“Do To” or “Due To”? Which One is Correct?

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

Due to the fact is a phrase that means “because.” It is commonly misspelled as do to the fact. Synonyms (alternatives) you can use instead are because and since.

He has to check his blood sugar throughout the day do to the fact that he is diabetic.
He has to check his blood sugar throughout the day due to the fact that he is diabetic.

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The History Behind the Unusual Spelling (and Pronunciation) of Colonel and Lieutenant

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

Correct Spelling and Pronunciation
  • Colonel /ˈkɜrnəl/ is pronounced like the “kernel” in popcorn kernel.
  • Lieutenant has two different pronunciations. In American English, the word is pronounced “loo-TEN-ant” /luˈtɛnənt/, whereas in British English, it is pronounced “lef-TEN-ant” /lɛfˈtɛnənt/.

A lot of times, the way words are spelled in English can leave many people scratching their head. Not only do many English words contain silent letters, but there are also several rules and patterns that have numerous exceptions. This leads to many spelling errors and online searches as to how to spell certain words. Today, we’re going to give you the history (and correct spelling and pronunciation) of two military words: colonel and lieutenant.

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Words With a Silent “P”

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

A silent “P” is a “P” that isn’t pronounced when a word is said out loud. It can be found at the beginning of words, in the middle, or towards the end. Examples of words with a silent “P” include: psychology, raspberry, and receipt.

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Congratulations On Knowing How To Spell This Word

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

There only correct way to spell this word is: c-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s.

Congratulation is a noun. The plural of this word is congratulations. This is a word that is used to “express praise for an achievement or good wishes on a special occasion.”

Keep in mind that to use this word to express applaud or commend someone, it’s said with an “s” at the end:

Congratulations on getting married.
I knew you’d win first place. Congratulations!
All your hard work paid off. Congratulations on being named valedictorian.

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When To Use Capital Letters

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

The rules of capitalization in English may seem pretty direct. For example, most people know to capitalize the first letter of every sentence and the personal pronoun “I.” There are some gray areas, though. Should sentences after colons begin with a capital letter, too? How about titles and headlines? We’ll answer these questions and go over some basic guidelines for capitalization.

Capitalization is when certain letters are written in uppercase instead of lowercase.

  • Mrs. Johnson states that our homework assignments are due every week on Friday.

There are several rules to keep in mind when deciding when to use capital letters.

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“Dessert” vs. “Desert”—Here’s How To Remember When To Use Which

Published on June 17, 2025 by Gina Rancaño, BA

An online search for “desserts near me” and “deserts near me” would lead you to two very different destinations. One would lead you to sweet treats and the other to dry, arid land. We’ll teach you an easy way to remember how to use these words correctly.

  • Dessert is a sweet treat or dish usually served at the end of a meal.
  • Desert can be used as a noun that refers to “dry and barren land,” while the verb means “to abandon someone or something is a disloyal way.”

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