Writing guides · Page 4
Grammar, essays, citations, emails and career writing — short, practical, answer-first and dated.
100 guides · Page 4 of 5
Business & email
Out-of-Office Message: What to Include and 20 Templates to Copy
A good out-of-office message says you are away, gives the date you will be back, names a person or address for urgent matters, and stops there. Write the dates
Paraphrasing
Is Paraphrasing Plagiarism? Where the Line Is, With Four Graded Examples
Paraphrasing is not plagiarism when you restate an idea in your own words and structure and cite the source. It becomes plagiarism when you leave out the citati
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing vs Summarizing vs Quoting: How to Choose and Cite Each One
Quote when the exact words matter, paraphrase when you need one specific idea in your own words and at similar length, and summarize when you only need the main
Spelling & grammar
The 8 Parts of Speech in English (With a Quiz)
English has eight traditional parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection. A word's class depends on the
Spelling & grammar
Past Perfect Tense: Formula, Uses and Examples
The past perfect tense is formed with had + past participle (She had finished). Use it for an action that was completed before another past action or a stated p
Spelling & grammar
Prepositions: Definition, a Full List by Time, Place and Direction, and Common Errors
A preposition is a word such as in, on, at, by, with or after that links a noun, pronoun or noun phrase to another part of the sentence and shows a relationship
Spelling & grammar
Present Perfect Continuous: Formula, Uses, For vs Since and Practice
The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been + the -ing form: "I have been studying since nine." Use it for an action that started in the past an
Academic writing
Primary vs Secondary Sources: Definitions, Examples and How to Tell Them Apart
A primary source is first-hand evidence from the time or the person involved, such as a diary, a dataset or a court judgment. A secondary source analyzes or int
Business & email
15 Professional Email Examples You Can Copy and Customise
These fifteen professional email examples cover the situations people search for most: asking for a meeting, chasing an invoice, declining an offer, introducing
Career
Resume Objective: When to Use One, With 25 Examples
A resume objective is one or two sentences at the top of your resume that state the job you want and what you bring to it. Use one if you are a recent graduate,
Academic writing
100 Sentence Starters for Essays: Introduce, Argue, Contrast and Conclude
A good sentence starter tells the reader what job the sentence does: introduce a point, add evidence, contrast an idea, give an example or conclude. Pick the st
Spelling & grammar
Sentence Structure: Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound-Complex (With Examples)
English has four sentence structures, defined by their clauses. A simple sentence has one independent clause. A compound sentence joins two or more independent
Business & email
Sick Leave Email: What to Say, What to Leave Out and Templates to Copy
A sick leave email needs only four things: that you are unwell, that you will be off work, when you expect to return (or when you will update them), and who can
Content & social media
Texting Abbreviations and Internet Slang: LMAO, IKR, LMK, IRL, AFK, TL;DR and More (Meanings)
Texting abbreviations are shortened phrases used in chats and social media: LMAO means "laughing my a-- off", IKR "I know, right?", LMK "let me know", IRL "in r
Content & social media
Thank You Messages: 60 Ways to Say Thank You
A good thank-you message names what the person did and why it mattered, in a tone that fits your relationship. "Thank you for the book. I started it on the trai
Business & email
To Whom It May Concern vs Dear Sir or Madam: Which to Use, and What to Write Instead
Use "To Whom It May Concern" only when a letter truly has no single reader, such as a reference or a general certificate. For job applications and requests, fin
Academic writing
Transition Words and Phrases: 120 Examples by Use, With Punctuation
Transition words link one idea to the next and tell the reader how they relate: addition, contrast, cause and effect, sequence, example or conclusion. Pick the
Content & social media
20 Types of Poems With Examples
The most common types of poems are free verse, haiku, limerick, acrostic, sonnet, ballad, couplet, quatrain, cinquain, diamante, villanelle, ode, elegy and epic
Spelling & grammar
The 4 Types of Sentences (With Examples)
English sentences are classified by purpose into four types. A declarative sentence makes a statement and ends with a full stop. An interrogative sentence asks
Academic writing
The 4 Types of Writing: Narrative, Descriptive, Expository and Persuasive
The four main types of writing are narrative (tells a story), descriptive (paints a picture), expository (explains or informs) and persuasive (convinces the rea
Spelling & grammar
Verb Tenses in English: All 12 With Examples
English has twelve verb tenses: past, present and future, each in four forms (simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous). The tense tells the reader wh
Spelling & grammar
Verbs: Definition, Types and Examples
A verb is a word that names an action (run, write), a state (be, seem) or helps another verb form a tense or question (is, have, will). Every complete English s
Business & email
What Does P.S. Mean? How to Write a Postscript in Letters and Emails
P.S. means postscript, from the Latin post scriptum, "written after". It is a short extra note placed below a letter's signature. American style usually writes
Academic writing
What Is ChatGPT? A Plain-English Guide for Writers and Students
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot made by OpenAI. You type a request in ordinary language and it writes a reply. It is built on a large language model that predicts like
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