Finished first place in a race you’ve been training exhaustively for? Finally got a black belt in karate? Passed a test you’ve been struggling with for quite some time? These are all achievements for which someone might express praise by saying, “Congratulations!”
It’s a ubiquitous phrase, meaning you probably hear it often for various types of goals and milestones reached. If you’re looking for other ways to say this expression, then congratulations, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll give you fifteen congratulatory words and phrases you can use instead.
You can also try our Paraphrase Tool to explore more ways to say congratulations.
How To Spell “Congratulations”The word congratulations is often incorrectly spelled with a “d.” Remember that congratulations is always spelled with a “t” in the middle of the word and the last syllable.
✅Congratulations on graduating from high school!
❌Congradulations graduating from high school!
You can use our Grammar Check tool to ensure you’re spelling words like congratulations correctly.
English has countless frequently used phrases, including several expressions that we use to get our point across. Of course, they’re beneficial to know, but we should be careful not to depend on them. If we use only these common phrases, it may seem as if our vocabulary is limited.
One of these expressions is I understand, which straightforwardly conveys one’s comprehension of something. Consider adding the following phrases to your vocabulary if you want to sound more fluent.
The can function as a definite article (which is a type of determiner) and as an adverb.
As the definite article, the is used to refer to a specific noun (e.g., “the horse”). As an adverb, the has a few different meanings, including “beyond all others” (e.g., “he likes his the best”).
The LanguageTool Grammar Checker can help you use the and other parts of speech correctly in your writing.
Moot point is commonly used to refer to something “irrelevant, insignificant, or impractical.” But it can also mean “an issue that is open for discussion or argument.” Mute point is an incorrect spelling of the phrase.
If you’re like us, then you’d agree that, as grammarians, there’s nothing worse than being corrected on our vocabulary. But occasionally, English makes it too easy to mistakenly use one word instead of another. Case in point: saying mute point instead of moot point.
The issue here is that not many people know what the word moot means or that it even exists, which leads to the common mistake of saying mute point.
If you want to avoid making this error, but you’re still unsure about moot point, don’t worry. We’ll clarify the confusion around this phrase and teach you how to use it correctly from here on out.
The correct spelling of the holiday is Valentine’s Day.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentine refers to a “card you give to someone on Valentine’s Day,” but it can also mean “sweetheart or loved one you give a card or gift to.” In this sense, Valentine can be made plural by adding an “s.”
Toward and towards are two ways of spelling the same preposition, which means “in contribution to,” “in the direction of,” or “in relation to.” The words are often used interchangeably, but there’s a difference in preference depending on whether you use British or American English.
In American English, “toward” is more common.
In British English, “towards” is more common.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The LanguageTool Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Examples: Toward or towards in a sentenceThe hiker started walking toward/towards the summit of the mountain.
As the storm approached, people hurried toward/towards shelter.
The organization is moving toward/towards a more sustainable business model.
Published on
June 11, 2025
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
July 29, 2025
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence carries out the action (e.g., “I lent him a pencil”). In the passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., “A pencil was lent to him by me”).
Active and passive are grammatical voices that use certain verb forms to indicate whether the subject is performing or receiving the action.
For instance, in the examples above, the subject in the active voice sentence, “I,” performs the action “lent.” The passive voice example conveys the same message, but in a more complicated way—the pencil becomes the subject receiving the action of the verb.
Grammar authorities and style guides typically recommend using the active voice, as it is clearer and more straightforward. Sentences that use the passive voice can sound more clunky and long-winded. However, there are times when using the passive voice is more suitable, like when the person performing an action is unknown or unimportant.
LanguageTool’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you rewrite sentences to express your desired meaning.
Published on
June 11, 2025
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
July 29, 2025
Onomatopoeia refers to both the process of creating words that imitate the sounds they represent and the words themselves (e.g., the “buzz” of a bee). This word is often incorrectly spelled as “onomonopoia.”
Onomatopoeia is frequently found in creative writing, like children’s books, comic books, and stories, to help provide vivid imagery and enhance the reader’s visualization of the text.
Additionally, onomatopoeia is an ever-evolving and expanding part of language. There are many English words used in everyday conversations that started off strictly as onomatopoeia but eventually became less directly associated with their sound-based origins and became words with distinct meanings and uses (e.g., “cliché” and “cough”).
Onomatopoeia examplesBang (a sudden loud or sharp noise)
Crunch (the sound of someone chewing something hard)
Hiss (the sound made by snakes or the escaping of steam or air)
Sizzle (the sound of something being fried or grilled)
Tick tock (the sound made by an old-fashioned clock or watch)
