Found 345 articles starting with P:
This article answers all your questions about the spelling of these two words along with definitions, origins, usage and examples. Read along and you will get to know the difference between the two ... |
The terms 'pager' and 'beeper' are often used interchangeably to refer to portable communication devices that allow for the transmission of short messages or alerts. However, despite their similarities, there are ... |
paid - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb pay) Example: She paid... |
Confusing them, sometimes often, is a natural result of how similar they are - so you are owed a clear explanation of their definitions, in order to understand once and for all, when to use "pail" and when to use "pale". So, if y... |
Pain vs. Pane The first thing to remember regarding the differences between "pain" and "pane" is their gra... |
Introduction In the world of visual arts, the terms "painting" and "drawing" are often used interchangeably, yet they denote distinct practices, each with its unique techniques, materials, and outcomes. Understanding the differences betw... |
Ever come across words in your writing experiences which sound the same? However and in whatever accent you pronounce them, they always seem to sound exactly alike. Their spellings ... |
noun |
pamphlet - noun |
noun |
adjective, noun |
panicky - adjective |
noun |
noun |
noun |
parallel - adjective, noun, and verb |
When you write a series of elements in a sentence, each element must (1) appear in the same grammatical form and (2) perform the same grammatical function. This is the rule of parallel construction. If any element fails to satisfy either criterion, y... |
Rule of Parallel StructureNote: We devote an entire section to parallel structure in the eBook Develo... |
parallelism - correct spelling parallelism - noun |
“The patient’s spinal cord is paralyzed,” said the doctor. ... |
Parentheses and Other Punctuation Drop Other PunctuationBefore the closing parenthesis, drop almost all punctuation, such as commas, semicolons, and colons.PeriodsRetain a period inside the closing parenthesis if you've writte... |
Punctuation is the basic element of English grammar and without it a sentence is not only incomplete but als... |
If the information in a parenthetical pause relates closely to the sentence, enclose it in commas. Otherwise, use the dash or parentheses: The committee's decision, to say the least, sparked considera... |
Parentheticals Within Parentheses If you write a parenthetical statement and need to include another parenthetical statement within it, then enclose the second one in brackets: While visiting Virginia, Dr. Smith and his assistant (Fred Jones, who woul... |
Bribe Your ChildrenParents, you might try an exercise out on your children. Bribe them. Put a $10 bill on the breakfast table and challenge them to make it through a second helping of waffles without using the tobelike... |
noun |
parliament - noun (capitalized when referring to a particular parliament) Example: He served with distinction in the English Parliament.... |
verb |
adjective |
Every main verb has two kinds of participles: a past participle and a present participle |
We read about the term participle somewhere around in grade 2 or 3 when our English teacher was telling us s... |
particular - adjective and noun |
partner - noun and verb |
We have eight parts of speech in the English language: (1) nouns, (2) verbs, (3) adjectives, (4) adverbs, (5) pronouns, (6) ... |
To become an accomplished writer, you must know all about these eight parts of speech. Each is discussed thoroughly in ths section. See below for a table of contents.Download Our Grammar eBooksYou may download our... |
The word pass has more than two dozen distinct meanings as a verb, another dozen as a noun, and perhaps that many again as part of a ... |
An action verb is either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb can hook directly to a noun or pronoun (the direct object). An intransitive verb cannot ... |
Passive voice and why we need it Here are some more practical examples of passive voice usage - ... |
... |
... |
The past participle shows up in verb conjugation in two ways: (1) to form the perfect tenses with the auxiliary verb have (I ... |
Past Participle - The -ed Verb Every verb also has a past-participial form, which, for most verbs, you create by adding ‑ed, ‑d, or ‑t. As with present participles, you’ll sometimes have to double up an ending consonant: The past participle of occur... |
Beginners of English language sometimes face difficulties in understanding and applying the correct tenses w... |
Tenses hold vital importance in English grammar and language. The term tense has literal meaning of stress o... |
The past tense of a main verb shows what happened or what state of being existed earlier at a definite time. When you use the past tense, the activity or state of being is over, finished, done (I ... |
