How Can I Come Up With Good Phrasal Verbs? Please Stick Around.

Phrasal verbs often appear in informal language. But should I really avoid using them in my writing, or are some appropriate?

Correct Use
  • Try not to use informal (mostly figurative) phrasal verbs.
  • Go for neutral phrasal verbs in your writing.
  • Only use formal phrasal verbs in reasonable settings.
  • If you have the choice, take the non-phrasal verb instead.

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Five Different Types of Rhymes

A rhyme is the “repetition of similar sounds within two or more words.” Typically, the corresponding sounds are found near their endings. For example, the words bark and dark are a type of rhyme, as are high and five.

Rhymes are foundational in poetry and songwriting, as they add structure that can help emphasize or link ideas and create memorable patterns.

The word rhyme can also be used as a verb, meaning “to write or say something that includes words that contain similar sounds that create a sense of musicality or rhythm.”

Our teacher challenged us to rhyme as many words as we could with “orange.”
As kids, my brothers and I used to rhyme for fun and create silly songs.
Whenever I write a birthday card for someone, I try to rhyme and come up with a whimsical message.

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Fiction and Nonfiction: Understanding the Distinctions

Fiction refers to “something created in the imagination.” Therefore, fictional writing is based on events that the author made up rather than real ones. Nonfiction is “writing that revolves around facts, real people, and events that actually occurred.”

An artist discerns subtle brushstrokes that look identical to the average person. They can also recognize hundreds of colors by their names. Similarly, as writers, we must be familiar with distinct types of prose, with the foundation of that knowledge being the ability to differentiate between fiction and nonfiction.

If you’ve ever been uncertain about these terms, you’re in the right place. We’ll help you get a solid grasp of what fiction and nonfiction mean by providing clear explanations and examples.

Let’s dive in!

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Nine Modern Ways to Say Dear Sir or Madam

A salutation is the opening line of an email or letter. There are numerous options you can use, but one that should be avoided at all costs is Dear Sir or Madam. That may sound harsh, and no, we don’t have a personal vendetta against this choice; it’s just that it’s an anachronism. Sure, it was an appropriate greeting in the past, but today, it’s clearly dated.

Below, we’ll elaborate on why Dear Sir or Madam is problematic and provide better and more professional alternatives you can use instead.

Let’s begin!
Meme shows baby with confused or disturbed face with text that reads "How it feels when someone uses Dear Sir or Madam to start an email."

There are better salutations you can use, even when you don’t know the name of the recipient.

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Irregardless vs Regardless: Which Is Correct?

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Is cereal soup?

Is irregardless a word?

As much as we’d like to investigate all of these questions thoroughly, we’re here to explore whether irregardless is a word.

According to several major English dictionaries, irregardless is technically a word, although an informal one. It’s best to use regardless, instead.

Check out LanguageTool’s paraphrasing tool to avoid using informal and nonstandard words in your writing.

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At Your Earliest Convenience | Meaning & Synonyms

At your earliest convenience is a common business phrase that means “as soon as you possibly can without imposing on your urgent tasks.”

Please inform me of your decision at your earliest convenience

Although it is a polite expression, it can be easily misinterpreted. We’ll explain more below.

We’ll provide clearer alternatives for “at your earliest convenience.”

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Going Forward | Synonyms for Business Emails

“Going forward” is a popular business phrase that is commonly used to refer to future actions or strategies. It is frequently used to imply a change or progression from the current state.

Example: Going forward in an email
Dear Jessica,

Thanks for coming into the office—the presentation was a success. Going forward, our company will be exclusively using your project management tool.

We look forward to implementing the change.

Thank you,
Sarah

Enhance your emails with LanguageTool’s grammar checker and paraphraser!

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Thank You in Advance | Meaning & Synonyms

Thank you in advance is a phrase many people use in their business emails, typically after they’ve made a request. A variant of this phrase is thanks in advance, but both are used in similar contexts.

Example: Thank you in advance
Dear Lauren,

I will be out of the office all of next week because I will be going out of town to celebrate my daughter’s fifteenth birthday. Do you mind if I add you as the contact to reach in case of emergencies while I’m gone?

Thank you in advance!

Best,

Tristan

Enhance your emails with LanguageTool’s grammar checker and paraphraser!

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Hardworking | Definition, Synonyms & Examples

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 hardworking in a resumeA hardworking problem solver who thrives in project management, negotiations, and customer service with a keen attention to detail and commitment to excellence

Check your resume with LanguageTool’s Grammar Checker!

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