Tutor profile: Todd M.

What are appropriate uses of quotation marks?

Know why you’r e using quotation marks. Do not use them to emphasize a word or phrase; use them to indicate a direct quotation, dialogue, or irony. If you write, My girlfriend is “beautiful,” it means your girlfriend is not beautiful and, in fact, probably just the opposite of beautiful. That, of course, could get you punched in the face by your girlfriend.

How can I learn English idioms?

Idioms are expressions that are not to be taken literally; they are unique phrases that do not mean what they appear to mean to someone unfamiliar with the intended meaning. For instance, if I say, "It's raining cats and dogs," it does not mean that pets are falling from the sky. It means it is raining heavily. Since there are no patterns or rules to idioms, they must be either be learned as they arise, or a list of common idioms can be studied.

What is the purpose of a thesis in an essay?

The purpose of a thesis of an essay is to clearly state the subject and the writer's main point about the subject of the essay. The thesis not only presents the essay's subject (What's your essay about?) but also the writer's take on the subject (What about it?). What's your essay about? + What about it? = Thesis