We have a strange case of “like-itis” in contemporary society. The word has evolved to become as useful as a Swiss Army knife, pervading our everyday speech with such ease that even the most sophisticated amongst us cannot escape its influence.

While “like” serves many functions, today’s lesson focuses solely on its use as a preposition meaning “similar to”, being distinct from “such as”.

Whether one likes it or not, “like” is here to stay; however, should one wish to add a little distinction to your expression, read on.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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I am loth to admit I was not personally aware of this particular distinction in advance of researching it. The more gaps one seems to fill in one’s knowledge, the more gaps seem to appear—language, after all, is a lifelong journey—and may today’s lesson go some way to expanding one’s own knowledge.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Today’s lesson is a perennial headache of grammatical confusion. It is ‘lie’ or ‘lay’? The difference depends entirely on whether there is an object (a thing being acted upon).

To untangle this mystery, we must interrogate their usage.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Recently, we officially crossed the halfway point of this year (2nd July). While your New Year’s resolutions may be long forgotten—hazy vows made in the temporal no-man’s land of possibility that exists between the 31st of December and the 1st of January—I hope today’s lesson at least provides yet another solution to the resolution to improve one’s English.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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These two words (or three, if you are being pedantic) still give me pause for thought. One hopes that today’s lesson will shed enough light to dispel any further confusion.

Are we all together ready? Very well, do carry on!

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

P.S. The subtitles may be helpful for this one.

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In British English, the difference between these two words comes down to a single vowel, but that vowel completely changes the stakes of the situation. It is the difference between asking for directions and being interrogated by a detective.

Read on to unravel the differences between these two seemingly similar verbs.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Has a witting suspect finally been caught in a grammatical trap of their own making? Or do they possess enough education to evade sentencing?

The lawyers amongst us surely know the power of words and the importance of their placement.

However, as with any language, there is a large degree of ambiguity one can leverage to their advantage.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Are you famous for a celebrated achievement? Are you infamous for a scandal in the community? Are you notorious for confusing these words?

Or perhaps you feel similar to Mae W…

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Today we have an exquisite look at a particular grammar issue (i.e., the misuse of i.e. and e.g.). While e.g. is generally used with aplomb, i.e. can certainly cause some… issues.

May this lesson serve to clarify their usage and sharpen your prose.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Today’s lesson brings you a playful look at the risks and benefits of distinguishing between assumption and presumption. Be careful—assuming too audaciously may land one in r…

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We are now entering the fourth and final act of A Murder of Mistakes.

Please take today’s lesson with a large pinch of salt. For this is more a question of style than of strict grammar agreements.

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When dealing with time in English, precision is always better than pretension. The confusion between “currently” and “presently” has caused many a social misunderstanding. Here is the…

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Ah, the art of apologising. While actions always speak louder than words, the right words in the right order can go a long way to making amends.

Apologise, excuse, and sorry all share similar undertones, yet each one’s usage is unique. Of course, this wouldn’t be English if we didn’t add a little confusion to the mix with the combination: ‘sorry excuse’.

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While modern English is becoming lenient, maintainin…

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By the end of today’s lesson you shall have mastered the subtle differences between these two prepositional phrases. At the end of the publication you will find your quiz, and in the end, you will be all the more accurate for it.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas

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Today’s bite-sized lesson brings a touch of class, history, and formality to your choice of preposition that follows the adjective ‘enamoured’.

Perhaps you can use it this week to …

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In English, the difference between Find, Find Out, Discover, and Search comes down to the process versus the result.

Each one has their individual nuances and characteristics. A brief look at their etymologies may aid you in today’s lesson:

1. Search

• Meaning: To examine carefully and in detail.

• Etymology: Dates to around 1300 from Old French cerchier (Modern French chercher). This ultimately derives from the Latin circare, meaning “to go about or wander”, which comes from circus (meaning a circle).

2. Find

• Meaning: To come upon or meet with something.

• Etymology: A native Germanic word originating from the Old English findan. This traces back to the Proto-Germanic findan (originally meaning “to come upon”), which relates to ancient Indo-European roots meaning to go, pass, or find a path.

3. Find Out

• Meaning: To learn something or reveal information through inquiry, asking, or testing.

• Etymology: A phrasal verb developed in English by combining the native root find with the directional particle out (which comes from the Old English ute) to emphasise pulling information to the surface.

4. Discover

• Meaning: To obtain knowledge of for the first time, or to unearth something that already exists but was previously hidden.

• Etymology: Enters Middle English around 1300 from Old French descovrir. This is built from the Latin prefix dis- (the opposite of) and cooperire (meaning to cover up).

Search carefully, find everything, discover the answers.

Yours faithfully,
Thomas

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Before we go any further, here’s a quick primer on the difference between the Indicative and Subjunctive moods:

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Dearest member,

We have safely passed the threshold of the twentieth episode in A Murder of Mistakes. Whether you have been here since the beginning or have just joined, this quarterly review quiz is …

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The confusion between Expect, Wait, and Await usually stems from translating directly from other languages where one verb covers all three meanings. In English, they are distinct actions involving the mind, the body, and the clock.

Let us not dilly-dally any longer, for the answers to their usages awaits!

Yours faithfully,
Thomas

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