Published on
March 5, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
May 11, 2023.
The correct way to use commas with the conjunctive adverb “however” depends on where it appears in the sentence. The table below shows the correct way to punctuate it in different positions.
Published on
March 5, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
September 21, 2023.
You need a comma before “or” when it connects two independent clauses. These are clauses that could stand alone as full sentences because each contains its own subject and verb.
Example: Comma before “or” connecting two independent clausesJoso and I might go to the museum, or we might go to a café.
But you shouldn’t use a comma before “or” when it connects two verbs with the same subject.
Published on
February 28, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
December 8, 2023.
ChatGPT is a popular AI language model that can provide fluent answers to all kinds of different user prompts. Given its strong language abilities, you might wonder if it can help you to improve your academic writing when asked to proofread it.
To find out, we ran an experiment where we gave the same text to ChatGPT and to a human editor, asking them to improve the language and style and to clearly explain the changes they made.
The experiment showed that both editors improved the text overall, but the human editor made more extensive and reliable changes, and only the human editor was able to properly explain their changes.
Our general conclusion is explained below, followed by our methodology and an in-depth exploration of each edit.
NoteIf you use ChatGPT to write your assignment for you, most institutions will consider this plagiarism (or at least academic dishonesty). An AI detector may be used to detect this offense.
We don’t recommend using ChatGPT in this way. Always follow your institution’s guidelines over any suggestions you read online. Check out our guide to current university policies on AI writing for more information. You can also learn more about how to use AI tools responsibly on our AI writing resources page.
Published on
February 25, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
April 18, 2023.
An abstract noun is a noun that refers to something non-physical—something conceptual that you can’t perceive directly with your senses. Examples include “sadness,” “analysis,” “government,” and “adulthood.”
Abstract nouns are contrasted with concrete nouns, which are words like “cat,” “desk,” or “Andrew” that refer to physical objects and entities.
Examples: Abstract nounsFamily is important to me.
The passage of time isn’t easy to perceive.
The article derides the quality of popular music. The author’s snobbishness is plain to see.
Published on
February 24, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
April 18, 2023.
A concrete noun is a noun that refers to a physical thing, person, or place—something or someone that can be perceived with the five senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste). Examples include “pencil,” “dog,” “Timbuktu,” and “Patricia.”
Concrete nouns are contrasted with abstract nouns, which are words such as “politeness” describing concepts that you can’t perceive directly with the senses.
Examples: Concrete nounsMy house is made of brick and mortar.
A cat ran across the garden and climbed the fence.
Jan was supposed to be flying to Amsterdam, but he forgot his passport and didn’t realize until he got to the airport.
Published on
February 17, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
November 16, 2023.
ChatGPT, the popular AI language model, is a really exciting piece of technology. In response to your inputs, it can instantly generate fluent, human-sounding responses. But how accurate is the information in those responses?
While testing the tool, we’ve come to the conclusion that, though its language capabilities are impressive, the accuracy of its responses can’t always be trusted. We recommend using ChatGPT as a source of inspiration and feedback—but not as a source of information.
Below, we explain what ChatGPT does well and what kinds of things it tends to get wrong. We also explore why its responses aren’t always reliable and look at the best ways to use it responsibly.
NoteUniversities and other institutions are still developing their stances on how ChatGPT and similar tools may be used. Always follow your institution’s guidelines over any suggestions you read online. Check out our guide to current university policies on AI writing for more information.
You can also learn more about how to use AI tools responsibly on our AI writing resources page.
Published on
February 13, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
October 3, 2023.
A possessive noun is the special form of a noun that’s used to indicate ownership (possession). The possessive noun represents the owner (possessor) of something and usually comes right before another noun representing what they own (e.g., “Jeremy’s car”).
Possessive nouns are formed from the basic versions of nouns by adding an apostrophe and the letter “s”: for instance, “boy” becomes “boy’s.” The possessives of plural nouns normally only add an apostrophe, not an additional “s”: “boys” becomes “boys’.”
Possessive nouns don’t always indicate literal ownership. “Alice’s brother” doesn’t suggest that Alice owns her brother; the possessive is just used to show their relationship.
Examples: Possessive nounsMy house’s front door is painted green.
Granddad’s hearing isn’t what it used to be.
That’s my room, and this one is Nari’s.
The first noise I heard in the morning was a rooster’s crowing.
Published on
February 13, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield
Revised on
November 16, 2023.
People are still figuring out the best use cases for ChatGPT, the popular chatbot based on a powerful AI language model. This article provides some ideas for how to use ChatGPT and other AI tools to assist with your academic writing.
These tools can assist you with the following steps when writing a paper, thesis, or dissertation:
NoteUniversities and other institutions are still developing their stances on how ChatGPT and similar tools may be used. Always follow your institution’s guidelines over any suggestions you read online. Check out our guide to current university policies on AI writing for more information.
Published on
February 7, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
July 19, 2023.
An appositive (also called an appositive noun or appositive phrase) is a noun phrase that follows another noun phrase and provides additional information about it. The two words or phrases are described as being in apposition.
The usual structure is the antecedent (a noun phrase that the appositive will give more information about) followed by the appositive itself, either set off by commas or, if it’s essential to the meaning of the sentence, without any additional punctuation.
Examples: AppositivesMy best friend, a doctor, is coming to town.
The capital of France, Paris, is a popular destination for tourists from across the world.
The authorJane Austen is best known for her second novel, Pride and Prejudice.
Published on
February 4, 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
May 1, 2023.
A gerund is a word like “swimming” in the sentence “I have always enjoyed swimming.” The term refers to the “-ing” form of a verb when it functions as a noun.
A gerund usually refers in a general way to the activity represented by the verb it’s derived from. Above, “swimming” means the activity of swimming in general, not a specific instance of swimming.
Gerunds are different from other nouns in that they can be modified by adverbials (e.g., “I enjoy swimming in the sea”) and can take direct objects (e.g., “playing my guitar always relaxes me”).
Examples: GerundsCycling is a fun activity, a convenient mode of transport, and a good form of exercise.