Colon versus Semi-colon

English tip: I was asked how/when to use a colon and a semicolon. A colon : Use a colon to set off a summary. For example: There were so much food at the party: chicken pie, curry fish head and french fries. A semicolon: This is stronger than a comma, less forceful than a full-stop.[…]

Shortening and tightening sentences

English tip: We talked about using the active voice yesterday. Sometimes, when we use affixes, it shortens the sentences, tightening the language. Here are some examples: He is not honest–> He is dishonest This is not a usual situation. –> This is an unusual situation. He was better than his classmates –> He outperformed his[…]

Heat conductivity and radiation

Science tip: Properties of heat conductivity, absorption of radiation as thermal energy, and heat capacity can be confusing. Heat conductivity is the property of a material’s ability to conduct heat. The better the conductivity, the faster heat can transfer from one end to another. The absorption of heat through radiation – sometimes less accurately called[…]

Use the active voice

English tip: Always use the active voice in your composition. It’s more direct and more vigorous. For example: Active: I like my cat. Passive: The cat is liked by me. Active: The children ran around the school compound. Passive: The school compound was filled with running children. The active form is stronger, shorter and reads[…]

Compare to or compare with?

English tip: There’s a difference between "compare to" and "compare with." Here’s how you differentiate them. *To "compare to" is to suggest resemblances between things that have different natures: Examples: He compared his looks to Ryan Gosling’s. What an inflated ego he has! Jame’s mother compared his room to a dump. James must be very[…]

Show, not tell

English tip: SHOW, not tell This writing tip is useful for the composition segment and will benefit you even as you grow older and need to write thesis or market proposals. A good writer will draw an image in a reader’s mind, instead of telling him what to think. Always be specific, not vague. For[…]

That Monday morning feeling

English tip: Having Monday blues? You can also make use of this emotion to score in your composition. That Monday morning feeling: it means you are unhappy the weekend has finished and you have to go back to work. Example: Susan dragged her feet to school, hating that Monday morning feeling after a four-day long[…]