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Grammar Q & A Archive--From Pearson Education
Key-Word Index
Use this Key-Word Index to find messages in the Grammar Question & Answer Archive. Find
a Key Word in the table below and click on it, or scroll through the Index until you find a Key
Word of interest. Underneath the Key Word are links that take you directly to a relevant Q & A
message.
| A |
| a/an |
| adjective
clauses |
| adjective
clauses: object pronouns |
| adjective clauses,
restrictive |
| adjectives |
| adjectives,
order of |
| adjectives,
possessive |
| adverb
clauses |
| adverb
phrases |
| adverbs |
| adverbs, position
of |
| agreement |
| all |
| all right |
| already |
| American
English vs. British English |
| among |
| analogy |
| any |
| appostrophe |
| appositives |
| appositives, and
articles |
| aren’t
I? |
| articles: a vs. an |
| articles, definite
vs. indefinite |
| articles, with
appositives |
| as |
| as best you can |
| as
if |
| at |
| |
| B |
| bad vs. badly |
| badly vs. strongly |
| be |
| be
going to |
| be
going to vs. will |
| be
in vs. be to |
| begin vs. start |
| below |
| besides vs. except |
| between |
| British English
vs. American English |
| by |
| |
| C |
| can vs. could |
| can, possibility
with the future |
| chiropractor |
| clauses,
noun |
| cleft sentences |
| collaborate |
| collective
nouns |
| commas |
| commas,
with and |
| comparatives |
| compared to/with |
| comparisons |
| conditional
sentences |
| conjunctions |
| conjunctions, subordinating |
| contrary-to-fact |
| cooperate |
| could,
possibility with the future |
| count/noncount
nouns |
| |
| D |
| degrees
of certainty |
| disappear |
| dissertation |
| do |
| door
of vs. door
to |
| |
| E |
| etiquette |
| English
language, importance of |
| envious |
| eventually |
| everyone,
everybody |
| examples: introducing |
| expect (stative
verb) |
| expressions |
| expressions
of quality |
| |
| F |
| fewer |
| flammable vs. inflammable |
| for |
| fringe
benefits vs. perks |
| fruit vs. fruits |
| future
tenses |
| future
time |
| |
| G |
| gerunds |
| gerunds
after verbs |
| God
bless you |
| good vs. well |
| grow |
| |
| H |
| have
to/must |
| how |
| how and whether |
|
 |
| I |
| I vs. me |
| idioms |
| if vs. whether |
| imperatives |
| in |
| including |
| indicative
words |
| indirect
(reported) speech |
| indirect
objects |
| infinitives |
| infinitives,
of purpose |
| infinitive vs. baseform |
| inflammable vs. flammable |
| intransitive verbs |
| invaluable vs. valuable |
| inverted
word order |
| irregular
noun plurals |
| irregular
verbs |
| intensifiers |
| |
| J |
| jealous |
| judge |
| |
| L |
| less |
| let's |
| like |
| likewise |
| |
| M |
| mad cow disease |
| meanwhile |
| medical terms |
| me neither |
| metaphor |
| misplaced
modifiers |
| modal
auxiliaries |
| modals |
| modifiers |
| mood enhancer |
| much |
| much vs. many |
| |
| N |
| nap |
| negatives, plus gerunds |
| negative prefixes |
| no, not |
| none |
| nonstandard
English |
| noun
clauses |
| nouns |
| nouns:
collective |
| nouns:
count/noncount |
| nouns,
irregular plurals |
| nouns,
plural |
| nouns,
possessive |
| numbers |
| |
| O |
| objects |
| object complements |
| obligation,
verbs of |
| of |
| osteopath |
| other,
forms of |
| other times |
| |
| P |
| parallel
structure |
| parenthetical
material, punctuation with |
| participial
phrases |
| past
habit |
| past
participles |
| people |
| perception,
verbs |
| perks vs. fringe
benefits |
| personal
pronouns |
| phrasal
verbs |
| plural
nouns, irregular |
| plural nouns: proper
nouns |
| police |
| possession |
| possessive |
| prefixes, negative |
| prepositional
phrases |
| prepositions |
| prepositions, for |
| prepositions, to |
| prescriptive
grammar |
| present
perfect |
| present
perfect progressive vs. present perfect |
| present
tense: used to express future time |
| pronouns |
| pronouns,
personal |
| pronunciation |
| pronunciation, of
plural nouns |
| proverbs |
| punctuation |
| punctuation, apostrophe |
| punctuation,
commas |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
a/an
A or an before h
adjective
clauses
Adjective clause with preposition Sentence type
Which
adjective
clauses: object pronouns
Which vs. what
adective
clauses, restrictive
Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive adjective
clause
adjectives
–Er added to one-syllable adjectives
Feel good or feel well?
