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Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right. You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click theContinue reading “Introduce Yourself (Example Post)”

Ghost Words

In 1886, a lexicographer named Walter Skeat first used the phrase “ghost words” to describe words that he said had “no real existence.” In other words, ghost words are words that weren’t real to begin with—they made it into the dictionary because of an error or misunderstanding.

3 Rules to Help You With Compound Possession

How do you show possession to more than one noun? For example, would you say, “Tom and Jerry’s TV show” and “Ryan and my anniversary”? This troublesome construction is called “compound possession” or “joint possession.” Read on for rules on how to use it correctly.

Learn English and Grammar Skills with Google Home Assistant

Would you like to learn English and improve your grammar without getting off the sofa and without cracking open a textbook? Google Home could be just what you need. Here are some of the English and grammar apps you can try out through Google Home.

A Literary Tour to the Spookiest Destinations on Earth

Whenever my friends and I plan a trip, we always search for something spooky to do—from ghost tours to haunted trails. And for connoisseurs of all things scary like us, Halloween is the best time of the year for creepy vacations, and we have gotten plenty of ideas from the horror genre. Now, we here at Off the Shelf have created a list of books that will give you plenty of ideas for your next spooky vacation, from pastoral New England to the jungles of Mexico and beyond.

An Electrifying Novel That Will Keep You Up Reading All Night

In Terry Hayes’s bestselling novel, a murder takes place in a grungy Lower East Side hotel, post-9/11. It’s a pretty gruesome murder that makes identifying a young, mutilated woman on a mattress impossible. The NYPD is called to the scene.

The 10 Coolest Words We Can’t Believe No One Has Adopted

Since launching our adopt-a-word program back in 2014, hundreds of words have been taken into loving homes. But there are some words we can’t believe are still up for the taking. Here are our 10 most interesting words that are still available for adoption.

Voice: Improve Your Writing

Your writing will sparkle when you let your unique voice shine through. Find and develop your voice, so your readers get to know you.

Organization: Improve Your Writing

Every piece of writing needs to have a logical, consistent organizational pattern. Ideas flow when a piece of writing is well structured. Effective organization helps the reader understand your ideas.

Pro Tip: Transition Words and Phrases

Transition words and phrases make reading a story more natural and enjoyable. A story–also called a narrative–is a series of events that should flow together smoothly. In a narrative, most transitions are chronological, such as the ones in Feé’s story Part 1: When Feé was just about five months old When we got back FinallyContinue reading “Pro Tip: Transition Words and Phrases”