In the words of Meghan Trainor, “it’s all about that noun.” At least, I think that’s what she said. If you can’t seem to figure out when to use amount vs. number vs. quantity when writing content, a good place to start is to define each word and then think about the noun that you’re referring to and whether it’s singular, plural or countable.

Definition of Amount

The dictionary defines the meaning of amount to be:

• the same in effect or meaning as
• to add up to a total
• to reach in quality or kind

Definition of Number

The definition of number is as follows:

• a sum of units
• a large total that is indefinite
• a large group
• a total that cannot be ascertained

Definition of Quantity

The quantity definition is:

• a total sum of units
• a large sum of units
• an indefinite total

Kind of sounds like they all meant the same thing, right? Let’s dive a little deeper in how amount vs. quantity vs number are used in content writing.

Amount vs. Number vs. Quantity at a Glance

– Amount should be used when you’re talking about a singular noun that CAN’T be measured.
– Number should be used when you’re referring to a singular or plural noun that CAN be counted.
–Quantity should be used for an inanimate, single or plural noun that CAN be counted or measured.

When To Use Amount in a Sentence

If you can’t measure it, use amount. It’s also important to keep in mind that amount should come before a singular word and is generally used for mass nouns and words like respect, love and envy. If you aren’t sure whether a noun is countable, take a minute to think about whether or not someone could add up the number on his or her calculator.

Amount Examples:

– In July, the amount of work he got done writing SEO articles was more than ever before.

– The amount of love the preteen girl had for Justin Bieber was way too much.

When To Use Number in a Sentence

If you can count it and it’s plural, use number. However, make sure that you pay attention to the verb that comes after the noun phrase. When you use, “the number,” you should follow it up with a singular verb, while you should use a plural verb after you say, “a number.”

Number Examples:

– The number of people I need to show up at my party is probably unrealistic.

– After spending 20 minutes on Facebook, a number of emails were waiting for me in my inbox.

When To Use Quantity in a Sentence

Here’s where things get a little bit tricky. Quantity, much like number, can be used for singular or plural nouns that you can count or measure. The main difference is that it’s best to use quantity when you’re talking about an inanimate object. However, there are times where you can use quantity and number interchangeably, specifically when the noun is plural. For example, if you were talking about how many tomatoes you have, either number or quantity would technically work.

Quantity Examples:

– It would take a large quantity of ice cream to make me feel better.

– After getting paid, the quantity of dollar bills in my wallet was finally enough to buy Taco Bell.

Amount vs. Number vs. Quantity: You Don’t Have To Be a Mathematician

Remember, you don’t have to be able to do calculus to get amount vs. number vs. quantity straight. Instead, it just takes a little practice. What are some other commonly confused words that make you crazy? Check out some of our other Commonly Confused Words posts.

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Writers love to play with homophones; for example, consider this sentence: “Charles looked for years to find the perfect addition to his first edition history book collection.” Yes, words that sound alike but are spelled differently can delight readers when they are used playfully. Still, when it comes to writing, the addition vs. edition confusion can accidentally mystify readers. Here are some helpful tips and examples you can use to provide clarity when you write using addition and edition.

 

Addition vs. Edition at a Glance

As with many words in the English language, addition and edition sound similar. That is where the similarity ends because addition vs. edition have entirely different meanings. Here are the basic differences at a glance.

• Addition is a noun. It can mean to calculate a math problem, enlarge an item or increase something immaterial.
• Edition is also a noun, but it is used when writing about editing, publishing or broadcasting.

 

What’s the Difference Between Addition and Edition?

When you are writing an article about enhancing city salaries, blogging about simple math problems, tweeting about remodeling a home, or discussing merging two items, use addition. In other words, addition is all about uniting one thing with another.

Edition refers to a single printing that differs from another publication and is published at separate times, a specific number of copies issued at the same time or a publication that is altered in some manner to allow for a new item of that work. An edition can also refer to a single unit or be marketed as a set.

 

When To Use Addition

The noun addition involves a process or action of adding something to the original item and is typically followed by a single preposition such as “of” or “to.” Although the addition definition is often found when discussing math calculations, the add-on can be to almost anything imaginable. Addition can also be used when two physical items are joined, resulting in an enlargement of the original item or space.

