Highlight Words In Action : August 2025

bipartisan
adjective: representing, characterized by, or including members from two parties or factions

From the headlines: The Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for the Open Technology Fund (OTF) has raised concerns among lawmakers, who see it as a vital tool against internet censorship in authoritarian regimes. Trump’s executive order effectively terminated the OTF’s budget, prompting bipartisan efforts to save the program. Advocates warn that without OTF-backed tools, many citizens and activists could lose secure communication channels, increasing their risk of surveillance and persecution.

bounty
noun: a premium or reward, especially one offered by a government

From the headlines: The United States has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures. The three members of the Haqqani militant network in Afghanistan were allegedly involved in planning deadly attacks during the war with the U.S., some of which killed American citizens. Until this week, the State Department had offered rewards of up to $10 million for the death or capture of the militant leaders. The move follows last week’s release of a U.S. hostage who had been held by the Taliban since 2022.

breach
noun: an infraction or violation, such as of a law, contract, trust, or promise

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, disclosed that he was inadvertently added to a private Signal group chat used by U.S. national security officials. This unexpected breach exposed sensitive information, including details about military strikes in Yemen. The incident underscored a serious protocol violation, as national security deliberations are typically confined to secure, classified settings rather than informal messaging platforms.

cartography
noun: the production of maps, including construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting, and reproduction

From the headlines: After more than a decade of unraveling the mysteries of the universe, the space telescope Gaia has officially powered down. In its ten years of operation, Gaia meticulously mapped nearly 2 billion stars, 150,000 asteroids, and countless other celestial wonders. This cartography resulted in a precise, three-dimensional map of our solar system, which has transformed our understanding of the Milky Way.

civil liberty
noun: the freedom of a citizen to exercise customary rights, as of speech or assembly, without unwarranted or arbitrary interference by the government

From the headlines: Legal experts say surveillance methods being used by colleges and universities on their students may violate their civil liberties. When investigating vandalism connected to political protests, campus police have been using new tactics, including seizing students’ phones and laptops. They have also issued warrants based on social media posts or participation in campus protests. Civil liberties experts say these actions amount to stifling university students’ right to free speech.

confiscate
verb: to seize as forfeited to the public domain; appropriate, by way of penalty, for public use

From the headlines: A kite was briefly confiscated after it came into contact with a United Airlines plane near Washington, D.C. The aircraft landed safely at Ronald Reagan National Airport following reports of a kite hitting it. Police seized the kite from a family at nearby Gravelly Point park, but returned it later. Despite the fact that kite flying is banned there because the sky overhead is “restricted airspace,” about a dozen people had reportedly been flying kites at the park that day.

defraud
verb: to deprive of a right, money, or property by fraud

From the headlines: Hollywood writer-director Carl Erik Rinsch was arrested for defrauding Netflix of $11 million, meant for his unfinished sci-fi show White Horse. Prosecutors say he spent around $10 million on luxury purchases, including Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, and antiques. Prosecutors also claim that he used the money to pay legal fees to sue Netflix for additional money. Rinsch has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering, while Netflix has declined to comment.

embezzlement
noun: the stealing of money entrusted to one’s care

From the headlines: French politician Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement and barred from public office for five years. Le Pen, who leads the far-right National Rally party, had planned to run for president in 2027. She was also sentenced to four years in prison for spending $4.3 million in European Parliament funds on her own party expenses.

Fun fact: Embezzlement is from the Anglo-French enbesiler, “cause to disappear,” and an Old French root meaning “to destroy or gouge.”

fairway
noun: Golf. the part of the course where the grass is cut short between the tees and the putting greens

From the headlines: When golf courses close, research shows the surrounding environment improves. With declining interest in golf, nearby neighborhoods report benefits like less flooding and reduced pesticide runoff. Across the U.S., many former courses have been repurposed as nature reserves, where manicured fairways have been replaced by thriving wildflower meadows.

forage
verb: to wander or go in search of provisions

From the headlines: A new online map shows where 1.6 million edible plants grow in cities around the world. The guide, called Falling Fruit, is meant to help urban dwellers and visitors forage for food. Its open source design means people can add locations, mapping additional fruit trees, berry bushes, beehives, and plants that might otherwise go unnoticed.

franchise
noun: Sports. a professional sports team

From the headlines: A group led by Bill Chisholm has agreed to buy the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion, making it the most expensive franchise sale in North American sports history. The Celtics, fresh off their 18th NBA title, are facing significant financial challenges under the new collective bargaining agreement, but remain favorites to repeat as champions.

geriatric
adjective: noting or relating to aged people or animals

From the headlines: The New England Aquarium in Boston has introduced a new “retirement home” for geriatric aquarium penguins, relocating six elderly birds to a designated island. While wild penguins typically live about ten years, the new aquarium houses twenty penguins in their twenties and thirties. This specialized haven ensures these aging animals receive monitoring for conditions such as arthritis and cataracts.

Fun fact: The Greek gērōs, “old,” is the root of geriatric.

iguana
noun: a large, arboreal lizard, native to Central and South America, having stout legs and a crest of spines from neck to tail

From the headlines: A recent study sheds light on how North American iguanas may have reached a remote island in Fiji. Genetic analysis suggests that these large reptiles likely traversed thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean by drifting on makeshift rafts of fallen trees. If confirmed, this would represent the longest documented oceanic migration by any terrestrial vertebrate, apart from humans.

inaccessible
adjective: not accessible; unapproachable

From the headlines: Researchers investigating why we can’t remember being babies found evidence that those memories still exist in our brains, but are inaccessible. Scientists have long suspected that infants don’t create memories at all. A new study using MRI imaging to observe babies’ brains found that around 12 months old, they do begin storing memories of specific images. Neuroscientists are now focused on learning why these early recollections become locked away and out of reach as we grow older.

magnitude
noun: greatness of size or amount

From the headlines: A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, killing over 3,000 people and leaving hundreds missing. The tremors were so intense they reached 600 miles to Bangkok, where skyscrapers swayed. In response, China, India, and Russia sent rescue teams, while countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam offered aid.

manipulate
verb: to adapt or change (accounts, figures, etc.) to suit one’s purpose or advantage

From the headlines: A cheating scandal shook the world of professional ski jumping this week. Several members of Team Norway were suspended after officials found evidence that their ski suits had been manipulated to make the athletes more aerodynamic. The team’s manager admitted to illegally adding an extra seam where the legs are sewn together; more material there was hoped to give the jumpers extra lift and allow air to flow around them more efficiently.

mush
verb: to drive or spur on (sled dogs or a sled drawn by dogs)

From the headlines: Greenland’s annual dog sledding race attracted unusual international attention when the White House said the vice president’s wife, Usha Vance, would attend. Vance canceled her trip after Greenlanders planned to protest her presence at the event. Competitors in the Avannaata Qimussersua, or “Great Race of the North,” mushed their dogs over 26 snowy miles. Henrik Jensen, a musher from northern Greenland, crossed the finish line in first place, pulled by his team of Greenlandic sled dogs.

ovine
adjective: pertaining to, of the nature of, or like sheep

From the headlines: The world’s first known case of bird flu in sheep was diagnosed in Yorkshire, England. After the H5N1 virus was found among birds on a farm, health officials also tested its flock of sheep; only one ovine case was detected. The infected sheep was euthanized to prevent the disease from spreading, and officials said “the risk to livestock remains low.”

pontiff
noun: Ecclesiastical. the Roman Catholic pope, the Bishop of Rome

From the headlines: Following the release of Pope Francis from the hospital on March 23, his lead physician said the pontiff had faced such grave danger that his medical team considered halting treatment. During his hospitalization, the pope endured two critical health crises, prompting intense deliberations over whether aggressive interventions should continue, given the potential risks to his internal organs. Ultimately, the doctors opted to pursue “all available medicines and treatments,” a decision that proved pivotal to his recovery.

populism
noun: grass-roots democracy; working-class activism; egalitarianism

From the headlines: Bernie Sanders is drawing unprecedented crowds on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, fueled by a message rooted in economic populism. His rhetoric resonates with disillusioned voters seeking an alternative to both President Trump and the Democratic Party. The independent senator from Vermont frequently denounces what he terms a “government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires,” while chastising Democrats for failing to adequately champion the interests of the working class.

prescription
noun: a direction, usually written, by the physician to the pharmacist for the preparation and use of a medicine or remedy

From the headlines: A new trend is emerging in healthcare — doctors are now prescribing museum visits. Backed by research showing that time spent in cultural spots can boost mental health and ease loneliness, more physicians are encouraging patients to explore art galleries, theaters, concert halls, and libraries. These cultural outings are said to reduce stress, alleviate mild anxiety and depression, and even improve conditions like high blood pressure. It’s the prescription you didn’t know you needed.

pristine
adjective: having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied

From the headlines: Many countries are looking to Switzerland as a model, hoping to replicate its transformation of once heavily polluted rivers and lakes into some of the most pristine in Europe. In the 1960s, Swiss waterways were choked with algae and dead fish due to sewage and industrial pollution. However, over the following decades, the country made significant investments in advanced water treatment facilities. Today, nearly all of its lakes and rivers are once again pristine and safe for swimming.

prolong
verb: to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer

From the headlines: After their quick trip to the International Space Station turned out to have an unexpectedly long duration, two NASA astronauts have been safely returned to Earth. What began as an eight-day mission for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had to be prolonged after their Starliner spacecraft experienced helium leaks and thruster problems. The two ended up staying on the ISS for more than nine months, until two seats were available on a returning space capsule.

recruit
verb: to attempt to acquire the services of (a person) for an employer

From the headlines: As the White House cuts funding for scientific research, European countries are stepping up to recruit top U.S. scientists. Experts in climate change and vaccine safety are now eyeing job offers across the Atlantic, with France and the Netherlands boosting their budgets to hire talent for their universities.

reinstate
verb: to put back or establish again, as in a former position or state

From the headlines: On March 24, a South Korean court reinstated impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Han was returned to the government and named acting leader once his impeachment was overturned. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was also removed from office, is still awaiting a verdict. Han and Yoon were both suspended by South Korea’s National Assembly in December.

repatriation
noun: the act or process of returning a person or thing to the country of origin

From the headlines: After several weeks of refusal, Venezuela agreed to accept repatriation flights from the United States, and the first plane carrying Venezuelan migrants back to their home country landed on March 24. About 200 people who had been deported from the U.S. were on the initial flight. Conflicts between the two countries had previously put the returns on hold.

serenade
verb: to entertain with or perform with vocal or instrumental music

From the headlines: After an incredible 70-year career, Johnny Mathis, the legendary crooner with the famously smooth “velvet voice,” has announced his retirement at the age of 89. Known for his romantic ballads, jazz classics, and soft rock hits, Mathis has been serenading audiences since his teenage years. With more albums sold than any pop artist except Frank Sinatra, his voice has been the soundtrack to countless memories.

tuition
noun: the charge or fee for instruction, as at a private school or a college or university

From the headlines: Starting this fall, attending Harvard University will cost nothing for most students. The school announced that tuition will be free for people whose families earn less than $200,000 per year. The average household income in the U.S. is $80,000. Food, housing, health insurance, and travel will also be free for less wealthy students. The University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have adopted the same financial aid policy.

unredacted
adjective: (of a document) with confidential or sensitive information included or visible

From the headlines: The Trump administration released over 2,000 documents on JFK’s assassination, leading to a search for new insights. While the unredacted files do not dispute that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, they reveal long-hidden details about CIA agents and operations. Attorney Larry Schnapf, who has pushed for their release, argues the disclosures highlight excessive government secrecy. He believes the unredacted documents demonstrate how overclassification has been misused by national security officials.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Why Capitalizing “Native American” Matters

These days, social media is glut with excited folks who are sending off their cheek swabs to find out just what’s hiding in their DNA. Will they find out they had an ancestor on the Mayflower? Or, maybe they have a Native American ancestor?

