English has the annoying habit of taking words from other languages and twisting their meaning, usually in a subtle but drastic way. As a result, if you actually speak any of those languages, you can’t rely on this knowledge to make any assumptions about the English clone. French is a frequent victim of this kind [...]
In English, the spelling patterns ei and ie can both represent an "ee" sound. So how do you know which one to use? For decades, English teachers have repeated the adage, ‘When the sound is "ee", it’s I before E, except after C.’ But oops, that’s not quite true. You also have to memorize the [...]
Say that ten times fast. Ed had edited it. Ed had edited it. Ed had edited it…
The late American comedian George Carlin ranked motherf*cker in the top 7 most obscene words of the English language. Along with its derivative, motherf*cking, it’s become a trademark for actors like Samuel L. Jackson who portray aggressive badasses. Of course, when a TV edit comes out, interesting changes suddenly happen:
Be careful. Some English words and phrases can mean the exact opposite of themselves! anxious worried, nervous, full of dread for — I’m so anxious about the economy! eager, looking forward, full of excitement for — I’m so anxious for spring!
For a long time, I’ve had trouble spelling English words that end in -ought and -aught. So I made a big list. Most of these words are past participles. -ought buy > bought bring > brought fight > fought seek > sought think > thought work > wrought†