Examples of using addition in a sentence:

• The city’s addition of 100 buses will guarantee more availability of seating for the daily commute. (imagined joining)
• Jamie was a welcome addition to the poker game on Friday night because he is wealthy. (tangible to intangible)
• Research shows that children can quickly learn addition and subtraction by using flashcards. (mathematics)
• Adelaide’s home renovation included the addition of two new bedrooms and a sun deck. (joining two physical items)

 

When To Use Edition

The definition of edition shows it is an English noun used in editing, broadcasting or publishing. Edition is used to reference a specific version or publication of a book, article or other text, and the term is generally, but not always, followed by the preposition “of.” Edition is also used to discuss an edited or published document with an anticipated publication date, to denote the total number of available copies of a single publication, to specify a single revision or to talk about a specific news program.

Examples of using edition in a sentence:

• Andrew Cornwell scoured the used bookstores for a first edition of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” (a limited print date)
• Lauren preferred the printed weekly edition of the newspaper over the internet version. (a specific weekly publication)
• To celebrate its 30th-anniversary on-air edition, ABC News held a gathering in Times Square. (aired program)
• Potter fans anticipate Rawlings’ new limited edition to the Potterverse, even though the book will only be available for 30 days. (single publication with limited-run date)
• Stephen King’s storylines contain many editorial notes before a television edition can be broadcast. (revisions to original)

 

Addition vs. Edition: They Are Commonly Confused

If you are still confused about the homophones addition vs. edition, here is another trick you can use to differentiate the two words: Anytime you want to write about “adding” one thing to another, use addition. If you are writing about news, books or other publications, use edition.

If you have other English words or phrases that confuse you, comment below and let us help you clarify them. We love to come up with interesting examples!

Even though I didn’t get much sleep last night and have already been working all morning, I am still motivated to write this article. Having turned on the space heater in my downstairs office and put on my hooded sweatshirt, I am all ready to get back to work and explain how to use all ready vs. already.

 

All Ready vs. Already at a Glance

*All ready is an adjectival phrase that means either an entire group is prepared collectively, or someone or something is prepared completely.

*Already is an adverb that describes an action that occurred in the past or something that happened sooner than expected.

 

What Is the Difference Between All Ready and Already?

When you look at all ready and already, there are apparent differences between the two. All ready is a two-word phrase while already is one word. You also define already differently than all ready. They serve different functions in a sentence, with already being an adverb referring to the time of an occurrence and all ready being an adjectival phrase describing a state of preparedness.

Things become trickier when speaking and listening. All ready and already are homophones, meaning that they sound identical when pronounced aloud. Depending on the context and the rhetorical intent, sometimes people put a short pause between the two words of the phrase all ready, but it is common for people to slur them together. Though not incorrect, this can become confusing. Knowing which spelling to use when writing can also be challenging.

 

When To Use All Ready

All ready has two meanings. It can either indicate a complete state of preparedness, or it can indicate that all members of a group are prepared. In either case, all ready can refer to the preparedness of people, animals, or inanimate objects.

Examples of using all ready in a sentence:

• Once loaded into her carrying crate, my cat was all ready to go to the vet’s office, but she wasn’t happy about it.
• The children were all ready to go caroling around the neighborhood.
• After applying mosquito repellent and sunscreen, in that order, I was all ready to go hiking.
• The cooked turkey was all ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

When To Use Already

The word already also has two meanings, both having to do with time. It refers to a task that has been accomplished in the past, sometimes at a given time. It also refers to an event that occurred unexpectedly soon.

Examples of using already in a sentence:

• I already took the turkey out of the oven at 11:00 a.m.
• It already gets dark at 5:00 p.m. after Daylight Savings Time ends.
• The children had already finished brushing their teeth before I had chosen a bedtime story to read to them.

 

Tips To Help With Correct Usage of All Ready vs. Already

One way to determine whether to use all ready vs. already is to substitute synonyms for each. If you can use ready or prepared in its place, you would use all ready, whereas if you can sub in so soon or before now or at a particular time, you would use already. You can also say the sentence you want to write out loud or in your mind, putting a slight pause between the first and second syllables. If it makes sense that way, you probably want to use all ready instead of already. Of course, you can also think about how the word or phrase functions in the sentence. If it is describing one or more people or objects, you want the adjectival phrase all ready, but if it is an adverb modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb, use already. In the comments, please share with us any other tricks you use to tell these commonly confused words apart.

