10 Noises Your Cat Makes—and What They All Mean
When we think about noises that cats make, three different sounds generally come to mind: meows, purrs, and hisses. However,...
12 Separate Words Everyone Combines into One—But Shouldn’t
Some words are said together so often that many people think they're a single word—but they're not. Or at least...
15 Fascinating Facts About Dictionaries That Will Make You Want to Pick One Up
From dropped words to fake definitions, learn fun facts, hearsay, and scandal about our most useful language resource, and the...
10 Funny Typos in Famous Works of Literature
Even grammar sticklers should be able to forgive the editors for these notorious (and often hilarious) goofs.
Here’s What Happens When You Read Every Day
A daily dose of reading can do wonders for your memory, health, and relationships.
7 Words You Never Realized Were Examples of Onomatopoeia
You know the classic examples of onomatopoeia like “boom,” “splat,” and “pow,” but there are plenty of words you use...
What Is the Oxford Comma—And Why Can’t the Grammar World Agree on Whether to Use It?
Who gives a darn about an Oxford comma?
35 City Names Around the World You’re Mispronouncing
Sound like a native—or at least a savvy tourist—when you learn how to say these place names correctly.
Can You Tell If These Funny Words Are Real or Made Up?
All of these words sound pretty silly, but only some of them are genuine, honest-to-goodness components of the English language....
20 Words and Phrases Smart People Don’t Use
If you're smart, or at least want to sound intelligent, remember that some things are better left unsaid.
This Is the Difference Between a College and a University
Should the distinction have a big impact on your choice of school?
13 Comma Rules Everyone Should Know
Memorize these comma rules before you write your next essay, letter, or email!
15 of the Most Endangered Languages in the World
There are more than 7,000 living languages in the world, but UNESCO predicts more than half will be extinct by...
Finally! Here’s When to Use “E.g.” Versus “I.e.”
We’re all guilty of making this mistake.
16 Overused Words (and Phrases) You Should Stop Saying ASAP
Let's do a deep dive, shall we? Here's why these words and phrases made Lake Superior State University's annual banished...
20 Dog Puns That Will Give You Paws
Time to unleash the ruff stuff when it comes to puns! Like a dog with a punny bone, we await...
Here Is Every “Word of the Year” Since 2000
To qualify as a potential “word of the year,” terms must be newly popular, widely used, and reflective of regular...
17 Famous Company Names You’re Actually Pronouncing All Wrong
Most businesses could not care less how you say their name as long as you spell your name correctly on...
16 Everyday Phrases with Surprisingly Dark Origins
They say the devil is in the details...
9 Spelling and Grammar Mistakes Spell Check Won’t Catch
There are some human errors that only humans can catch.
10 Ways You’re Still Using Apostrophes Wrong
Its or it's? 70's or 70s? Here's how to tell.