Grammar

You might know the phrase reduction ad absurdum as reducing to absurdity, which means disproving an argument by pushing it to its logical conclusion. It’s usually used in logic, mathematics, and philosophy when you need to poke holes in someone else’s argument. For example, if someone said that all rich people are greedy, you could refute that statement by pointing out that Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are both billionaires who give plenty of their money away through charitable causes. Here are some more examples of reduction ad absurdum in action, including two examples from classic literature. Reductio Ad Absurdum – Definition & Meaning Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples Greek Philosophy of Reduction Ad Absurdum Principle of Non-Contradiction What is reduction ad absurdum? What are the three steps in a reduction ad absurdum? Is reduction ad absurdum a valid argument? Who took the ideas of reduction absurdum? Reductio Ad Absurdum – Definition & Meaning Reduction ad absurdum is a syllogistic method of proving a proposition or a hypothesis. It works by pursuing logical consequences of thought to absurdity, to demonstrate that it must be false. A good example of reduction ad absurdum: A person says I am never wrong. The reductionist …

Read more

Onomatopoeia Words are words that sound similar to what they describe. Whenever you come across an onomatopoeic word you are sure to identify the sound that it imitates. In Greek, the term onomatopoeia signifies “creating or making names,” which refers to the notion of imitating sound using words. For example, take the word splash, you can immediately connect the word with the sound of something that is falling into the water. Other onomatopoeic words include buzz, swoosh, roar, mumble, slam, etc. However, there are many words like munch, sigh, or chew that are commonly taken to be onomatopoeias, but they are not. Onomatopoeia Words Examples Given below is a list of the commonly used Onomatopoeic words: Crash Rustle Buzz Splash Mumble Slam Roar Howl Whistle Crunch Honk Slither Croak Squawk Bang smack stomp thwack tinkle toot tweet wham woosh wow baa bang boom cheep clack cluck crack crunch giggle groan haha hee hee moo quack ring Get a comprehensive list of some of the most used or Common Words in English along with example sentences. Onomatopoeic Words in Groups Onomatopoeic words can also occur in combinations, that is when they reflect different sounds of a single object. For example, a …

Read more

A persuasive essay is the form of writing where the logical arguments are presented in an essay with some emotional appeal to grab the attention of the readers over a subject. In this type of essay writing the writer presents the viewpoint of the for and against section and it is all up to the reader to decide which side is better and make judgments according to their choice. What is a Persuasive Essay? How to Excel in Persuasive Writing? Major Elements of Persuasive Essay What is the important part of the Persuasive Essay? Are facts important in a Persuasive Essay? What is the structure of the Persuasive Essay? What is the word limit for the Persuasive Essay? What is a Persuasive Essay? The persuasive essay means, the type of essay where an argumentative essay introduces both sides of a debate and allows the reader to make an informed choice, a persuasive essay is about the incorporation of the knowledge which backs the thesis statement. The inclusion of the ‘against’ opinion is just to create a counter and to prove our (writer’s) opinion right. Persuasive essays are present in some or other form in our daily life. The advertisements, the …

Read more

You might often create new words by attaching certain letters at the beginning of an already existing word. Such words are known as prefixes. A letter or a group of letters that you place at the beginning of a word is known as a prefix. Prefixes and suffixes together are named Affixes. The addition of prefixes changes the meanings of words. For instance, the prefix un- means “not,” “remove,” or “opposite.” The addition of the prefix un-to the word “educated” gives the word “uneducated,” which refers to someone who is not educated. Prefixes cannot be considered words in their own right and therefore they cannot stand on their own. If they exist as independent words they will surely be separated from the root word by a hyphen. The two most common prefixes in the English language are un- and re-. The prefix “re-” signifies “again” or “back,” as in the given words redo, rethink, reply, repack, etc. List of Some Common Prefixes | Essential Common Prefixes in English Key Points to Remember Regarding Prefixes Types of Prefixes Tips for Adding Prefixes Can prefix reduce word count? What are some of the common prefixes used in English? Distinguish between a prefix …

Read more

If you are a Writer, Reader, or Student by any chance you might have heard of the name Literary Devices in your English Literature. Be it to improve your writing skills or crack a prestigious English Exam knowing about the Literary Devices is a must. You are not alone in this and we have compiled what is meant by Literary Device, how they are used in writing, etc. This guide to most commonly used literary devices can be of great help to become a pro and identify literary devices. Look at some of the definitions of literary devices with meanings and examples illustrated on how to use them. What are Literary Devices? How to Identify Literary Devices while you are Reading? Why you should Learn Literary Devices? Essential Literary Devices you Must Know – Examples and How to Use them? What are Literary Devices? Is Irony a Literary Device? Why do authors use literary devices? How do literary devices affect the reader? What are Literary Devices? Literary Devices are terms used to enhance the writing style. Using this writing technique users express ideas, convey meaning and highlight important text in a piece of information. For example, Metaphor is a Literary …

