Bryan Collins's Blog, page 52

Affect vs Effect: Get These Homophones Right Every Time

Affect vs effect is a common discussion in grammar classes, but this guide will help choose correctly between them.

The words affect vs effect are some of the trickiest in the English language. These homophones may sound alike, but they have very different uses and meanings. Using them correctly is necessary if you are going to be a skilled English writer.

After all, you must know if you're talking about side effects or side affects when you are writing if you are going to write intelligib...

10 Examples of Figurative Language to Explore

Exploring examples of figurative language will help you use these literary devices skillfully when you write.

Figurative language is a literary device that uses figures of speech to make writing more interesting. When writing in this way, you use words in a way that is different than their literal meaning, but not with the intention of confusing the reader. Rather, you are trying to make your work more poetic and artistic or cause the reader to think a little bit more about it.

There are m...

The Best Mind Mapping Software for 2021

The best mind mapping software can help you get your thoughts in order, a big advantage for writers working on more complex projects.

Sometimes, note-taking alone just isn’t enough. Writers working on large-scale projects often grapple with complex interactions, multiple vantage points, perspectives from different points in time, and a lot of other content that can be difficult to wrap your head around while brainstorming. Glossaries like Ulysses and other writing apps offer can help, but the...

Aggravate vs Exacerbate: What’s the Difference?

Aggravate vs exacerbate is a confusing question because the words are synonyms in many instances, but have subtle differences when talking about injuries.

Aggravate and exacerbate are two tricky words in the English language because they are so similar in meaning. People often use them interchangeably, but they are not quite the same in meaning. 

To use the English language skillfully, you need to understand the different nuances of similar words like these. This guide will help you define...

Shortcut Keys for Checking Spelling and Grammar in Nearly Every Program

Sometimes you just need quick shortcut keys to spellcheck whatever you're writing, whether it's an email, a blog post, or a thesis paper. Read more.

Autocorrect is a godsend a lot of the time.

However, there are times when autocorrect is just not available to you, like when you're editing someone else's work, you've accidentally turned it off somehow, or you're using an unfamiliar program. In these cases, what you need is a shortcut!

Nearly any program where you can type words and sente...

How To Write Powerful Call To Action Phrases: With 5 High-Converting Examples

Do you want to know how to write high performing call to action phrases? Here are 5 examples for inspiration and what we can learn from them.

Communicating a message to someone is like pouring water into their hands. It'll run through their fingers, and they'll let go of it eventually. 

10 to 20 minutes after someone reads your ad, blog post, or email campaign, they'll forget about it. Maybe they're dealing with some personal issues or just too busy to think about your message. Either way,...

Diffuse vs Defuse: What’s the Difference?

The difference between diffuse vs defuse is just two letters, but the difference in meaning is vast. Here's how you can keep them straight.

When considering homophones and easily confused words, diffuse vs defuse often comes up. This pair of English words have two slightly different meanings, and understanding those meanings is key to helping you be a skilled English writer.

Technically, diffuse and defuse are not actually homophones. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, they have ...

What Are Phrases and Clauses? with Examples

Many grammar students and writers wonder what are phrases and clauses? Our guide with examples will help you understand these concepts.

In the English language, phrases and clauses are groups of words that perform specific functions with the sentence. Understanding how to use different types of phrases and clauses as you write will help you make your writing more interesting and engaging.

Here is a closer look at the types of clauses and phrases that can come up in your writing. As you ask...

The 7 Most Common Literary Elements Explained

While literary devices include a number of methods used to tell a story, literary elements are the pieces that make up the structure of the story itself.

When you're studying a piece of literature, understanding what makes up a story can help you discuss and analyze it more effectively. By learning the literary terms for the elements you'd like to discuss, you can communicate more clearly, while garnering a better understanding yourself. 

These are elements that are intrinsic parts of near...

Quillbot vs Grammarly: Which Is Better?

Quillbot vs Grammarly: Which one is worth investing your time and money in? Let’s find out!

English grammar contains a plethora of rules that many writers find confusing to follow. As a writer, it's confusing to follow every rule, especially if you're in a flow state. However, we can often catch many errors during the editing process, but we're only human and bound to make mistakes. 

Unfortunately, not every reader understands the challenge of writing and publishing consistently. If you pu...