Found 101 articles starting with L:

L'esprit de l'escalier - vocabulary

This French term describes the predicament everyone has experienced: thinking of the ideal comeback after the moment has passed, indeed, after it’s too late. The term literally translates to “stairway wit,” that is, thinking of the perfect retort whi...

Labelled vs. Labeled

Labelled vs. LabeledRules of past simple tense formation of regular verbs are quite simple and easy to remember...

labor - correct spelling

labor - verb, noun, and adjective
Example: We must labor for long hours if we want to win. ...

Labor vs. Labour

Labor” and “labuor” are quite contested and controversy, as some English users believe that one of them is a misspelling, while others believe that one is an older version, out of use. Others think that both are accepted and it’s all about personal p...

laboratory - correct spelling

laboratory - noun and adjective
Example: His laboratory uses animals for research. noun...

Labour vs. Labor

English learners are sometimes confused when they see two words with very similar spellings and meanings. They read about them both and when the time comes to use that word in an es...

lackadaisical - vocabulary

adjective
Without vigor, determination, or interest; lethargic; listless; indolent.Note: This word is not pronounced with an x, as in laxadaisical. Start the word with lac...

laid - correct spelling

laid - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb lay)  Note: Grammar.com's section on Problem Words discusses the diff...

Laid Off vs. Fired

In the realm of employment terminology, the phrases "laid off" and "fired" are often used interchangeably by the general public. However, they carry distinct meanings and implications in the workplace. This essay aims to delineate the differences ...

language - correct spelling

language - noun
Example: He enjoyed studying the English language....

Language vs. Dialect

There is a fine line between a language and a dialect. In this article, you will learn about their differences and their similarities.  ...

Last vs. Least

Last ...

later - correct spelling

later - adjective and adverb (comparative form of late)  Example: He decided to take a ...

Lath vs. Lathe

Confusing "lath" with "lathe" is very easy, as they are spelled so similarly. In fact, it can even happen due to an accidental sliding of your fingers over your keyboard while typing. And if you're not familiar with these terms, because they are not ...

latter - correct spelling

latter - adjective (with noun usage, e.g., the latter)  Grammar.com’s section on Problem Words discusses latter and former. ...

Latter vs. Ladder

Does one doubled letter hold the power to change the entire meaning of a word? Yes, it does. A perfect example to show this is the pair of words "latter" and "ladder". Spelled almost identically, with only one consonant looking different inside the w...

laudatory, laudable

Laudatory is used to describe something that gives praise and laudable is used to describe something that deserves or receives praise.Example: His ...

laugh - correct spelling

laugh - verb and noun
Example: They will laugh at you when you arrive in that costume. verb...

Lay vs. Lie

The words lay and lie are one the most confusing pa...

lay, lie

The vast majority of people butcher these two words.Quite simply, the word lie is an intransitive verb showing that someone or something is in a reclining po...

Layout vs. Lay out

Layout vs. Lay out"Layout" and "lay out" can easily be confused because they are pronounced perfectly the same ...

Lead vs. Led

Lead” and “led” vary through only one letter, when it comes to their spellings. This makes them sound very similarly and encourages some English users to believe that they can replace them without any rule, that they are synonyms or that they refer t...

Leaned vs. Leant

Past simple tense for verbs in English, especially when you’re not sure whether that word is or is not regular, can be difficult to remember. And when there are two or more forms officially accepted for the same past simple tense of a verb, things ca...

Leaped vs. Leapt

Leaped vs. Leapt: Navigating Verb Forms in English When it comes to expressing past actions involving jumping or moving swiftly, the terms "leaped" and "leapt" are both acceptable, but their usage may vary based on regional preferences. T...

Learn about tense.

Past tense means that it already happened.He ran to the store.ran is the past tenseif it was present tense it would be:He run ...

Learned vs. Learnt

What is the past tense of learn? Consider the follo...

learnèd word

A word taken from a classical language. For example, instead of breakable, English often uses the Latin word fragile; instead of dog we sometimes use the Latin word canine; instead of saying that a disease is catch...

Learning Grammar through kindergarten, Elementary School, Junior High School & Senior High School

English has been taught since I was in kindergarten, there I learned English with fun because the teacher used student center learning, so the teacher facilitate the student with playing game, singing and dancing, thus students memorize vocabula...

led - correct spelling

led - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb lead)  Not lead.Note: The word lead is not t...

led, lead

Note: The differences between led and lead are discussed in the Common Grammatical Mistakes section of Grammar.com. ...

legitimate - correct spelling

legitimate - adjective and verb
Example: He is the legitimate successor to the throne. adjectiv...

leisure - correct spelling

leisure - noun and adjective
Example: After work, we enjoy our leisure. noun
Exam...

Leisure vs. Pleasure

Leisure Leisure is a noun meaning ...

Lend vs. Loan

English has many words that refer to the borrowing of goods and money. Two of the most common words that apply to this context are loan and lend. Do they mean the same thing? Or, ar...

length - correct spelling

length - noun
Example: He used a length of rope to secure the sail.Example: The speaker spoke at some ...

