Browse public grammar questions, answers, and accepted solutions.
I’ve heard the phrase “can’t see the forest for the trees” a few times and I think I understand it, but I’m not totally sure when it’s appropriate to use. For …
I’ve heard people use the phrase “break the ice” when talking about meeting new people, but I’m not sure exactly what it means or if I’m using it correctly. Fo…
I'm proofreading an email and got confused about when to use 'used to', 'used for', or 'used by'. For example, should I write 'This machine is used for printin…
I'm currently working on an assignment for my English class, but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to write an essay, an article, a report, or a paper. The instruct…
Hi everyone! I'm writing a short story set in an office, and I'm not sure if I should describe a character as 'sympathetic' or 'nice.' For example, I have a se…
Hi everyone, I often write emails at work and get confused about using 'advice' and 'suggestion.' For example, should I say, 'She gave me some good advices' or…
I'm writing an email to my English speaking colleague, and I want to say that her suggestion was exactly right for our project. I was thinking about using the …
I'm writing a description of some objects for my English class, and I'm a bit confused about which phrase to use: 'made of', 'made from', or 'made out of'. For…
I'm working on an essay for my English class, and I keep getting comments about how I organize my writing. Sometimes my teacher says I should turn a sentence i…
I'm writing a report for my class and keep getting stuck on whether I should use 'eventual' or 'final' when talking about results. For example, should I say, "…
I'm a little confused about how to use 'news' in English. Yesterday, I wanted to tell my friend something important that I heard, and I wasn't sure if I should…
Yesterday at work, my manager told me I needed to 'bite the bullet' and finish a complicated report. I've never heard this phrase before and wasn't sure what s…
I'm writing a short article about a famous chef, and I'm getting confused about when to use 'known as,' 'known for,' and 'known to.' For example, should I say,…
I'm editing my English essay and I keep getting confused about when something is a phrase or a clause. For example, in my draft I have sentences like, "Before …
I'm writing a travel blog post about some of the cities I visited in Europe, and I'm not sure which word to use in each case: 'famous', 'popular', or 'well kno…
I'm writing a list of things I need for my new apartment, and I'm a bit stuck on using the word 'furniture.' Should I say 'I need to buy some furniture' or 'I …
Hi everyone, I'm writing a short story about a student who stays up late to finish their homework, and I came across the phrase "burn the midnight oil." I'm a …
I'm working on some English essays and keep mixing up phrases like 'famous for', 'popular with', and 'good at'. For example, I wrote 'She is famous with her si…
Hi everyone, I’m revising my English essays and I keep getting feedback about my sentence structure. My teacher says I sometimes connect ideas in a way that’s …
I'm writing an email to my team about our office routines, and I'm unsure which word sounds best: 'common', 'usual', or 'normal'. For example, should I say, 'I…