.” Clean technical writing is easy…

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Construct Sentences that Do Not Require Mental Inversion

© Ugur Akinci When we construct a procedural sentence in technical writing we are usually telling the reader either to do something or not to do it. Our intention is either pointing out to something positive or negative. For easier comprehension and longer retention, try to construct your sentences in a way such that the…

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