Flammable vs. inflammable
-ic vs. –ical endings
Jealous vs. envious
Meanwhile and eventually
Quick vs. quickly
Quick trained vs. quickly trained
Valuable vs. invaluable
adjectives,
order of
Order of adjectives
adjectives,
possessive
Singular or plural?
adverb
clauses
By vs. until
adverb
phrases
Misplaced modifier Other times vs. at other times
adverbs
Already vs. yet
Feel strongly and feel badly
Likewise
Quick trained vs. quickly trained
Quite vs. rather
"Today is very hot"
adverbs,
position of
Adverbial position
agreement
Agreement of personal pronouns with antecedents
Agreement of subject and verb
Everyone, everybody, and referents
Majority/minority: is or are?
Majority/minority: is or are? (Comment)
None: singular or plural verb?
Singular or plural?
Singular or plural verb
all
Of all, in all, or in?
already
Already vs. yet
all
right
Does the word "alright" exist?
among
Prepositions: among, between, for,
or with?
American
English vs. British English
Toward or towards
analogy
Simile, metaphor, analogy
any
Any + other + noun
Any + singular or plural noun?
Toward or towards
apostrophe
Possessive with apostrophes
appositives
"They called him Bill."
appositives,
and articles
Articles with appositives
aren’t
I?
Aren’t I? (vs. Am I not?)?/a> Aren’t I? (vs. “Amn’t I?)
articles:
a vs. an
A or an before h
articles,
definite vs. indefinite
Police or the
police?
articles,
with appositives
Articles with appositives
as
As
Like vs. as
Like vs. as (Comment)
Simile, metaphor, analogy
as
best you can
As best you can
as
if
As if
at
In or at?
bad
vs. badly
Feel bad vs. feel badly
badly vs. strongly
Feel strongly and feel badly
be
Aren’t I? (vs. “Amn’t I?)
Aren’t I? (vs. Am I not?)?/a>
Be to + do
The word being
be
going to
Forms for future time
be
going to vs. will
Will vs. be going to
begin
vs. start
Start vs. begin
be
in
vs. be to
Have been to/have been in a place
below
Under vs. below
besides
vs. except
Besides vs. except
between
Prepositions: among, between, for,
or with?
British
English vs. American English
BrE vs. AmE
by
By vs. until
can
vs. could
Can't have vs. couldn’t have
can,
possibility with the future
Can and could with the future
chiropractor
Osteopaths and chiropractors
clauses,
noun
Noun clause as object of the verb
cleft
sentences
Cleft sentences
collaborate
Cooperative and collaborative
collective
nouns
A or an before h
Collective nouns (1)
Collective nouns (2)
commas
Commas or no commas
commas,
with and
Commas with and
comparatives
–Er added to one-syllable adjectives
Than
compared
to/with
Compared to (with)
comparisons
Like vs. as
Like vs. as (Comment)
conditional
sentences
As if
Using will to indicate the price?
conjunctions
Commas with and
If or whether?