Lens vs. Lense

Lens” and “lense” represent a pair of two controverted English words, because of their spellings and forms. As the English language has probably got you used, there are so many paronyms and words looking almost identical, spelled and sounding extreme...

Lessen vs. Lesson

Lessen Lessen is a verb that means to make something smaller or reduce in amount, intensity, or degree. It is often used to describe the decrease or alleviation of a problem, difficulty, or burden. For example, if a person takes ...

lesson - correct spelling

lesson - noun
Example: She learned her lesson well and never went there again....

Lets vs. Let’s

Lets vs. Let's A common misspelling that occurs more and more often is the wrong replacement of "lets" wit...

Let’s fix the title of the chapter …

So our chapter title incorrectly read: “Yesterday, they lead us astray.”But now you know that “led” is the past tense (and the past participle) of “lead.” So our chapter title ...

Let’s now fix the chapter title…

The chapter title read: “If I was you, I’d learn the subjunctive mood.”Quite clearly, I am not you. To state a situation contrary to fact, you need the subjunctive mood. You fo...

Levee vs. Levy

Levee vs. LevySo, “levee” and “levy” sound very similar – we’ve already confirmed that. But apart from this similarity and their vaguely similar spelling, there’s nothing else that connects these two words. Their definitions are comp...

liable, libel - vocabulary

adjective
Liable: legally responsible; subject or susceptible to; likely or apt. Note: Liable is often interchangeable with likely i...

liaison

Commonly misspelled laison or liason. The most common pronunciation is lee-ay-zahn with the accent on -ay....

liaison - correct spelling

liaison - noun
Example: She served as the president’s liaison with Congress....

Liar vs. Lier

Even though there is a slight spelling difference between “liar” and “lier”, their meanings are actually completely different. They might look similar and have the same origin, but “liar” and “lier” should never be confused in a message because they ...

Libel vs. Slander

Libel vs. Slander: Navigating Differences in Defamation Understanding the differences between "libel" and "slander" involves recognizing distinctions in forms of defamation. This article aims to clarify the meanings, applications, and leg...

Libertarian vs. Authoritarian

Political ideologies shape how societies organize, govern, and interact with citizens. Two contrasting terms that frequently surface in political discourse are libertarian and authoritarian. The essence of these t...

library - correct spelling

library - noun
Example: The local library provided special programs for small children....

Licence vs. License

Are you licensed to use this machine? ...

license - correct spelling

license - noun and verb
Example: He told the police that his driver’s license had expired. noun...

Lie vs. Lye

Words like lie are considered an irregular verb in the English language. Being a present principle ‘lie’, it refers to being untruthful. However, writing the same word with the alphabet ‘y’ makes it entirely different, giving off a different meaning ...

lieutenant - correct spelling

lieutenant - noun
Example: The U.S. Navy lieutenant received an award for bravery.Example: The crime boss and his ...

light - correct spelling

light - noun, adjective, and verb
Example: She turned out the light and fell asleep. ...

Light vs. Lite

Light vs. LiteYou might download an app on your phone and see it's the "lite" version. Or you might buy a produ...

Lighted vs. Lit

Sometimes, it might be difficult to identify in which cases we should use a word and which cases require the use of another, yet very similar one. "Lighted" and "Lit" are two words in this situation, which can be easily confused.Read this qui...

lightening - correct spelling

lightening - noun and verb (present participle of the verb lighten)  Example: In late pregnancy, a woman experiences her ...

Lightening vs. Lightning

Standing in front of the pair of words "lightening" and "lightning", you can start questioning whether spelling them differently is mandatory or not. Well, yes it is. It's not a choice, if you spell them differently or not, because their meanings are...

lightning - correct spelling

lightning - noun, verb, and adjective
Example: The flash of lightning struck the ho...

Likeable vs. likable

Both spellings are acceptable in both British and American English, but British English strongly prefers likeable, while American English slightly prefers likable....

likelihood - correct spelling

likelihood - noun
Example: The likelihood of her victory increased each day....

likely - correct spelling

likely - adjective and adverb
Grammar.com's section on the Parts of Speech discusses the demise of -ly adverbs. ...

Linear vs. Exponential

The words 'linear' and 'exponential' are often used to describe different types of relationships or growth patterns in various fields such as mathematics, economics, and technology. While both terms convey the idea of change, the nature and implic...

Linear vs. Exponential

The words 'linear' and 'exponential' are often used to describe different types of relationships or growth patterns in various fields such as mathematics, economics, and technology. While both terms convey the idea of change, the nature and implic...

linking verb

A linking verb is also called a copula or copulative verb. It shows no action. Instead, it links the grammatical subject usually to an adjective, sometimes to a noun...

Linking Verbs

In point of fact, the verb to be is also a linking verb. But I prefer to put be in a category all by itself and then treat linking verbs separately. We learned above that the verb to be can connect a grammatical subject to ...

liquefy - correct spelling

liquefy - verb
Not liquify.Example: You should follow the recipe and liquefy the strawberries....

Liquor vs. Liqueur

Liquor vs. Liqueur: Navigating Distinctions in Alcoholic Beverages Understanding the differences between "liquor" and "liqueur" involves recognizing variations in the types and characteristics of alcoholic beverages. This article aims to ...