Here’s the tense the novelist should use, for the past tense describes what took place yesterday and not right now on the beach. Thus, from our novel of purple beach prose above: Juan looked longingly at Teresa, who ... |
Past Tense vs. Past Participle Past Tense vs. Past ParticipleSome people confuse the past tense with the past participle. Usually, they will use the past participle instead of the correct past tense. You will hear some people say I ... |
Regular verbs typically form their past participles by adding ‑ed. Irregular verbs, however, form their past participles in some other way. For example,... |
past-perfect progressive tense There are six progressive tenses |
The perfect tenses are formed by using the auxiliary verb to have and adding the past participle of the main verb |
There are six progressive tenses |
pastime - noun |
patience - noun |
Patients often go to the doctor’s office.Patience is the ability to tolerate the inevitable delay when waiting at the doctor’s office.Example: In most hospital waiti... |
Introduction The English language is rich with words that may sound similar but have distinctly different meanings. Two such words are 'patrol' and 'petrol.' While they are phonologically similar, their usage, spelling, and semantic field... |
verb |
noun |
pavilion - noun and verb |
peace - noun |
Peace is “tranquility” or “the absence of war.”Piece means a “portion” or “part,” usually of a larger item or group of similar items.Example: There would never be ... |
peaceable - adjective |
Let's take a closer look to what "peak" and "peek" mean in order to clarify every puzzling aspect of "peak vs. peek". Peak vs. Peek... |
A peak is a “summit” or a prominent “point” that protrudes from another object or series of values.To peek means to “glance quickly.”To pique means... |
"Peal" and "peel" may sound almost the same. This, for a non-native English user, might be confusing. If you find yourself wondering which spelling is correct for your context, or aim to understand what each word means and how it... |
pear - noun |
peculiar - adjective |
adjective |
noun |
... |
adjective |
English spelling is full of apparent idiosyncrasies – native speakers and learners alike grapple with doubling consonants, how to form plurals, ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’’, and have to dodge umptee... |
Peddle means “to sell.” Peddled is the past tense and past participle of that verb.... |
Pier and peer are homophones, meaning they sound alike but are spelled differently, and mean different things. They are also easily confused words. The spell-check application in word-processing softwar... |
adjective |
pencil - noun and verb |
penetrate - verb |
peninsula - noun |
adjective |
adjective |
people - noun and verb |
Let’s begin with the most simplistic statement: “People are…” is correct. “People is…” is not correct.... |
Person When we refer to a human being, we say a person. For example, a ni... |
perceive - verb |
perception - noun |
perfect - adjective and verb |
The perfect tenses are under attack by many misinformed, but otherwise well-educated, writers and speakers. The tense does express qualities of verbs that are otherwise incapable of expression and is therefore worth retaining.We have three pe... |
In addition to the three main tenses of present, past, and future, the English language allows us to make three statements about accomplished facts. We use one of the three perfect tenses to show an action that ... |
Perfect (adjective) means something that is flawless or complete. ... |
perform - verb |
Perform Perform means to showcase one’s skill in something. It can be a dance, song or even an exam. For example, • He performed well during the semester exams. • The group performs well whe... |
performance - correct spelling performance - noun |
perhaps - adverb |
Perhaps from now on you’ll say… Our chapter title looked like this: “Like, I’mlike gonna learn how to like talk.”Ouch. From now on, perhaps you’ll say …“I’m going to learn how to talk.”Please Note:... |
Punctuation is the basic element of English grammar and without it, a sentence is not only in... |
Period Goes Inside Quotation Marks The period goes inside the closing quotations marks. Ed said, "Here is a sentence with the period properly placed inside the ending quotation marks." (Period goes inside.) Previous:... |
Period with Parentheses or Brackets Where Does the Period Go?If an entire sentence or group of sentences appears in parentheses, then put the period inside the closing parenthesis. This is a parenthetical sentence. Thus:Parenthetically ... |
Periods Come InsideWith only one exception, the period always comes inside closing quotation marks. This rule applies even if only one quoted word ends the sentence. Thus: ... |
permanence - noun |
permanent - adjective |
