Most English nouns are clearly singular or plural, but “people” is a bit of an anomaly and can cause much confusion. Because of the varying contexts in which we use it, it would not be surprising for you to wonder if “people” is singular or plural. “People” is the plural and is most commonly used …
“You’re welcome” is more than just the name of a song in the popular Disney movie Moana; it’s also a common idiom. And just like Disney movies, English idioms adapt with time. It is correct to say “you are very welcome” as this phrase is a thoughtful way to respond to someone’s expression of gratitude, …
Many people pronounce “biennial” and “biannual” similarly, confusing the listener as the speaker might mean something entirely different. Even when English language learners know there are differences between the two words, they often don’t know which is which and want to know whether to use “biennial” or “biannual.” Both “biennial” and “biannual” are correct to …
Perhaps you’ve had this experience: you’re talking with a friend about your family, and they ask something general. But when you reply with a quick description, are you referring to one family, or are you talking about several individuals? The need for subject-verb agreement will help determine the verb form you use, so is it …
Lists play a critical role in all kinds of settings. There are lists for organizing items you need to remember, lists you can use to categorize people, places, or things, and even official lists of names in education or employment. But what are those lists called? An official list of names is often called a …
It is easy to misuse the various parts of speech in any language, especially the comparative form of adverbs and adjectives. When it comes to comparing density, which is correct: “denser” or “more dense”? Since “dense” is a one-syllable adjective, the correct form is “denser,” not more dense, according to the rules for forming comparative …