That would make them Native American too, right? Well, the definition of Native American is a lot more complicated than the genetics chart you get from your standard DNA testing center. You see, the term Native American refers to many, many different groups of people and not all of them identify with this term.

Before we get to that, though, let’s start with the capitalization issue.

Native American with a capital N

The lexicographers have distinguished between native Americans and Native Americans. The first version, with the lowercase n, applies to anyone who was born here in the United States. After all, when used as an adjective, native is defined as “being the place or environment in which a person was born or a thing came into being.” If you were born in the United States of America, you are native to the country. Lowercase native American is an adjective that modifies the noun American. The lowercase native American is a noun phrase that describes someone as being an American citizen who is native to the United States.

Simply being born in the good old US of A doesn’t make someone a Native American (capital N). Those two words are both capitalized because, when used together, they form what grammar experts refer to as a proper noun, or “a noun that is used to denote a particular person, place, or thing.” The term Native American is a very broad label that refers to a federally recognized category of Americans who are indigenous to the land that is now the United States (although some also extend the word’s usage to include all the the Indigenous Peoples of North and South America), and they make up at least two percent of the US population. They’re not just native to this area in the sense of having been born on American soil, but they have established American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry. As a general term, Native American is often used collectively to refer to the many different tribes of Indigenous Peoples who lived in the Americas long before the arrival of European colonizers. In reality, Native Americans are not a monolith, and they belong to many different tribes with their own cultures and languages. Note the words Native American should always be used together. It’s considered disparaging and offensive to refer to a group of people who are Native American simply as natives.

Another good example of common nouns vs. proper nouns is New York City. When it’s written with a capital C, it’s specifically referring to the area that encompasses the five boroughs. When it’s written with a lowercase c, as in a New York city, it can refer to any large metropolis located anywhere in the state.

DNA isn’t a definition

So, all you need is a DNA test, and your ancestry falls under the definition of Native American, right? Well, that’s complicated.

While the United States Department of Interior has its own rules regarding who qualifies for membership and enrollment in a tribe, the members of the tribes themselves don’t often agree with the government responsible for taking their lands and forcing them to live on reservations in the first place. Nor is there consensus among the more than 574 federally recognized tribal nations in the United States on what DNA results are required to establish heritage.

Both the United Nations and Indigenous Peoples worldwide have denounced certain attempts at tracing human origins through DNA, including the Human Genome Diversity Project.

If you feel that you have proven without a doubt that your lineage is Native American, you’ll have to turn to the individual tribe itself for the official opinion on the matter. And, even with a DNA test, you may find that you may be native American but not necessarily Native American.

What about Indian?

The department of the US federal government that oversees relations with the many Native American tribes is named the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The United States Census uses the term American Indian to refer to a person who identifies themself as a Native American. The term Indian referring to Native Americans has largely fallen out of general usage, and many Native American Peoples consider this term offensive. That being said, there are a significant number of Native American tribes and individuals that use the word Indian or the phrase American Indian to identify themselves.

Even more common, though, is a group using the specific name of their tribe—especially the name used in their own language—to identify themselves. For example, a member of the Navajo tribe may refer to their particular group as Diné.

As is often the case when it comes to language, people often have their own personal choice as to which words they prefer. If you are unsure about what words to use, the best choice is always to ask someone what they prefer.

Native to Alaska

The term Native American is sometimes used to include some Eskimo and Aleut peoples, specifically those whose families are native to the area now known as Alaska. The United States government uses the term Native Alaskan, and many other organizations prefer the term Alaska Native. Eskimo is still used as a self-designation by some people, while others consider it derogatory. Still other peoples will often prefer the specific name for their own people, tribe, or community—typically preferring a word from their own language. As is always the case, it’s best to let the person in question share their preferred terminology.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

19 Rare And Obscure Color Words Unlike Any Others

Do you know all of your colors? No, we aren’t just talking about red and green. We mean color words like quercitron, puce, and dragon’s blood. There are so many unique and fascinating words that describe shades of color in our language. If you stop at the basics, you might just miss out on some of the most vivid and historically interesting shades that exist. Luckily, we’re here to prevent that. To celebrate all of the colors of the rainbow, and then some, we’ve put together a list of rare color words that are unlike any other. Keep reading for 19 obscure color words you may not have heard before.

1. dragon’s blood
This shade of red has a great name, but we’re sorry to disappoint you: it doesn’t actually come from dragons. Dragon’s blood is also sometimes called Pompeian red, and it’s a “dull, grayish red.” The color is associated with the deep-red resin that exudes from the fruit of palms, like the Malaysian palm and the dragon tree. It was first recorded in English in the 1590s.

2. quercitron
Quercitron might sound like a new type of robot technology, but it’s actually a shade of yellow. It’s named for the yellow dye produced by the bark of an oak tree that’s native to eastern North America. The word is a combination of the Latin quercus, or “oak,” and citron, “a grayish-green yellow color.”

3. ultramarine
If you’re imagining ultramarine as “a deep-blue color,” you are correct. In Medieval Latin, from which this word derives, ultramarinus literally means “beyond the sea.” This is because, historically, pigment from the mineral lapis lazuli was needed to make ultramarine dye, and this mineral had to be imported to Europe from Asia. Ultramarine has been in use in English since the late 1500s.

4. annatto
Annatto is a yellowish-red color, named for the dye that can be obtained from the pulp enclosing the seeds of the tree of the same name. This tree is also sometimes called the lipstick tree, and its dye is still used today to color cosmetics, butter, and cheese. The word annatto was borrowed into English from Carib.

5. Tyrian purple
Looking for “a vivid, purplish red”? Tyrian purple is your color. Tyrian purple was highly prized during the Byzantine empire, in part because of how difficult it was to obtain. The base to create this shade of purple had to be obtained from the secretions of a predatory sea snail. The term Tyrian purple has been in use in English since the late 1500s.

6. Mazarine
Mazarine is “a deep, rich blue,” most commonly associated with textiles and ceramics. The word first entered English between 1665 to 1675, but its origins aren’t fully known. The name may be an homage to a famous Italian cardinal, Cardinal Mazarin, who was culturally influential.

7. cerulean
Speaking of shades of blue, what about cerulean? Cerulean is best described as “deep blue; sky blue; azure.” In fact, it comes from the Latin caeruleus, meaning “dark blue.” The word has been in use in English since the mid-1600s, though the artist’s cerulean blue emerged closer to the late 1800s.

8. greige
What do you call “a warm beige color with gray undertones”? Greige, of course. This may sound like a trendy compound word that was invented by HGTV in the 2000s, but the color greige has actually been around for a while. Its name was first recorded in English as early as 1925, and it actually comes from the French grège, meaning “raw,” which was used to describe silk.

9. citreous
If the word citreous gives you visions of lemons and limes, you’re on the right track. This color is “lemon-yellow” or “greenish-yellow.” As you may have guessed, it is closely associated with citrus. In Latin, citreus means “of the citrus tree.” We’ve been using this term in English since at least 1865.

10. ponceau
You might see ponceau during a sunset. It means “a vivid reddish-orange color.” It may also make you think of poppies, as it likely derives from the Old French pouncel, or “poppy.” It was first recorded in English as early as 1825.

11. sepia
If you’ve ever used an Instagram filter, you’re probably familiar with sepia. This “brown, grayish brown, or olive brown” is often used in photography to give photos an old-fashioned vibe. The Latin sēpia, from which this word originates, means “cuttlefish” (and this is the creature that secretes the pigment used to create sepia).

12. gamboge
Gamboge is a “yellow or yellow-orange” color. It’s named for the yellow color of gum resin that comes from a type of tree native to Cambodia. Gamboge comes from Modern Latin cambogium, which is the Latin version of the place name Cambodia. This distinctive color name first appeared in English in the early 1600s.

13. lovat
Lovat doesn’t just describe one color. It means “a grayish blend of colors, especially of green, used in textiles, as for plaids.” First recorded between 1905 and 1910, lovat is likely named after Thomas Alexander Fraser, also known as Lord Lovat, who helped popularize tweeds in muted colors as attire for hunters.

14. smaragdine
If something is “emerald-green in color,” you can call it smaragdine. While this term is more rare, smaragd actually means “emerald” in Middle English. It’s likely that English speakers borrowed the term from the Greek smarágdinos, which was probably itself borrowed from Sanskrit marakata. The term has a long history and was first recorded in English as early as 1350.

15. puce
In French, puce means “flea” or “flea-colored.” In English, it’s most often used to describe “a dark or brownish purple.” Historically, it may also have been associated with the color of the scab or mark that a flea bite leaves behind. In any case, this creepy, crawly color word has existed in English since the 1780s.

16. Viridian
Let’s talk about green things, like Kermit the Frog, grass, or viridian. Viridian is the color of “a long-lasting bluish-green pigment.” Its name comes from the Latin viridi or viridis, which literally means “green.” Viridian entered English in the 1800s.

17. heliotrope
Heliotrope may sound like a chemical compound, but it’s actually a color that comes from a plant. It means “a light tint of purple; reddish lavender,” as found on the flowers of several plants belonging to the genus Heliotropium. These plants turn their leaves to the sun, hence their name, which can be traced to the Greek god Helios, or “sun.”

18. sable
Sable is another word for the color black. Typically it describes something “very dark or black,” that resembles the fur of an actual sable, an Old World weasel-like mammal. Sable entered English in the late 1200s or early 1300s.

19. wheaten
What color is wheaten? It might not surprise you to find out that this color word is pretty literal. It means “of the color of wheat, especially a pale yellow-brown color.” It’s also among the oldest words on our list, appearing in English before the year 900.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Mythic Words From Mythologies Around The World

It’s in human nature to tell stories and in many ways, our stories—our mythologies—work their way into every aspect of our daily lives, from meme culture to the language we speak. You may be familiar with some of the words derived from the names of Greek and Roman gods and characters (herculean, echo, narcissist, to name a few). But some of the words with similar origins are more obscure and may surprise you, and still others are drawn from completely different cultural lineages! Many of our modern words are inspired not only by Greco-Roman mythos but also by West African, Indigenous, Far East Asian, and Nordic folktales, gods, heroes, and legends.

Here’s a closer look at some of our everyday words and the many diverse mythologies that have contributed to their use and interpretation today.