permissible - correct spelling permissible - adjective |
permitted - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb permit) and adjective |
adjective |
perpendicular - correct spelling perpendicular - adjective and noun |
noun |
These words have entirely different meanings. A perquisite is a privilege or a benefit often given in addition to wages or salary. We often refer to the shortened version: perk.A ... |
perseverance - correct spelling perseverance - noun |
persevere - verb |
persistence - correct spelling persistence - noun |
persistent - adjective |
The concept of person applies to pronouns and reflects a universal truth: There are only three types of people on earth. We have the speaker (first person), the listener (second person), and the person being gossiped a... |
Only Three People Exist on EarthAmber, Igor, and Miss Hamrick realized a long time ago that people mostly talk about only one thing—other people. That is, they gossip. They recognized, therefore, a universal truth:Whe... |
personal - adjective and noun |
We have seven kinds of pronouns in the English language (personal pronouns, reflexive and intensive pronouns, relative pronouns, ... |
personality - correct spelling personality - noun |
Personification vs Anthropomorphism Do you know the difference between Personification vs Anthropomorphism? Personification and anthropomorphism are two kinds of literary devices that are ... |
personnel - noun |
Personnel is an administrative group or a group of people involved in a particular business, group, or activity.Personal has a host of meanings: “relating to a specific person” (a ... |
Perspective” and “prospective” constitute a great example of paronyms. The two words have very similar spellings, that are written and pronounced with a high degree of similitude, but which have different lexical meanings and grammatical functions, r... |
perspicacious, perspicacity - vocabulary adjective |
perspiration - correct spelling perspiration - noun |
persuade - verb |
persuasion - noun |
pertain - verb |
noun |
adjective |
pharaoh - noun |
Phase vs. Faze: Navigating Homophones in Language Homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings, can be a source of confusion. "Phase" and "faze" are examples of such homophones. This article aims to clar... |
The word phenomenon is singular |
The automobile industry has seen a significant shift towards environmentally friendly and energy-efficient vehicles. Among these innovations are hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). While both terms are often used interchangeably, ... |
adjective |
Which spelling is correct? Both are acceptable. British English prefers phoney, while American English prefers phony.... |
The terms 'photo' and 'picture' are commonly used in everyday conversations and written texts to refer to visual representations. However, these two words, while often used interchangeably, do have distinct meanings and connotations that are impor... |
1. Back up Back up someone – to give support t... |
Get – as a separate word get means to acquire or have something. When combined ... |
A phrase is a multiword group having no conjugated verb in it. We have various kinds of phrases, which perform all sorts of functions in the language. Basically, the phrases can serve as nouns, ... |
The language of English is full of adventures and new things when one comes to exploring it. If you are a ne... |
physical - adjective and noun |
physician - noun |
Pi (π) is a mathematical constant that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It is an irrational number, meaning it cannot be expressed as a finite decimal or a fraction. The value of pi is approximately 3.14159, a... |
picture - noun and verb |
piece - noun |
pigeon - noun |
pilgrimage - noun |
verb |
pistachio - noun |
pitiful - adjective |
plagiarize - verb |
plain - adjective |
plane - noun and verb |
planning - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb plan) and noun ... |
playwright - noun |
The preferred past tense and past participle of the verb to plead is pleaded... |
pleasant - adjective |
please - adverb and verb |
pleasure - noun and verb |
adjective |
plenitude - noun |
plight - noun and verb |
Nouns and pronouns are either singular or plural. Nouns typically form their plurals by adding ‑s, (boys), ‑es (torches), or ‑ies (cit... |
A NOUN which is invariably plural in form, even though it may be singular in sense. Examples include oats, cattle, remains, pants, scissors, binoculars, pyjamas, shorts and tweezers. Such nouns are awkward to count: we cannot say ... |
Notice that words are characterized as nouns by their ability to form plurals. (Some pronouns have this ability as well, e.g., other and others.) You will form the plural for most nouns by adding ‑s or ‑es. Jus... |
pneumonia - noun |
pocket - noun and verb |
adjective |
poinsettia - noun |
