English Rules

Figures of Speech

April 3, 2005

Devendra asks, "what are figures of speech. I want the definition and an example of all figures of speech." According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, a figure of speech is the intentional departure from straight-forward, literal use of language for the purpose of clarity, emphasis, or freshness of expression. To define and provide examples for all of the hundreds … Read more.

Grammar Books for College Students

March 16, 2005

A visitor recently asked if I could recommend some good grammar books for college writing. Here are a few of my favorites: General The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. This one is a classic, no-nonsense introduction to English style and usage. Some may find it too pedantic, but I think it's a great place to start. It's also … Read more.

Pronouncing "the" Definite Article

February 28, 2005

Two people in the past week have requested information on pronouncing the definite article, "the." This issue lies outside my area of expertise, so I can't reply with authority. What I can offer instead is the consensus among the results of a quick Google search, which happens to coincide with what my opera-singing sister-in-law thinks: When the definite article ("the") … Read more.

non sequitur

February 21, 2005

A reader asks: The following sentence has been supplied by a client to use in a print project. A) The Application Form a person who wishes to make a claim will use I know it's wrong and I think I know how it should read, but what I don't know is what this kind of dreadful sentence is called. I … Read more.

ESL Resources

February 13, 2005

A reader asks the English Master: My mother language is not english, but i want to improve my english communication. I need complete help on english rules and english grammar. please. Although I'm not equipped to answer this large of a request myself, there are a number of excellent ESL (English as a Second Language) resources available on the internet. … Read more.

In This Section

All Entries

Search

+ Advanced Search

Site Info

Elsewhere

My Bookshelf

Reading Now
  • Staggerford: A Novel
  • Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World
  • unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
  • Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Just Read
  • JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
  • The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence
  • The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
  • Jesus and Nonviolence: A Third Way (Facets)
On the Shelf
  • Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)
  • Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
  • Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
  • The Elephant Vanishes: Stories
  • The Catcher in the Rye
  • The Tenacity of the Cockroach: Conversations with Entertainment's Most Enduring Outsiders

© Karl Swedberg

widescreen bonus!

+ Blogroll

Noteworthy Articles

10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List (NYTimes.com)

I?ve rounded up a list of 10 things not to worry about on your vacation.

The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (The American Scholar)

Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers...z

We're Not Laughing at You, or With You (NYTimes.com)

Let's talk about the bloody crossroads where satire goes searching for its target...

Turf War (The New Yorker)

Americans can?t live without their lawns--but how long can they live with them?

Graffiti artist Banksy unmasked (Daily Mail)

He is perhaps the most famous, or infamous, artist alive. To some a genius, to others a vandal. Always controversial, he inspires admiration and provokes outrage in equal measure...

Behind the Bush Bust - Op-Ed (New York Times)

Other politicians besides Mr. Bush share the blame for the mess we?re in ? but most of them are Republicans...

On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble (NYTimes.com)

Parents who had been paying $1,425 a month for infant care would see their costs rise to nearly $2,500 ? well above the market rate. For parents with toddlers and preschoolers, who were charged less, the price increases were equally eye-popping

Secret report: biofuel caused food crisis (The Guardian)

Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by the Guardian...

Previewing McCain and Obama on geek issues

Last week, representatives for Barack Obama and John McCain addressed the Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference on topics ranging from NSA surveillance to net neutrality to the competitiveness of American workers in the new economy...

Want to Remember Everything You'll Ever Learn? Surrender to This Algorithm (W...

SuperMemo is based on the insight that there is an ideal moment to practice what you've learned. Practice too soon and you waste your time. Practice too late and you've forgotten the material and have to relearn it...

David Blaine - This Time, He'll Be Left Breathless (New York Times)

As a doctor monitored his heart and his blood and breathing, David Blaine filled his lungs with pure oxygen and prepared to hold his breath -- for 16 minutes, he hoped. Mr. Blaine is a famous magician, but he insisted that this was no trick...

Happiness is the measure of true wealth (Telegraph)

It comes as no surprise to learn from a study published this week that, although Britons are twice as rich as they were in 1987, they are no happier...

Daily caffeine 'protects brain' (BBC)

Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests...

Five Myths About Drinking Water (NPR)

Is bottled water better for you than tap? Or should you choose vitamin-enriched water over sparkling? Experts say, skip it all. None of these products are likely to make you any healthier...

Tighten Your Belt, Strengthen Your Mind - New York Times

Other activities that deplete willpower include resisting food or drink, suppressing emotional responses, restraining aggressive or sexual impulses, taking exams and trying to impress someone...