California

While many of us might view the Golden State as the land of sunshine, mild winters, and plenty, this idyllic image of California is first glimpsed in Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo’s novel Las Sergas de Esplandián (“The Adventures of Esplandián”) from the 1500s. At a time when Spanish invasion and exploration of the Americas was at its peak, Las Sergas de Esplandián describes a fictional island ruled by Queen Calafia of the Indies, hence the name “California.” It’s possible Rodríguez de Montalvo derived California from the Arabic khalif or khalifa (a spiritual leader of Islam), or the term Califerne from the 11th-century epic French poem The Song of Roland. When the Spanish first encountered the Baja California peninsula, it was initially believed to be an island and so was dubbed for the fictional island in Rodríguez de Montalvo’s novel. Eventually, this name would apply to the region that we now know as California in the US and Baja California in Mexico today.

chimeric

Chimeric is an adjective used to describe something “imaginary, fanciful” or in the context of biology, chimeric describes an organism “having parts of different origins.” The word chimeric is derived from the name of an ancient Greek monster, the chimera. Typically depicted as a having both a goat and lion head sprouting from its back and a serpent as a tail, the chimera was a terrifying and formidable opponent.

hell

While this word may call to mind Christianity and the realm of demons and condemned souls, hell is also associated with another concept of the underworld. According to Norse mythology, the prominent god Odin appointed the goddess and daughter of Loki, Hel, to preside over the realm of the dead. Hel’s name subsequently became associated as the word for the underworld itself. The word hell entered Old English sometime before the year 900 CE.

hurricane

When a windstorm whips up torrential rains, it can definitely seem like a god’s fury has been called down. This might explain why hurricane is derived from a Taíno storm god, Hurakán. The Taíno were an Indigenous tribe of the Caribbean, so it certainly makes sense that their deities would hold the name now associated with major tropical storms. Working its way from Spanish into English, hurricane was likely first recorded in English around the mid-1500s.

Nike

Typically depicted with wings, Nike was the Greek goddess of victory. Her influence was not limited to athletics, and she could oversee any field from art to music to war. Nike is said to have earned this title as one of the first deities to offer her allegiance to Zeus during the Titanomachy, the great battle between the Titans and gods for Mount Olympus. Of course, with a winning streak like that, it’s no wonder a popular sports apparel company would name itself after her.

plutocracy

Plutocracy means “the rule or power of wealth” or “of the wealthy, particularly a government or state in which the wealthy class rules.” The pluto in plutocracy comes from the Roman god of wealth, Pluto. Often known best by his Greek name, Hades, Pluto also presided over the underworld. Where does the wealth factor in? Precious metals and gems are typically found underground. The word plutocracy was recorded in the English language around 1645–1655.

protean

The adjective protean [ proh-tee-uhn ] describes how something readily assumes different forms, shapes, or characteristics. Something that is protean is “extremely variable.” This word originates from the name of Proteus, a minor Greek sea god who served under Poseidon. Proteus was prophetic and said to be able to gaze into the past, present, and future. However, he was pretty stingy with his knowledge, so most challengers would have to surprise him and wrestle him—while Proteus continually transformed into different (usually dangerous) shapes, such as a lion or a snake! If the challenger held on throughout the transformations, Proteus would answer their question truthfully before jumping back into the sea.

quetzalcoatlus

Quetzalcoatlus is a genus of pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. Its remains were discovered in 1971 in Texas. As a flying dinosaur from the Americas, its name derives from the god Quetzalcóatl, or “the feathered serpent,” in Nahuatl. Often depicted as exactly that (in addition to having incarnations that ranged from axolotls to dogs to corn), Quetzalcóatl was a prominent god of creation and order in the pantheon of the Mexica people. His domain included powerful and sustaining forces such as the sun, the wind, agriculture, wisdom, and writing.

ragnarok

Popping up everywhere from video games to blockbuster movies, the word ragnarok [ rahg-nuh-rok ] just sounds cool. It’s typically used as a synonym for the end of the world—and that’s what it originally referred to. In Norse mythology, this apocalyptic moment will occur when three roosters crow and the monster hound, Garmr, breaks free of his cave. A frightening battle among gods ensues along with natural disasters. The Old Norse word Ragnarǫk that it derives from is a compound of “gods” (ragna) and “fate” (rok).

Subaru

Known in most of the English-speaking world as a popular car manufacturer, Subaru is a Japanese word for the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades, constellation. The Subaru logo even features the six stars visible to the naked eye in the constellation. In 2021, astronomers Ray and Barnaby Norris proposed that the constellation referred to as “Seven Sisters” by various ancient peoples (which today looks like six visible stars) once had a seventh visible star whose light has been swallowed up by the light of another.

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday

If we want an example of mythology rooted in our day-to-day, we needn’t look any further than the days of the week. Initially, Romans named their days of the week after the planets, which included the sun and the moon (Sunday and Monday). As the Roman Empire expanded to include Germanic-speaking peoples, the names of the weekdays were adapted to reflect the names of gods familiar to the local populations.

Today, five out of seven days of the week are linked to the names of mythological gods, four of which are Old Germanic/Norse in origin. Tuesday is rooted in the name of the Norse god of war and justice, Tyr. Wednesday descends from Woden (alternatively, Odin), a widely revered Germanic-Norse god who presided over healing, wisdom, death, war, poetry, and sorcery. Thursday is derived from the thunder god Thor. Finally, Friday owes its name to Frigg, the goddess of marriage, prophecy, clairvoyance, and motherhood. The outlier of the weekday group is Saturday, which traces its name back to Saturn, the Roman god of time, wealth, and renewal.

While scholars are uncertain as to when the Germanic-Norse adaptations of the days of the week were introduced, it is estimated to have occurred between 200-500 CE to predate the spread of Christianity and the final collapse of the Roman Empire.

weird

While weird today generally means “bizarre” or “unusual,” its older use has been to refer to something that is “uncanny” or relating to the supernatural. This links into the original definition of weird, or then wyrd, as being able to control fate or destiny. The Old English derivation of the Germanic word was first recorded before 900 CE as wyrd; then in Middle English as the phrase werde sisters, which referred to the Fates. According to Greek mythology, the three goddesses known as the Fates control the destinies of the lives of man. In the early 1600s, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, used werde sisters to refer to these witches in the play.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Quid” vs. “Pound”: What’s The Difference?

If you aren’t from the United Kingdom, you may be confused by the different words used to refer to money there, including pound and quid.

In this article, we’ll look at the monetary definitions of the words pound and quid, explain the different contexts in which they’re used, and give examples of how they’re used in everyday speech.

Quick summary

A pound is a denomination of UK currency roughly equivalent to the US dollar. Quid is British slang for pound. It’s used in much the same way as buck is used as a slang term for dollar—except that quid is also used for the plural, as in a few quid.

Is a quid a pound? What’s the difference between a quid and a pound?
In the context of money, the word pound is used to refer to a denomination of currency used in the United Kingdom. Known casually as the British pound and officially as the pound sterling, the pound is similar to the US dollar, both in value and in how its name is used.

Based on recent valuation, the pound is worth approximately 1.3 US dollars, but this ratio is highly dependent on fluctuating exchange rates. The pound is produced both in the form of paper bills and metal coins.

The word quid is an informal British slang term for a pound. It is used in much the same way as the slang word buck is used in the US to refer to a dollar. Like buck, quid is used generally to refer to an amount of money rather than a tangible (or transferable) item of currency, so one pound in the form of a paper note, coin, or electronic payment are all referred to as a quid. Unlike buck, the plural form of quid is just quid, as in Can you lend me 20 quid?

As a slang term for the pound, quid has been used since the late 1600s. Although there are many popular theories about how the word quid came to be used in relation to money, the origin of the term is uncertain.

Examples of quid and pound in a sentence

Let’s look at some examples of sentences that use pound and quid.

• I bought the book from a British website, so I had to pay for it in pounds.
• Nate borrowed 10 quid from Lily to buy lunch.
• She found an old pound coin in her backyard that turned out to be worth 100 quid.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Great Britain vs. UK vs. England: Keep Calm And Learn The Difference

If you sail off the coast of northwestern Europe and keep to the east of Ireland, you’ll find yourself in a country rich with history and royal magnificence. But what, exactly, is this country called? England? The United Kingdom? Great Britain? Or just Britain? Are any of these names correct? Are all of them?

In this article, we’ll take a tour of the British Isles and discuss the technical differences between the terms Great Britain, United Kingdom, and England and explain how these terms often overlap with each other in casual use.

Quick summary

The United Kingdom (UK) is a country that consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The name Great Britain refers to the island on which most of the non-sovereign countries of England, Scotland, and Wales are situated. In casual use, the names Great Britain and Britain (and even sometimes England) are often used to refer to the UK even though Northern Ireland isn’t geographically part of the island of Great Britain.

Is the UK a country?

The United Kingdom, officially known as The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a country located off the northwestern coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom is a sovereign nation that exists as a political union between the countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These countries, while they do have their own local governments and autonomy, are not considered sovereign nations. This means that, for example, the government of Scotland cannot negotiate international treaties or declare war.

United Kingdom vs. Great Britain

The United Kingdom, popularly abbreviated as the UK, is a sovereign nation spread across multiple islands on the coast of northwestern Europe.

It consists of the countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain is a large island on which most of England, Scotland, and Wales are located. It is geographically located to the east of the smaller island of Ireland, which consists of Northern Ireland and the separate, independent nation known as the Republic of Ireland. The term Great Britain does not include the Isle of Man or the many smaller islands located nearby that are part of the UK.

In technical language, United Kingdom is a political term while Great Britain is a geographical one. However, these two terms overlap heavily in popular usage. Notably, the term Great Britain is popularly used as a synonym of United Kingdom, meaning Northern Ireland is included.

Britain vs. England

Some people, especially those who live in other countries, may casually use the terms Britain and England interchangeably. The word Britain is often used as a shortened form of Great Britain either to refer geographically to the island or to refer politically to the United Kingdom. Like Great Britain, the word Britain is often used as more than a geographical term.

In addition to being used to refer to the modern UK, the word Britain is commonly used to refer to the historical British Empire. In this context, the name Britain is often used to refer to the nations or political entities that controlled Great Britain throughout British history, some of which also claimed rule over the entirety of the island of Ireland as well.

So, Britain is often used in geographical contexts or to refer to the modern nation of the UK. In most of these uses, England is considered a part of Britain, but the two terms may sometimes be used synonymously in casual use.

UK vs. England

England is one of the four countries, along with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that make up the sovereign nation of the UK. In fact, the union of these nations is what the United in United Kingdom refers to. Geographically, England spans the central and southern parts of Great Britain. Like the other three countries of the UK, England is not a sovereign state and cannot participate in international affairs by itself. Prior to the existence of the UK and the British Empire, England was a sovereign monarchy ruled by the same royal family that continues to act as the constitutional monarchs of the UK today.

