What Are Auxiliary or Helping Verbs?
One of my favorite kinds of verbs are helping verbs (also known as auxiliary verbs). As the name suggests, helping verbs help—they help other verbs, known as principal verbs, to do their job.
Category: Newsletters
Why foundations matter
Here’s a thought nugget from Thomas on why foundations are so important in language. If your foundation is sound, you can build any building your heart desires.
What is the Difference between Literally and Figuratively?
Ezane H. asks, “What is the difference between figurative and literally, metaphorically? Does literally also mean figuratively? How do you use it in a sentence?” Take a peek at this answer from Thomas
Can you end a sentence with a preposition?
Sometimes people teach that you can’t end a sentence with a preposition in English, but as Thomas explains, this simply isn’t true. Here’s why!
A poem on four leadership qualities
Thomas shares a verse from his new translation of the classical Tamil masterpiece on ethics, power, and love, The Kural: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural, published by Beacon Press.
A poem on giving nourishment to the ear
Thomas shares a verse from his new translation of the classical Tamil masterpiece on ethics, power, and love, The Kural: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural, published by Beacon Press.
The Three Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives
One of the most colorful parts of speech are adjectives. Here’s how Marie explains the three degrees of adjectives.
A poem on what it means to have a home
Thomas shares a verse from his new translation of the classical Tamil masterpiece on ethics, power, and love, The Kural: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural, published by Beacon Press.
The high and low tides of learning
Here’s a thought nugget from Thomas on how sometimes what is hidden to us later becomes clear. Both experiences are essential to learning.
Inflection In English Language and Grammar
In the Intermediate Cozy Grammar Course, Level One, Marie and I explore a topic that may sound completely unfamiliar: inflection.
What Are Verbs of Action?
In the Basic Cozy Grammar Course, Marie and I help students explore the fundamentals of grammar: the eight parts of speech and how understanding them can enhance creativity.
The Two Parts of Every Sentence
One of the keys to understanding the structure of a sentence is identifying subjects and predicates. But what are these things in the first place?
When do we use amount and when do we use number?
Julia C. from Walla Walla asks, “When do we use the word amount and when do we use the word number?” Here Thomas explains amount vs number by explaining count and non-count or mass nouns.
What Are the Parts of a Sentence?
In the Intermediate Cozy Grammar Course, Marie and I help students develop their ability to look at any sentence and SEE what’s going on in it grammatically. While filming one of the new videos for the course this summer, we took time to make a quick and easy guide to getting started identifying the parts of a sentence.
A Poem from Avvaiyar: “What We Know: A Handful of Dirt”
To close out this month’s Ask Cozy Grammar session, Thomas reads a poem about learning from the 12th century Tamil woman, poet, and saint Avvaiyar and her book “Moothurai.”
How to Memorize Verb Moods in English
Anays R. writes, “How to memorize verbs and moods, such as the conditional, imperative, indicative, interrogative, and subjunctive?” Here’s an answer from Thomas.