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• Dual vs. Duel

  4762 readersWhen dual and duel go head to head in a usage fight, the one that wins, as is often the case, depends on the field of battle, otherwise known as the context. The adjective dual derives from the Latin term dualis, related to duo, the Latin word for two. Duo, of course, was borrowed directly into

• Discrepancy vs. Disparity

  4432 readersWhat’s the difference between discrepancy and disparity and other similar words beginning with the prefix dis-? The meanings are often the same or closely related, but some distinctions apply: Discrepancy, the noun form of the rarely used adjective discrepant, stems from the Latin term discrepare, which means “to sound discordantly.” A discrepancy is a variance from

• “Democrat” is a Noun

  1042 readersA reader asks if "democratic" is the plural of "democrat." Original Post: “Democrat” is a Noun Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook.

• 10 Metals and Minerals for Metaphors

  3895 readersMetals and minerals sometimes inspire associations with human characteristics or with circumstances, as in the case of the examples below: 1. Adamant Few people realize that this word, which in adjectival form means “insistent” or “unyielding,” has a lustrous origin: It comes from a Greek noun by way of Latin and originally referred to a diamond or

• How to Convert an Adjective to an Adverb

  3367 readersHow do you determine whether the adverbial form of an adjective should end in -ly or -ally? For most adjectives, the reason to use -ally, rather than -ly, is that you’re adding -ly to a noun plus the inflection -al, which forms the adjective, as in emotionally, musically, or traditionally. You’re starting with emotion, music, or

• Adverse vs. Averse

  5113 readersAdverse and averse share the root verse, which stems from the Latin term vertere, meaning “to turn.” But their meanings are distinct and, taken literally, antonymic: Adverse, from the Latin word adversus (“turned toward, facing”), means “antagonistic”; the original term conjures of image of confrontation. Averse, meanwhile, comes from aversus (“turned away”) and means “strongly

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  Vertical and Vertiginous

  3158 readersA steep climb up a mountain is sometimes described as “vertiginous”, as in the following quotation from a description of a hike up the Inca Trail. Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook. Original Post: Vertical and Vertiginous

• 15 Foreign Words and Phrases People Spell Incorrectly

  6460 readersHere are some problematic frequently misspelled words and phrases of foreign extraction: 1. A capella: The Italian phrase, literally “in chapel style” but meaning “without instrumental accompaniment,” is two words. 2. Apropos: The French phrase for “to the purpose,” and meaning “with regard to” or “opportune” or timely,” is treated as two words in the original language

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  The Quasi-adjective “Couple”

  2328 readersWhy do people drop the "of" in the expression "a couple of"? Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook. Original Post: The Quasi-adjective “Couple”

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  The Adjective is “Immune”

  1644 readers"Immuned" is not to be used as a substitute for the adjective "immune." Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook. Original Post: The Adjective is “Immune”