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Log in and Login

What is the Difference Between Log in and Login?

Is login one word? In this article, I will compare log in vs. login, and I will use each in a sentence to illustrate how they are best used. Plus, at the end, I will show you a memory trick to help remember when each term is appropriate.

When to Use Log in

What does log in mean? If you’re using this term as a verb, separate it into two words. A tech support agent might tell a confused coworker,

-or-

As a verb, log in is broken into two words.

If you’ve already used an iPhone and a Google account to log in to “Pokémon Go,” log out of the app and download the update. Then, log back in with your Google account to see the scaled-back permissions. –The Wall Street Journal

When to Use Login

What does login mean? When using this term as a noun, shorten it to a single word. Here are some examples:

Your login is your username and password.
Do not trust anyone else with your login.

You can also use login as an adjective. Adjectives describe nouns. Here are some sentences where login is used as an adjective:

Your login information is your username and password.
You have used 3 of your 5 login attempts.
And I still haven’t been able to delete my LinkedIn account, since I’ve long forgotten my login credentials and apparently need to send the company a copy of my driver’s license to prove who I am in order to finally deactivate it. –USA Today

As a noun, login is one single word.

Trick to Remember the Difference

If you can’t remember whether log in or login is correct, there is an easy way to remind yourself.

Noun is a single word that ends with an N. So is login. If you keep this fact in mind, it should be easy to remember to use login as a noun.

Summary: Login vs. Log in

Is it login or log in? Log in and login have only seen heavy use since personal computers became ubiquitous in the 1980s, but they are now so common that misusing them in your writing can cost you credibility.

Color and Colour

You know, I have heard from English learner about Color and Colour. Some of them were very nervous, so today I'm gonna tell you about it.

What is the Difference Between Color and Colour?

In this article, I will compare color vs. colour. I will also use both of these words in sentences, as well as reveal a useful trick to help decide whether colour or color is the more appropriate variant for your writing.

When to Use Color

What does color mean? Color can be a noun or a verb.

As a noun, color is defined as a characteristic appearance achieved by reflecting certain frequencies of visible light while absorbing others. A blue surface, for instance, reflects blue frequencies of light, making the object in question appear blue.

As a verb, color is defined as to give something a shade or a hue. Coloring can be achieved with paints, pencils, or through use of digital software.

Below are examples of color in both its noun and verb forms.

Red is not the warmest color. (Noun)
“Oh Rachel, that color looks so good on you!” Bryan exclaimed. (Noun)
The water in the diving well turned a dark shade of green on Tuesday, and the larger pool began to turn the same color the following day. –New York Post (Noun)
“My children want you to color a picture with them,” the woman said to her realtor. (Verb)

The below graph that charts color vs. color in American English, and, as you can see, color is clearly the dominant spelling.

When to Use Colour

What does colour mean? Colour is the British English spelling of this word. It is applicable to all the same contexts as color.

The colour catches the eye. Polychromatic stone sculpture is not something we are quite used to. –The Telegraph

The below graph charts colour vs. color in British English, and, as you can see, colour has been vastly preferred since at least 1800. It does appear, however, that color is gaining ground, but colour is still the dominant spelling.

Even though these charts aren’t exhaustive or scientific, they are useful for identifying long term trends.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here is a helpful trick to remember colour vs. color.

Color is preferred in American English. Colour is preferred in British English.

You can remember to use colour with primarily British audiences by noticing the U that colour has in common with United Kingdom. Since there is no U in the word America, you will know not to use colourwhen writing for American audiences.

Summary

Is it color or colour? Color and colour are alternate spellings of the same word. As a noun, the word refers to the various shades of visible light reflected back to the eye from a surface. As a verb, it refers to the action of imparting color to an object.

Color is the preferred spelling in American English.
In British English, colour is preferred.

You can remember to use colour with British audiences by noticing the U that colour has in common with United Kingdom.

Color and colour are a good example of spelling differences between American and British English. Be sure to check this website next time you have questions about the meanings of similar words, or about spelling differences between these two varieties of written English.

Bring or Take

What is the Difference Between Bring and Take?

In this article, I will compare bring vs. take. I will use each word in a sentence to illustrate its proper context, and, I will give you a helpful trick to use when you can’t decide whether bring or take is appropriate for your writing.

When to Use Bring

What does bring mean? Bring is a verb that means to carry along with you. Like take, it can be literal or figurative.

