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Tristen Bonacci, MEd
English Teacher
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Co-authored Articles (42)
Finish the Phrase Quiz
The English language is full of fun, compelling, and downright weird expressions and idioms. Ready to test your knowledge of common American English sayings? Our quiz isn’t for the faint of heart: we’ve arranged our ...
How to Abbreviate Continued: When to Use Cont. & Cont’d
A grammar guide to shortening “continued” in professional and casual writing To be continued. To be cont. To be cont’d? Which one of these is the right way to shorten “continued” again? They’re actually both ...
How to
Format an Essay
You’re opening your laptop to write an essay, knowing exactly what you want to write, but then it hits you: you don’t know how to format it! Using the correct format when writing an essay can help your paper look pol...
180+ English Words That Are Pretty (& Have Pretty Meanings)
An ultimate list of unique and powerful words with lovely meaningsDo you ever just see or hear a word and go, “Woah, that’s beautiful”? Yeah, we do too. Language is truly a spectacular thing, and to feed your fasci...
How To Create a Works Cited in Microsoft Word
Create a bibliography or reference list in WordMicrosoft Word has many automatic features that can help you write a report or academic paper. Among these, you can keep a list of sources and citations to automatically gen...
How to
Annotate an Article
Annotating a text means that you take notes in the margins and make other markings for reading comprehension. Many people use annotation as part of academic research or to further their understanding of a certain work. T...
The Best Ways to Speed Read & Become a Faster Reader
Easy tricks to increase your reading time and retain informationWhether you’re studying for your philosophy class or flipping through the morning newspaper, reading can seem like such a chore, especially because it can...
Learn What It Means When Someone Says: "What Are You Into?"
Everything you need to know about the question: "What are you into?" “What are you into?” is a great question to start a conversation or get to know someone better. It's a good expression to learn, because English s...
How to Use “Respectively” in Your Writing: A Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about using “respectively” in a sentenceSo, you’re doing some writing when the word “respectively” pops into your mind. Bravo! That’s one awesome word! But how do you use it and wh...
How to
Use English Punctuation Correctly
With the dawn of the Internet, the birth of Internet slang, and the growing use of SMS, many of us are starting to forget the fundamental aspects of English punctuation. Would you like to write a great paper for one of y...
400+ Positive Adjectives, Nouns, & Verbs That Begin with R
Plus, how to choose the perfect adjective to describe someoneExploring positive words that start with R can help you compliment someone, describe a character in a story, or simply expand your vocabulary. That’s why we...
Is There a Comma in "I Too"?
A complete grammar guide to using "I too" in a sentenceWe, too, have trouble with grammar from time to time—especially when it comes to comma placement and that tricky “too” (or is it “to”?). When you want to s...
What Does the "Bane of My Existence" Mean? Definition, Usage & More
Learn the origins of this phrase and how to use it correctlyYou may have heard the phrase the “bane of my existence” in shows or real life, but what exactly does it mean? This phrase refers to something (or someone) ...
How to
Identify a Clause
Plus, learn how to spot dependent, relative, & tricky clausesClauses and phrases are building blocks for longer sentences. As a first step, focus on learning the difference between them. Once you are ready, move on to id...
What Does "Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face" Mean?
The English language is full of unique expressions like "cut off your nose to spite your face" but what does that phrase mean? Chances are you were a little confused when you heard it used the first time, but don't worry...
“The Yellow Wallpaper” Full Plot Summary & Analysis
Themes, symbols, and quotes from Gilman’s feminist masterpieceCharlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 short story is required reading for many high school and college English courses, but what is this story about? Whether y...
What Does Herding Cats Mean?
You’ve probably “herd” of herding sheep and cattle, but what about herding cats? This popular idiom doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first, especially if you have a cat of your own at home. No worries, though...
What Does "In Queue" Mean?
You just heard someone say the phrase “in queue/in the queue,” but you aren’t completely sure what they meant. That’s totally valid! Depending on the context of the conversation and the nationality of the speaker...
Where to Place Periods with Parentheses: Rules & Examples
Get your point across with our guide to punctuation with parenthesesSome punctuation rules are just really tough to remember—like whether a period goes inside or outside parentheses in a sentence. It turns out this rul...
How to
Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing
Colloquial, or informal, language is common and feels warm and friendly when we speak to friends and family. However, it isn't always appropriate or serious enough for academic writing. When you're writing an essay for s...
