What are Prepositions Needed for? Prepositions are parts of a sentence needed to connect nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns to other parts of a sentence. The most common English prepositions are the following: at, in, into, on, of, to, with,…
Writing Guides - Page 6
AcademicHelp.net has a database of free guides on writing academic papers to provide you with guidelines, tips, and hints while writing any paper.
Word Repetition
What is Wrong about Repetition? “Word rep.” is supposedly one of the most frequent comments left by teachers on papers submitted by their students. Though word repetition is not as bad as grammatical mistakes, for example, it is still recommended…
Word Order in English Questions
Word Order in English Questions The word order in English questions is the same as in positive sentences: subject — verb (predicate) — object. The main difference is you need to put an auxiliary verb (which depends on the time…
Run-On Sentences Rules
What is a Run-On Sentence? Students who study English as a second language rather often face the problem of long sentence lengths. Sometimes the sentences they compose can be too short, or lack subject-verb agreement—in this case, they are called…
Main Stylistic Mistakes
Using Passive Voice Too Often Passive voice is needed when you want to make an emphasis on an object that has undergone certain changes or actions, or when a subject is unknown. Passive voice also sounds more formal and “clever” than…
Active and Passive Voice
What is Active Voice? Active voice is a way to construct a sentence where the subject performs actions towards the object. The most clear and simple example of such a sentence would be: “Dave (subject) likes (action) mushrooms (object).” What…
Disruptive Modifier
What is a Disruptive Modifier? It is a modifier (a word or phrase that enhances other words) placed in the wrong place. However, it is different from a misplaced modifier. A disruptive modifier is a part of a sentence that…
Proper Use of Pronouns
Types of Pronouns Subjective pronouns Pronouns that are the subject of a sentence are called subjective pronouns. They can be used to rename the subject (in this case, they follow the verb “to be.”) e.g. I, he, she, you, they,…
Dangling Modifier
What is a Modifier? A modifier is a phrase, word, or clause that alters, limits, adds, or in some other way affects another word present in a sentence. In logically-built sentences, one can find a modifier in front or behind…
Adverb Positions
What is an Adverb? Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or even other adverbs by indicating when, why, where, or how something happened; in other words, adverbs are needed to explain conditions under which events occur. For example: I…
Vigorous Writing
Writing vigorously means to write concisely. People rarely pay attention to the way they express their thoughts, both orally and on paper; their speech is often polluted with unnecessary words and phrases, or is inappropriately pompous. However, practice shows that…
How to Write Clearly
Why is Clarity Important? Imagine you have a brilliant thought you want to share with others (this is one of the main motives for writing, in fact). So, you spend days or even weeks expressing your thoughts on paper; in…
Essay Structure
Have you prepared all the materials needed for writing and done all the research? Developed a thesis statement and arranged a list of references? This is not enough to write a successful paper, as simply piling up the facts and…
Writing Topic Sentences
Topic sentences are used to increase the readability and accessibility of a piece of writing. A topic sentence is the first sentence of any paragraph that contains keywords or other hints that indicate which part of the thesis statement is…
Writing an Introduction
You must have already heard multiple times that the introductory paragraph of almost any piece of writing, be it a college essay or a newspaper article, is important. Why is this so, you might ask? The answer lies in the…
Writing a Conclusion
Sometimes writers do not pay proper attention to the concluding part of their work, considering it to be rather a formality than a necessity. In reality, a proper conclusion is as important as a thoroughly-composed introduction, as it must synthesize…
Comma Splice Rules
What is a Comma Splice? A comma splice is a poor attempt to join two independent clauses in a sentence with just a comma. An independent clause makes a complete thought, so a simple comma is not enough to separate…
Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement – Subjects must agree with verbs in number. e.g. My phone is on the table. Boys run across the street. A bird flies from tree to tree. * This rule cannot be applied to verbs…
Double Negative in English
What is a Double Negative? A double negative is a grammatical construction formed from the negative form of a verb (e.g. cannot, do not) with other parts of a sentence. Usually, negative verbs are combined with negative pronouns (e.g. nobody,…
Writing a Complimentary Letter
Among the numerous ways to express gratitude, complimentary letters are a rather popular and widespread means. Complimentary letters are usually written by customers who would like to thank a service or product providers for the high quality of their goods…