For example,

Don’t bring bean dip to the party, because nine other people already did.
Bring Hannah with you when you come!
Hurricane Matthew, raking Haiti and poised to slam into the Bahamas on Wednesday, could bring wind and heavy rain to the Mid-Atlantic this weekend. –The Washington Post

If you don’t quite see the distinction between bring and take, let’s take a closer look.

Bring suggests motion toward the speaker or writer.
Take suggests motion away from the speaker or writer.

This is why our beginning examples are phrased the way they are.

You would ask your fiancé to bring you a bottle of wine and then take it way when you are done with it.

When to Use Take

What does take mean? Take is a verb that means to carry away with you. It can be used literally to refer to physical objects or figuratively in a variety of contexts.

For example,

Take the money and run!
Take this small gift as a token of my appreciation.
Nori needs you to take her to the airport tomorrow morning.
Overruling the dean of the cathedral at the time, the suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York called the statue “theologically and historically indefensible” and ordered Ms. Sandys to take it away. –The New York Times

Take is sometimes a synonym for use, like in the examples below.

Drilling each hole separately would take too long.
Take 33rd Street to Hawthorne and turn left.

These examples are somewhat abstract. In the first sentence, drilling the holes separately could be said to use too much time. In the second example, the driver will use 33rd street to get to Hawthorne, at which point she will turn left.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here is a helpful tip to remember take vs. bring.

Take and bring are verbs with very similar meanings. In situations where they both mean to carry something, they are differentiated by context, specifically, the implied direction of travel.

For instances when someone will be moving away from the speaker or a specified point, use take. For situations when a person will be moving toward the speaker or a specified point, bring is more appropriate.

You can use the phrase “take it away” to remind yourself to use take when the direction of travel is away from you. You would never say “bring it away from me.”

Summary

Is it bring or take? Bring and take are verbs that mean to carry something, but they have slightly different uses.

In situations when the direction of travel is toward the speaker, bring is the correct word.
In situations when the direction of travel is away from the speaker, the correct word is take.

If you aren’t sure whether you should use take or bring, remember the phrase “take it away.” This trick should help you remember that take is the better verb when someone is carrying something away from you.

Anymore or Any more

What is the Difference Between Anymore and Any more?

The traditional (although now less common) spelling is as two separate words: any more. In the last 50 years or so, the single word anymore has increased in use and a distinction between the one-word and two-word spellings has emerged.

In this post, I will talk about the traditional uses of any more vs. anymore and use example sentences to demonstrate each of their meanings. I will outline the newly formed distinction between the two and give you a tip to remember the difference.

Any more as a Determiner

What does any more mean? When any more is used to mean an indefinite quantity of something or even the smallest amount, it is functioning as a determiner. For example,

Do you want any more food?
Is there any more pie left?
I can’t eat any more food; I am completely stuffed.
I don’t want any more trouble.
Forcing people to wait until 67 to collect wouldn’t save taxpayers any more money than the 30 percent cut to the benefit at age 62 does. –The New York Times

Any more is only used in questions and negative statements describing the quantity of something. The two-word spelling is near universal when this meaning is implied.

There are other contexts, too, where the words must be kept separate. For instance,

You can’t play basketball any more than I can fly an airplane.

If the two words were together in the above example, the meaning would change and the sentence would be confusing. It wouldn’t be clear whether you are saying that you can no longer play basketball or you are making a comparison between abilities.

Another example is when more modifies a following adjective, any must be a separate word.

It doesn’t get any more exciting than overtime in the finals!

Anymore as an Adverb

What does anymore mean? When anymore is used to mean to any further extent; any longer, it is functioning as an adverb. For example,

I don’t go sailing anymore.
There is nothing for me here—not anymore.
The price of gasoline isn’t cheap anymore.

Anymore, as an adverb, should only find itself in negative constructions.

You should not use it in an affirmative context to mean nowadays. In certain parts of the United States, it is occasionally used this way.

The price of gasoline is outrageous anymore. [read: the price of gasoline is outrageous nowadays.]

This use is certain to confuse your readers—even those in the United States—and is widely rejected. You should avoid this use in your writing.

Anymore vs. Any more: Helpful Distinctions

In American English and other forms of English outside the U.K., there is a useful distinction that separates any more vs. anymore.

Any more (two words) is reserved for the meaning even the smallest amount. In other words, when used as a determiner, the two-word spelling any more is used.

I don’t want any more children.