The national government of the UK is located in its capital city of London, England, which is likely one of the reasons why England is often conflated with the UK as a whole. While England specifically has had and continues to have significant political influence, it alone doesn’t decide the political actions of the UK. For example, the UK Parliament includes representatives from all four of its constituent countries.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Demigender, Maverique, And Other Gender Terms You May Not Know

The language of queer identity is constantly evolving and expanding, and there will always be new terminology to learn. Pride Month is the perfect opportunity to increase understanding and awareness of the kind of emerging and newly prominent terms that we’re constantly adding to our Gender and Sexuality Dictionary.

Language is an important part of how queer people, and particularly nonbinary and trans people, express and define their experience and who they are, whether it’s through the use of new terms or new applications of existing terms.

Finding or coining the term that precisely reflects personal experience and identity can help a person to feel seen, accepted, or understood. It can be liberating and empowering both individually and in a way that creates community. And learning these terms helps to promote inclusion and respect.
The explanations of the terms provided here are meant to capture the ways that most people use them. But it’s important to note that many of these terms can be and are applied in different—and equally valid—ways, with nuances and interpretations varying from person to person. It’s also important to emphasize that this list is not meant to be exhaustive—it simply covers some of the terms that have become increasingly visible in the discussion of the diverse expanse of gender.

demigender
Demigender is an umbrella term for people who identify partly, but not fully, with a certain gender. The prefix demi- means “half.” People who identify as demigender may use identifying terms like demigirl or demiboy.

Demigender is distinct from bigender, which indicates two genders or a combination of two. The term demigender is sometimes considered to overlap with genderflux, which is used by people who experience a range of intensity within a gender identity.

This means that a genderflux individual may experience the feeling of multiple genders on any given day (or moment). The term gender-fluid is sometimes used synonymously with genderflux.

femme
The word femme, occasionally spelled fem, comes from the French word for “woman.” It was first adopted into English to mean simply “woman” or “wife.” However, by the 1960s, it came to refer to “a lesbian who embraces identity markers that are associated with traditional expressions of femininity.” This sense of femme is often contrasted with butch, “a lesbian who embraces identity markers that are associated with traditional expressions of masculinity.”

Separate from this long-standing sense, the term femme has taken on a broader meaning in recent years. Femme is now also used to mean “any person who adopts a feminine appearance, manner, or persona.” This meaning of femme is inclusive of all genders with a feminine aspect—it may be used by someone who identifies as a trans woman or a demigirl, for example.

xenogender
When it comes to expressions of gender, there are many terms that go “beyond the binary” of masculine and feminine identities. One example is xenogender, an umbrella term for nonbinary genders that do not relate to the categories of “female” or “male.” Such gender identities are often expressed by attaching -gender to a word (often a noun) that’s representative of it, like an animal, concept, or symbol, such as staticgender or sciencegender.

The combining form xeno- means “alien” or “strange,” from the Greek xénos, meaning “stranger, guest.” Xenogender is meant to indicate a person’s sense of their gender as being completely unrelated to typical gender identities. Early uses of the term xenogender are thought to have emerged around 2017, with an increase in use beginning around 2020. Still, awareness of the term is relatively low.

neutrois
Like xenogender, neutrois refers to a gender identity that does not relate to male or female identities. Neutrois people are non-gendered and may transition away from having physical signifiers traditionally associated with gender expression. This is distinct from an androgynous identity, in which a person has “both masucline and feminine gender characteristics.” According to Neutrois Outpost, a website dedicated to neutrois people, the word neutrois was coined by H.A. Burnham in the 1990s. The origin of neutrois is unclear, but it is likely related to the French neutre, meaning “neuter, neither masculine nor feminine,” and trois, “three,” a reference to it representing a third gender.

aporagender
Another nonbinary gender identity is aporagender. Aporagender is distinct from male, female, or any gender along the binary spectrum, but still involves experiencing a strong gender identity. Like xenogender identities, aporagender identities are connected to an identity beyond a binary. This makes aporagender people different from neutrois people in that they have a gender identity.

The word aporagender is thought to have been coined in 2014 by a user of the website Tumblr. The apora- part of the word comes from the Greek apó, meaning “away off, apart,” or “separate.” In other words, aporagender is a “separate gender,” neither male nor female nor anything in between.

maverique
Like aporagender, maverique was coined in 2014 by a Tumblr user, Vesper H., who defines the term on their FAQ page as an “inner conviction regarding a sense of self that is entirely independent of male/masculinity, female/femininity or anything which derives from the two while still being neither without gender, nor of a neutral gender.” In this way, a maverique gender is said to be unique and separate from the gender binary.

The term comes from a combination of the English maverick, referring to someone who is “unorthodox” or “nonconformist,” and the French suffix -ique, meaning “having some characteristics of” or “-like,” similar to the English -ic. Maverique can be pronounced either [ mav-reek ] or [ mav-uh–reek ].

gendervoid
Another set of gender identities that falls under the nonbinary umbrella is gendervoid, referring to the sense that there is “an empty space,” a void, where a gender identity would be. Those who identify as gendervoid may feel unable to experience gender. When describing gender identity, void- can also be used as a prefix, as in voidboy or voidgirl, which are used for a person who identifies with some aspect of masculinity or femininity while also experiencing a gender “void.” The term is sometimes used synonymously with agender, but some make the distinction that agender represents gender neutrality while gendervoid represents a complete lack of gender.

māhū
Within Native Hawaiian and Tahitian cultures, the gender identity said to be between male and female is known as māhū [ ma-hoo ]. Traditionally, māhū people were highly respected in their communities for their knowledge of rituals and healing practices. While historically māhū people have faced marginalization and discrimination, there is growing recognition of them and their contributions to the life and culture of their communities.

hijra
While there is a variety of third genders in many cultures throughout the Indian subcontinent, one of the more common ones is hijra [ hij–ruh ], referring to “a person whose gender identity is neither male nor female, typically a person who was assigned male at birth but whose gender expression is female.” It can also more generally refer to a transgender person.

Members of the hijra community often live apart from other communities. Believed by many Hindus to have particular religious power due to their gender, the hijra are often hired to perform dances and blessings at momentous occasions, such as weddings and births.

fa’afafine and fa’afatama
In Samoan culture, both in Samoa and in Samoan communities around the world, the terms fa’afafine [ fa-af-ah-feen-eh ] and fa’afatama [ fa-af-ah–tah-mah ] are used to refer to those who express both masculine and feminine gender characteristics. Fa’afafine refers to a person assigned male at birth with female characteristics, while fa’afatama refers to a person assigned female at birth with male characteristics. The prefix fa’a- means “in the manner of,” while fafine means “woman” and fatama means “man.”

Fa’afafine and fa’afatama people are particularly noted for their role as a ceremonial host—or taupou—during rituals.

It is important to note that māhū, hijra, fa’afafine, and fa’afatama are connected to specific cultural conceptions of gender and, as such, are not directly analogous to each other or other terms used by transgender people.

These are only a few of the many terms you may encounter in the discussion and expression of gender identity. You can find many more in Gender and Sexuality Dictionary, which it regularly update with new terms and meanings to reflect evolving terminology.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“In Route” or “En Route”: Which One Gets You On Your Way?

Sometimes, we want a more efficient way to say that someone or something is “on the way” or hasn’t yet reached the destination. To do that, we use the phrase en route. Or is it in route? Or maybe on route?

In this article, join us on this journey to find out the correct spelling of the phrase and the reasons why it’s sometimes confused with others.

Quick summary

The common phrase that means “on the way” is en route, as in The shipment is en route to its final destination. Because the en in the phrase can be pronounced as in or a lot like on, people sometimes mistakenly think that the phrase is spelled in route or on route. But the correct spelling is en route.

en route vs. in route

The phrase en route means “on the way.” To say that someone or something is en route means that they are in the process of traveling from one point to another.

For example, you might say We’re en route from the airport to the hotel or It’s unclear whether my package is en route or still at the warehouse. The phrase often indicates that the person or thing en route is actively moving toward its destination, but this is not always the case—it can also generally refer to travel that is in progress somehow (for example, you might say you’re en route to the final destination of your road trip when you’re talking to someone from your hotel halfway there).

Sentences that use en route often also specify where a trip begins and/or ends, often with the use of the prepositions from and to, as in My sister’s plane is en route from London to Paris and should arrive within the hour.

Sometimes, though, en route is used by itself, as in My package was supposed to arrive today, but I guess it’s still en route.

The en in en route is sometimes pronounced as in, leading some to mistakenly think that the phrase is in route. This confusion is likely also influenced by the use of in in similar phrases, like in progress and in transit.

But that’s not the only mistaken spelling.

en route or on route

The phrase en route comes from French. For that reason, the en can be pronounced a lot like on (technically like [ ahn ]), leading some to mistakenly think that the phrase is actually on route.

The confusion may also be due to similar phrases that use on in reference to travel, such as on time or on schedule.

Still, while the pronunciation of en in en route can vary, it’s always spelled en route.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

How To Use “Lay” vs. “Lie” Correctly Every Time

The difference between the verbs lay and lie is one of English’s most confusing questions. Both words involve something or someone in a horizontal position, but where the two words differ has to do with who or what is horizontal—the subject of the verb (the one doing the action) or the direct object (the person or thing being acted upon).

In this article, we’ll break down the difference between lay and lie, including the past tense forms and the phrases lay down, lie down, and laid down.

Quick summary

Lay means to place or put (Lay that here). The word lay is also the past tense form of the sense of lie that means to recline, as in I lay in bed yesterday. Lay down can mean to place down (Lay down your bags), but it can also be the past tense of lie down, as in I lay down for a few hours. A nonstandard but common use of lay is to mean the same thing as the present tense of lie, as in I just want to lay in bed for a few more minutes or I laid down for a few hours. It’s best to avoid this use (and the confusion it can cause) in formal contexts.

Is it lay or lie?

Lay commonly means to put or place someone or something down, as in Lay the bags on the table or I’m going to lay the baby in the crib. It’s a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (I lay the quilt on the couch; I lay the book on the table).

The sense of lie that’s often confused with lay means to be in or get into a reclining position—to recline, as in I just want to lie in bed for a few more minutes. Lie is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object (Don’t just lie there).

Lay is typically used with an object, meaning someone or something is getting laid down by someone. In contrast, lie is something you do yourself without any other recipients of the action.

If you’re the one lying comfortably on your back, you want the verb lie, but if you can replace the verb with place or put (Please place the book on the table), then use the verb lay (Please lay the book on the table).

Though this use is considered nonstandard, lay is commonly used to mean the same thing as this sense of lie, as in I just want to lay in bed for a few more minutes. Although lay and lie are often used interchangeably in casual communication, it’s best to use them in the standard way in more formal contexts.

lay vs. lie in the past tense

The confusion between the two words is largely due to the fact that lay is also the irregular past tense form of this sense of lie, as in I lay in bed yesterday morning wishing I could go back to sleep. (In contrast, when lie is used as a verb meaning to tell an untruth, its past tense is simply lied.) The past tense of lay as in “put or place down” is laid, as in I laid the bags on the table.

The past participle forms of lay and lie (formed with the helping verb have) are also distinct: lay maintains its past form laid, but lie becomes lain, as in I have lain in bed for the past three hours.

The continuous tense (-ing form) of this sense of lie is the same as the untruth sense: lying, as in I am lying in bed right now.