Read more

Prefixes are handy tools that create an impact on the Root Words that it attaches to. Among prefixes, negative prefixes are those which turn the root word into the negative. One of the most common negative prefixes used in English is “dis,”. The addition of the “dis” prefix adds ‘not’ or ‘incorrectly’ to the root word. Example of Words with Prefix dis Prefixes similar to dis What does the prefix “dis” mean? Is “dis” a suffix? Give an example of the usage of the “dis” prefix to suggest the meaning “apart”? So, where does the “dis” prefix come from? The prefix ‘dis-‘ has its origin in Latin, where it has the literal meaning ‘apart’. Today the prefix is commonly used to mean ‘opposite of’, ‘not’, ‘remove’ and ‘reverse’. It also has other meanings besides attributing a negative connotation. The common meanings include: Apart Lack of, or not Away Utterly As mentioned, when you add “dis” to a word you often get a contrary meaning. Some examples include: Honest – dishonest Respect – disrespect Please – displease Allow – disallow Trust – distrust Similar – dissimilar Example of Words with Prefix dis Now that you know what a “de” prefix is, …

Read more

Prefixes are key building blocks in English vocabulary. They tend to have various meanings, which can be deciphered on the basis of context, common sense, and the process of elimination. Today let’s focus on the prefix “in”, which can mean “in, on, or not”. The prefix in, which has the previously mentioned meanings occurs in several English vocabulary words. Examples include inject, influx, insane, invalid, etc. Words with Prefix “in” Meaning English Words Prefixed with “in” Different Spellings of “in” Choosing the Right Prefix! What are the common meanings of the prefix “in”? What are the five different forms of the prefix”in”? Why does a prefix have different forms/ spellings? Give examples for words that have the “im” form of “the In” prefix? Words with Prefix “in” Meaning Two highly used meanings of ‘in’ are “in” or “on.”Have a look at a few examples: The prefix, for instance, can mean “in,” such as in the words like inject, to throw “in,” and influx, to flow “in.” The same prefix ‘in’ can also mean “on,” used in words like Inscribe, which means to write “on,” Invoke, to call “on.” Hence, the main meanings of in are “in” or “on.” The prefix …

Read more

Transition words better known as the linking words help to connect two ideas in meaningful sentences. It provides great cohesion to the sentences in a paragraph by delivering great quality and expresses how one idea is related to that of the other one. This makes the content more easy and readable. Transition words are not always single words, but sometimes to make the essay smooth, we have to use the phrases too. Transition words maintain the flow of the paragraph and create an interconnection between the words, phrases, and paragraphs. Follow the article below to learn more about the types of transition words. What are Transition Words? How do I Include Transition Words in My Essay? Transition Words Types How do transition words affect the readers? What are the best transition words for an essay? ‘Unlike’ is what type of transition Word? What is the purpose of a sentence starter? What are Transition Words? Transition words are an important part of English grammar. They are the connecting words that help to join two sentences, generally both with different ideas, and maintain the better and smooth flow of the articles. Without the transition words, the paragraph looks blunt and bogus. Transition …

Read more

Words are the building blocks in any sentence. They just don’t ‘mean’ something, they ‘do’ something in every sentence. Hence words are grouped into word classes based on what they do. A word class is a group of words that have certain common features. The term “word class” is analogous to the more conventional term, “part of speech.” It is also variously named grammatical category, lexical category, and syntactic category. Types of Word Classes Open and Closed Word Classes Open Word Classes Closed Word Classes How to identify the word classes in a sentence? How to classify a word class? What is the difference between a word class and part of speech? Types of Word Classes Word classes can be divided into two families: Lexical Classes: Also known as open classes and form classes. The lexical classes include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Function Classes: Also known as closed classes and structure classes. Includes: pronouns, determiners, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections. Open and Closed Word Classes As previously mentioned some word classes are open, that is, the class can be expanded with the addition of new words. Take the example of the class of nouns, it is potentially infinite as the …

Read more

There are so many ways a word can be related to another. Understanding these relations between words will help you build your vocabulary. Word families are one such way to explore how words relate to one another. So what is the word family? A group of words that have a common root word with different prefixes and suffixes is known as a word family. Word families refer to groups of words that follow a certain set of letter patterns with the root word fixed for all words within the same group. This implies that the words belonging to the same group have common characteristics. Word families are also known as chunks, times, or groups. Most Common Word Families for Beginners Why Focus on Word Families? How to Study Word Families? Is it important to know about word families? How are word families formed? What is the order in which word families should be studied? How many word families are there in English? Have a look at the following words: Helper Helped Unhelpful Helping Helpful All these words come under a single word family. So what do you think they have in common? These words have the common root word ‘help’. …

Read more