Comedic singer-songwriters aren’t usually high on my list of go-to references for grammar rules. Still, “Weird Al” Yankovic got a lot of them right in “Word Crimes.” He sings, “You should know when it’s less or it’s fewer.” This especially stirs my soul, as fewer vs. less is one of my favorite duos of commonly confused words. Like so many of the other rules that make English such an easy and popular language for in-depth study (ha!), the less vs. fewer grammar usage is straightforward, well-defined and littered with exceptions that make anyone wonder why grammarians bothered making rules for it in the first place.

 

 

Fewer vs. Less at a Glance

Let’s start with the primary definitions of fewer and less:

• fewer (adj.): a smaller number of persons or things
• less (adj.): constituting a more limited number or amount

So, both fewer and less mean virtually the same thing and, therefore, should be interchangeable. Straightforward? Not exactly.

 

 

What’s the Difference Between Fewer and Less?

Even if I had written this blog with fewer sarcasm and less personal anecdotes, it might still take a bit of effort to distinguish one from the other. For example, that last statement about sarcasm and personal anecdotes doesn’t sound quite right, but why not?

Before we can decide if we should use fewer or less, we need to determine if the noun it modifies is countable or not.

Countable nouns are, well, countable. Each word, such as rules, singer-songwriter and anecdote, is identifiable as a single unit, can be numbered definitively and has both a singular and plural form. For instance, if we count each loosely defined rule cited in “Word Crimes,” we get a total of 11 rules, which we indicate by using the plural rules instead of the singular rule.

By contrast, uncountable (or mass) nouns represent tangible but uncountable substances such as water or nature, or abstract ideas such as sarcasm. A quick and simple test for determining whether a noun is uncountable is to make it plural:

• Incorrect: My glass is more than half full with waters.
• Incorrect: I love hiking among the natures in my area.
• Incorrect: I considered adding more sarcasms to this blog.

Water, nature, and sarcasm should not be plural; therefore, they are uncountable nouns.

• Correct: My glass is more than half full with water.
• Correct: I love hiking among the nature in my area.
• Correct: I considered adding more sarcasm to this blog.

Armed with this information, we can now determine when to use fewer and when to use less. 

 

When To Use Fewer

Fewer means “a smaller number,” so we use it with countable nouns:

• English would be so much easier if there were fewer rules to remember.
• I like the originality of the musical comedy genre; other types seem to have fewer singer-songwriters in them.
• A lot of my friends would be happier if I used fewer personal anecdotes in my grammar arguments.

 

 

When To Use Less

Less means “a smaller amount,” so we use it with uncountable nouns:

• I’ve been drinking less water than I should every day.
• I’m finding a lot less nature in the city than I did in my rural hometown.
• Maybe this blog wouldn’t be as entertaining if it had less sarcasm in it.

Keep in mind, though, that this concept can get a little tricky when the uncountable nouns are quantified. For example, I may be drinking less water, but that also means that I drink fewer ounces of water. The distinguishing factor is that in the latter statement, fewer is actually modifying ounces, which is countable, and not water, which is uncountable.

 

 

 

When To Ignore the Rules

Of course, when we adhere to the strict definitions of fewer and less, it all makes sense. But pure logic is boring, so let’s throw in some exceptions where nouns that might be considered countable take the adjective less instead of fewer.

 

Weight

While pounds and other weight measurements are, by definition, quantifiable, the less than vs. fewer than rules don’t apply when talking about weight.

• Incorrect: A gallon of water weighs fewer than 10 pounds.
• Correct: Surprisingly, an English grammar rulebook also weighs less than 10 pounds.

 

Time

Similarly to weight measurements, time quantities are usually compared by using less rather than fewer:

• Incorrect: “Weird Al” Yankovic attended school for fewer than 13 years, having graduated at age 16.
• Correct: It took “Weird Al” Yankovic less than 40 years to release an album that topped the charts, but that’s still a really long time.

 

Money

Although money is totaled in dollars and cents, it is still often viewed as an uncountable total, which can be a useful tip when trying to remember fewer vs. less than:

• Incorrect: You can buy a “Weird Al” Yankovic album for fewer than $20.
• Correct: The single “Word Crimes” costs less than $2 on iTunes.

 

 

Fewer vs. Less: Fewer Word Crimes, Less Embarrassment

Honestly, if you’re doing any kind of professional writing, I wouldn’t recommend relying on parody artists for grammar guidelines. Concepts such as fewer vs. less can seem simple enough, but they get convoluted quickly. This is especially the case because incorrect usage often sounds correct. Have you ever confused fewer with less? Whether it slipped notice or made others groan in agony, we want to hear about it in the comments below!