poison - noun and verb |
The director promised to strike the poll in the ground if the results of the pole were in his favor.... |
policeman - noun |
political - adjective |
population - noun |
Take a look at the above two sentences. One of them is not correct. Can you identify which one? Pore... |
To pore means “to read” or “to ponder.”To pour means "to cause a liquid or granular solid to flow."Poor means to be "of bad quality or low economic status."... |
verb |
noun |
portray - verb |
portrayal - noun |
There are some very confusing pairs of words in English language which have very different me... |
positive - adjective and noun |
Adjectives and adverbs exhibit a positive state, which simply shows the attribute expressed by the adjective (hot) or adverb (quickly). If the adjective or adverb seeks to show that som... |
Positive, Comparative, Superlative Postive, Comparative, Superlative - Good, Better, BestRecall how we defined nouns as words capable of having plurals and possessive endings. Adjectives (and their first cousin, the adverb) also have a feature that di... |
possess - verb |
possession - noun |
possessive - adjective and noun |
The personal pronouns (and the relative or interrogative pronoun who) exhibit case |
Possessive pronouns vs. Possessive adjectives Possessive The word possessive itself... |
One of the distinctive features of the noun is its ability to own something, to possess something. We show this act of possession by adding a possessive ending, typically an “apostrophe ‑s” (Fred's report) to a ... |
Words are also characterized as nouns by their ability to form possessives. Again, some pronouns have this ability as well (other, other’s). So before we explore the main functions of nouns, let’s pause to address an issue that spar... |
possibility - correct spelling possibility - noun |
possible - adjective |
potato - noun |
potatoes - noun (plural of the noun potato) Example: He grew corn, beans, and potatoes.... |
practical - adjective |
practically - correct spelling practically - adverb |
With "practice" and "practise" being distinct due to only one letter, you might be tempted to think it's the same situation as in the case of "device" and "devise". More exactly, that this different spelling shows that one is the noun and the other i... |
prairie - noun |
To pray means "to meditate or communicate with God."As a verb, prey means “to hunt.” As a noun, prey... |
adjective |
precede - verb |
precedence - noun |
precedence, precedent, precedential - vocabulary noun |
The meaning of the word precedent in law—a judicial decision that sets a rule—is very close to the common usage of the word: an “example” or “custom resulting from long practice.” A lawyer might find several prec... |
preceding - adjective and verb (present participle of the verb precede) Not preceeding.Example: He looked at the footnote ... |
precise - adjective |
verb |
adjective |
noun |
Every sentence or clause has a subject and a predicate. The subject is a noun, pronoun, or group of words acting as a noun, and the words ... |
Do you know what a predicate is? It sounds somehow familiar but only a few of us really understand the meani... |
A predicate adjective is an adjective appearing in the predicate of a sentence or clause and modifying the grammatical subject of t... |
A predicate nominative is also called a subject complement or a predicate noun. The predicate nominative typically follows the verb to be |
See predicate nominative |
predictable - correct spelling predictable - adjective |
noun |
As an adjective, predominant describes something with the greatest influence or authority.As a verb, predominat... |
prefer - verb |
preference - noun |
preferential - correct spelling preferential - adjective |
preferred - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb prefer) and adjective |
English seems quite a simple language at first glance, but when you dig deep into it i.e. when you try to ex... |
IntroductionMany words start with prefixes; e.g., nonresident, antitrust, coparty, and a spate of others. As a writer, you must learn the rules of hyphenation. So let's start with this observation:... |
Prefix Words - Exceptions to the Rule Important ExceptionsThere are some exceptions to the basic rule that prefix words do not include the hyphen: Root word is capitalized. Root word is a date. Hyphenate to avoid ambiguity. ... |
prejudice - noun and verb |
Premier is both a noun and an adjective associated with the highest status or rank.Premiere can be used as a noun ... |
noun |
preparation - correct spelling preparation - noun |
prepare - verb |
A preposition is one of the eight parts of speech |
Prepositions are one very important component of English language and English grammar. Do you know what a pr... |
When a noun or pronoun combines with a preposition, it forms a prepositional phrase, which primarily acts as either an adjective (the book ... |
