Academics

English is chock-full of words with a more dramatic twin we might reserve for special occasions. There isn’t always a rhyme or reason why these word-twins exist, but they exist and are still usable. Case in point: “irregardless” versus “regardless.” It is correct to say “irregardless” during an informal conversation, though it is not correct …

Learning a language can be difficult, especially when people who speak the same language use different words depending on where they live. For example, in the case of the terms “got” or “gotten,” is “gotten” correct? It is correct to say “gotten” because it is the past participle of “get,” which means “to receive.” However, …

There are so many different ways to wish your friends, family members, or coworkers a positive and enjoyable day in the English language. You see these well-wishes everywhere, from casual conversations to formal sign-offs. But what about one of the shortest versions of this greeting: “be well”? It is correct to say “be well,” especially …

We will sometimes hear someone use the phrase “my dear” to address another person. While it is common to hear this for one person, it is less common to hear “my dears” in the plural. Is “my dears” grammatically correct? Since “dear” is a countable noun, the plural “my dears” is grammatically correct. We might …

There are many strange word pairings in the English language, and “by way of” is no exception. One way you might see this word combination is in the phrase “by way of introduction,” but is this phrase grammatically correct? What exactly does it mean?  It is correct to say “by way of introduction.” We most …

When we discuss progress, we often want to communicate what has or has not happened by a specific point in time. To do this, is it correct to incorporate the phrase “thus far”? It is correct to use the phrase “thus far” to refer to something that has or has not happened up until the …