Metaphors and Similes
The metaphor and simile are types of figurative language. There are many types of figurative language such as alliteration, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, etc. Using figurative language makes your writing more lively and descriptive. Although used more in creative writing or fiction works, they are also suitable for academic writing when used appropriately.What is the difference between a metaphor and a simile? Admittedly, they are easy to confuse because they both make comparisons be...
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Happy New Year’s Resolutions!
Happy New Year!I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year – perhaps with a stress on “healthy” given what the world has been dealing with over the last couple of years.Resolutions or…Did you make a New Year’s resolution or two?Have you broken the resolution or resolutions already?Don’t fret if you have. It is common for New Year’s resolutions to evaporate into thin air the moment January’s fresh air and reality strike.Why is this?We...
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Happy Holidays!
Christmas is a wonderful time to enjoy family and friends.I want to wish all of you the very best for the holidays.  I know everyone has different traditions and beliefs, but it is always a positive thing to reconnect with those you love, whatever the occasion.The holidays are also a fantastic time for learning. You knew I was going there!Yes.  Learning can happen at any time, but it does not need to be academic learning per se. For example, you can teach your children how to be p...
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Make Your Writing Clearer!
Do you want to make your writing pack a punch? Well, that’s one way to do it right there, by using common expressions or idioms. Of course, as with all writing tips, you must aim to use methods and styles that suit the specific purpose of writing and your audience.I will go into more idioms in other blogs and videos.Here are two methods that are always useful in making your writing clearer.Use specific words over general wordsWhich of these sentences better describes the picture?The young ...
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Three Methods to Combine Sentences
Writing a variety of sentences helps make your writing more interesting and readable.One way to get more variety into your writing is to combine sentences, and there are various methods in which you can do this correctly.Coordinating conjunctionsOne method for combining sentences is to use a coordinating conjunction. There are seven of them: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. Some students remember them by using the mnemonic FANBOYS.One point to remember is that you require a comma when joinin...
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How to Find Writing Ideas
Students often complain that they cannot think of anything to write about. In many cases, we tend to think of our own lives as a bit boring and that nobody wants to hear what we have to say. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The world around you is filled with topics that can be explored. The trick is to pay attention. Below are a few ideas to get you started.Keep a JournalWriting down your thoughts, feelings, and observations can provide you with ideas for later writing tasks.You c...
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Before You Answer
Before You AnswerIf you are helping your children with homework, think of this before you answer them. While I am primarily talking about helping your children in this particular blog, these tips work for any learner. More about this later.1.  Have your children read and understood the directions? A good way to know if they have read and understood the directions is to have them verbally explain what they are supposed to do. If they are unable to say it, they don’t know.The same metho...
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Move the Subject
When writing sentences, try to add a little variety not only by using different kinds of sentences but also by changing up the structure of those sentences. One way you can “spice it up” is to move the subject within the sentence.If you remember, the subject is the “who” or “what” of the sentence.The predicate is what the subject does. In the case of passive sentences, the predicate is what happens to the subject. (Remember to use primarily active sentences fo...
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Avoid These Mistakes – Paragraph Writing
Do not announce.Do not announce what you are going to write about. In other words, avoid phrases like “This paragraph is going to be about” and “I am going to tell you about.” When writing an academic paragraph, begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence does not always need to be the first sentence, but it is helpful for beginning writers to put it in early. It gives the writer a focal point, and it provides the reader with some guidance as well.For example, if...
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I Don’t Know
Do not be afraid of these three little words. Too often we are afraid to say “I don’t know” even when it is obvious we don’t.Knowledge and learning come from exploring, questioning, seeking, and failing. Yes, I said another prohibited word these days – failing. All that innocent word means is that we don’t know something at the moment. It is not a life sentence! Let’s get over our terminology stumbling blocks.When we don’t know something, we should...
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