Supervise vs. Monitor
A reader wants to know if there’s a difference between the verbs supervise and monitor.
Comes to Bear
A question on an ESL forum alerted me to the expression “to come to bear.”
Expressions with Turn
My first reaction to this reader’s suggestion was, “what can possibly be said about turn that would fill a post?”
The Soft Sound of C
Shakespeare called z an “unnecessary” letter, but the letter c is probably a better candidate for the title.
What’s a Lair and How Do You Pronounce It?
The word lair comes from a Germanic word for bed. The sleeping place of a wild animal is called a lair.
Transitive Verbs
The grammatical term “transitive verb” occurs in numerous posts on this site, usually with a reminder of what it means, but perhaps a dedicated post will be useful to readers who remain shaky on the concept.
Get Access to 200+ Grammar Exercises and Quizzes
When we launched the DailyWritingTips Pro subscription six months ago, our main goal was to create a resource our readers could use to improve their English and writing skills. The feedback we received far exceeded our expectations, so it seems we are on the right track.
Is Software a Mass Noun?
A reader noticed the following statement about the unauthorized use of pre-installed software programs on computers sold by hardware suppliers: …in most of the cases, these computers are loaded with unlicensed softwares.
Disrespect and Dr. Fell
Like many speakers, I reacted to the use of disrespect as a verb with surprise and disapproval the first time I heard it. It still pushes my “sounds wrong” button when I hear it used in a formal context.
Auspices and Guises
In an interview with Palestinian film-maker Hany Abu-Assad about his film Omar, NPR’s Rachel Martin made the following statement.
Language and Citizenship
Most countries have an “official” language. Several have more than one. Government business and schools are conducted in the official language. Official documents are printed in the official language.
Metathesis
One of the changes that takes place in the pronunciation of words is the linguistic phenomenon called metathesis.
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