Published on
May 26, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 27, 2025
A compound word includes two (and sometimes three) words that function as a single word with a specific meaning. There are three types of compound words in English:
Open (e.g., โline dancingโ and โsoap operaโ)
Hyphenated (e.g., โmind-blowingโ and โdouble-checkโ)
Closed (e.g., โsunglassesโ and โwildflowerโ)
Compound words are some of the most fun and interesting words in the English language. But how do you remember when to use spaces, hyphens, or one word?
The lists and examples below show the correct format for 150+ compound words. To continue practicing compound words, follow the links at the end of this article to print or download QuillBotโs free compound words worksheet and compound words list.
QuillBotโs free Grammar Checker can also show you how to format compound words in virtually any piece of writing.
Compound words examplesThe jigsawย puzzle has 1000 pieces and a close-up picture of a hummingbird.
The guests at the sleepover devoured all of the popcorn, hot dogs, and ice cream.
The main character in Overboardfaces a major setback after a shipwreck.
NoteMany of the newest words in major dictionaries are compound words (e.g., โstreet corn,โ โjam band,โ and โfreestyleโ). As language evolves, dictionaries add new words at least once a year. For example, when words like โgift cardโ became more common, they became official words in dictionaries.
Published on
May 20, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
December 31, 2025
One of the most important aspects of effective writing is using different types of sentences. Sentence variety keeps readers engaged and helps you communicate your ideas precisely.
In English writing, eight types of sentences are possible. There are four types of sentences by structure (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex) and four types of sentences by function (declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory).
Whether youโre working on essays, cover letters, or personal correspondence, the tips and examples below will help you use all eight of these sentence types effectively and correctly. No matter what types of sentences youโre using, QuillBotโs free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
NoteEach sentence has one of the four possible structures and one of the four possible functions. For example, a simple sentence can be declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory. An imperative sentence can be simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.
The word between is a preposition that can indicate locations (i.e., as a preposition of place), times, and amounts, as well as relationships or involvement.
Between examples in a sentenceThereโs a drugstore between the cafรฉ and the burger place.
Theyโre building a high-speed rail link between the two cities.
Weโre closed between 12 and 1 p.m.
Thereโs a flat rate for shipments that weigh between 20 and 50 pounds.
The goal is to build new partnerships between the university and local businesses.
TipQuillBotโs free Grammar Checker will help you to use โbetweenโ correctly in your writing and distinguish it from in between.
Published on
May 14, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA.
Revised on
November 27, 2025
The prepositionamong can indicate a location โsurrounded byโ other people or things or refer to inclusion in a particular group or category.
Among examples in a sentenceThey think the ballโs somewhere among those trees.
We lost sight of him among the crowd.
Sheโs among the best young tennis players in the country.
Heโs very well-liked among customers.
TipQuillBotโs free Grammar Checker will help you use โamongโ correctly in your writing and differentiate it from โamongstโ and โbetween.โ
Published on
May 12, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 27, 2025
Contractions are words in English grammar that are usually shortened versions of two-word pairs (e.g., โcouldโveโ for โcould haveโ). Each contraction has an apostrophe (โ) to indicate where one or more letters have been omitted (e.g., โhโ and โaโ in โcouldโveโ).
Contractions in writing save space and create an informal, conversational tone. For some academic writing assignments (e.g., essays and dissertations), theyโre too informal (depending on the guidelines youโre following). In workplace writing, theyโre usually perfectly acceptable.
Contractions examplesAndrew couldnโt find his blue rain jacket anywhere. (could not)
Sarahโs working a night shift, and Devinโs staying home. (Sarah is and Devin is)
The musician whoโs headlining the festival won a Grammy. (who is)
I wish we wouldโve visited the aquarium when we were in Monterey. (would have)
TipMistakes like missing apostrophes are common with contractions, but QuillBotโs free Grammar Checker can help you get them right. It will instantly show you which contractions are incorrect and how you can fix them.
Published on
April 21, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 11, 2025
The genitive case in English is a grammatical form for nouns, determiners, and pronouns that have a possessive relationship with another noun. For example, the genitive case of โAvaโ is โAvaโsโ in the phrase โAvaโs car,โ which shows that Ava owns the car. The possession can be literal or metaphorical (e.g., โour friendโ or โthe apartmentโs balconyโ).
English nouns in the genitive case have apostrophes (e.g., โMollyโs guitarโ). Genitive case also includes possessive determiners (e.g., โher guitarโ) and possessive pronouns (e.g., โThe guitar is hersโ).
Genitive case examples
Possessive nouns
Possessive determiners
Possessive pronouns
The mayorโsEarth Day speech inspired us to plant a garden.
The apartment above the bookstore used to be ours.
Dianaโs backyard has a 300-year-old tree.
The iced mocha latte boosted her energy.
Aaliya just left, so this jacket must be hers.
All of my friendsโ dogs are sweet and lovable.
Jude and Tracey are super busy because their kids all play sports.
The artists said that those designs are theirs.
You can also use a noun phrase with โofโ to show a possessive (or similar) relationship. For example, in โThe balcony of the apartment was full of plants,โ the balcony โbelongs toโ (or is part of) the apartment.
The following tips and examples show when the genitive case is necessary and how to use the different versions of the genitive case correctly.
NoteThe other two cases in English are nominative case (e.g., โIโ and โtheyโ) and objective case (e.g., โmeโ and โthemโ). All three cases affect the spelling of pronouns. However, only genitive case affects nouns.
Published on
April 15, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 11, 2025
In some languages, the accusative case is a grammatical case for the direct object of a verb. For example, in โI made two pizzas and baked them in the oven,โ the pronoun โthemโ is the direct object of the verb โbaked.โ In English, the grammatical case for direct objects (as well as indirect objects and objects of prepositions) is called the objective case.
The term โaccusative caseโ isnโt common in English because its three grammatical cases are nominative, genitive, and objective. In other languages (e.g., German and Russian), the accusative case is for direct objects, and the dative case is for indirect objects. In English, direct objects and indirect objects are both part of the objective case.
Learning about the objective case helps with correct pronoun usage. When a pronoun is a direct object, it must be an objective case pronoun (e.g., โherโ or โmeโ). Nominative case pronouns (e.g., โsheโ or โIโ) are not correct for direct objects.
Accusative case examplesJason invited us to Hawaii.
Published on
April 15, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 11, 2025
The dative case is the grammatical case for an indirect objectโa noun or pronoun that receives a direct object. For example, in โSally baked us a cake,โ the indirect object โusโ receives the direct object โcake.โ
The term โdative caseโ isnโt a common grammar term in English because the three cases in English are nominative, genitive, and objective. The objective case in English includes the accusative caseanddative case, which are different in some languages (e.g., Latin and German), but not English.
Learning about the objective case helps you use pronouns correctly. When a pronoun is an indirect object (dative case), a direct object (accusative case), or the object of a preposition, it must be one of the objective case pronouns (e.g., โthemโ or โthemselvesโ). Nominative case pronouns (e.g., โtheyโ) are not correct in the objective case.
Dative case examplesPedro wrote Summer a note.
The realtor showed us three houses.
The bank loaned themmoney for a car.
Kamalโs parents threw him a huge party on his birthday.