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier. The Boston Red Sox vs. The New York Yankees. Like vs. such as. Some battles are just legendary. Others are about grammar, so let’s make this syntax showdown quick and painless, OK?

 

Like vs. Such As

My husband hates it when I say like. In my defense, I’m an ’80s kid. The word like is firmly ingrained in my speech right alongside dialectical chestnuts such as awesome, rad, and totally tubular. (Yep, sometimes I’m surprised he agreed to marry me, too.)

Here’s the thing: like arguably has a place in informal speech. That’s how we talk; we pepper our speech with a like here, and an um there, and occasionally we drop a you know or a gag me with a spoon. These words are part of verbal communication’s flow.

The problem is, we also commonly use like in place of such as in our writing, and grammatically speaking, that’s the opposite of awesome and rad. It’s grody to the max. It’s a mistake — and it’s a super common one we don’t have to make.

 

When Should You Use Like and When Should You Use Such As?

Knowing when to use like and when to use such as is all a matter of meaning. One implies comparison; the other, inclusion. Check it out:

 

1. Use like when you’re making a comparison.

Let’s kick things off with an example sentence using like and break it down. Here we go:

Ever the adventurous eater, Brenda’s favorite dishes are ones with unusual ingredients like cotton candy and ostrich eggs.

In this sentence, like implies comparison. It’s saying that all of the unusual ingredients Brenda would like to wolf down are in the same league as cotton candy and ostrich eggs. (What league is that? The gross food league, but that’s neither here nor there.)

It also suggests that she’s never actually eaten those two particular ingredients. If she did regularly start her day with a cotton candy and ostrich egg omelet, then the sentence would need to swap like for such as, which conveniently brings us to our second point.

 

2. Use such as when you’re giving actual examples.

While like suggests comparison, such as suggests inclusion. Let’s break down another example of using such as in a sentence:

Later that evening, the guests at Brenda’s dinner party complained of symptoms such as nausea, abdominal cramps, and blurred vision.

Here, such as suggests that these are the actual symptoms exhibited by some of the dinner guests. In other words, these poor diners didn’t feel symptoms similar to nausea; they were straight-up nauseated. They didn’t have symptoms similar to abdominal cramps; they really had cramps. Thanks a ton, Brenda.

 

 

 

Sharpen Your Like and Such As Skills

Sometimes, it just takes practice to be able to nail this one on the head. These examples of using like and such as in a sentence will help hone your skills:

The Gundersons’ backyard is home to a wide variety of animals such as squirrels, woodchucks, and incredibly venomous millipedes.

In this example, such as implies that the Gundersons have actually encountered these three creatures in their backyard. It also implies that being the slowest Gunderson is dangerous.

Kelly wants to incorporate more fruits like kumquats into her diet.

Here, Kelly doesn’t want to include kumquats into her diet; she wants to include fruits that are similar to it. Who knows? Maybe she already eats a bunch of kumquats on the regular. That doesn’t seem weird at all.

Aunt Debbie’s Thanksgiving playlist included a surprising number of heavy metal tracks, such as “Blood and Thunder” by Mastodon and “World Painted Blood” by Slayer.

Who knew Debbie was so dark? In this example, such as is used to show that those two tunes were a part of her Turkey Day soundtrack.

Matt can’t stand romantic comedies like Love Actually.

Here, like suggests that there are several other movies similar to the British holiday classic that Matt hates with a passion.

Olivia has studied martial arts such as hapkido, karate, and slap-fighting.

In this example, such as is used to suggest that these are the forms of self-defense Olivia has taken part in in the past. (And no, slap-fighting isn’t a martial art, but don’t tell Olivia. She knows karate.)

 

 

Like vs. Such As: Remember Such As Is Not a More Formal Version of Like

Some writers will argue that, given the way language evolves, the entire like vs. such as debate isn’t a debate at all. They might say that both are fine. They might say that such as is just more formal, and avoiding informal words is for antiquated grammar snobs. They might be saying all these things because they don’t know which one to use and when, and they’re betting that you don’t either. I don’t know; I’m just speculating here.

What I do know is that when you write for a professional audience, your grammar should be on point, and that means knowing went to drop a like and when to drop a such as like a linguistic boss. Do you have any tips for remembering the difference between like vs. such as? Think I’m being too hard on like? Sound off in the totally tubular comments below!

