Published on
7 January 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
27 November 2023.
The four English demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those. They are used to highlight something that was previously mentioned or that is clear from the context.
Demonstrative pronouns ‘demonstrate’ something; using them is the verbal equivalent of pointing at something or someone. They draw attention to the thing or person you’re referring to.
Demonstrative pronouns indicate number (singular or plural) and the relative distance of the thing being referred to.
Examples of the demonstrative pronouns
Near (proximal)
Far (distal)
Singular
This is my friend Jamie.
I don’t know about that. Let’s discuss it tomorrow.
Plural
I like all kinds of chocolates, but these are my favourites.
Sending good emails is an essential professional skill. In addition to knowing how to start an email, you should understand how to end one, with an engaging closing line, an appropriate sign-off, and a proper email signature.
Below, we provide you with five strong closing lines and five professional sign-offs to use in your correspondence. We also discuss what information you should include in your signature.
Published on
23 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
26 June 2023.
Sending good emails is an important skill in academic and professional contexts. It’s essential to start your emails on the right foot with an appropriate greeting and an engaging opening line.
Below, we explore how to start an email, providing five professional greetings and five strong opening lines that you can use in your correspondence. We also explain the contexts where each one would be an appropriate choice.
Published on
17 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
3 March 2023.
The words Ms, Mrs, and Miss are all titles used to address women formally (e.g., at the start of an email). Which one you should use depends on the age and marital status of the woman, as well as on her own preference about how she should be addressed.
Ms (pronounced [miz]) is a neutral option that doesn’t indicate any particular marital status. It’s most commonly used for older unmarried women and for women whose marital status you don’t know, but you can use it for any adult woman.
Mrs (pronounced [miss-iz]) is used to address a married woman of any age.
Miss (pronounced [miss]) is used to address a young unmarried woman or girl.
Examples: Ms in a sentence
Examples: Mrs in a sentence
Examples: Miss in a sentence
Ms Nielsen is a talented pianist. I hope she’ll play for us at the party.
I’ve known Mr and Mrs Jayna for a few years.
Excuse me, miss. Is this your backpack?
Have you met Ms Sofi before?
Mrs Thompson is an entrepreneur; she started her own business last year.
Published on
17 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
26 June 2023.
Dear Sir or Madam is a standard salutation used to start an email or letter to a person whose identity you’re not sure of. Though it’s a traditional phrasing, it’s recommended to avoid it if possible since it’s very impersonal and quite old-fashioned.
It’s always best to address the person directly by name if you can find out this information. If not, other options include using the name of the group or department, the person’s job title, or, if you’re not addressing one specific person, ‘To Whom It May Concern’.
Examples: Dear Sir or Madam alternativesDear Ms Johnson, …
Published on
16 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
27 June 2023.
Yours sincerely is a standard sign-off, used to end an email or letter, followed by your name on the next line. ‘Sincerely’ is an adverb meaning ‘genuinely’ and is used to emphasise your honest intentions toward the person addressed.
This sign-off is relatively formal, but it should usually only be used when writing to someone you already know, not a complete stranger. An alternative like ‘Yours faithfully’ should be used with someone you’ve never written to before.
Published on
9 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
5 January 2023.
Looking forward to hearing from you is a common expression in email communication and other correspondence. It’s used to end an email by encouraging the addressee to reply sometime soon.
There’s nothing wrong with using this expression – it’s clear, correct, and friendly in tone without being overly informal. But since it’s so frequently used, you may be worried that it seems cliché or that your addressee won’t really take notice of it, especially if you need to push them to respond quickly.
Below, we provide 8 potential alternatives to help you vary your language, strike the right tone, and encourage a quick response.
Published on
1 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
22 February 2023.
The singular ‘they’ is the use of the third-person plural pronounthey with a singular meaning – i.e., to refer to one person without using ‘he’ or ‘she’.
The singular ‘they’ has existed for hundreds of years, but it was long condemned as grammatically incorrect. Now, it’s recommended by most style guides and dictionaries as the best choice when you need a gender-neutral singular pronoun.
You can use the singular ‘they’ to refer to:
A generic individual whose gender is unknown or irrelevant in the context
A specific person who identifies as neither male nor female (or whose gender is unknown to you)
Examples: Singular they in a sentenceWhen a new student joins the class, it’s important that they feel welcome and included.
I really like Jaime. They always have something interesting to say.
NoteIn addition to the subject pronounthey, the term also encompasses the use of the related pronouns and determinersthem, their, theirs, and themselves. These are collectively referred to as gender-neutral singular pronouns or epicene pronouns.
Published on
1 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
11 September 2023.
Third-person pronouns are words such as ‘she’, ‘it’, and ‘they’ that are used to refer to other people and things that are not being directly addressed, without naming them specifically with a noun. Like first- and second-person pronouns, they are a type of personal pronoun.
There are quite a lot of third-person pronouns, since they differ based on the gender (or lack thereof) and number of who or what is being referred to. They also change based on whether they are used based on case: subject, object, possessive, or reflexive/emphatic. The table below shows all the third-person pronouns.
Published on
1 December 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
11 March 2023.
Imply and infer are two transitive verbs that are commonly confused. Their meanings are closely related, but they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.
Imply means to express or suggest something indirectly – without explicitly stating it.
Infer means to draw a conclusion from some evidence – in other words, to pick up on something that was implied.
Examples: Imply in a sentence
Examples: Infer in a sentence
The results imply that further research on this topic should adopt a different approach.
From these data, we infer that the technique is more effective at higher temperatures.
A good writer knows how to imply the feelings of their protagonist without spelling them out.
To infer something as serious as that, you need some very solid reasoning.
I hope you’re not implying that this is my fault.
Based on Anneli’s disruptive behavior, her teachers inferred she didn’t feel engaged at school.
TipIf you struggle to differentiate between the two words, it’s useful to think of implying as an act of giving information and inferring as an act of receiving information. When you imply something and I infer something from what you said, you’re giving information to me.
