If you’ve ever wondered whether it was spelled fiancé or fiancée, well, they’re both correct. And they’re both correct because they are actually different terms. English borrowed them from variants of the French verb fiancer (meaning “to get engaged”) in the mid-19th century. The masculine (fiancé) and feminine (fiancée) noun forms were both imported by English speakers, even though English doesn’t typically use gendered word endings. The extra E …
It’s OK. Really, it is OK if you can confuse it’s (with an apostrophe between the t and s), and its (without any apostrophe at all). Mixing up it’s and its is an extremely common mistake. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between its and it’s, provide tips about how to remember the difference, and even cover some related questions. When to use its or …
Whoever you are, you’re not alone in being confused about when you should use whoever and whomever. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between whomever and whoever, cover when and how to use each one, and provide example sentences showing exactly how each one is used. If you haven’t yet, read our guide to who vs. whom first. It provides the foundation for the …
The words to, too, and two sound exactly alike but are used in completely different ways. They are classic examples of what we call homophones—words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings and spellings. Because they’re so similar, they often get mixed up in written language. In this article, we’ll give you everything you need to make sure you choose the right to, …
The words affect and effect are two of the most commonly confused words in the English language. They’re pronounced pretty much the same, used in the same contexts, and both can be used as both a verb and a noun. So how can you remember the difference? In this article, we’ll explain: The difference between affect and effect When to use affect or effect affects …
If you’re in the business of defining and explaining words (which we are), it’s important to know the difference between denotation and connotation. These two terms are easy to confuse because they refer to related concepts. And every word can have both denotation and connotation. So what do they mean? In this article, we’ll explain the difference, give you tips for how to remember it, …
No doubt you know your ABCs, but do you know how to spell the names of the letters themselves? For example, how would you spell the name of the letter W? In this article, we are going to take a look at how to spell out the different consonants of the alphabet. Why just the consonants? Well, spelling the names of the vowels is unusual, …
Advice and advise are closely related—they’re used in the same contexts and they’re separated by only one letter. But they’re pronounced differently. The challenge is really remembering which spelling to use for the noun and which spelling to use for the verb. Take our advice: after we advise you on the difference, you’ll never get them mixed up again. Advice is a noun that means …
Kids’ letters to Santa Claus are one of the most magical parts of the season. They help Old Saint Nick decide just what to deliver, and they give his helper elves on the streets the insight they need to make Christmas wishes come true. The tradition of writing letters to Santa dates back to the 1800s. Originally, it was Santa who wrote letters to the …
By Ashley Austrew The month of November is a big deal for writers. It’s time for NaNoWriMo! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? It’s an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month, an event every November during which writers all over the country attempt to write 50,000 words of a new novel in just the 30 short days. If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this year, chances are …
It was a dark and stormy night when the writer turned to Dictionary.com for synonyms and definitions to make their writing pop. At least, it would be a dark and stormy night if said writer was basing a story on one of the most cliché (a trite, stereotyped expression that has lost all originality from being long overused) introductions to grace the page. If you’ve …
The difference between a metaphor and a simile is like the difference between precious metals and gems (both are valuable and useful, but one can take many more forms). Understanding this difference—and knowing how to use both—can be a jewel in the crown of your writing, making your descriptions and comparisons more colorful and engaging. See what we did here? That first sentence uses a simile, …