One of the best things about the English language is that some pairs of words sound identical, right?  Wrong. From pray and prey to there, they’re, and their, these homophones, if you’re like me, probably make you a little crazy. Today, we’ll be going over two homophones that are particularly tricky to keep straight: passed vs. past.

 

Passed vs. Past at a Glance

When deciding between passed vs. past, the meanings of both words are important to consider:

• Passed is the past-tense form of the phrase to pass.
• Past has several meanings, but it can be used as an adverb, noun, adjective, or preposition.

 

When To Use Passed

In the battle between passed vs. past, let’s get the easier one out of the way first. Although we already covered the fact that passed is the past-tense form of to pass, it can be easy to get this word confused with other phrases that involve movement, like to run past, to fly past, or to hop past. If you’re using another movement verb, besides just to pass, you need to pair it with past instead of passed.

Examples of Using Passed:

– As she passed Dunkin Donuts, she couldn’t stop herself from going in.

– Instead of going into work, the man passed his office and went back to bed.

 

When To Use Past

The main thing that you need to keep in mind is that the word past has several different meanings. Before you get too worried and go back to writing custom content, let’s go over how this word can be used as an adverb, as a noun, as an adjective, or as a preposition.

 

Using Past as an Adverb

As an adverb, you would use past if you want to note movement from one point to another.

Examples:

– The man drove past his exit because he didn’t listen to his wife’s advice to ask for directions.

– They decided to avoid going past McDonald’s so that their toddler wouldn’t ask for a Happy Meal.

 

Using Past as a Noun

As a noun, using past means that you want to take note of something that happened before what’s happening right now.

Examples:

– While talking to her friend, she realized how glad she was that middle school was in the past.

– In order to forget the past, the man moved away from his small town.

 

Using Past as an Adjective

When you want to use past as an adjective, it should also be used when referring to something that happened before the present. However, the difference between using past as an adjective, instead of as a noun, is that you have to use it while describing a noun.

Examples:

– All of the past members of the club meet every year to reminisce about their glory days.

– It’s way past time to get to the theater before the movie starts.

 

Using Past as a Preposition

Finally, when past is used as a preposition, you indicate that something is moving beyond something else or that something goes from one particular reference point to another.

Examples:

– Make sure that the dog doesn’t go past the edge of the yard.

– The kids were in such a hurry that they ran right past the ice cream truck.

 

Passed vs. Past: Don’t Leave This in the Past

Now that you know how to use past and passed the right way, make sure that you put this knowledge to work. Are there any other homophones or commonly confused words that you have a hard time with? Share them with us in the comments!

There are countless reasons why it’s important to understand the nuances of your vs. you’re, but one of them stands above the rest. One of them is vital to political discourse and woven into the fabric of our shared social contract in this American century.

That’s right. I’m talking about the importance of not embarrassing yourself online by telling someone “Your wrong” or “Your dumb” when you’re arguing in an online comments section.

The Importance of Your vs. You’re

We’ve all been there. We all know that we should never, ever read the comments. Sometimes, we do, though. OK, fine. Sometimes I do. Listen, if I see someone online say that Fleetwood Mac isn’t the best band of all time, I’m going to defend the band’s honor — and I’m going to use the right form of your or you’re when I do it.

If you want to win your next message board argument, or even better, if you want to make sure your point is made in academic and business writing, it’s important to remember the difference between these two commonly confused words.

 

When Should You Use Your or You’re?

When considering your vs. you’re, figuring out which word you should use is a fairly straightforward process. Unlike Fight Club, there are only two rules you need to remember:

1. Your is an adjective that shows that something belongs to you.

Technically, your is the second-person possessive adjective, but you really don’t need to know that unless you want to impress people at grammar parties or scare off people at regular parties. What you do need to know is that your is all about ownership. As such, it’s always followed up with a noun or gerund:

• Listen to me, Amanda! I swear I didn’t steal your Mike Tyson bobblehead!

Here, your shows that the missing bobblehead (that’s the noun being modified) belongs to Amanda.

 

• Your dancing was awesome — especially that part when you pretended to sharpen a pencil.

Here’s an example of your being used to modify a gerund. The rad dancing skills belong to the person being addressed, who, based on said skills, is probably somebody’s dad.

