Tools to Explore English & Communication
Guide to Grammar and Writing
As much as good writing depends on good ideas, conveying those good ideas also depends on having a sound infrastructure. Even if you have wonderful ideas, you have to be able to convey those ideas clearly and in grammatically correct English. From basic grammar rules to writing good paragraphs to writing longer research papers, this site gives a quick breakdown of how to approach the building blocks of writing. This is a guide which gives some quick tips on a variety of topics related to building up your writing skills. Each category is grouped into its own respective dropdown menu to allow for easy searching of specific subjects or the type of writing.
As much as good writing depends on good ideas, conveying those good ideas also depends on having a sound infrastructure. Even if you have wonderful ideas, you have to be able to convey those ideas clearly and in grammatically correct English. From basic grammar rules to writing good paragraphs to writing longer research papers, this site gives a quick breakdown of how to approach the building blocks of writing. This is a guide which gives some quick tips on a variety of topics related to building up your writing skills. Each category is grouped into its own respective dropdown menu to allow for easy searching of specific subjects or the type of writing.
Oxford Words Blog
For those that don't know, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is HUGE! It is a massive dictionary that was started in 1857. To many, it is quite possibly the definitive dictionary of the English language, with entries for hundreds of thousands of words.
While the OED online dictionary is a wonderful resource, unfortunately, it requires a subscription. (Some libraries are subscribers, so ask your local library if they have a subscription that you can access.)
The link that I have provided is actually to a blog that is run by the OED. It provides games, quizzes, and articles tied to literature as well as to words in general. There are also tips and usage rules for grammar to be found as well. It is a veritable plethora of information which can be used as a supplement to many different subjects (history, for instance) in addition to English literature. The category bar on the right hand side breaks down the categories for easy searching. The body of the page features the latest articles. I'm was particularly delighted to find this one at the top of the page when I first discovered this blog. Have fun!
For those that don't know, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is HUGE! It is a massive dictionary that was started in 1857. To many, it is quite possibly the definitive dictionary of the English language, with entries for hundreds of thousands of words.
While the OED online dictionary is a wonderful resource, unfortunately, it requires a subscription. (Some libraries are subscribers, so ask your local library if they have a subscription that you can access.)
The link that I have provided is actually to a blog that is run by the OED. It provides games, quizzes, and articles tied to literature as well as to words in general. There are also tips and usage rules for grammar to be found as well. It is a veritable plethora of information which can be used as a supplement to many different subjects (history, for instance) in addition to English literature. The category bar on the right hand side breaks down the categories for easy searching. The body of the page features the latest articles. I'm was particularly delighted to find this one at the top of the page when I first discovered this blog. Have fun!
'Speare
This is an interactive game using Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as a backdrop. But it's not quite what you might think-- this game puts your knowledge of Romeo and Juliet to the test, rather helping to teach the facts of the play.
Set in the faraway Prosperean galaxy, the game describes a world where knowledge spheres are created to preserve and protect knowledge, including (you guessed it) Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. But these spheres are stolen by the Insidion army, causing a war in the peaceful galaxy. Using a classic arcade style game, you have to recover the spheres from the Insidions, collecting words that make up classic quotes from the play and answering questions about plot. Additionally, the game also teaches facts about Shakespeare that you can use at the end of each level to collect upgrades for weapons and defenses.
**The only downside to this game that I have seen to far is that there is no real way to save progress. That's a bit of a bummer.
This is an interactive game using Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as a backdrop. But it's not quite what you might think-- this game puts your knowledge of Romeo and Juliet to the test, rather helping to teach the facts of the play.
Set in the faraway Prosperean galaxy, the game describes a world where knowledge spheres are created to preserve and protect knowledge, including (you guessed it) Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. But these spheres are stolen by the Insidion army, causing a war in the peaceful galaxy. Using a classic arcade style game, you have to recover the spheres from the Insidions, collecting words that make up classic quotes from the play and answering questions about plot. Additionally, the game also teaches facts about Shakespeare that you can use at the end of each level to collect upgrades for weapons and defenses.
**The only downside to this game that I have seen to far is that there is no real way to save progress. That's a bit of a bummer.
Sparknotes for Shakespeare
While I don't generally advocate using Sparknotes or Cliff's notes, when it comes to Shakespeare, I know that students are intimidated by the language of the seventeenth century. Additionally, the bard makes many references that are not readily understood now because of how the language has evolved, so I find that having the No Fear Shakespeare versions tends to help students to understand the plot of the plays. Sparknotes also offers Shakespeare study guides for both plot elements and literary analysis. It helps establish context of the play as well as pointing out key quotes (which may or may not differ from the ones that I think are key quotes). Study questions range from recall of facts to character analysis and critical thinking.
***WARNING!!! This is NOT a free pass not to do the reading! This site is meant to be a supplement to your reading, to help with cultural references and the evolution of the language.
While I don't generally advocate using Sparknotes or Cliff's notes, when it comes to Shakespeare, I know that students are intimidated by the language of the seventeenth century. Additionally, the bard makes many references that are not readily understood now because of how the language has evolved, so I find that having the No Fear Shakespeare versions tends to help students to understand the plot of the plays. Sparknotes also offers Shakespeare study guides for both plot elements and literary analysis. It helps establish context of the play as well as pointing out key quotes (which may or may not differ from the ones that I think are key quotes). Study questions range from recall of facts to character analysis and critical thinking.
***WARNING!!! This is NOT a free pass not to do the reading! This site is meant to be a supplement to your reading, to help with cultural references and the evolution of the language.