List of Adverbs

abnormally absentmindedly ...

List of Homonyms

Note: Some references use the term Homonyms more broadly, to refer to homographs (words spelled the same as each other but pronounced differently) or homophones (words spelled differently but pronounced the same)....

listen - correct spelling

listen - verb
Example: At a railroad crossing, you should stop, look, and listen....

Liter vs. Litre

Have you ever wondered about the spellings of liter? Does writing liter makes you rethink and reconsider how you should spell it for you have come across two types of liter? You are not to be blamed! The word liter exist in two alternative spellin...

literal - correct spelling

literal - adjective
Grammar.com’s section on Problem Words discusses literally and figuratively. Click here for t...

literal - vocabulary

adjective
Involving or being the strict or primary meaning of the word or words; not figurative; not metaphorical; actual or factual, not exaggerated.Note: Many people use literal when...

Literally vs. Figuratively

They are both adverbs and both used in literary contexts, and this might be one of the reasons why "literally" and "figuratively" are often confused. But it's important that you clearly identify the sense of each word, because their meanings are comp...

literally, figuratively

Many people use literally when they don’t mean it. Presumably, they don’t mean it when they say: “We were literally dead from exhaustion.” They should say: “We felt dead fr...

literature - correct spelling

literature - noun
Example: He preferred American literature....

livelihood - correct spelling

livelihood - noun
Example: The flood threatened the farmer’s livelihood....

Lives vs. Lifes: A Comparison

In this article, I will define these words, compare them, and give examples of the different ways that these words are used in everyday conversation.The word life.The word l-i-f-e is a s...

Living In vs. Living At

Introduction The English language is rich with prepositions that can subtly change the meanings of phrases. One area where such subtle distinctions are particularly pronounced is in the phrases "living in" and "living at." While both expr...

LLC vs. LTD

In the world of business entities, understanding the differences between various structures is crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners. Two common designations are 'LLC' and 'LTD', which refer to limited liability companies and limited compa...

loaf - correct spelling

loaf - noun (plural loaves) and verb
Example: She baked a loaf of bread. ...

loan, lend

In formal writing, many writers use loan as a noun form and lend as a verb form. The verb loan is permissi...

Loath vs. Loathe

Elle was loathed to admit that she loathed her mother. ...

Loath vs. Loathe

As I’ve said elsewhere on this site, most of the confusions in language have nothing to do with grammar at a...

loath, loathe

Loath is an adjective that means “unwilling.”Loathe is a verb that means “to dislike or hate.”Exam...

Log In vs. Login

Having access to all types of platforms today on the internet, you have probably seen the words "login" and "log in" so many times before typing your username and password that you can't even count which version you have seen more often. But it can b...

loneliness - correct spelling

loneliness - noun
Example: His total loneliness led to his depression....

Lonely vs. Alone

Everyone knows what "lonely" and "alone" both refer to: a single person, not surrounded by people. It's about the state of being only "one". But the fact that they do refer to the same concept is also the cause of many errors in the English vocabular...

Longitude vs. Latitude

Longitude vs. Latitude: Navigating Earth's Coordinates Understanding the differences between "longitude" and "latitude" is fundamental for navigating Earth's geography. This article aims to clarify the distinctions between "longitude" and...

loose - correct spelling

loose - adjective and verb
Not lose
.Grammar.com’s section on Problem Words discusses loose and lose. ...

loose, lose

Lose (pronounced “looz”) means “to misplace” or “to fail to win.” Loose (pronounced “luce”) is the opposite of tight.Some writers incorrectly use loose when they me...

loquacious - vocabulary

adjective
Talkative, tending to talk too much, chattering, babbling, garrulous. I found it not difficult, in the excitement of Mr. Chillip’s own brain, under his potations of negus, to divert his attent...

lose - correct spelling

lose - verb (past tense and past participle is lost)  Not loose
.Grammar.com’s section o...

Lose vs. Loss

Lose and loss are a pair of words that have somewhat similar meanings which cause the most people to confuse them and use them in each other’s place.Today I will discuss the meanings and usage of both these words with examples so learners of ...

losing - correct spelling

losing - verb (present participle of the verb lose)  Example: I am always losing my glasses....

lovely - correct spelling

lovely - adjective and noun
Example: The lovely young woman began her career as an actress. adj...

loyal - correct spelling

loyal - adjective
Example: The loyal attorney refused the offer from the other firm....

loyalty - correct spelling

loyalty - noun
Example: His unbreakable loyalty to his country inspired us all....

Luggage vs. Baggage

The English language often presents subtle differences between words that appear synonymous, leading to confusion among speakers and learners alike. Two such terms are "luggage" and "baggage." Both refer to items we carry when traveling, but their...

luxury - correct spelling

luxury - noun and adjective
Example: He spent a life of luxury on a Caribbean island. noun...

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    Choose the sentence with correct use of the modal verb "can":
    A I can speak three languages.
    B He can goes there by himself.
    C They can to solve the problem.
    D She cans swim very well.

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