 

• Your trying out for the competitive eating team made Dad and me so proud.

This is another example of your modifying a gerund. Here it’s the phrase trying out, as in the fact that you tried out for the team moved your parents so much that it’s probably going to make the family’s Christmas newsletter.

 

2. You’re is a contraction of you are.

Now check out these examples that use the contraction you’re. They all have one big thing in common: If you swap in you are for you’re, the sentence still makes sense. Go ahead. Try it.

• I just volunteered to take your mom to Bingo. You’re welcome.

Your welcome vs. you’re welcome has perplexed writers since the dawn of man — or at least the dawn of manners. The correct form is you’re welcome because what you’re really saying is “You are welcome,” where welcome is an adjective that describes you, who no longer has to suffer through bingo at the Moose Lodge on a Friday night.

• You’re going to Tommy’s Flag Day party, right?

As you can see in this patriotic example, you’re is often followed by an -ing verb, or gerund.

 

• If you think I’m going to wear that hot dog costume, you’re dreaming.

Here, you’re is the right call because the speaker is saying, “You are dreaming,” which is a nicer way of saying, “You’re a moron.” Once again, you can see that you’re is chased by a gerund.

• You’re awesome.

As in, you are awesome. No, really. You are.

Now that your self-esteem is at an all-time high, let’s talk about using your or you’re in regards to text messaging. It turns out there’s a third party when it comes to you’re vs. your, and things R about 2 get ugly.

 

What About Ur? Is It Ever OK?

Like it or not, the joint rise of text messaging and social media has changed the way we write. Brevity is key. Thanks becomes THX. Both your and you’re become UR, and if you’re my dad, I think you left the baby monitor’s charger in the guest room when you guys visited last weekend becomes I? U LFT BBMON’S C N GR00 LAST WKND plus the lobster emoji.

Let’s get back to ur, though. It, like all text abbreviations, is slang. In the proper context, it’s fine. You might use quick abbreviations in situations like these, for example:

• An email to your friend
• A handwritten note to your husband
• Fiction and poetry
• A hilarious tweet about sour cream
• Text messages (duh)

In more formal writing situations, however, ur is generally the wrong call. Without the proper audience, slang and other informal words can stick out like dads at a Shawn Mendes concert. At best, they distract from your message and purpose for writing. At worst, they can reflect poorly on your reputation as a person who regularly uses the English language.

Assume your audience isn’t down with slang until proven otherwise. Stick to using your and you’re, and remember: If you can plug you are into the sentence and it still makes sense, then you should probably use you’re.

 

Your vs. You’re: Got It?

Got any other tips for using your vs. you’re? Any strong thoughts about using ur? Sound off in the comments below — or, as my dad would say, SOFF CoMM B3LLOw$ ER!1!

As a child in middle school, I remember struggling when I wanted to understand how to correctly use who vs. whom. My heart was broken every time I got an essay back with a big red circle around whom. Still, I was determined to use the terms correctly, so I kept trying. It took some time to understand the differences, but now that I do, I want to share a few secrets I have collected about how to use who or whom in sentences. Read on to discover some who vs. whom examples that can help you in your writing.

 

Who vs. Whom at a Glance

Almost everyone struggles with understanding when to use who vs. whom in their writing, even long-time English speakers or active bloggers with millions of followers. The secret is the word placement in a sentence.

* Who is a pronoun, but it is a subjective pronoun. Who refers to a verb as the subject in a sentence and is the action mover or achiever.

* Whom is also a pronoun, but it is an objective pronoun. Whom replaces the object in a sentence, which means whom receives the sentence’s action.

* Exception: Use whom at the beginning of your sentence or compound clause if it is after a preposition or if it is a part of formal writing.

 

What’s the Difference Between Who or Whom?

Believe it or not, the easy answer about when to use who vs. whom is their placement in a sentence. If you take a sentence apart, the subject could be “he,” “she” or “I,” and the object could be “him,” “her” or “me.” Since who is a subjective pronoun and whom is an objective pronoun, try replacing the “I,” “me,” “he,” “she,” “him” or “her” in your sentence to find the correct word. Who replaces “he,” “she” or “I,” and whom replaces “him,” “her” or “me.”

There is an exception to the rule that states you should use whom after a preposition or to differentiate formal and informal speech.

 

When To Use Who

Who refers to or replaces the subject of a sentence and is often the first word in a question. You may have to rearrange the sentence structure to find the subject, but you will become a pro after a few attempts.

