One of the most famous and oldest idioms in the English language is, “when the cat’s away, the mice will play.” This phrase/sentence indicates when someone, usually an authoritative person, isn’t around, the people left to themselves do things they may not approve of. However, this isn’t something that becomes part of a sentence. […]

  When you want to be clever with a little bit of sarcasm in the event of someone arriving late, you’ll use “that ship has sailed.” While it isn’t appropriate for every situation of lateness or being tardy, it is ideal for particular instances where someone comes to an idea, opportunity, or conclusion way after

  To use the phrase, “head in the sand,” will often reference someone’s lack of courage in the face of adversity. Coming from the ancient observation of ostriches, it means that someone refuses to accept the reality happening right in front of them. “Head in the sand” is a metaphoric way to iterate the cowardice

  Ever hang out with two friends and you feel a little awkward because you aren’t engaged with them in the same ways as they are with each other? A typical way to say this is by using the phrase, “third wheel.” The idea of a “third wheel” references transportation and movement in regards to

  “That’s a wrap” is an idiom used to indicate and announce the completion of something. You often hear it in the entertainment industry. It’s a famous phrase started in Hollywood to denote that the recording of a movie is now over. But, it’s also ideal for other professional situations such as meetings, photoshoots, and

  Here’s the truth about “woken up,” “waken up” and “woke up:” they are all interchangeable past tense forms of “to wake.” The past participle of “to wake up” is “woken up,” but so is “waken up,” you will simply add an –ed. The simple past tense is “woke up.”  The difference is in dialect

  “Do you mind” is an inquisitive way to get another person’s permission. The intention behind using it can have positive or negative connotations. The tone and inflection are evident in how a person chooses to deliver it. While it’s not a difficult thing to learn, there is a nuance for it to be appropriate

  When you say, “the meeting is brought forward,” you are bringing the date and/or time sooner than initially planned. To use “the meeting is pushed back,” you are extending the date and/or time later than initially planned. The difference is a matter of time. Forward means sooner and back means later. So, in the

  “Research,” as a noun, is a plural and singular word. It doesn’t require the same treatment as other nouns to indicate more than one. This is because you can’t put a number on “research” and have it make sense. However, you can add the –es and have it be structurally correct but incorrect in

  Both of the words overnight and over night are correct uses for the phrase, but depending on what the intent is will depend on which version to use. There are many different ways to use both phrases and both are quite commonly found throughout the English language.  Continue reading on to learn more about