Published on
29 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
3 October 2023.
Burned and burnt are two different spellings of the past tense of the verb ‘burn’, used to refer to the act of undergoing combustion and the act of injuring someone or damaging something by heat or fire.
The spelling tends to vary based on whether you’re using UK or US English:
In UK English, both ‘burned’ and ‘burnt’ are commonly used for both the verb and adjective sense of the word.
In US English, ‘burned’ is standard as a verb, but both ‘burned’ and ‘burnt’ can be used as adjectives.
Examples: Burned and burnt in a sentenceShawna burnt/burned her hand on the stove.
Gina forgot to turn the oven off, so the chicken was burnt/burned.
The fire burnt/burnedall night and kept the room warm.
Luckily, I remembered to blow out the candles; otherwise, the house might have burnt/burned down.
NoteVerbs that form their past tense in some way other than by adding the suffix ‘-ed’ are called irregular verbs. ‘Burn’ can be either regular or irregular, with the irregular form more commonly used in UK English. This is also true of ‘learnt/learned’ and ‘dreamt/dreamed’.
Published on
29 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
2 December 2022.
For all intents and purposes is an expression meaning ‘essentially’ or ‘in effect’. It’s used to say that something has the same outcome or result as something else.
Examples: For all intents and purposes in a sentenceFor all intents and purposes, this is an introductory course.
The warring sides had, for all intents and purposes, agreed to a ceasefire.
The old laptop is, for all intents and purposes, useless.
Published on
29 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
16 November 2022.
An interjection is a word or phrase used to express a feeling or to request or demand something. While interjections are a part of speech, they are not grammatically connected to other parts of a sentence.
Interjections are common in everyday speech and informal writing. While some interjections such as ‘well’ and ‘indeed’ are acceptable in formal conversation, it’s best to avoid interjections in formal or academic writing.
Examples: Interjections in a sentenceWow! That bird is huge.
By integrating sources properly, you can ensure a consistent voice in your writing and ensure your text remains readable and coherent. You can use signal phrases to give credit to outside sources and smoothly introduce material into your writing.
Below is an example that uses all three methods of integrating sources, but you can integrate sources using only one method or a combination of them.
Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyse information and form a judgement.
To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources.
Published on
22 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
25 September 2023.
Dreamt and dreamed are two different spellings of the past tense of the verb ‘dream’, used to refer to the act of experiencing thoughts or images while asleep or to the act of fantasising while awake. The spelling tends to vary based on whether you are using UK or US English:
In UK English, both ‘dreamed’ and ‘dreamt’ are commonly used.
In US English, ‘dreamed’ is standard (though ‘dreamt’ is still acceptable).
Examples: Dreamt and dreamed in a sentenceKatja dreamt/dreamedthat she had superpowers.
Lionel dreamt/dreamed about a talking lamp.
When I was young, I dreamt/dreamedof becoming a famous musician.
Vanessa never dreamt/dreamedthat she would be so successful.
NoteVerbs that form their past tense in some way other than adding ‘-ed’ are called irregular verbs. ‘Dream’ can be either regular or irregular, with the irregular form showing up more often in UK English than in US English. The same is true of ‘learnt/learned‘.
Published on
19 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
23 May 2023.
A determiner is a word that modifies, describes, or introduces a noun. Determiners can be used to clarify what a noun refers to (e.g., your car) and to indicate quantity or number (e.g., four wheels).
Examples: Determiners in a sentenceThat cup is chipped.
Priya is taking her first steps.
The festival has been postponed due to bad weather.
Published on
12 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
25 September 2023.
Bear and bare are pronounced the same but have different meanings.
Bear can be used as a verb meaning ‘endure’ or ‘carry’ and as a noun to refer to the animal. It’s also used in a range of expressions (e.g., ‘bear with me‘ and ‘bear in mind‘).
Bare can be used as a verb meaning ‘uncover’ or as an adjective meaning ‘exposed’ or ‘without anything added’.
Examples: Bear in a sentence
Examples: Bare in a sentence
The desk could hardly bear the weight of all the books.
The apartment is bare, but it will feel like home once I decorate it.
The tree no longer bears fruit.
Let me bare my soul to you in a song.
Rajesh froze when he saw a bear approaching his tent.