Examples of using who in a sentence:

• Andrea is the one who wants to leave the noisy party. (She wants to leave.)
• Who set the alarm clock to go off at midnight? (He or she set the alarm.)
• I need to know who made these delicious brownies. (He or she made the brownies.)

 

When To Use Whom

Whom refers to or replaces the verb’s object in a sentence. You will need to rearrange the sentence structure to find the object, then replacing it will be easy.

Examples of using whom in a sentence:

• The letter began, “To whom it may concern.” (The letter concerns him or her.)
• Whom do you want to see win the Oscar nomination? (You want to see him or her.)
• Angel saw a man bent over a flower bed whom she presumed owned the home. (Angel presumed it was him, the homeowner.)

 

The Exception to the Rule About Using Who or Whom

The exception to the rule about when to use who or whom states that whom is used after a preposition in a sentence. Common prepositions include “with,” “against,” “among,” “behind,” “near” and “on.” The exception also applies to using whom to differentiate formal and informal speech in sentences.

Example of the exception to the rule using who or whom:

• The team was disorganized, so it was difficult to determine against whom she was playing. (Against is a preposition.)
• Samantha wasn’t sure with whom she would ride to the concert. (With is a preposition.)
• To whom do you wish to speak? (Formal sentence)
• Who do you want to speak to? (Informal sentence)

 

Using Who vs. Whom – They Are Commonly Confused

If you are still confused, even with all the who vs. whom examples, I have a secret you can use to distinguish between the two words in your writing. If you can replace who with he or she in your sentence and it makes sense, use who. If the sentence only makes sense when you replace the word who or whom with him or her, then use whom.

Yes, knowing when to use who vs. whom can be confusing, but these examples and hints should help you clarify their placement in your writing. If you have any other words or phrases that confuse you, let us know. Just comment below, and we will be glad to help!

If I said that I feel badly, would you tell me to eat a cup of chicken noodle soup and rest, or would you wonder why my sense of touch is messed up? The bad vs. badly misunderstanding is persistent, so let’s make sense of these commonly confused words.

 

Bad vs. Badly at a Glance

The main difference between the words bad and badly comes in their meanings. See below:

* Bad means “unwell.” It is also used to describe the opposite of good.
* Badly describes how something is done, or it is used as an intensifier.

 

When To Use Bad

The adjective bad often comes after linking verbs (appear, be, feel, smell) to describe a subject’s state of being or condition. Bad generally means “not good,” “unwell,” or “inadequate,” and it also modifies a noun.

Examples of Using Bad:

– Jane felt bad when her dog ran away. (Jane was sad when her dog ran away.)
– Jane had a bad dog.  (The dog was disobedient.)

 

When To Use Badly

Badly is an adverb that modifies action verbs.

Examples of using Badly:

– Tim played the piano badly. (Tim is not skilled at playing the piano.)
– I slipped on the badly cleaned floor. (Someone didn’t do a good job of cleaning the floor, so I slipped.)

Badly also acts as an intensifier, which enhances the emotional influence of an expression.

– Jack’s arm was badly broken. (Jack’s arm is severely broken.)
– I badly want the job. (I want the job so much.)

 

Still Confused on Whether To Use Bad or Badly?

One reason bad and badly are confused so often is because many linking verbs can be used as action verbs. For example, you can use “feel” to describe your state of being and the act of touching something. If you’re a little shaky on whether a word is being used as a linking verb or an action verb, try substituting the word you want to use (bad/badly) with a similar word and see if it makes sense.

– The hotel guest felt miserably.
– The hotel guest felt miserable.

Which bad vs. badly example sounds more natural to you? Number two, right? Right! So in this case, bad is correct, unless you want to portray that the hotel guest was in a competition for touching and did a terrible job.

– The hotel guest felt bad.

 

Bad vs. Badly: Don’t Be Bad at Grammar

Viktor E. Frankl once said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation … we are challenged to change ourselves.” A lot of people are going to use bad and badly incorrectly, but you don’t have to be one of them. Memorize these grammar rules and kick the bad vs. badly confusion to the curb. If you use a trick to tell these two words apart, please share below!

If you have ever had to try to explain the difference between two words that are very similar, I have empathy for you. That’s the situation that I find myself in at the moment trying to explain empathy vs. sympathy, so I know how difficult it can be. If you don’t know what it is like to struggle with a writing assignment but you recognize that I am having a hard time, you might feel sympathy for my plight, meaning that you feel sorry for me because you can tell that I am upset and frustrated.