Likewise Meanwhile and eventually Whether or whether or not
conjunctions,
subordinating
As
contrary-to-fact
I wish she was/were
cooperate
Cooperative and collaborative
could,
possibility with the future
Can and could with the future
count/noncount
nouns
Business and businesses
degrees
of certainty
Can't have vs. couldn’t have
dissertation
Thesis vs. dissertation
do
He does or he do?
door
of vs. door to
Prepositions: door
to or door of?
disappear
Formerly intransitive verbs
English
language, importance of
Learning English
envious
Jealous vs. envious
etiquette
Asking about a person's profession
everyone,
everybody
Everyone, everybody,
and referents
eventually
Meanwhile and eventually
examples:
introducing
Including and such
as
expect
(stative verb)
Modals vs. expect to
expressions
God bless you
expressions
of quality
Any + other + noun
fewer
Less vs. fewer
flammable
vs. inflammable
Flammable vs. inflammable
for
For + noun Indirect objects with to and for
fringe
benefits vs. perks
Fringe benefits vs. perks
fruit vs. fruits
Fruits or fruit?
future
tenses
Will
Will vs. be going to
future
time
Future time expressed with simple present
tense
Forms for future time
gerunds
Gerund or infinitive?
Gerunds, simple and past
Infinitive or gerund or base form?
Possessives with gerunds
The word being
gerunds
after verbs
Infinitive or gerund or base form? Risk + complement
God
bless you
God bless you
good
vs. well
Feel good or feel well?
grow
Formerly intransitive verbs
have
to/must
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech (Comment)
Have to vs. must
how
What vs. how
What about and how about
how
and whether
Wh-
clauses as subject: singular or plural verb?
I
vs. me
I or me
idioms
As best you can
Bound for
Catch somebody’s attention
Ease a severe crisis
if vs. whether
If or whether?
imperatives
If or whether?
Tag ending for Let's
in
In or at?
including
Including and such as
indicative
words
Who vs. whom
indirect
(reported) speech
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech (Comment) Reported (indirect) speech (with past tense)
indirect
objects
Indirect objects Indirect objects with to and for
infinitives
Gerund or infinitive?
Infinitive/gerund after like (=such
as)
Split infinitives
To as a marker for an infinitive vs. to as a
preposition To as preposition or as part of infinitive
infinitives,
of purpose
Infinitives (to complete adjectives/to express purpose)
infinitive
vs. baseform
Infinitive or gerund or base form?
inflammable
vs. flammable
Flammable vs. inflammable
intensifiers
So, too,
and much
intransitive
verbs
Formerly intransitive verbs
invaluable
vs. valuable
Valuable vs. invaluable
inverted
word order
Inversion of subject and verb 1
Inversion of subject and verb 2
irregular
noun plurals
Genus, plural form
Viscus and viscera
irregular
verbs
Hang, past tense Irregular verb forms
jealous
Jealous vs. envious
judge
Judge, referee, and umpire
less
Less vs. fewer
let's
Tag ending for Let's
like
Infinitive/gerund after like (=such
as)
Like vs. as
Like vs. as (Comment)
Simile, metaphor, analogy
like
wise
Likewise
mad
cow disease
"Mad cow disease"? "BSE"?
Which one is correct?
me
neither
Me neither
meanwhile
Meanwhile and eventually
medical
terms
"Mad cow disease"? "BSE"?
Which one is correct?
metaphor
Simile, metaphor, analogy
misplaced
modifiers
Misplaced modifier
Sentence type
modals
Have to vs. must Modals vs. expect to
modal
auxiliaries
Can't have vs. couldn’t have Modal auxiliaries: How to define? How to teach?
Would
modifiers
Misplaced modifier
Modifiers (how to combine)
Noun modifiers (trouser press)
Nouns as modifiers
mood
enhancer
Enhance
much
So, too,
and much
much
vs. many
As much as vs. as many as
nap
Nap
negatives,
plus gerunds
No or not + gerund?
negative
prefixes
Negative prefixes
no,
not
No or not + gerund?
none
None: singular or plural verb?
nonstandard
English
He does or he do? nonstandard English
noun
clauses
Noun clause as object of the verb Subjunctive in noun clauses
Wish clauses
nouns
Nouns as modifiers
Noun modifiers (trouser press)
Trip vs. travel
nouns:
collective
Collective nouns (1)
Collective nouns (2)
Majority/minority: is or are?
Majority/minority: is or are? (Comment) People, singular and plural
nouns:
count/noncount
Business and businesses
Fruits or fruit?