Review all the different verb tenses right here!

lay down or lie down

The “recline” sense of lie is commonly used in the verb phrase lie down, as in I was feeling tired so I decided to lie down. Using the phrase lay down to mean the same thing is considered nonstandard, but it’s also very common.

Lay down is also used as a verb phrase meaning about the same thing as lay, as in You can lay down your bags on the table (or You can lay your bags down on the table).

How to use lay and lie in a sentence

A good way to remember which one to use is to think about whether you could replace the word with put or recline. If you can replace it with put, you want to use lay, as in Please lay (put) the bags on the table. If you could replace the word with recline, you want to use lie, as in I just want to lie (recline) in bed for a few more minutes.

Here are several examples of how to correctly use lay and lie in a sentence, including examples with the past tense of both words and both used in the same sentence.

- I feel like I need to lie down.
- Please lay the groceries on the table.
- I laid all of the ingredients on the kitchen counter last night.
- Last night, I lay awake for hours, unable to sleep.
- I had just lain down to go to sleep when I heard a noise.
- I’m looking for the book that you had laid on the bedside table.
- He said he was just going to lay the blanket on the grass and lie on it for a few minutes, but he lied. After he laid the blanket down, he lay on it for two hours!

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

When To Use “I” Or “Me”

Is it “my friends and I” or “my friends and me”? Both I and me are pronouns. But there’s a clear difference between the two: I is what is known as a subject pronoun, and me is an object pronoun.

So what exactly does that mean?

The difference between I and me
The pronoun I can be used as the subject of a sentence, and me can only be used as the object of one. I can perform an action, while me can only have actions performed upon it.

When to use I
A subject pronoun can replace the noun (person, place, or thing) that’s performing the action (or verb) in any sentence. I is most often used as the subject of a verb. I can do things. You can say things like “I ran” or “I sneezed.” This rules applies when there is more than one noun as the subject. For example: Jennifer and I researched Isabel Allende for class. How do you know whether to use I or me here? First, ignore Jennifer and. Consider each pronoun individually. Is “I researched” or “me researched” correct? The answer is “I researched.” So I is the right pronoun to use in this case.

Traditionally, the use of I is also appropriate when it follows a linking verb like is, was, or were. Linking verbs express a state of being rather than describing an action. They’re usually paired with subject pronouns. Technically, that means saying it is I is correct, but English speakers tend to use it is me informally as well.

Examples of I in a sentence
I fixed the remote control. (subject)
My husband and I checked into the hotel. (subject)
Could I speak to Vanessa? – It is I. (after a linking verb)

When to use me
An object pronoun may replace a sentence’s direct object, indirect object, or the object of the preposition. The object pronoun me is typically used as the direct or indirect object of a sentence. It receives the action of the verb or shows the result of the action. So you shouldn’t really say “Me ran.” You can say “My dog ran to me,” because in this case me is receiving the action of the dog running.

As we’ve already noted, the use of me is also appropriate following a linking verb like is, was, or were.

Examples of me in a sentence
My grandfather bought me a book. (object)
Give me the money. (object)
Albert, is that you? – Yes, it’s me. (after a linking verb)

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Your” vs. “You’re”: How To Choose The Right Word

Did you know English is frequently cited as a very hard language to learn? Hmm, we wonder why?

Well, its difficulty explains the mistakes we all make when speaking. But writing in English has its own unique set of challenges. One of the most common mistakes is telling you’re and your apart.

They look similar, right? Even if they sound the same and look like fraternal twins, they serve two distinct and different purposes.

When to use you’re

Let’s take a look at you’re first.

You’re is a contraction of the phrase you are. Easy enough to remember. Here’s how it looks in a few sentences:

• You’re my best friend!
• I think you’re the perfect match for the job.
• Make sure you’re healthy.

Any of these sentences would read the exact same way if you are replaced you’re.

When to use your

Your is a possessive adjective used to show ownership. It is not a contraction. Your is usually followed by a noun (including gerunds).

Take these sentences, for example:

• Your hair looks great today!
• I wish I had your energy.
• Has all your running around made you tired?

If you added you are in the place of your in these sentences, they would not make sense.

Why isn’t there an apostrophe for the possessive your?

A big reason why people get these confused is the association of apostrophes with possession, such as:

• That is George’s dog.
• Susan’s cake won the baking competition.

And that makes it easy to forget the differences between your and you’re when in the thick of writing. But don’t fret, there are ways to remember whether you need your or you’re.

Tips

Your first line of defense is to stop the mistake before it reaches the page. Identify which of the words has the apostrophe.

Step 2: reread your writing and say “you are” instead of using the contraction. This editing tip will snuff out most misuse of the two words.

Let’s test your new skills. Can you identify if your and you’re are used correctly in these sentences?

• Your so talented at playing you’re piano.
• It’s important you express your emotions.
• Washing your clothes is necessary.

Both your and you’re are incorrectly used in the first sentence; they should be switched. It should look like this instead: You’re so talented at playing your piano. In the second sentence, your is the correct word to use. The third sentence is correct. How did you do?

Thankfully, once you understand the key differences, the correct use of these terms should be the least of your worries. You can move on to other more challenging and frequently mixed-up pairs, like affect vs. effect, complement vs. compliment, or even infamous vs. notorious!

In no time, you’ll have conquered the English language.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Their” vs. “There” vs. “They’re”: Do You Know The Difference?

The trio of their, there, and they’re can flummox writers of all levels. It’s confusing; they are homophones, meaning they have the same pronunciation (sound) but differ in meaning and derivation (origin).

Even though they sound the same, they aren’t spelled the same … cue the noticeable errors! Let’s explore the correct usages of the three.

How do you use their, there, and they’re?

These three words serve many functions.

When to use their

Their is the possessive case of the pronoun they, meaning belonging to them. As in:

• They left their cell phones at home.

Their is generally plural, but it is increasingly accepted in place of the singular his or her after words such as someone:

• Someone left their book on the table.

When to use there

There is an adverb that means in or at that place. In this sense, there is essentially the opposite of here. This is what’s known as an adverb of place, which answers the question where an action is taking place. Many common adverbs end in -ly, like quickly, usually, and completely, but not all adverbs do.

• She is there now.

There is also used as a pronoun introducing the subject of a sentence or clause:

• There is still hope.

When to use they’re

They’re is a contraction of the words they and are.

•They’re mastering the differences between three homophones!

Take a hint from the spelling!

If you find yourself coming up blank when trying to determine which one to use, take a hint from the spelling of each:

• There has the word heir in it, which can act as a reminder that the term indicates possession.
• There has the word here in it. There is the choice when talking about places, whether figurative or literal.
• They’re has an apostrophe, which means it’s the product of two words: they are. If you can substitute they are into your sentence and retain the meaning, then they’re is the correct homophone to use.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Common Grammar Mistakes You May Be Making

It’s no secret that English is a tough and pretty weird language to learn. There are so many grammar rules and exceptions that even the best of us make mistakes every now and then. However, some grammar mistakes are more common than others. In fact, you might be making some simple grammar mistakes without even knowing it. To do our part in helping everybody become a grammar great, we’ve put together a list that will help solve some of the most common grammar mistakes out there. Keep this list handy before you turn in your next paper or hit send on that important email to be the boss!

Mistake 1: who or whom?
Let’s start with a biggie: who and whom are a pair of commonly confused pronouns that are often used to ask questions or refer to unknown people. In short, who is a subject pronoun while whom is an object pronoun. This means that you would use who as you would use I, he, she, and they, and you would use whom in the same places as me, him, them, and us. For example:

Who (subject) ate my lunch?
You went to the beach with whom (object)?
But interrogative sentences often jumble word order around, and many writers hesitate to place the object whom at the beginning of the sentence. Although correct, it just seems odd. For example:

Whom (object) did you (subject) ask questions to?
All of that said, in informal speech and writing, speakers will often opt for who where whom has traditionally been used. To learn much more about the differences between who and whom, check out our guide When Do You Use “Who” vs. “Whom”?

Mistake 2: who or that?
Who is back again to confuse us. Who and that are another pair of pronouns that can be easily mixed up. Generally speaking, who is used to refer to people (and possibly named animals) and that is used to refer to non-living things (and possibly unnamed animals). For example:

Who lives here? (refers to a person or people)
I never want to see that again. (refers to a thing or unnamed animal)
Both who and that can also be used as relative pronouns to introduce relative clauses that describe nouns. As before, who is typically used to refer to people while that is used to refer to objects.

I sat by the girl (person) who was wearing a hat.
Kelly bought a car (object) that has good gas mileage.
That being said, that is often used to describe people in informal writing. For example:

He just met the girl that moved in next door.
Most style guides recommend avoiding using that in this way in formal writing.

Mistake 3: commas—all the commas
We move from the apostrophe to possibly the most dreaded punctuation mark of all: the comma. It is hard to know where to even begin with commas, as they are the source of many, many grammar errors. To really master commas, you are best off checking out our amazing guide to proper comma usage. For now, we’ll just look at a couple of common comma mistakes to avoid:

Common comma mistake: the splice
This mistake occurs when a comma appears where it shouldn’t. When joining two independent clauses, a comma needs to be followed by a conjunction. But using a comma by itself (as in the first sentence below) is considered an error.

Mistake: I like strawberry ice cream, my sister doesn’t.
Fixed: I like strawberry ice cream, but my sister doesn’t.

Common comma mistake: tricky subordinate clauses
Subordinate clauses do not require a comma, and it is considered a mistake to use one.

Mistake: Luke avoids cats, because he is allergic to them.
Fixed: Luke avoids cats because he is allergic to them.

Subordinate clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions, such as because, after, before, since, or although.

Mistake 4: its or it’s?
Only a single apostrophe separates the frustrating duo if its and it’s. The word its is a possessive pronoun that is used like the words my, his, her, and our. The word it’s is a contraction for the phrase “it is” or “it has.” Despite how similar they look, its and it’s have completely different meanings and usage. For example:

The door fell off its (possessive) hinges.
The idea is really bad but it’s (“it is”) the only one we have.
This common mistake likely has to do with the fact that an apostrophe is used to form the possessive of nouns such as Dave’s or Canada’s. As weird as it looks, its is in fact a possessive despite not using an apostrophe.

If you are still a little lost, our thorough guide to its and it’s can provide more assistance in separating these two very similar words.

Mistake 5: their, there, and they’re? (And what about your or you’re?)
Their, there, and they’re are a trio of homophones that frequently get mistaken for one another. However, they all have different, unique meanings. Let’s look at each one.

Their is the possessive form of they, and it can be used in place of either the singular or plural they to express ownership or possession. For example:

The scientists put on their lab coats.
They’re is a contraction of they are and fills in for it to shorten sentences. For example:

Becky and Jayden were supposed to be here already, but they’re (“they are”) late.
There is a word that usually means “that place” as in Tokyo looks so exciting; I wish I could go there. It has a few other meanings, but it isn’t a synonym of either their or they’re.

Your and you’re are another pair of homophones that commonly get mixed up. Like their, your is the possessive form of the singular and plural you. Like they’re, you’re is a contraction that stands for “you are.” Here are examples of how we use these two similar words:

I like your jacket. (possession)
You’re (“you are”) smarter than you think.

