Writing Tips Institute

We explain how to deal with problem words, navigate idioms, and easily understand the most complicated grammar rules in English.

Grammar Book

Read our completely free online English grammar book.
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Confusing Words

Check out our list of hundreds of confusing English words.
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Idioms and Sayings

Learn the meaning of nearly every known idiom and saying.
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Latest Writing Tips

‘Sick as a Dog’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone tell you that they’re ‘sick as a dog’? And now you’re wondering what that meant? Below, we’ll take…
‘Barking Up The Wrong Tree’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone recently say that someone else was ‘barking up the wrong tree’? Are you wondering what it means? In…
‘Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone tell you, ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch,’ and now you’re wondering what they meant by it?…
‘Bite off More Than You Can Chew’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did you hear someone say use the phrase ‘bite off more than you can chew,’ and now you’re wondering what…
1 2 3 … 50
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Most Read Articles

'Attached Herewith': Meaning and When to Say It

Did you receive an email that used the phrase ‘attached herewith’? What does this phrase…

'Ms.' vs. 'Mrs.' vs. 'Miss': What is the Difference?

Wondering which to use to address a woman in your life – ‘Ms.,’ ‘Mrs.,’ or…

‘Color' versus 'Colour': What's the Difference?

Many people, especially those learning English as a second language, wonder about the difference between…

‘Flys or 'Flies': What's the Difference?

Wondering whether it’s ‘flys’ or ‘flies’? We’ve got you covered. You’ll learn that plus how…

‘Your' vs. 'You're': What's the Difference Between the Two?

Getting 'your' vs. 'you're' confused? You're not alone! It's time to clear the confusion around…

‘Organisation' vs ' Organization': What's the Difference Between the Two?

When you join a company, are you part of an ‘organisation’ or an ‘organization’? Struggling…

‘Has' vs. 'Have': What's the Difference?

If you’ve seen ‘has’ vs. ‘have' being used interchangeably and aren’t sure which one you…

‘Was' vs. 'Were': What's the Difference Between the Two?

'Was' vs. 'were' are two forms of the verb 'be' that you'll often see. But…

Boys or Boy's or Boys': What is the Plural Form?

Are you confused about whether you should write 'boys,' 'boy's' or 'boys"? If so, this…

'Interested In' or 'Interested On': What's the Correct Preposition to Use?

Prepositions are a tricky part of the English language. Knowing which ones to use and…

'Looking Forward to Talking With You': Is This Correct Grammar?

‘Looking forward to talking with you’; is a sentence that comes with so many variations,…

How to Write Height Correctly - Writing Feet and Inches

Writing feet and inches can be confusing if you're not accustomed to it.  How do…

‘Sick as a Dog’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did someone tell you that they’re ‘sick as a dog’? And now you’re wondering what…

'I' or 'Me': When to Use the Correct Word

Are you wondering whether to use ‘I’ or ‘me’? It can be confusing because they…

‘Barking Up The Wrong Tree’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did someone recently say that someone else was ‘barking up the wrong tree’? Are you…

‘Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did someone tell you, ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch,’ and now you’re wondering…

‘Bite off More Than You Can Chew’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did you hear someone say use the phrase ‘bite off more than you can chew,’…

'More Than' vs 'Over': What's the Difference?

You may have seen the phrase ‘more than’ and the word ‘over’ are used in…
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How to Deal
With Confusing Words

If two words are tripping you up, then start here. We'll show you how to use them correctly.
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Latest Confusing Words

'I' or 'Me': When to Use the Correct Word
Are you wondering whether to use ‘I’ or ‘me’? It can be confusing because they both refer to yourself, but…
'More Than' vs 'Over': What's the Difference?
You may have seen the phrase ‘more than’ and the word ‘over’ are used in reference to numbers. But what’s…
'Accept' vs 'Except': What's the Difference?
You might have heard both ‘accept’ and ‘except’ in conversation or seen them in something you read. So, what’s the…
'Complement' vs 'Compliment': What's the Difference?
Are you wondering whether to say ‘complement’ or ‘compliment’? The words sound the same; which one is correct? We’ll answer…
1 2 3 … 117
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How to Understand Common Idioms and Figures of Speech

Learn what common idioms and sayings mean and why people use them.
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Latest Idioms and Sayings

‘Sick as a Dog’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone tell you that they’re ‘sick as a dog’? And now you’re wondering what that meant? Below, we’ll take…
‘Barking Up The Wrong Tree’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone recently say that someone else was ‘barking up the wrong tree’? Are you wondering what it means? In…
‘Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did someone tell you, ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch,’ and now you’re wondering what they meant by it?…
‘Bite off More Than You Can Chew’: Definition, Meaning and Examples
Did you hear someone say use the phrase ‘bite off more than you can chew,’ and now you’re wondering what…
1 2 3 … 42
Read More ...

How to Navigate Complex Grammatical Rules

Grammar is complicated, but our tutorials are simple.
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Latest Grammatical Rules

What is 'Portmanteau'? Meaning, Definition, Examples
The term 'portmanteau' can have several meanings, but there's a particular one we're interested in, and that's the one that…
Do You Need a Comma Before 'But'?
Are you wondering whether or not to use a comma before ‘but’? If so, look no further. After this article,…
Is It 'A' or 'An'? A List of 35 Special Words
If you’re confused about when you should use ‘a’ or ‘an’, you’re not alone. There are a lot of misconceptions…
Thorn Letter: The Forgotten Old-English Letter
Have you ever heard of the thorn letter? It was a legitimate letter of the alphabet that no longer exists.…
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How to Write Better

Start here if you want to learn how to write better. We can help.
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Latest Writing Tutorials:

12 Free Publishing Platforms for Writers to Publish Articles
Are you a writer looking to get your content more exposure? Then free publishing platforms are your solution! Read on…
How to Write a Professional ‘Thank You’ Email
Writing a professional ‘thank you’ email is a great way to show your appreciation and build beneficial business relationships. To…
How to Write a 2-Week Notice Email
Writing a 2-week notice email is an important step when you change jobs. Writing that email can be stressful.  We…
How to Write an Out-of-Office (OOO) Email
An out-of-office (OOO) email is necessary to professionally handle email correspondences when you are going to be out of town…
1 2 3 … 5
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WritingTips.org was launched to teach anyone how to write better. We explain how to use confusing words, how to follow basic English rules, and how to navigate writing projects of all sorts.
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