Prepositional Phrase - Two Parts The prepositional phrase consists of two major parts:1. the preposition 2. the object of the prepositionThe object is the noun (or pronoun) attached to the sentence by the preposition. That noun might be a true noun, a noun phrase, or... |
Prepositions - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on prepositions. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Prepositions - Words T... |
Prepositions - Words That Glue Now let’s explore a very important part of speech, the preposition. This little word helps us hook nouns onto sentences. When we do, we form prepositional phrases. When you complete this section, you might decide that a preposition is a good word to ... |
Prepositions – At vs. In vs. On In, at and on are commonly used prepositions and are used in different situations – be it telling adate, or time, or about a place and so on. Let’s discuss these prepositions and their uses in detailwith reference to time.... |
noun |
prescience, prescient - vocabulary noun |
prescription - correct spelling prescription - noun |
presence - noun |
... |
... |
All main verbs have a present-participial form. Just add ‑ing and you've got a present participle. Sometimes you have to drop a silent ‑e as in writing. And sometimes you double an ending consonant,... |
Present Participle - The -ing Verb Every verb in the English language has a present participle, and you form it the same way for every verb: Just add ‑ing. Sometimes you’ll have to drop an ending silent ‑e, as in write and writing. Sometimes you’ll ... |
Present Participle - The -ing Verb Every verb in the English language has a present participle, and you form it the same way for every verb: Just add ‑ing. Sometimes you’ll have to drop an ending silent ‑e, as in write and writing. Sometimes you’ll ... |
Present Perfect Continuous Tense ... |
First let’s understand the syntax – Use has/have and 3rd form of verb to form pre... |
... |
The present tense of a verb designates an action or state of being going on or existing at the time of speaking or writing, as in John walks across the street or She ... |
Some authors write novels in the present tense, and it drives me bats. Whenever I browse in a bookstore, seeking the latest in top beach literature, I always sneak a few peeks to make certain the author does not use the present tense in the narrative... |
All main verbs have a present-participial form. Just add ‑ing and you've got a present participle |
present-perfect progressive tense There are six progressive tenses |
The perfect tenses are formed by using the auxiliary verb to have and adding the past participle of the main verb |
There are six progressive tenses |
See currently, presently |
president - noun |
presumption, presumptuous - vocabulary noun |
presumptuous - correct spelling presumptuous - adjective |
This not very common word is often confused for its alternative half making it difficult for young writers to make a decision on what the right spellings of the word are. Consider t... |
prevalent - adjective |
verb |
The terms 'price' and 'rate' are often used interchangeably in everyday language, yet they embody distinct meanings that are critical in various contexts, particularly in economics, finance, and commerce. Understa... |
We have roughly 16 auxiliary verbs in the English language. Three are called primary auxiliaries: to be, to have, and to do. These three words perform special functions.The ... |
primitive - adjective and noun |
principal - noun and adjective |
Main verbs have four principal parts: (1) infinitive (to decide), (2) past tense (decided), (3) past participle (de... |
Our principal ma... |
Note: The differences between principal and principle are discussed in depth in the Common Grammatical Mistakes section of Grammar.com. ... |
principal, principle - vocabulary noun |
principle - noun |
Principal As an adjective, Principal means ... |
noun |
The expression prior to means nothing more than before. Yet many professionals insist on using prior to because it sounds intelligent. It isn’t. All it does is stuff up you... |
The word prioritize gums up the styles of many people lacking an ear for good writing. Delete it from your vocabulary. Instead, use set priorities or establish priorities.... |
privilege - noun |
noun |
The words 'prize' and 'prise' are homophones, meaning they are pronounced the same way but have different meanings and usages. This essay aims to explore the definitions, uses, and contexts of these two terms in detail. Definitions ... |
The property of a language in which a sentence does not require an overt subject. Spanish is a pro-drop language: it is perfectly normal in Spanish to say No canto bien (Don't sing well) rather than Yo no canto bien (I don't sing well).... |
probably - adverb |
noun |