Mistake 6: me or I?
At first glance, me and I seem simple enough: I is a subject pronoun and me is an object pronoun. We use I as the subject of sentences/clauses and me as the object. For example:

I (subject) went to sleep.
Erica likes me (object).
However, it can be easy to forget these rules when sentences get more complicated, and it gets harder to figure out if something is a subject or object.

Chris, Daniela, and I (compound subject) played soccer.
Dad sent birthday presents to my sister and me (compound object).
The main source of this confusion might be the word than, which can be used as either a conjunction or a preposition. Because of this, both of the following sentences are correct:

Nobody sings karaoke better than I.
Nobody sings karaoke better than me.

Mistake 7: dangling modifiers
When we use modifiers such as adverbial or participial phrases, we typically want to place them as close to the word they modify as possible. Otherwise, a sentence may end up with a type of mistake called a “dangling modifier.” A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that either appears to modify the wrong things or seems to modify nothing at all. This common grammar mistake can result in confusing or unintentionally funny sentences. To fix these misplaced modifiers, you’ll want to place them close to the word they modify and make it clear which word or part of the sentence they modify. For example:

Mistake: While driving, a bear walked in front of my car. (Is a bear driving something?)
Fixed: While I was driving my car, a bear walked in front of me.

Mistake: Rubbing their hands together, the winter weather was harsh and cold. (Whoever is rubbing their hands is missing.)
Fixed: Rubbing their hands together, the explorers tried to stay warm in the harsh and cold winter weather.

Mistake: Yesterday, I found a stray dog in my underpants. (Was the dog hiding inside your underpants?)
Fixed: While wearing just my underpants, I found a stray dog yesterday.

Mistake 8: pronoun antecedents
When we use pronouns, they must agree in number with their antecedents. The antecedent is the noun that a pronoun is filling in for. It is a mistake to use a plural pronoun with a singular antecedent and a singular pronoun with a plural antecedent. For example:

Mistake: The bees hid in its hive.
Fixed: The bees hid in their hive.

Additionally, we wouldn’t use its to refer to a person, nor would we use personal pronouns to refer to non-living things.

Mistake: The zoo that Amanda owns is having her grand opening tomorrow.
Fixed: The zoo that Amanda owns is having its grand opening tomorrow.

At the same time, it should be clear in a sentence what a pronoun’s antecedent actually is. Avoid making the mistake of having missing or unclear antecedents.

Missing antecedent: I looked everywhere but couldn’t find her. (Who is her?)
Unclear antecedent: The toaster was next to the sink when it broke. (What broke? Does “it” refer to the toaster or the sink?)

To learn a lot more about pronouns and how to use them, check out our great guide to pronouns here.

Mistake 9: semicolons
For many, the semicolon is not a punctuation mark that sees a lot of use, which may explain why people make mistakes when trying to use it. As it turns out, semicolons are fairly simple to use. The main thing to remember when using a semicolon is that the sentence following the semicolon doesn’t begin with a capital letter unless it begins with a proper noun. For example:

I love cats; they are cute and smart.
Jack and Jill went up a hill; Jill made it up first.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

From Trainee To Bias: The Big 16 K-Pop Slang Terms To Know

K-pop is the name of a pop music sensation that originated in South Korea and is sweeping the globe. From its energetic choreography and music to the beauty of its idols, K-pop (or K for Korea combined with pop) has entranced international and Korean fans alike—and chances are you’ve heard it, hummed it, or danced to it. (Did you catch BTS’ “Friends” playing in the Marvel movie Eternals? And who knew Clifford the Dog was also a K-pop stan? At least, his trailer made it seem so.)

Emerging from the 1990s, K-pop has created a unique fandom culture along the way. Fans have indulged fully in this media, creating their own celebrations, traditions, and—of course—slang. All of this can overwhelm the casual listener trying out K-pop sounds, and I have to admit, I once thought this fandom was a little over the top. But I’ve since been won over—after all, being a fan of a group like Red Velvet is no different from being a fan of Ariana Grande.

To get you started, I am providing a short guide to K-pop’s complex terminology. Whether you’re interested in K-pop, saw BTS on the news, or have friends who listen to all of the above, here are a few terms to know.

Please note: these words are used mainly by English-speaking international fans and are found across fan Twitters, Instagrams, TikToks and Tumblrs.

bias
In K-pop slang, a bias is a member in a group that you like or relate to the most. K-pop fans collect merchandise—for example, photocards (more on that later)—of their biases. Fans use this term to learn more about other fans.

Example: Who is your Twice bias? (And you’d answer with your favorite.)

biaswrecker
Although fans have their fundamental biases, it doesn’t mean that a bias is monogamous. Most fans with biases will have their biaswreckers, too. These wreckers are members in a group that make you question who your true bias is.

sasaeng
One group of people widely looked down upon are sasaengs (사생팬) or sasaeng fans. This slang derives from a Korean word (sa for “private” and saeng for “life”) that refers to an obsessive fan who stalks or otherwise violates the privacy of a Korean idol. Sasaengs tend to own fan pages, and some say they operate much like the American tabloids of the 2000s.

comeback
When an idol group releases new music, it’s called a comeback. Comebacks usually take place every few months and include new promotions, hair colors, styles, music, etc. Era is another word used in this fandom to describe a comeback.

Example: Did you hear that BTS are having a comeback in June?

nugu
This word literally means “Who?” in Korean, and is used by fans to describe small and relatively unknown idol groups. A group like IVE would not be described as a nugu (누구) but the girl group Weki Meki would.

visual
In K-pop, there are roles for each idol in a group, including a role as visual. The visual role is assigned by the company to the member or members in a group who best fit a strict Korean beauty standard. Fans also debate who they believe the visual to be in each group. For example, Jin is the official visual of the group BTS, but many consider Taehyung to fit the role. This harsh beauty standard prizes small facial features, cuteness, and specific measurements of the face, body, eyes, and much more.

aegyo
Aegyo (애교) can be used to describe K-pop idols (both male and female) who are acting cute and childlike. Aegyo moves require specific word choices, vocal tones, and both facial and body gestures. Aegyo (often translated as “cuteness”) is usually meant to show a flirtatious side of idols and is also used by the general Korean population.

Example: The judges made Felix do aegyo as a punishment for losing the game.

maknae
Another Korean word that has been adopted into international fan spaces is maknae (막내) or “youngest person.” This slang is used to describe the youngest member of a group. The term maknae, much like visual, is a role a member takes on.

trainee
When an idol is training before they debut, they are considered a trainee. These trainees usually take part in promotions, trying to gain popularity before their debut. Trainees typically are under contract and fulfill years of rigorous training to be able to match the abilities of many idols you see today.

subunit
In some idol groups subunits are formed. These units comprise a few members in a group who create their own music or albums. Some groups, such as LOONA and NCT, use subunits as their concept. This term can also describe two or three members in a group who have a similar skill or talent (like a vocal or dance unit).

antis
Anti or anti-fan is used to describe people who hate an artist or group so much that they seem to follow their activities and content as much or more than a fan would. Some of these antis display sasaeng behavior, dedicating themselves completely to taking down or hate speech idols. These hate campaigns contain criticizing and insulting language. Shockingly, some antis have gone so far as hurting idols in real life.

delulu
This term is short for delusional, and it’s used to mock fans who believe they’ll date, marry, or befriend their favorite idol. The word can describe a fan who devotes an unhealthy amount of time and energy to an idol. You could say becoming a delulu is a first step on the pipeline towards sasaeng and usually includes behavior similar to said sasaeng.

Example: Did you see that guy talking about how he and Nayeon are dating? He’s such a delulu.

solo stan
When a fan of an idol group only stans a single member, they are a self-proclaimed solo stan or are labeled as such by others in the community. A solo stan might hate other members in a group, which is why the term has a negative connotation in the community. The word solo stan also can describe someone who’s a fan of a singular idol (like Sunmi or IU) who does not participate in idol groups.

photocard
Photocards (or pocas or PCs) are typically 3” by 2” pieces of glossy paper photos included in a K-pop albums and prized by fans. They may not sound like much to the average joe, but to the average Jimin fan, these pictures are worth hundreds to thousands of dollars.

the Big 3
In Korea, idols are contracted under companies. The Big 3 describes the main three corporations that famous idols usually sign under. These three companies are HYBE Entertainment (previously known as BigHit Entertainment), with groups like BTS and TXT; SM Entertainment, with groups like Girls Generation and Aespa; and YG Entertainment, producing groups like BLACKPINK and iKON. The Big 3 not only produce idols but also sign and manage actors. JYP Entertainment can also be considered as part of the Big 3 (HYBE is a relative newcomer to the list), leading some to use the term “Big 4.”

netizen
The term netizen does generally mean an internet user, but it’s used in K-pop to refer to Korean fans who are online intensively. These fans or anti-fans are internet sleuths and usually the ones to create scandals and/or help in proving rumors wrong or right about specific idols. Netizens (or also K-netizens) hold power in the idol industry; companies want these internet personas to view their idols in a positive light and do their best to prevent scandals that might mobilize netizens.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

Pronoun Explainer: What Do Ella, Él, And Elle Mean In Pronoun Sets?

If you’ve recently seen pronoun sets like she/her/ella, he/him/él, or they/them/elle, you may be wondering what the third word in each set means.

In familiar pronoun sets like he/him/his, the third word indicates the possessive form. But that’s not the case with él, ella, and elle. Instead, these terms are used by people who speak both English and Spanish as a way to indicate their pronouns in both languages.

What does she/her/ella mean? And he/him/él?
In she/her/ella, the word ella—pronounced [ eh-yah ]—is the Spanish pronoun equivalent to the English she or her (in Spanish, the same word is used regardless of whether it’s the subject or the object).

In he/him/él, él—simply pronounced [ el ]—is the Spanish pronoun equivalent to the English he or him. (It is often spelled without the accent mark.)

Bilingual speakers of English and Spanish frequently use both English and Spanish in everyday life, so indicating their pronouns for both languages makes a lot of sense, especially in contexts where they may be conversing in both languages.

⚡️ What else bilingual pronoun sets show
Informationally, bilingual pronoun sets can do double duty—not only do they indicate a person’s pronouns, they also indicate the two languages that a person speaks. Apart from its practical function, displaying a mixed-language pronoun set can also be a way for a person to express pride in their cultural identity.

What does elle mean in they/them/elle?
In English, pronouns like they and them can be used as singular, gender-neutral pronouns, including by people who identify as nonbinary or whose gender identity exists between or beyond the spectrum of strictly male or female. This is what the pronoun set they/them indicates.

Sometimes, you’ll see the pronoun set they/them/elle.

Because formal, traditional Spanish does not have a gender-neutral, singular pronoun (equivalent to the English they), some Spanish speakers use the neopronoun elle, which some pronounce as [ eh-yeh ].

It’s used to avoid the grammatical gender that’s built into the Spanish language, whose traditional plural equivalents of they are the masculine ellos and the feminine ellas.