 

Empathy vs. Sympathy at a Glance

Both sympathy and empathy derive from the Greek root pathos, meaning feeling or suffering. Each word denotes a different way to react to the pain or emotions of others.

*Sympathy translates literally as “feeling with” and refers to a feeling of sorrow or pity for someone else’s misfortune.

*Empathy translates literally as “feeling into” and refers to the ability to put oneself into the place of another and understand what the other person is feeling.

What Is the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?

Sympathy and empathy are both words that have gone through a significant evolution in their definitions. Therefore, you may find definitions for each word in the dictionary that don’t really jibe with the way people use them today. Dictionaries are more likely to defer to etymology to define them. Thus, Merriam-Webster defines empathy as understanding another person’s emotions but not necessarily sharing them, while sympathy is defined as sharing another person’s emotions.

However, the usage of the words sympathy and empathy has been heavily influenced by the field of psychology, which is less concerned with etymology and more concerned with the feelings themselves and the effects they have. Therefore, while Merriam-Webster’s definition of empathy implies a possible disconnect between the empathizer and the person in pain, psychologist Dr. Brené Brown asserts the opposite, that sympathy is a more cognitive approach to the feelings of others and, while kindly meant, involves distance and disconnection. One person may feel sad for someone who is in pain, but that does not prevent the first person from passing judgments or making suggestions that are not really helpful because the sympathizer does not really understand the root cause. Empathy, according to Dr. Brown’s assessment, is a more emotional response that involves identification with and connection to the person in pain.

As a holder of a Bachelor of Science in Education, I have a basic grounding in educational psychology, and therefore, Dr. Brown’s definition makes a lot more sense to me. However, this is a writing blog, so I am obliged to go with the dictionary definition.

Sympathy Definition

Originally, sympathy meant agreement with other people or harmonious relations with them. Thus, people who shared similar beliefs or points of view were said to be in sympathy with one another. This is similar to how simpatico is used in Spanish, and it is sometimes still used this way in English. More often, sympathy is used more specifically to refer to a feeling of sadness provoked by someone else’s misfortune.

For example, if a family member of a friend dies, you know your friend is feeling sad, so you feel sorry about it and send your friend a sympathy card. Or if a friend loses a job, you know that he or she is going to face financial hardship, so you might feel sad about that. This may not prevent you from passing judgment, if only within your own mind, about whether the job loss was deserved.

Examples using Sympathy in a sentence:

• Though their backgrounds are different, they are in sympathy with one another in their political beliefs.
• While many of the fans felt sympathy for the disgraced actor, they still expressed the opinion that he had brought his troubles upon himself.

Empathy Definition

The best definition of empathy I’ve ever read comes from neither a dictionary nor a psychologist but from 19th-century poet Walt Whitman. In “Song of Myself,” Whitman writes: “I do not ask a wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person / My hurts turn livid upon me as I lean on a cane and observe.”

Empathy, therefore, is the ability to understand someone else’s feelings by putting yourself in his or her place and seeing things from his or her point of view. In many cases, empathy stems from having had an experience that is similar to what the other person is going through and being able to relate it to the current situation. However, some people are so imaginative and sensitive that they can put themselves in someone else’s place without having had a similar past experience.

There is also a definition of empathy that means projecting one’s own emotions onto inanimate objects or works of art. This appears to be a more archaic meaning. I’ve never heard it used this way, nor could I find any examples of it.

Examples using empathy in a sentence:

• After unexpectedly losing the job she loved at the beginning of the summer, the erstwhile medical transcriptionist could feel empathy for the puppeteer’s unceremonious dismissal, though the types of work they did were completely different.
• Abductors with Lima syndrome, which is the converse of Stockholm syndrome, experience empathy for the plight of their hostages and have second thoughts about the kidnapping.

 

How To Use Empathy vs. Sympathy

It is hard to explain when to use empathy or sympathy because doing so is based on context, attitude, and background. While there are nuances of meaning in the definitions of the terms as they are used in different fields, most sources generally agree that sympathy refers to sharing feelings while empathy is more about understanding them. Perhaps I struggle with that distinction because, as an INFP, feeling and understanding are the same things for me. Let us know in the comments how you feel about empathy vs. sympathy.