Correct and precise writing can be a challenging undertaking. Gaining the right insights into the English language will allow you to skillfully optimize your texts. This will make them more precise, more captivating, but also more individual to your personal taste. Our step-by-step guide shows you how to write better, confidently, and concisely. You will come straight to the point. And the comma. And the colon.
Hardworking (also spelled hard-working) is an adjective that describes someone or something as “constantly putting engaged and strenuous effort into a job or task.” The word “hardworking” is commonly used in resumes to convey that an individual is ambitious and resolute, making them an ideal candidate to hire. Example: Using
A truism is an obvious statement that, although true, provides no helpful or interesting insights. Truisms are often used to express common wisdom, but they are so self-evident and undeniable that they can be considered unnecessary. For example, imagine someone losing a championship game, and someone says to them, “You
Understanding the standard adjective order in English isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Native speakers often instinctively follow the order, while English language learners can easily learn it. We’ll guide you with clear explanations and helpful examples.
Diamond in the rough is an idiom that refers to something of great value that, at first sight, appears to be unremarkable. In British English, it is more common to hear the idiom “rough diamond.” The idiom comes from the world of diamonds, where the stones, as they are found
The whole nine yards is an idiom that means “the fullest possible extent” of something. Perhaps no other English idiom is shrouded in more mystery as to its origins. So while we know what the idiom means figuratively, we don’t know what its literal meaning was. The whole nine
Rags to riches is an idiom describing someone’s change in fortunes from poverty to wealth. It is rarely used in a completely literal sense for someone who was actually living in rags but can describe a more general improvement in circumstances. When used as an adjective, the phrase uses
The idiom play it by ear dates back at least to the 17th century. It comes from the world of music and refers to playing an instrument not from sheet music or memory but responding to the situation. Instruments like the violin and cello have to be played by ear,
Rule of thumb is an idiom that describes a common-sense but approximate way of deciding on a course of action. Tradespeople will often know the span of their hands and the length of their thumbs and use them as a rough-and-ready way of measuring. So rule of thumb became a
Cut to the chase is an idiom that means “get to the point quickly.” There’s no definitive evidence for where the phrase comes from, but the generally accepted view is that it is from the early days of Hollywood, where it would indicate a script direction to cut to
The English idiom take it with a grain of salt means “treat information with a degree of skepticism and doubt.” It is a slightly muted way of saying that you do not find the source of the information to be trustworthy. Examples: Take it with a grain of salt My
Fortune favors the bold is an idiom that suggests that taking risks will pay off. It comes from a Latin phrase audentes fortuna iuvat that dates back millenia. It encourages the listener not to be fatalistic and instead to make audacious decisions. Examples: Fortune favors the bold in a sentence
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The correct plural form of sheep is sheep. Remember, “sheep” can function as a singular and plural form of the noun. * Singular: We lost one sheep but found him hiding in the barn. * Plural: Many sheep needed to be sheared. Examples of sheep being used as a plural The sheep