Like singular they, elle is also used as a pronoun by some Spanish speakers whose gender identity is not strictly male or female. Some people use the similar neopronoun ellx, which like other terms uses the letter x to create gender-neutrality.

Relatedly, the avoidance of gendered language is also the reason why some people use the term Latinx.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Worse” vs. “Worst”: Get A Better Understanding Of The Difference

The words worse and worst are extremely useful. They are the main and often best way we can indicate that something is, well, more bad or most bad. But because they look and sound so similar, it can be easy to mix them up, especially in certain expressions.

In this article, we’ll break down the difference between worse and worst, explain how they relate to comparative and superlative adjectives (and what those are), and clear up confusion around which word is the correct one to use in some common expressions.

Quick summary

Worse and worst are both forms of the word bad. Worse is what’s called the comparative form, basically meaning “more bad.” Worst is the superlative form, basically meaning “most bad.” Worse is used when making a comparison to only one other thing: Your breath is bad, but mine is worse or The situation was bad and it just got worse. Worst is used in comparisons of more than two things: Yours is bad, mine is worse, but his is the worst or That was the worst meal I’ve ever eaten.

worse vs. worst

Worse and worst are different words, but both are forms of the adjective bad. Worse is the comparative form and worst is the superlative form.

A comparative adjective is typically used to compare two things. For example, My brother is bad at basketball, but honestly I’m worse.

A superlative adjective is used to compare more than two things (as in Out of the five exam I have today, this one is going to be the worst) or state that something is the most extreme out of every possible option (as in That was the worst idea I have ever heard).

Worse and worst are just like the words better and best, which are the comparative and superlative forms of the word good.

In most cases, the comparative form of an adjective is made by either adding -er to the end (faster, smarter, bigger, etc.) or adding the word more or less before it (more impressive, less powerful, etc.).

To form superlatives, it’s most common to add -est to the end of the word (fastest, smartest, biggest, etc.) or add most or least before it (most impressive, least powerful, etc.).

Worse and worst don’t follow these rules, but you can see a remnant of the superlative ending -est at the end of worst and best, which can help you remember that they are superlatives.

Worse is used in the expression from bad to worse, which means that something started bad and has only deteriorated in quality or condition, as in My handwriting has gone from bad to worse since I graduated high school.

Let’s look at some other common questions people have about expressions that use worse or worst.

Is it worse case or worst case?

The phrase worst case is used in the two idiomatic expressions: in the worst case and worst-case scenario. Both of these phrases refer to a situation that is as bad as possible compared to any other possible situation, which is why it uses the superlative form worst.

For example:

- In the worst case, the beams will collapse instantly.
- This isn’t what we expect to happen—it’s just the worst-case scenario.

While it’s possible for the words worse and case to be paired together in a sentence (as in Jacob had a worse case of bronchitis than Melanie did), it’s not a set expression like worst case is.

Is it if worse comes to worst or if worst comes to worst?

There are actually two very similar versions of the expression that means “if the worst possible outcome happens”: if worse comes to worst or if worst comes to worst. However, if worst comes to worst is much more commonly used (even though it arguably makes less sense).

Whatever form is used, the expression is usually accompanied by a proposed solution to the problem. For example:

- If worse comes to worst and every door is locked, we’ll get in by opening a window.
- I’m going to try to make it to the store before the storm starts, but if worst comes to worst, I’ll at least have my umbrella with me.

Examples of worse and worst used in a sentence

Let’s wrap things up by looking at some of the many different ways we can use worse and worst in a sentence.

- I think the pink paint looks worse on the wall than the red paint did.
- Out of all of us, Tom had the worst case of poison ivy.
- Debra Deer had a worse finishing time than Charlie Cheetah, but Sam Sloth had the worst time by far.
- My grades went from bad to worse after I missed a few classes.
- If worst comes to worst and we miss the bus, we’ll just hail a cab.
- It’s possible that the losses could lead to bankruptcy, but the company is doing everything it can to avoid this worst-case scenario.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

How To Write A Professional Email: Tips & Examples

During your professional career, you’ll need to write plenty of emails. While writing an email to a friend is pretty simple, writing an email to your boss or a person you have never met before requires a bit more thought if you want to be professional. Ideally, you want your emails to be clear, concise, and persuasive. If that is your goal, then you’ll get there in no time at all if you follow our tips on crafting professional emails.

What to include in a professional email
When writing an effective email, there are several things that should never be left out. Let’s walk through each major part of an email so you’ll know exactly how to write one.

Subject line
In most email programs, the subject line is entered into the box under the recipient’s email address. Besides your name and email address, the subject line is the first thing someone will see when they receive your email. The subject line should be a short summary of the purpose of your email. Some examples of subject lines include “Plans for Fall Product Lineup,” “Thank You for the Referral,” or “Question About Next Week’s Meeting.”

If you are responding to or forwarding someone else’s email, an email program will typically fill in a subject line for you such as “Re: New Employee Training.” Generally, it is fine to keep these subject lines as doing so will make it easier for the original sender to keep track of potentially long email chains.

Greeting
The greeting is the first line of the email and is a salutation that establishes the tone of your email. Every professional email you send must have a greeting tailored toward the receiver. If you know the receiver’s name and title, you should use it. Avoid referring to anyone as “Mr.” “Mrs.” or “Ms.” unless you already know that person prefers one of those titles. For professional emails, formal greetings such as “Greetings,” “Dear,” or “Good morning/afternoon/evening” are preferred. If you do not know the identity of the person receiving your email, you can exclude a name or use the general greeting of “To Whom It May Concern.” Informal greetings such as “Hi” or “Yo” should be avoided.

Body
The body is the largest part of the email and where your actual message will be. You should begin the body by immediately saying what the purpose of the email is and expressing what you are trying to achieve by sending it. The body of the email should be concise, informative, and straight to the point. You should always be polite and use proper grammar in professional emails. Whether the body is a single sentence or several paragraphs, it should provide all the information a person needs to respond to your needs or take whatever actions you want them to.

Closing
The closing is the last line of the email before your name or signature. A closing is necessary to ensure proper etiquette and not having one is often seen as rude or inconsiderate. The closing can be very short and use formal words like “Best” or “Thank you.” The closing can also include a restatement of the main topic or a repeat of a request, such as “I look forward to hearing back from you regarding my proposal. Thank you!”

What not to include in a professional email
Now that we’ve looked at what should be in your emails, let’s take a look at what you should leave out if you want to come across as a professional.

Decorative or distracting fonts
Professional emails should use traditional fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, or whatever font the email program uses as a standard. Decorative fonts such as Comic Sans are distracting and inappropriate, so they should not be used in your professional emails.

Excessive punctuation
Punctuation should follow the rules of proper grammar. It is fine to use question marks, commas, quotation marks, colons, and semicolons as long as you know how to properly use them. Exclamation points should be used sparingly, usually only in the closing or to emphasize a need for immediate action. Excessive, unnecessary use of punctuation is distracting and will make your email look unprofessional.

Emoticons
Unless you are emailing someone you have a friendly, informal relationship with, your email should not include emoji, emoticons, gifs, or memes. All of these things are distracting and typically seen as unprofessional, so you should not use them in an email that is supposed to be professional.

Tips for writing a professional email
We’ve covered everything that needs to go in an email and what should stay on the cutting room floor. Next, let’s review some general tips that will improve all of the emails you’ll need to write.

Be concise
A professional email should be short and to the point. At the same time, you should still use complete sentences and proper grammar. Avoid going on tangents or telling long stories in emails. Each sentence should have a purpose and should provide information that the receiver needs to respond or perform whatever action you need them to take. Avoid asking many questions or making several requests if possible. You can use followup emails to make further requests or ask additional questions if you need to.

Convey a clear purpose
A professional email should get straight to the point. Avoid wasting a person’s time by burying your main point deep in the body of an email. The very first line of the body should clearly state what the purpose of the email is and what action you want the receiver to take. The subject line should also establish the purpose of the email. The rest of the email should support the main point by including necessary information or important details that the receiver needs to be aware of.

Proofread using Grammar Coach™
A professional email should have proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. To that end, you should thoroughly proofread your emails for any errors. To ensure that all of your emails are perfect, you can use our fantastic Grammar Coach™ that will review all of your emails for common errors and grammar mistakes. With Grammar Coach™ at your side, your emails will be error-free and have an air of professionalism that cannot be matched!

Examples of professional emails
Let’s finish things off by bringing it all together and taking a look at some different types of emails that effectively use all of our tips and advice.

Example #1: Relationship building
The following example shows how you could write an email with the intent of trying to establish a relationship with someone in order to add them to your growing network of professional contacts:

Subject: Fantastic Lecture

Dear Dr. Smith,

I attended your Wednesday lecture on ancient Roman military tactics, and I wanted to express my gratitude for you coming to speak to our university. The lecture was extremely informative and your theories on Julius Caesar’s troop movements were something I had never considered. I am writing a dissertation on Caesar’s campaigns during the Gallic Wars, and your ideas have inspired me to view Caesar’s decisions from a new perspective. I plan on attending your upcoming lecture on the Punic Wars, and I know it will be just as illuminating. I look forward to hearing your views on the Roman war strategy!

Thank you once again,
Jane Doe

Example #2: Referral requests
When seeking a new career opportunity, having a referral or two will often give you a major advantage when it comes to submitting a job application. When asking another person for a referral via email, it is important to be polite and accommodating. The following example shows how you might ask for a referral through email:

Subject: Referral Request – Zachary Adams

Dear Professor Delgado,

I hope you are well and wanted to thank you again for the instruction and guidance during my time at East Virginia University. I am applying for a position at the Research Institute Laboratories and was wondering if you would be willing to provide me with a referral.

The position requires many of the same skills and lab work I performed during my time under your tutelage. Thanks to your instruction, I was able to excel in my studies and gain crucial experience using a nuclear fusion reactor. Due to your expertise and renown in the field, I know your referral would greatly improve my application.

Thank you for considering my inquiry. I have attached a copy of my cover letter, resume, and the job posting for your review. Please let me know if you need anything else from me as you consider my request.

Sincerely,
Zachary Adams
zadams@fakemail.abc
(123) 456-7890

Example #3: Resignation
When leaving a job, you’ll need to submit a resignation letter. Your resignation email should be courteous and professional–even if you are looking forward to leaving your job. You never know if you might need to contact your former company for referrals or references, so it is important to remain professional and cordial even in your letter of resignation. The following example shows one possible approach you could take in your resignation email:

Subject: Resignation – Laura Nores

Dear Mrs. Smith,

This email is my formal notification that I am resigning from my position as Head Marketing Consultant at Boxmart. My final day of employment will be April 1.

I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to lead the marketing department at Boxmart for the past seven years. I’ve learned a lot about developing marketing campaigns and conducting demographic research during my time with the company. I’ve enjoyed being a member of the Boxmart team and appreciated the opportunities I’ve had to make the Boxmart brand a household name in the minds of customers worldwide. I will take everything I learned with me as I continue in my marketing career.

During my final weeks with the company, I will ensure my team is prepared for the transition and will complete any outstanding responsibilities I have as Head Marketing Consultant. Please let me know if there is anything I need to do to assist in the transition.

