Asking someone for help or a favor can be intimidating. We may want to avoid troubling them or even be afraid of offending them. But sometimes, the need for assistance outweighs any hesitancy, and we simply must ask. So is it correct to ask if someone can please do something? It is correct to say …
Academics
Suppose you’re chatting with a friend. They’ve asked about the best part of your week, and you’ve just finished explaining the perfect morning you had last Wednesday. Now you want to know about the best part of their week. In this case, is it correct to ask, “How about you?” It is correct to ask …
Suppose you’re writing a report, and you’re suggesting some steps to take going forward. You have a long list of things people need to do, but one stands out. So you save it for the end of the list. Can you say “Most importantly” before that last list item? It is correct to say “most …
If you’ve ever met up with someone after not seeing them for a while, you’ve probably asked, “How is everything?” to find out if anything important has happened that you should know about. This article explores whether or not it’s correct to ask, “How is everything?” It is correct to say, “How is everything?” to …
You gently place your groceries upon the conveyor belt and make eye contact with the cashier. She asks, “How are you doing?” What does this question mean, and what is a proper response? It is correct to say, “How are you doing?” to ask someone how their life is going, how they are feeling, or …
There are times when we are talking to someone, and it is not clear exactly what they are trying to say. We need more details to help us understand them. There are many ways we can ask for more information, and “How do you mean?” is one way we can ask them to explain. It …