The plurals of fish and fruit
nouns,
irregular plurals
-f ending of nouns
nouns,
plural
Apostrophe with "z" ending
Bowel vs. bowels
Genus, plural form
Plural forms — phonetic
Viscus and viscera
nouns,
possessive
Possessive nouns
numbers
Numbers, pronunciation of years
object
complement
"They called him Bill."
objects
indirect objects
obligation,
verbs of
Have to vs. must
of
of-possessive vs. ?s
osteopath
Osteopaths and chiropractors
other,
forms of
Another and the other
Any + other + noun
other
times
Other times or at other times
parallel
structure
Parallel verbs
Parallelism
parenthetical
material, punctuation with
Punctuation with parentheses
participial phrases
Compared to (with)
past
habit
Didn't use to vs. used to not
past
participles
Payed as past participle
people
People, singular and plural
perception,
verbs
"I saw him jump." See somebody DO something vs. See somebody DOING
something
perks
vs. fringe benefits
Fringe benefits vs. perks
personal
pronouns
I or me
Who did it? How to answer
phrasal
verbs
Be to + do
Have been to/have been in a place
plural
nouns, irregular
-f ending of nouns
plural
nouns: proper nouns
Apostrophe with "z" ending
police
Police or the
police?
possession
For + noun
possessive
of-possessive vs. ?s
Possessive nouns
Possessive with apostrophes
Possessives with gerunds
prefixes,
negative
Negative prefixes
prepositional
phrases
Other times or at other times
Prepositional phrases—where they end
prepositions
As Besides vs. except
By vs. until In or at?
Of all, in all, or in?
Other times or at other times
Prepositions: among, between, for,
or with?
Prepositions: door
to or door of?
Preposition — photo of or photo for us?
To as a marker for an infinitive vs. to as a
preposition
Toward or towards Under vs. below
prepositions, for
For + noun
prepositions, to
To as preposition or as part of infinitive
prescriptive
grammar
Prescriptive grammar
present
perfect
Present perfect
present
perfect progressive vs. present perfect
Present perfect vs. present perfect progressive
present
tense: used to express future time
Future time express with simple present tense
pronouns
Case of pronouns after than
Reflexive pronouns (myself)
Relative pronouns Who vs. whom
pronouns,
personal
I or me
Me neither
Who did it? How to answer
pronunciation
Numbers, pronunciation of years
pronunciation,
of plural nouns
Apostrophe with "z" ending
Plural forms — phonetic
proverbs
The world is one's oyster
punctuation
Punctuation with parentheses
punctuation,
apostrophe
Possessive with apostrophes
punctuation,
commas
Commas or no commas Commas with and
quantifiers
Any + singular or plural noun?
As much as vs. as many as
question
words
What vs. how
What about and how about
question
words: what
Asking about a person's profession
Which vs. what
questions,
tag
Aren’t I? (vs. Am I not?)?/a> Aren’t I? (vs. “Amn’t I?)
Question tags: affirmative/affirmative
Tag ending for Let's Tag question: Shall we?
quick
vs. quickly
Quick vs. quickly
Quick trained vs. quickly trained
quite
Quite vs. rather
rather
Quite vs. rather
referee
Judge, referee, and umpire
reflexive
pronouns
Reflexive pronouns (myself)
relative
clauses
"One of the" in
relative clauses: singular or plural verb?
relative
pronouns
Relative pronouns
reported
(indirect) speech
Reported (indirect) speech (with past tense)
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech
Had to/must in past tense of reported speech (Comment)
reporting
verbs
Say, tell, speak, talk
restrictive
clauses
Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive adjective
clause
"One of the" in
relative clauses: singular or plural verb?
risk
Risk + complement
run-on
sentences
Sentence type
–'s
of-possessive vs. ?s
say
"Say, tell, speak, talk"
sayings
The world is one's oyster
sentences
Cleft sentences
Sentence type
so
So, too,
and much
speak
Say, tell, speak, talk
spelling:
with -ed and -ing
Spelling of verbs with –ing and -ed
split
infinitives
Split infinitives
start
vs. begin
Start vs. begin
start vs. get started
Start vs. get started
stative
verbs
Feel bad vs. feel badly
strongly vs. badly
Feel strongly and feel badly
subject-verb
agreement
Agreement of subject and verb
Everyone, everybody,
and referents
Majority/minority: is or are?
