Words on Words

Learn the subtle yet major differences between hyphens, em dashes, and en dashes. This guide includes helpful examples of how to use hyphens and dashes.

“Insure,” “ensure,” and “assure” are commonly confused word triplets that have similar meanings and sound similar. See examples of how to use them.

Do you know the differences between writing dates in US English and British English? Learn about the common mistakes in writing dates here.

When used correctly, commas help convey meaning and clarify your writing. Here we cover the four main types of commas and how to use them effectively.

Do you know how and when to use apostrophes correctly? Here we cover the three main use cases for apostrophes, including helpful examples.

Do you know when to use colons, semicolons, em dashes, and en dashes? This is the ultimate guide for using some of the most effective punctuation marks.

Do you know the difference between sentence case and title case? Learn all about the different writing case styles with plenty of examples here.

Do you know the difference between straight quotes and curly quotes (aka smart quotes)? Learn about their use cases and how to type them on Mac or PC.

Do you know the difference between single quotations and double quotations? Learn the most common rules and the Golden Rule of quotation marks here.

An ellipsis is a versatile punctuation mark. Discover what it is, how many dots are needed, and examples to help you use ellipses in your writing.

The ampersand is a sign for the word “and.” Read on to learn how to properly use an ampersand in a sentence.

Both canceled (one L) and cancelled (two Ls) are correct, but usage depends on where you live and who you’re writing for. Read on to find out more.

"Indubitably" is an adverb that means something impossible to question or doubt. Find out how and when to use it in your writing here.

“Favorite” is the American spelling and “favourite” is the British version. Learn how to correctly use both spellings as a noun, adjective, and verb here.

Want to know whether the correct spelling is “bear with me” or “bare with me”? Learn how to correctly spell the expression here.

In this post, we’ll cover the basics that you need to know about the use of the Oxford comma, including examples of the correct and incorrect way to use it.

In this post, we’ll cover the basics that you need to know about prepositions, what they are, and some practical examples.

Looking to sharpen your skills as a student or pursue a career in writing, this post covers everything you need to know about the writing process.

Learn what is an adverb, their types, examples and you’ll get a list of adverbs too. Ready to start with studying adverbs from scratch?

Interested in coloring your writing with idioms? Let’s give a bookmark-worthy list of idioms alongside why you should be as obsessed with idioms.

We’ll dig into the difference between affect and effect and how to use the two in sentences. In the end, you won't need a thesaurus to know the difference.

Clichés are the same – they squeeze out freshness from your writing, leaving it dull and undesirable. We will teach you how to avoid using them.

In this post, we’ll discuss what paraphrasing is and the potential to elevate your writing and give you a better understanding of the research.

In this post, we’ll share the basics of spelling, tips for improving your skills, and a few of the most commonly misspelled English words.

In this post, we’ll help clear it up by answering the most common questions about gray vs. grey and the correct spelling.

Want to learn how to use transition words like a pro? We’ll cover everything from how to start a new paragraph to their types and how you can use them. 

Let's dive into the definition of metaphor, and show you how to use this literary device. We’ll also clear the air around metaphor vs simile vs analogy.

Quotations have the power to elevate your written work when used correctly. We will show you the difference between quoting and paraphrasing.

This guide to help you understand how citing your sources works and a breakdown of the tools you can use to generate citations and bibliographies.

Let's discuss the consequences of plagiarism and give you an understanding of what plagiarism is. Here are a few common types of plagiarism to watch out for

We’ll cover what common knowledge is and how to recognize it in your writing. These are all examples of common knowledge.

Find out what an em dash is, when to use it, and how to type one among other essential details. Also discover the difference between em dash and en dash.

Here are eight of the most common plagiarism checker tools available to help you assess your content before you hit publish.

Grammar helps us structure sentences. But it’s not just about rules — it’s what makes it possible to understand each other, and it grows with us.

Running spellcheck on Word is simple — but it won’t give you everything you need to do your best writing. Writer’s Word add-on can help.

There are multiple types of plagiarism and they aren't all created equal. Discover the 7 most common types so you can avoid them in your writing.

Using the passive voice isn't a grammatical mistake. It’s a matter of stylistic preference. We cover the ins and outs of the passive voice.

Plagiarizing now comes in multiple forms, and many instances are accidental. Intentional or not, stolen copy can cause a problem.

Did you know that it is possible to plagiarize your own writing? In this post, we cover everything you need to know about self-plagiarizing your own work along with how to avoid it.

Plagiarism can be a real issue. In this article, we’ll cover the basics to help you avoid plagiarism in five simple steps.

A professional writer shares doable advice for how to be a better writer by improving your writing quality and tone in writing.