A participle is a word that functions like an adjective and also shows verb features like tense and voice. Participles are modifiers, so they must have a noun to modify.  A dangling participle is one that has been left out in the cold with no noun to modify. For example: While strolling through the kitchen, the…

My husband and I were jogging in the woods one day recently. (I use the term jogging loosely because I’m still recovering from an injury, and running and I aren’t getting along very well.) At one point, I made some comment. I don’t even remember what it was. He stopped, looked at me, and said,…

A split infinitive is when you separate “to” and its verb. Here’s an example: She wanted to comfortably sleep on the new bed. A better option would be: She wanted to sleep comfortably on the new bed.

I’ll never forget the day my mother (a former English teacher) had me tell my sixth-grade teacher she was using “lain” incorrectly. Instead of reinventing the wheel, here’s a little help from Writer’s Digest. In the past tense, “lay” becomes “laid” (Last week, I laid down the law and told my brother it was inappropriate for…

“Saw” is usually used immediately after a noun or pronoun. For example, “She saw a movie.” “Seen” is NEVER used as a standalone verb and is generally accompanied by words such as “have,” “had,” or “was.” For example, “She has seen every Harry Potter movie.”

It’s right there! (place or position) Their favorite city is Chicago. (their = possession) They’re going to Chicago next weekend. (They’re = they are)

She went to the store. It was far too hot outside. The cost of the newspaper was two dollars.

I’ve started a new blog. Any topic goes (don’t let the title fool you). If you’d like to take a look: https://www.middlelifemusings.com.

“It’s” is a contraction for “it is.” In all other cases use “its.”

Eminent means well-respected or famous. Imminent means something is about to happen. Dr. Smith is an eminent professor at Ohio University. Judging by the dark clouds, the storm is imminent.