Grammar Rules & Usage Guide | Merriam-Webster

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What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Graveyards are sometimes smaller, but not always.

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

It's a natural question

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

How to pick the right one

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

For example, the different ways to use them

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

A learned explanation that is not wicked hard

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

And which is the United States?

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Be dashing—and do it well

'Lose' or 'loose'?

Keep this somewhere you won't forget it

Usage Notes

Verbs, Explained: A Guide to Tenses and Types

Verbs are more complicated than they look

Can you end a sentence with a preposition?

Yes, a preposition is something you can end with.

Can ‘criteria’ ever be singular?

It depends on what you base your decision.

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

A guide to plural and possessive names

Is 'data' singular or plural?

Information is power

Punctuation

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

The shifting role of the apostrophe

A Guide to Using Colons

We'll get to semicolons later.

To Use or Not Use the "?" in Requests

"Would you read this, please."

All About Ellipses ...

How to use them … and talk about them

The History of 'Ampersand'

How the '&' got its name