GrammarPhile Blog

Sometimes there are multiple ways to edit and revise a sentence or phrase in order to make it more grammatically correct, but sometimes there aren’t. Review the sentences and phrases below and select the best option for repairing the grammar mistake that you find. And be sure to share your results with us in the comments.

Nearly everybody has an Achilles’ heel when it comes to writing…that one grammar rule you can’t remember without double-checking a grammar guide first, or that tough-to-spell word you have to check in the dictionary every time you write it (so you don’t look dumb). Some writers aren’t great with prepositions, yet they never confuse verb tenses, and other writers aren’t great with punctuation usage, but they never misspell any words, and so on. Such Achilles’ heels in writing are why writers prefer to rely on editors and proofreaders.

What’s your Achilles’ heel in writing? Take the quiz below to see if you come across it. Then be brave and share your results with the rest of us in the blog comments.  

It’s time to get into the holiday spirit … with grammatically correct holiday terms, phrases, and colloquialisms.  

Take the quiz below and select the option that correctly fills in each blank, and then share your results with us in the comments. Also, be sure to share this quiz with others who may be grammatically inclined too. We wish you a joyous holiday season!

Do you consider yourself a grammar aficionado, a.k.a. a grammar geek?

Do you know how to avoid common grammar mistakes, and can you easily spot them when they’re in a sentence?

Do you know how to properly use hyphens, dashes, and commas?

Take this quiz. See if you can correctly identify all the grammar mistakes, and then share your results with us and others (if you’re brave). And be sure to share this quiz with others too.

What words of inspiration or truth have encouraged you to become a better writer over the years, or have encouraged you to begin writing at all? What keeps you motivated and focused while you write? Have you acquired or heeded any advice about writing from some of the world’s greatest authors? And if so, from whom?

Take our quiz to see if you can match each piece of advice about writing with its famous author. And share what your favorite advice about writing is in the comments below.

As a writer, it’s easy to get lost in your work and the entire writing process. It can be exciting and fun at times, and painful or nerve-racking at other times. And the writing process isn’t the same for every writer; each writer has his or her unique way of approaching what he or she does best.

This (non-scientific) quiz will help you think about your writing style and process, and what makes you unique as a writer.

So, what type of writer are you?

Take the quiz below. Select the answers that best resemble you, your interests and personality, and your writing style and aspirations. Keep a tally of your answers throughout the quiz so you can get accurate results once you’re done with the quiz. You may find that you have attributes of more than one type of writer, and that’s okay!

Come back next week to get your results.

Tis the season to relax, enjoy the company of your friends and loved ones, and seek inspiration for the new year. And what better way to gain inspiration for the new year than through the immortal words of famous authors? Match the quotes below to their authors, and then tell us which one inspires you the most in the comments below.

Feel free to share your favorite quote in the comments as well, if you don’t see it here. Cheers to a new year filled with productivity and amazing writing!

Punctuation is used in writing to establish clarity, tone, meaning, and structure. Consider this sentence without punctuation, and you’ll quickly remember why we need to use it.

maybe you dont always want to use commas periods colons etc when youre writing sentences when I am in a rush tired cold lazy or angry I sometimes leave out punctuation marks grammar is unnecessary anyway I can write without it and wont ever need it my aunt Jane once said she wasnt very good with writing and I never understood a word she wrote to me I think ill just learn enough punctuation not too much enough to write to Aunt Jane needs some help

Using punctuation properly helps your readers understand the message you’re attempting to convey, and ensures they don’t read one thing while you intend another. Punctuation promotes effective communication, which is why it’s so important in marketing and business writing.

Do you think you’re already a pro with punctuation? Test your punctuation knowledge with our quiz and get your answers on-screen when you complete the quiz. After you complete the quiz, the correct answers will be highlighted.

Last week we took you back to high school with an English test that hopefully didn’t bring back any bad memories. Take a look at the answers below to see how you did.

Remember the stress of English tests in school? Not only were they timed, but it was nearly impossible to know exactly what to study. Whether it was long passages and reading comprehension questions, sentence diagramming, or this word is to this word as that word is to that word, it seemed like no matter what you spent hours hammering into your brain, the teacher would decide to throw something completely different at you.

The good news about this test is that if you fail, we won’t send you back to high school.

See if you can make a passing grade on these questions, inspired by the brain stumpers you might see on AP, SAT, or ACT tests.