There is a very slight but significant difference between the verbs 'speak' and 'talk'. As both are used when there is a verbal communication taking place between two or more people, it is common to get confused between these two. However, talk is a straightforward word, which we use in casual conversation. As against, speak is more of a formal word, which is mainly used in critical or hypothetical situations. Let's have a look at the examples below to understand them: While we were … [Read more...]

The words if and whether are conjunctions which can be used interchangeably while reporting yes/no questions. If is primarily used when we put a particular condition in a sentence. On the other hand, whether is applied when we talk about two alternatives or situations that may happen. Let's take a look at the examples below to understand the difference: Jane will reach the station if Kate is coming by train. I don't know whether Kate is coming by train or by car. In these two … [Read more...]

The denotation of a word refers to its 'definition as per dictionary'. There are some words that share similar denotation, but they do not have the same tone, i.e. one can be positive and the other can be negative. In spite of two words have the same denotation, they can have a varied tone or energy, i.e. their connotation can be different. It is the tone or energy associated with the word that clicks our minds when we listen to the word. While denotation is the ideal definition of a term … [Read more...]

Drama is a genre of literature, which is basically the script, and the actors play the role of different characters to tell the story to the viewers and facilitate interpretation. It is often designed and developed for theatrical portrayal. Drama is one of the active forms of literature, which tends to inform, educate and entertain the audience at the same time. Drama is often juxtaposed with a play. Play implies a piece of literature, which is written in single or multiple acts, consisting … [Read more...]

Do you guys know that we use prose, in our normal day to day speech, writing and thinking? It is a style in which we naturally communicate and follows the grammatical structure. The prose is a common term used for unmetrical writing. On the other hand, a Verse is used for metrical writing, no matter if the writing is poetic or unpoetic. A verse uses a rhythmic structure, which is not used in ordinary speech. In this session, we will learn the differences between prose and verse. What is a … [Read more...]

Prologue and Epilogue are two diametrically opposite literary devices used in the literary composition and stand outside the narrative. The prologue is one of those pages which is included in the front matter of the book. It helps in giving a sneak peek of the story to the reader, which is contained in the book. They are popularly known for preparing the reader for the story. On the other end, an epilogue is a piece of writing found at the end of the literary work, which states about the … [Read more...]

Language is one of the best inventions of mankind, without which we won't be able to share our knowledge, opinions, ideas, feelings or express anger, excitement, nervousness, fears, with another person. Here we are not just talking about vocal language, but all the systems used as a medium for communication. Language is an intellectual body of sounds, symbols, and meaning which are regulated by grammatical rules and structure. On the contrary, literature can be understood as any body of … [Read more...]

Prepositions can be described as the word that shows the direction and position of an object or person. Across and through are two most bewildering prepositions which can also be used as an adverb. Basically, they refer to the movement from one side to the other. Across, as the name suggests, it is used to talk about the transverse movement of a person or object. As against, through is used to denote a movement from one side of the passage, towards the other side. She walked through the … [Read more...]

Figures of speech are the literary devices which can be a word or phrase not used in its usual or basic sense, so as to make the writing more interesting, persuasive, vivid and rhetorical. No form of poetry is complete without the use of figures of speech. In English, there are many figures of speech, but the two most commonly used for making the comparison are simile and metaphor. A simile is a figurative statement that uses connecting words. On the contrary, Metaphor is a figure of speech … [Read more...]

In the English language, we use conjunctions to link two words, clauses, phrases or sentences. These are used to add coherence in your piece of writing, by joining essential components within or between the sentences. There are various types of conjunctions such as coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions are the linking words that link ideas of equal importance, function or structure. Correlative conjunctions are one that … [Read more...]