Majority/minority: is or are? (Comment)
None: singular or plural verb? Singular or plural? Singular or plural verb
Wh-
clauses as subject: singular or plural verb?
subjunctive
I wish she was/were
such
as
Including and such as
Infinitive/gerund after like (=such
as)
tag
questions
Aren’t I? (vs. Am I not?)?/a>
Aren’t I? (vs. “Amn’t I?)
Question tags: affirmative/affirmative
Tag ending for Let's Tag question: Shall we?
talk
"Say, tell, speak, talk"
teaching
grammar
Prescriptive grammar
than
Case of pronouns after than
Than
that
Which
Relative pronouns
thesis
Thesis vs. dissertation
to
Indirect objects with to and for
To as a marker for an infinitive vs. to as a
preposition
To as preposition or as part of infinitive
too
So, too,
and much
to
+ simple form (infinitive)
To as a marker for an infinitive vs. to as a
preposition
today
"Today is very hot"
toward
or towards
Toward or towards
trip
vs. travel
Trip vs. travel
two-word
verbs
Bound for
umpire
Judge, referee, and umpire
under
Under vs. below
unrestrictive
clauses
"One of the" in
relative clauses: singular or plural verb?
until
By vs. until
usage
questions
BrE vs. AmE
Does the word "alright" exist?
Cooperative and collaborative
Enhance
Fringe benefits vs. perks
Grow
Judge, referee, and umpire
Jump vs. leap
Nap
Osteopaths and chiropractors
Thesis vs. dissertation
Toward or towards
Trip vs. travel
used
to
Didn't use to vs. used to not
valuable
vs. invaluable
Valuable vs. invaluable
verbs,
base form
Infinitive or gerund or base form?
I wish she was/were
verbs,
intransitive
Formerly intransitive verbs
verbs,
obligation
Have to vs. must
verbs
of perception
"I saw him jump."
verb
forms: subjunctive
Subjunctive in noun clauses
verb,
plus gerund
To as preposition or as part of infinitive
verb
tenses: future
Forms for future time
Future time expressed with simple present
tense
Using will to indicate the price?
Will
Will vs. be going to
verb
tenses: past
Can't have vs. couldn’t have
Didn't use to vs. used to not
Hang, past tense
Payed as past participle
Present perfect vs. past
Reported (indirect) speech (with past tense)
verb
tenses: present
Future time express with simple present tense
verb
tenses: present perfect
Present perfect
Present perfect vs. past
Present perfect vs. present perfect progressive See somebody DO something vs. See somebody DOING
something
verb
tenses: present perfect progressive
Present perfect vs. present perfect progressive
verbs,
two words
Bound for
verbs
Feel bad vs. feel badly Grow Jump vs. leap Risk + complement
Singular or plural verb
Start vs. begin
Start vs. get started
Verb form after want
verbs:
gerunds
"Gerunds, simple and past"
verbs,
irregular
Hang, past tense Irregular verb forms
verbs:
parallel structure
Parallel verbs
verbs:
participles
Spelling of verbs with –ing and -ed
viscus
Viscus and viscera
want,
verb form following
Verb form after want
well
vs. good
Feel good or feel well?
wh-
words
Wh-
clauses as subject: singular or plural verb?
what
What vs. how
What about and how about
what
vs. which
What or which?
Which vs. what
when
and where
Wh-
clauses as subject: singular or plural verb?
whether
Whether or whether or not
whether vs if
If or whether?
which
Adjective clause with preposition Which
which
vs. what
Which vs. what
who
Relative pronouns
Who did it? How to answer
who
vs. whom
Who vs. whom
will:
future
Using will to indicate the price?
Will
Will vs. be going to
wish
Wish clauses
I wish she was/were
word
order
Inversion of subject and verb 1
Inversion of subject and verb 2 Modifiers (how to combine)
Order of adjectives
would
Would
write/read
to vs. write/read for
Indirect objects with to and for
year
Numbers, pronunciation of years
yet
Already vs. yet
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