Mechanics

Get help with issues such as active and passive voice, sentence structure and parts of speech.

  • Coordinating Conjunctions

    Learn how to use coordinating conjunctions to connect words, phrases and clauses, and find out if you can start sentences with them.

  • Wowzer! Who Knew Interjections Were So Useful?

    Learn how interjections can make your writing more powerful, and discover the situations in which they are appropriate to use.

  • Parallel Structure in Lists

    Read about how to improve your writing’s readability and fluency with parallel structure in lists, including when to avoid it.

  • Sentence Fragments

    Study examples of sentence fragments to learn about the specific components that create a complete sentence and convey a comprehensive thought to your audience.

  • Prefixes

    Learn the most common prefixes, and discover how to apply them to correctly spell words and when hyphens are necessary.

  • Suffixes

    Learn about suffixes and how they can change or add to the meaning of a word, and check out spelling rules for applying them.

  • Infinitives

    Learn about the different types of infinitives, and discover why you should avoid split infinitives in most cases and how to fix them.

  • Transitional Phrases

    Create better flow in your writing by using transitional phrases to form strong, logical connections, and learn how to properly punctuate them.

  • Compound Nouns

    Learn how to recognize compound nouns and their various forms, such as closed and hyphenated, as well as how to pluralize them.

  • Concrete Versus Abstract Nouns

    Learn about the difference between concrete and abstract nouns, including how to recognize which type a noun is when it can function as both.

  • Gerunds

    Learn about gerunds, the different ways in which they function as nouns and how to distinguish them from the present participle form of verbs.

  • Participles

    Learn about participles and how they act as adjectives by modifying nouns and pronouns but still carry some features of verbs.

  • Dangling Modifiers

    Learn about participles and how they act as adjectives by modifying nouns and pronouns but still carry some features of verbs.