Checking your reflexive pronouns yourself
The reflexive pronouns are:
myself
yourself
himself/herself/itself
ourselves
yourselves
themselves.
themself, ourself, theirselves, or hisself are not words
Never use a -self word in the same sentence as a reflexive pronoun.
You can read more details from Everything Language and Grammar here and here.
Did you graduate from high school?
John graduated.
Jane graduated from Central High School. [the word from is required here]
Central High School graduated 500 students this year.
Click here to read the Grammar Girl rant on this topic.
Ordinal numbers (first, not firstly)
Cardinal numbers are one, two, three, etc.
Ordinal numbers are first, second, third, etc.
Do not add -ly to ordinal numbers!
For more details, see this posting in Everything Language and Gramar.
Don’t follow these and those with “ones”
these – a reference to objects that are near
those – a reference to objects that are far
Never follow these words with the word ones!
For a more detailed explanation, visit Everything Language and Grammar.
Don’t give me any of that jive
to gibe – to tease
to not jibe – to not agree
to jive – to deceive
I referenced this interesting site.
The kind of noun is important
Be sure to match these word with a singular noun:
kind of, type of, sort of.
Match these word with a plural noun:
kinds of, types of, sorts of.
For further explanation, see Everything Language and Grammar.
I have bought them there before
buy means to purchase
I buy groceries after work.
I bought the book last week.
I have bought many garden tools.
Never use boughten.
For further explanation, see Everything Language and Grammar
It has been prophesied
prophecy is a noun meaning a prediction
prophesy is a verb meaning to predict
It is conjugated as follows:
I prophesy (He prophesies)
I prophesied
I will prophesy
I have prophesied
I had prophesied
I will have prophesied
I would prophesy
I would have prophesied
I am prophesying
I have prophesied
Such a sneaky verb
to sneak means to go stealthily
I sneak
He sneaks
I sneaked
I have sneaked
I am sneaking
Though “snuck” is widely used, it is not proper English.
He was defnitely defiant
definitely means without question
defiantly means in a defiant manner