I hope Boxmart continues to be a market leader and that we remain in contact in the future.

Best,
Laura Nores

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Learnt” vs. “Learned”: Learn The Difference

We use past tense verb forms like burnt and slept all the time. But what about learnt? Is it a word? Does it mean the same thing as learned? And why do some verbs form their past tense by adding a -t at the end?

In this article, you’ll get the answers to these questions and learn all you need to know about learnt and learned.

Quick summary

Both learned and learnt are correct forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb learn. Of the two, learned is far more commonly used in American English. Learnt is used in British English and some other varieties.

Is it learned or learnt?

Both learned and learnt can be used as the past tense and past participle forms of the verb learn. In both cases, they can be used interchangeably (though frequency of use varies widely depending on the variety of English).

Here’s an example of learned and learnt being used in the past tense: I learned/learnt how to ride a bike when I was seven years old.

A past participle form of a verb can be used to form the present perfect verb tense (have learned/learnt) or the past perfect verb tense (had learned/learnt) or, sometimes, as an adjective.

Here’s an example of learned and learnt being used in present perfect form: I have learned/learnt many things from you.

And here’s an example in past participle form: I knew which berries were toxic because I had learned/learnt to identify them at camp.

learned and learnt as adjectives

When the past participle form learned is used as an adjective, it can be pronounced [ lur-nid ], as in a learned scholar, or [ lurnd ], as in learned behavior. It’s much less common for learnt to be used as an adjective, but when it is, it’s typically used in the same way as the second example above (in phrases like learnt behavior, for example).

Is learnt regular or irregular?

The past tense and past participle of most verbs are formed by adding -ed or -d to the end of the root form of the verb—as is done when forming learned from learn. Verbs whose past and past participles follow this general rule are called regular verbs, whereas verbs that don’t act this way are called irregular verbs.

Though some consider learnt to be an irregular form, adding -t to form the past tense or past participle follows the same pattern as adding -ed—without the more drastic spelling changes seen in irregular verbs, such as when catch changes to caught.

But learnt isn’t the only verb that ends this way.

Examples of -t in past tense and past participle forms

The use of -t when forming past tense or past participle is thought to be influenced in part by speech patterns (meaning that, in some cases, the dominant form likely emerges simply because it’s easier to say).

Some verbs that add a -t instead of -ed or -d add it directly to the end of the word without any other spelling change.

Examples: dream becomes dreamt; burn becomes burnt.

Sometimes, though, the spelling and vowel sound in the middle of the word can change along with the ending.

Examples: feel becomes felt; sleep becomes slept

Some verbs only use the -t form in their past and past participle forms.

Examples: creep becomes crept; sleep becomes slept; weep becomes wept; keep becomes kept

Note that some -ed forms, such as sleeped and keeped, are never used and are considered incorrect.

In other cases, both the -ed and -t forms of a verb are used.

Examples: learned and learnt; dreamed and dreamt; burned and burnt; kneeled and knelt; smelled and smelt

Sometimes, both forms are used with relatively similar frequency, as in the case of burned and burnt. In other cases, one of the two forms may be much less commonly used than the other. For example, kneeled is much less commonly used than knelt, and learnt is much less commonly used than learned (particularly in American English).

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

“Brake” vs. “Break”: Halt Everything And Learn The Difference

Let’s hit the brakes and take a quick break to break down the difference between brake and break. We’ll answer all your questions, including:

- Did we just use all of those words correctly?
- What’s the difference between break and brake?
- Is it break down or brake down?
- Is it a break pedal or a brake pedal?

In this article, we’ll cover multiple meanings of these two words, including their most common uses as both verbs and nouns as well as their use in several common phrases.

Quick summary

The verb break is the one used in the context of something being broken or divided into pieces or fragments. It’s also commonly used to refer to a rest period, which is the sense used in the phrase take a break. The noun brake is the one that refers to the device used to slow down vehicles like cars (in which it’s called the brake pedal) and bikes. As a verb, it means to use a brake to slow down or stop.

break vs. brake

The word break has many, many different meanings as both a noun and a verb. As a verb, break commonly means “to become or cause to be broken” (as in Please don’t break that lamp) or “to become or cause to be divided into pieces or fragments” (as in I’ll break it into two pieces so you can each have one).

Break is an irregular verb: the past tense is broke and the past participle is broken. The continuous form is breaking.

As a noun, break can refer to an instance of something being broken (as in Luckily it was a clean break) or the spot at which it has been broken (as in You can see the break in the glass right there). It also commonly refers to a pause from working or exertion (as in It’s almost time for a break). It has many other meanings, including the ones used in expressions like Make a break for it! and This is your big break!

The word brake can also be used as a noun or a verb, but both usually relate to the same thing: slowing down or stopping a vehicle or a machine. The noun brake refers to the device that’s used to do this. In cars, this is sometimes called the brake pedal. In this sense, brake is often used in the plural, as in Hit the brakes! As a verb, brake most often means to slow or stop something using brakes, as in You should brake when you’re going down the hill.

The past tense and past participle of brake is braked and the continuous form is braking.

Looking for more? Review all the verb tenses here.

The word break is used in many different common phrases such as break down, break off, break up, break in, and break out (and related noun phrases like breakdown and outbreak). The word brake is often used in figurative expressions related to slowing down or stopping something, as in Let’s hit the brakes for a moment and think about this.

While break and brake aren’t commonly used in the same contexts, things could possibly get confusing when dealing with mechanical failures, such as when a vehicle’s brakes happen to … break.

Take a brake? Or break?

The commonly used phrase meaning “to take a pause from doing something” is take a break. This idiomatic expression uses the sense of break meaning “a brief rest.” This same sense is used in common phrases such as lunch break, coffee break, and snack break.

breaking vs. braking

Breaking is the continuous form of all of the many different senses of the verb break, including both literal ones (as in I keep breaking dishes) and more figurative ones (as in They’re breaking the rules).

Braking is the continuous form of brake, as in You should be braking when you round the curves or Engineers are trained to start braking the train well before it reaches the station.

Examples of brake and break used in a sentence

Let’s break things down by looking at different examples of how we use break and brake in a sentence.

- I used the hammer carefully so that I wouldn’t break the window.
- The water was rushing in through the break in the wall.
- He managed to brake the truck just in time.
- The mechanic fixed a small flaw in the roller coaster’s brakes.
- She didn’t intend to break the rules—she just needed to take a break. So let’s hit the brakes on any punishment.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.

9 Skillful Ways To Answer: “What Are You Doing With Your Future?”

“What do you plan to do with your life?” It’s one of those big, intimidating questions that people tend to ask all the time when they find out you’re graduating high school or college. One minute you’re eating a piece of graduation cake and enjoying the relief of having no homework, and then suddenly all of your relatives are staring at you, waiting for you to walk them point-by-point through a map of the next five years.

When you’re in this situation, it might be tempting to scream and run away as soon as they ask the question. Unfortunately, that kind of behavior is generally frowned upon. But there are ways to answer the question that take some of the pressure off of you, make the situation less awkward, and help you navigate the conversation with ease. Here are nine different approaches you can take when someone asks what you’re doing with your future.

1. Shorten the time frame.
You may not have your long-term future mapped out (you aren’t alone!), but you might have plans coming up this summer or even just for the next semester. Talk about those more immediate plans instead. When people ask what you’re up to after graduation, they generally just want to know what the next step is. It’s totally okay to limit your answer to the next few months. Try an answer like:

- I’m going camping with some friends this summer before I start my job search.
- I’m finishing up my prerequisites at the community college while I decide on a university.

2. Talk about your passions.
You don’t have to focus solely on accomplishments, job offers, or acceptance letters when someone asks about the future. Instead, talk about what you’re passionate about and the kinds of work or study you’d like to do in the following years. Try a phrase like:

- I’m really interested in [subject], so I’m considering options related to that.
- I know someone who works in [career field], and I really want to learn more about it.

3. Share the one thing you’re most excited about.
If you got an exciting new job or acceptance into a dream school, that’s a great thing to share. If you’re still working towards your big goals, talk about something coming up on the horizon of your life that makes you really excited. Maybe it’s a trip you’re taking, a summer internship, tours of different schools, or even some interviews with various companies that you’re really interested in. Allow others to share in the excitement!

4. Ask for advice.
Graduation is the start of a new chapter in life, and everyone who’s gone through that transition had to make important decisions about the future. When someone asks about your future, try asking them how they handled some of those big decisions. People love to talk about their own lives and offer advice. They might even have good suggestions on different steps to take that you hadn’t thought about yet. Say:

- I’m still deciding on my next step. What did you do when you were my age?
- I have two options I’m really excited about. Which one would you pick?

5. Use humor.
Let’s be honest: this is a tricky question to answer, and it can make you feel like you’re being put on the spot. If it makes you more comfortable, lighten the mood by injecting some humor into the conversation. Humor can be a great way to deflect when you feel like someone is judging your responses, and it’s also an easy way to change the subject if you’d rather avoid the topic entirely. Try something like:

- Well, my first commitment is catching up on all the TV shows I missed this semester. What about you?
- You mean to tell me there’s more work after graduation?

6. Focus on mental health.
It’s normal to need some breathing room between big life changes, especially when a part of your academic life took place during a pandemic! If you’re taking some time off, using the next few months to relax and regroup, or just taking your time while you consider different options, it’s OK to say that. It can be as simple as:

- Finishing school took a lot of work, so I’m taking some time to consider my next steps.
- I’m taking some time off to reset, so I’m fresh for my next opportunities.

7. Turn the question around.
If being asked about your future feels like an interrogation, invite the other person to share their future plans as well. Making the question more conversational can help ease any tension you might feel or even change the subject if that’s what you’re aiming for. When there’s more of a back-and-forth happening, it won’t feel so much like you’re sitting in the hot seat. You could say:

- I have a few trips lined up and then I’m thinking about doing [x]. What do you have coming up this year?
- I’m thinking about [X], but haven’t decided. What have you been up to?

8. Talk about the big picture.
You may not know exactly what you want to do next, but you likely have some ideas about what you want your life to look like in the future. Go big! Talk about your overarching goals and what really makes you tick. You’re working towards something, even if you don’t know every single step along the path yet. You might say something like:

- I’d like to work towards a career in publishing.
- I want to open my own business one day, so I’m hoping to major in business management or economics.
- I’m really focused on trying new things and honing in on the right career for myself.

9. Challenge expectations.
When people ask you about the future, they’re often expecting you to brag about a new job or school you’ll be attending, but jobs and school aren’t the only things you’re allowed to be proud of. Maybe you’re prioritizing volunteer opportunities, personal enrichment, time with family and friends, or even just the freedom of having finally graduated. You get to decide what to focus on when you answer this question, even if it doesn’t follow the typical script. Take advantage of that and steer the conversation towards what makes you tick.

- School kept me so busy that I’m really looking forward to spending time with my friends and family over the next few months.
- I’m planning on grad school later on, but in the meantime I’m spending a lot of time volunteering with [organization].
- I haven’t made a final decision about work yet, but I’m really excited to figure out what’s next.

© 2025, Aakkhra, All rights reserved.