Anymore (one word) is reserved for the meaning any longer. In other words, when used as an adverb, the one-word spelling anymore is used.

You’re not a little kid anymore.

I, personally, find this distinction to be quite helpful, and most American writers and publishing houses observe it.

In British English, it is still quite common to see any more (two words) as an adverb in print. This is beginning to change, however, as some British writers and publishing houses opt to observe the distinction between the one-word and two-word spellings.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Still not sure when to use anymore or any more? Here’s a helpful mnemonic to remember the difference.

I don’t buy shoes anymore because I don’t need any more shoes.

This is a great sentence that demonstrates the uses of anymore and any more. When you are using the word to mean any longer, think the one-word anymore.

When you are talking about numbers and quantities, think the two-word spelling any more.

Summary

Is it any more or anymore? This depends on its function within the sentence. In American English,

Any more is used as a determiner.

Anymore is used as an adverb.

Then or Than

What is the Difference Between Then and Than?

Today, I want to discuss the differences between then vs. than, their functions in a sentence, and give you a few tricks to remember them for the future. After reading this post, you shouldn’t have any trouble when choosing than or then.

When to Use Then

Then has a number of different functions, but it is most commonly used as either an adverb or an adjective. Below are a few examples of its many meanings and uses.

At that time.
- I was at work then.
- Come over this afternoon; I’ll be ready then.
Next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward.
- We saw a movie and then went out for dinner.
- We filled up the car and then began the trip.
In addition; moreover; besides.
- The glasses are $100, and then there is sales tax.
- First you need a license, and then you can drive.
In that case, accordingly.
- If the weather is bad, then my flight will get canceled.
- If there is heavy traffic, then I might be late.

All four of these uses are uses of then as an adverb. The use of then as an adjective is much more limited.

Being so at the time.
- The decision was made by then chairman Bill Gates.
- The bill was signed by then President Ronald Reagan.

As you can see, most of the uses of then have to do with time. It can mean next in time or at the time. Keep this in mind for later when I give you the trick to remember.

When to Use Than

Than is a conjunction that is used for making comparisons between elements, objects, people, etc.

He is taller than I am.
She can run faster than I can.
Your meal looks better than mine does.
Coca-Cola is better than Pepsi.

In all of these examples, than is used to introduce a comparison between two things. This is important to keep in mind. No matter what you are comparing, whether it be time, money, speed, if a comparison is taking place,than is the correct word choice.

Popular Phrases Using Than

There are a few popular phrases that use than that people aren’t sure whether to use then or than. In the following phrases, than should be used.

More than less than; less than more than. (Less then or less than?)
- He has less than I have. (Correct)
- He has less then I have. (Wrong).
- She has more than I have. (Correct)
- She has more then I have. (Wrong)

Rather than or rather then?
- I would rather eat than sleep. (Correct)
- I would rather eat then sleep. (Wrong)

In the above example using rather then or than, the two sentences communicate different meanings. The first sentence says you prefer (right now at least) eating to sleeping. The second says you prefer to eat first and sleep second. So, the second sentence isn’t necessarily wrong in all meanings, it’s just wrong when your intended meaning is a comparison, not an ordered list of events.

Sooner rather than later.
- I would prefer to eat sooner rather than later. (Correct)
- I would prefer to eat sooner rather then later. (Wrong)

Than Me vs.Than I

For over 300 years, grammarians have insisted that than be regarded as a conjunction, as opposed to a preposition, in all of its uses.

This means that sentences such as Jack is taller than Jill should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Jack is taller than Jill is. In this sentence, the name Jill is standing in for the full clause Jill is.

In other words, the pronoun that follows than is determined by whether it serves as the subject or object of the verb “understood.”

The traditional rule, therefore, requires the sentence Jack is taller than I (not me), since the full sentence is understood to be Jack is taller than I am. But it does allow for sentences like this one, The report shocked Jack more than me, since this sentence is understood to be The report shocked Jack more than it shocked me. In this sentence Jack is acting as an object of shocked, whereas in the first sentence he was the subject.

It’s probably best to hold to this traditional rule if you are writing an academic paper for school or a book for publishing, but understand that it can lead to some cumbersome, outdated sounding language.

He is taller than she.
You are taller than I.

In informal writing and speech, sentences like he is smaller than her are widely used and almost universally accepted.