Problem Words - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples The TroublemakersMany words in the English language set traps for even the most accomplished writer. Here, on Grammar.com, we’ve provided discussions of over 200 of these troublemakers. (Scroll down for an alphabetical list.)... |
procedure - noun |
proceed - verb |
Proceed” and “precede” are illustrating a great example of paronyms, words that have very similar spellings, varying through few letters only, but define completely different actions. The fact that they look and sound almost identically are tempting ... |
To proceed means “to go forward,” “to carry on,” or “to originate from a source.” The verb proceed is distinctly intransitive |
adjective |
noun |
produce - verb and noun |
[productspage]... |
profession - noun |
professional - correct spelling professional - adjective and noun |
Professional Essay Writers Offer Their Top Grammar Tips Carefully Proofread and Edit All Documents Even experienced writers make errors; therefore, proofreading and editing should be integral parts of their writing process. Professional authors understand that even their first draft us... |
professor - noun |
verb |
profitable - adjective |
profligacy, profligate - vocabulary noun |
adjective |
noun |
In the realm of medicine, terminology plays an essential role in understanding the processes involved in patient care. Among the myriad of medical terms, 'prognosis' and 'diagnostic' are two key words often encountered, especially in discussions r... |
Program" and "programme" mean just the same. They are both usual words in English and they can replace one another in any context, as they are perfect synonyms.Given the fact that they are both correctly spelled and have the exact same meanin... |
In the realm of computer science and software development, the terms programming and coding are often used interchangeably, yet they signify distinct aspects of the software creation process. Understanding the dif... |
The progressive tense (also called the progressive aspect) is sometimes referred to as the imperfect tense.There are six progressive tenses: present, ... |
adjective |
adjective |
prominent - adjective |
promise - verb and noun |
verb |
We have seven kinds of pronouns in the English language.A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Personal pronouns (words like I, me, my, we, our, us... |
English language is considered one of the easiest languages on Earth when compared to Chinese, French and Ar... |
Pronoun as the Object of a Preposition Object of a PrepositionA noun attached to a sentence by a preposition is the object of the preposition, which requires the objective case of a pronoun taking the place of the noun.Wrong: A Grammar... |
pronounce - verb |
Pronouns - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on pronouns. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Pronouns... |
Pronouns - Words Substituting for Words In this section, we’ll learn about pronouns. We have seven kinds in the English language. They cause all kinds of problems, even to people in positions of power. After all, haven’t you heard someone say, “Evan and myself want to thank you for the won... |
pronunciation - correct spelling pronunciation - noun |
propaganda - noun |
propagate - verb |
propeller - noun |
A proper noun names a specific person, place, time period, work of literature or art, and so on. It begins with a capital letter. Examples include: New York City Friday Shakespeare's play Hamlet Fre... |
prophecy - noun |
prophet - noun |
adjective |
adjective |
verb |
prospect - noun (often in the plural |
adjective |
As a verb, to prostrate means "to throw oneself on the floor or lie facedown."The word prostrate also serves as an adj... |
Each and every grammatical expression has different names for it. Some are more common while ... |
noun |
verb |
adjective |
noun |
adjective |
psychiatrist - correct spelling psychiatrist - noun |
psychology - noun |
The terms "psychopath" and "sociopath" are often used interchangeably in popular culture, but they denote different types of antisocial personality disorders as recognized by psychiatric professionals. Both terms describe individuals who exhibit p... |
The terms "psychopath" and "sociopath" are often used interchangeably in popular culture, but they denote different types of antisocial personality disorders as recognized by psychiatric professionals. Both terms describe individuals who exhibit p... |
publicly - adverb |
puerile - adjective |
adjective |
adjective |
Punctuation - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on all punctuation marks. We have broken some of the longer topics into multiple pages. So watch for references to “Pages 1-2-3” at the bottom of the topic. Click the next page... |
adjective |
Thank you for your purchase!... |
[download_history]... |
noun |
pursue - verb |
pursuit - noun |
adjective |
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