Grammar Tip of the Day 9/26  “A lot” is always 2 words like “a little” or “a few” or “a bunch”.

Grammar Tip of the Day  “Another” is only one word, always.  Unlike “a lot” in which you could insert the word “whole” in between making “a whole lot,” saying or writing “a whole nother” makes no sense because “nother” is not a word.

Grammar Tip of the Day  Accept means to “agree to something” or to “receive something”.  I accept the award for best grammar student.  Except is pronounced the same but it means “excluding” or “but”.  Everyone except Frank went to the high school dance.

Grammar Tip of the Day  Advice= a suggestion or an idea given to someone  Paul gave his son good advice regarding dating.  Advise means to give advice.  Paul advised his son about dating.

Grammar Tip of the Day  Affect= verb, influence  The low pressure front severely affected the temperature.  Effect= noun, result of an action or influence  The effect of the low pressure front was a decrease in temperature.

Grammar Tip of the Day  All ready = 2 words, meaning “all set” or “all prepared”  The team was all ready to depart when the bus driver announced the bus had a flat tire.  Already = 1 word, meaning “previously”  The team had already been running late.

Grammar Tip of the Day  All right = 2 words, meaning “okay”  Is everything all right?  Alright = incorrect spelling of “all right,” no correct usage. Like misspelling “alot", writing alright as one word is a sign of poor grammar.

Grammar Tip of the Day  Altogether = entirely  She was altogether flustered by the boy’s flirting.  All together = as a group  As a family, we usually travel all together.

Grammar Tip of the Day  Among= like “between” but used with a group of 3 or more  The gang started fighting among themselves.  Between = used with 2 people only  Let’s keep the secret between you and me.

Grammar Tip of the Day  “ At” should never end a sentence. It is not necessary.  “Where’d you buy those jeans?” Not, “Where’d you buy those jeans at?”  “Where are you?” not “Where are you at?”

Grammar Tip of the Day  Ate = past tense of “eat”  Eaten= past participle of “eat” used with “have, has, or had”  I shouldn’t have eaten that burrito.  Have you ever eaten at Applebees?  She hasn’t eaten a thing since Saturday.  He only had dessert because he had already eaten.