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Just when you thought you had a perfect command of English, we thought we’d ask you a question to test your level of expertise. Is it correct to say, “but rather?” Even if your answer is yes, we need to make sure that you fully understand the context in which we use it. It is …

“Please be advised” is another one of those English phrases that you’ve probably come across. We use it most often with formal, written settings where someone wishes to inform you of something. However, there are instances where you’ll hear someone speaking the phrase, particularly while delivering official announcements. It is correct to say “please be …

In his engaging book, The Sense of Style, Steven Pinker talks of writing style as “the effective use of words to engage the human mind.” There are rules of written and spoken language, but many of these rules are contradictory or specific to the writer/speaker’s culture and his or her audience. Such is the case …

The number of technicalities and exceptions to grammatical rules in English can be discussed and broken down. Still, variables need to exist to allow for the usage of specific phrases, such as “which in turn.” “Which in turn” means “because of that” or “one after the other.” You can use the phrase “which in turn” …

Many people believe that we can use these phrases interchangeably, but that is not true. As is always the case with English, there are nuances and exceptions we have to understand to ensure a flawless command of the language. “In accordance with” is correct when referring to something that we are complying with, such as …

Knowing which article to use in front of words can be difficult for anybody learning the English language. Knowing when to use the articles “a” or “an” can be particularly challenging. For instance, is it “a hour” or “an hour”? “An hour” is correct since the h is silent. You should place “a” before words …