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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
Top 10 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
Commonly Confused Words, Vol. 1
The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals
How to pluralize pretty much anything
'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
How to pick the right one
Commonly Confused
Usage Notes
Spelling & Pronunciation
Punctuation
Popular
Do You Need a New Language Peeve?
Of course you do!
More Commonly Mispronounced Words
We're here to help
Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?
The shifting role of the apostrophe
Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate
All your favorite pet peeves
'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
'A historic' night or 'An historic' night?
Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
A learned explanation that is not wicked hard
What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
In which we definitively answer a thoroughly uncontentious question
Commonly Misspelled Words
Spelling is hard
Commonly Confused
Commonly Confused
'Awhile' vs. 'A While'
There are rules, but who's listening?
Read
Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
The whole truth about a confusing idiom.
Read
Is it 'used to' or 'use to'?
You'll get used to it
Read
Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
And which is the United States?
Read
See All
'Canceled' or 'cancelled'?
One L or two?
Usage Notes
See More
A Comprehensive Guide to Forming Compounds
Everything you need to know
'Broadcast' or 'Broadcasted'?
Conjugating an irregular verb
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
A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’
Well, who's asking?
See More
Spelling & Pronunciation
Spelling & Pronunciation
How to Remember the Spelling of 'Definitely'
A definitive answer.
Absent Letters That Are Heard Anyway
They aren't seen but they are heard
Read
How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items
No more order anxiety!
Read
Revealing What Rhymes with 'Orange'
It's technical, but it works.
Read
See All
The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
But which is correct?
Punctuation
See More
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
Comma Splices: What They Are and How to Correct Them (or not)
Adventurous writers pull them off regularly
A Guide to Using Semicolons
See More