Remembering When to Use Then and Than

We’ve spent so much time talking about than that we almost forgot about the word then, so now it’s the time to come full circle on using then and than.

A good trick to keep track of these words is that then is usually used to indicate time. Both then and time have a letter “E” in them.

Than is used to make comparisons. Both than and comparison have a letter “A” in them.

Summary

These two words are very close in their appearance, but than vs. then have very different uses.

Then is commonly used to express a sense of time or what comes next or used to be.

Than is used to form comparisons between two things

Defence or Defense

What is the Difference Between Defence and Defense?

Defence and Defense are both nouns, and they have a few different meanings.

The act of defending against attack, danger, or injury.
The act of defending a legal case.
The team or those players of a team attempting to stop the opposition from scoring.

Here are a few sentence examples,

The enemy attacked us, but thankfully we had a strong military defense ready to deploy.
The defence presented its case powerfully.
The Green Bay Packers defense is the best in the league.

Okay, you are probably still wondering, “How do I know which one to use?”

The answer to that question is surprisingly simple, as the only thing separating these two spellings is a dialectal difference.

That’s right; there is no difference in meaning or function between defence and defense. They are simply different spellings of the same word.

When to Use Defence

Although, there is no difference in meaning between the spellings, you should always keep your audience in mind when writing these words.

Defence (spelled with a “c”) is the preferred spelling of the word in British English. If you find yourself writing to a primarily British audience or for a British publication, this is the correct spelling for you.

For example, Fowler’s, a well-known British usage guide, lists defence as the preferred British English spelling.

In fact, if you graph out defence vs. defense in British English book publications, you can see that it is used much more frequently. Defence is also more common in Australia and Canada than it is in American English.

It is worth noting, however, that the American spelling defense appears to be gaining ground “across the pond,” as you can see a clear uptick in defense in the last 50 years or so. Perhaps one day the preference will be reversed, but for the time being defence is still the British English spelling.

When to Use Defense

Defense (spelled with an “s”) is the preferred spelling of the word in American English. If you find yourself writing to a primarily American audience or for and publication in the United States, defense is the correct spelling for you.

If you graph defense vs. defense across American book publications, you can see that for the last 100 years, defense has been the preferred spelling and, as we saw above, is gaining worldwide influence.

Some claim that this spelling is a better spelling of the word because it more closely resembles the word from which it was derived (the Latin dēfēnsa) and has a greater consistency with other words like defensible.

Pronunciation of Defence / Defense

How do you pronounce defense? The traditional pronunciation of defense is with the stress on the second syllable.

Defense = di-fen[t]s

As a result of sports commentators, however, it is now common to hear defense pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in athletic contexts.

Defense = dee-fen[t]s

If you talking about a military or legal strategy, you should use the first pronunciation. The second pronunciation is limited only to sports related contexts.

Remember the Difference

Given that the difference between these two words is similar to the difference between offense and offence, I will give you the same trick to remember defence vs. defense.

Defence is the British spelling and has a “C” in it. Think of this “C” as representing the Royal Crown of the United Kingdom.

Defense is the American spelling and has an “S” in it. Think of this “S” as representing the word “States” in United States.

Summary

Is it defense or defence? While these words have the same meaning, they are spelled differently in different regions. It’s important that you keep your audience in mind when using defense vs. defence.

Defence (spelled with a “c”) should be used in British English.

Defense (spelled with an “s”) should be used in American English.

In all uses other than sports, the pronunciation with the stress on the first syllable is preferred.

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Log in and Login

What is the Difference Between Log in and Login?

When to Use Log in

When to Use Login

Trick to Remember the Difference

Summary: Login vs. Log in

Color and Colour

What is the Difference Between Color and Colour?

When to Use Color

When to Use Colour

Trick to Remember the Difference

Summary

Bring or Take

What is the Difference Between Bring and Take?

When to Use Bring

When to Use Take

Trick to Remember the Difference

Summary

Anymore or Any more

Anyway or Anyways

What is the Difference Between Anyway and Anyways?

When to Use Anyway: Is Anyway a Word?

When to Use Anyways: Is Anyways a Word?

Remember the Difference

Summary

Then or Than

What is the Difference Between Then and Than?

When to Use Then

When to Use Than

Popular Phrases Using Than

Than Me vs.Than I

Remembering When to Use Then and Than

Summary

Defence or Defense

What is the Difference Between Defence and Defense?

When to Use Defence

When to Use Defense

Remember the Difference

Summary

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