Practise vs Practice—What’s the Difference?

Practise Vs Practice—What’s The Difference

Writers and editors always need to be on top of the correct usage of similar words. Failure to understand the correct usage can mean compromising the meaning of a sentence, or even potentially an entire piece. One common pair of words that causes confusion is practise vs practice. Today, we’ll break down the differences between … Read more

Then vs. Than: The Difference and When to Use Each

“Then” and “than” – these two little words can cause big headaches for even the most seasoned writers. They sound alike, and you may think they’re interchangeable. They are not!  “Then” explains a relationship to time, while “than” is used for making comparisons. They are among some of the most commonly confused words. But don’t … Read more

There, Their, and They’re: The Difference and When to Use Each

“They’re,” “their,” and “there” — these three homophones (words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings) trip up lots of people. They’re among some of the most commonly confused words! Though they look similar and sound the same, they are not interchangeable. “There” is about place, “their” is about possession or belonging, and … Read more

Faze vs. Phase: When to Use Each

Ah, the English language – what a delightful labyrinth of quirks and inconsistencies, huh? Today, we delve into the depths of two sneaky homophones: faze and phase. They sound the same but have quite different meanings. Don’t get fazed by their trickery! Faze vs. Phase: Definitions Faze: This is a verb. It describes something that … Read more

Lose vs. Loose: When to Use Each

It’s easy to confuse lose and loose. They are similar looking, with only a minor difference in their pronunciations. This article breaks down their major differences.  Lose, which is pronounced “looz,” with a Z sound, is a verb that is all about letting go, missing out, or suffering defeat. Think of it as something slipping … Read more

APA vs MLA: What Are the Differences?

In academic writing, there are two major style guides: APA and MLA, each with its own citation style. They both have the goal of ensuring clarity and consistency in scholarly works, but they have distinct rules and formats. Let’s take a look. APA and MLA: The Major Distinctions On the whole, APA and MLA are … Read more

What Is a Pronoun? A Simple Guide

Pronouns Substitute for Nouns Simply put, pronouns substitute for nouns. (For more on the parts of speech, check out this article.) Nouns are people, places, things, and ideas. Some nouns are: apple, car, Becky, mountain, kitchen, time, happiness. Pronouns include he, she, it, they, who, and more.  Pronouns are used to refer to people and … Read more

Colons vs. Semicolons: When to Use Each

Colons (:) and semicolons (;) are easily confused. While they’re similar, they serve distinct purposes in sentence structure. In this article, I’ll describe the nuances of using colons versus semicolons and provide you with the tools to use them correctly. Colons serve primarily as a signpost for what comes next in a sentence: they introduce … Read more

Who vs. That — When to Use Each

In the English language, we use pronouns as linguistic shortcuts, streamlining communication by replacing nouns. Among these pronouns, who and that are often confused. In general, who refers to people while that refers to things. Would you like more details? Keep reading. Who — The Human Touch Who is a pronoun that refers to people … Read more

Your vs. You’re — What’s the Difference?

Folks often confuse your and you’re in written English. They are homophones, words that sound alike but have different meanings. (Check out our other articles on homophones like whole/hole and it’s/its.) Your is a possessive pronoun, indicating something belongs to someone, while you’re is a contraction of you are.  Let’s delve into these distinctions and … Read more

Illusion vs. Allusion — What’s the Difference?

Illusion Vs. Allusion — What’s The Difference?

Illusion and allusion are two words that often cause confusion due to their similar-sounding nature, but they have distinct meanings and applications in the English language. In this article, we will unravel the complexities of illusion and allusion, providing clear examples to illuminate their disparate roles. Illusion — A Deceptive Mirage Illusion refers to something … Read more

Your Guide to Proofreading Editing Marks

Common Proofreading Marks Guide

Proofreading marks, also called “proofreaders’ marks,” “proofreading marks,” and “editing marks,” signify mistakes in printed copy. Proofreaders and editors generally note mistakes on the page with a red pen.  Though much editing, like the editing done here at EditorNinja, is now done digitally within shared docs and other word processors, written proofreading marks are still vital … Read more

Its vs It’s — When to Use Each

It's vs Its - When To Use Each

When do you put an apostrophe in its/it’s? How do you know? This issue commonly confuses English writers — pros and newbies alike. It’s easy to confuse the two, considering the (often befuddling) rules of English.  With this article, we’ll put the confusion to rest.  The Difference between Its and It’s The difference between these … Read more

What’s the Difference between e.g. and i.e.?

What’s the Difference between e.g. and i.e.?

People commonly confuse the abbreviations “e.g.” and “i.e.,” as they are used in similar contexts and function in similar ways. They are both abbreviations of Latin phrases. However, they do not mean the same thing, and they are not interchangeable. E.g. is used for specific examples, while i.e. is used to rephrase or to define … Read more

That vs. Which — When to Use Each

That vs. Which — When to Use Each

Learning the difference between that and which is one of the biggest challenges of English grammar. They have similar functions and are used in similar sentences. But there is a difference, and it can change the meaning of the sentence.  I’m going to break down the grammar rules of these two words and provide plenty … Read more

When to Use a Comma before “And”

When To Use A Comma Before "And"

Commas serve two main functions: separating items in a list and separating independent clauses. Whether you put a comma before “and” depends on the situation.  Putting a comma before and in a list is generally optional, though style guides have different rules on this.  In general, you should always put a comma before and if … Read more

Acronym vs. Initialism — What’s the Difference?

Acronym vs Initialism

In spoken and written language, we often shorten long words and phrases into different kinds of abbreviations. Sometimes, single words are abbreviated, like when we say “prep” for prepare or when we write “min” for a minute.  Phrases with multiple words are often shortened into initialisms and acronyms, which are both abbreviations that use the … Read more

Your Guide to the Top 10 Most Commonly Confused English Words

The Top 10 Most Commonly Confused English Words

Words that are commonly confused because they look or sound alike are called homonyms, from the Greek roots homo, meaning “same” and numos, meaning “name.” Homonyms can be divided into homophones (which sound alike) and homographs (which have the same spelling). Below are some of the most commonly confused English homonyms, with definitions and examples. … Read more

An Abstract or an Introduction — What’s the Difference?

An Abstract or an Introduction — What’s the Difference?

Are you working on a paper or scholarly article? Need to know the difference between an abstract and an introduction? Here’s what you need to know.  An abstract and an introduction are two different sections of a research paper, thesis, or dissertation. An abstract is a short summary of the entire piece, and it comes … Read more

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