http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html The WhiteSmoke Blog feed features selected articles on writing and grammar, as well as the latest WhiteSmoke press releases. en-us WhiteSmoke.com Ltd Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:07:56 GMT 60 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif http://www.whitesmoke.com/rss/whitesmoke-blog.rss?format=skin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Over the last week we have released the results of a spelling survey commissioned by WhiteSmoke. The results have attracted widespread attention, from the USA, to the UK, India, Australia and beyond. The survey shows that a large percentage of native English-speaking adults cannot spell basic words in English.</p> <p>If you would like to take some of the survey questions to see just how well you spell, go straight to the quiz page now:</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-spelling-test.html " title="Spelling test by WhiteSmoke">WhiteSmoke Spelling Quiz</a></p> <p>Read more about the survey here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/adults-cant-spell.html" title="Adults Can't Spell">Adult's Can't Spell</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:06:38 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Hyphen use is one of those tricky corners of the English language. The fact is, many people writing English are not really sure when they need to use a hyphen. There are many cases, such as with compound adjectives, where hyphens are required to emphasize the connection between the words, which together modify the noun. Then there are cases where, due to style, common practice, or the advent of newly formed words, hyphens are an essential part of a word's spelling.</p> <p>Confused?</p> <p>Our Top Expert has put together two articles that will help you understand exactly when you need a hyphen, and when you don't. The first focuses on use of the hyphen as a punctuation mark generally based on sentence structure. The second focuses on the specific use of hyphens in the spelling of certain words. So, don't hesitate, read the following articles and start hyphenating!:</p> <p><a title="Use of the Hyphen in English Punctuation" href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/hyphen-punctuation.html">Use of the Hyphen in English Punctuation</a></p> <p><a title="Use of the Hyphen in English Spelling" href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/hyphen-english-spelling.html">Use of the Hyphen in English Spelling</a></p> <p><a title="English Grammar Blog" href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:26:54 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Our Top Expert has just finished a great article for English learners and seasoned native speakers alike - an overview of plural forms of nouns. For learners, the article will provide a broad and informative introduction to the various plural forms of nouns in English. For seasoned native speakers, the article contains some interesting information on unusual plural forms. Check it out at the link below:</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/singular-and-plural-nouns.html" title="Singular and Plural Nouns in English">Singular and Plural Nouns in English</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:52:34 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Our Top Expert has put together another great article, this time a great primer on English verb tenses. Here is an excerpt:</p> <p>"Some argue that English only actually has two tenses, as only the Present Simple and the Past Simple change the verb form (inflect), while others make use of a variety of auxiliary verbs in order to be formed. However, for the ease of learning the tenses successfully and systematically, we use the below terminology that makes life much easier. The verb tenses in Old English were much more complicated, as verbs inflected for person, tense, aspect, and mood, as still in other languages nowadays. The verb forms in Modern English are relatively simple."</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:07:03 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>It is an age old problem, and a question we get asked by WhiteSmoke users often: What is the best way to approach a piece of writing, be it an essay, a letter to a prospective client, or even just a letter to a friend? Well, our Top Expert has written a new article on English writing, outlining a step-by-step process to help you get started writing any text and convey your ideas successfully. So, if you sometimes struggle with organizing your thoughts and getting them down on paper, check out the article, and write better, right now!:</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:21:06 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>SAN FRANCISCO, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- WhiteSmoke, the leading software company developing innovative solutions for correcting and enhancing English writing, today announced that Americans are most likely to use its award-winning English writing software. 85% of its 700,000 downloads to date stem from the US. This rising demand has led WhiteSmoke to open new technical operations in San Francisco to better meet US demand for its all-in-one writing software which includes an advanced grammar checker, text enrichment and a spellchecker.</p> <p>WhiteSmoke puts its recent increase in user numbers down to its highly successful Easter promotion, which has driven downloads of the unique software to over 700,000 at www.whitesmoke.com. Although the company offers both US and UK English versions and has an international customer base, it seems that more Americans want to improve written English across all age groups and occupations.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English grammar blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:09:51 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Is that the question?</p> <p>Well, if you have ever wondered about the verb "to be" in English, your questions have been answered by our Top Expert in the latest WhiteSmoke English lesson. From its forms and meaning through to its uses in various contexts, this simple guide will help you better understand all the ways you can "be" in English.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar and Writing Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:13:23 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <P>New WhiteSmoke Google Gadget corrects spelling and grammar mistakes and enriches your &quot;Googlish&quot; text</P> <P>Joining numerous other applications and services already available as Google gadgets, the WhiteSmoke Google Gadget brings award-winning English grammar checking, spell checking, and text enrichment to users of a range of Google services, such as iGoogle and Google Page Creator. Blogger, Google’s giant blog network, currently supports Google gadgets in its “draft” mode. </P><A title="WhiteSmoke Blog" href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</A><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:08:58 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Wilmington Delaware, 26 February 2008. WhiteSmoke today announced that it has been awarded a top five-star rating in the definitive guide to the best sites on the Internet - the Good Web Guide.</p> <p>A US-based company, WhiteSmoke Inc. develops US and British English editions of its grammar and spell checking software that helps you improve your whole experience of written communication - at home, at the workplace and on the Internet, according to the Good Web Guide.</p> <p>Based on natural language processing (NLP) technology, WhiteSmoke's all-in-one program provides a wide range of tools for editing a user's writing, including a grammar checker, a spell checker, and a unique text enrichment feature. These core features are supplemented by a proprietary English dictionary and thesaurus, and over 600 writing templates. WhiteSmoke works everywhere you write, including your favorite desktop applications or social media sites.</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/good-web-guide-review.html">Continue Reading about the Good Web Guide's WhiteSmoke Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-press.html">Read More WhiteSmoke Press Releases</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:31:03 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Over the last month there has been a lot of activity over at our Free English Lessons Portal. Our local Top Expert has been writing a series of articles on English grammar, including some on everyone's favorite subject - English verb tenses. You can go straight to the English Lessons Portal and navigate your way through the content there.</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar and Writing Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:41:42 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Our Top Expert has just written an article called "Spelling Rules for Verb Tenses in English". There you will find a range of tricks and tips for learning how spelling changes depending on the tense of the word. This article will be particularly handy for readers who are learning English as a Second Language, or Business English.</p> <p>So, if you want to know when to use "-ed" or "-d", whether to add "-s" or "-es", or when exactly you should use "-ing", click below to read the full article:</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar and Writing Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:32:53 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>WILMINGTON, Del.--(Business Wire)--</p> <p>WhiteSmoke, developer of world-leading English grammar and writing software, and The Q Group, developer of innovative solutions for online English language learning, today announce the integration of WhiteSmoke's OEM Grammar Engine with The Q Group's e-learning programs.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html" title="English Grammar and Writing Blog">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:31:17 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Microsoft, the BBC, McDonald's, Queen Elizabeth II, Shakespeare, Madonna, MTV, the Beatles, Hollywood, CNN - Anglophonic culture represented by the English language is all over the planet. English is today's &quot;lingua franca&quot;, that is, the language used for international communication by speakers whose native tongue is not English. It is used for international business, serves academic circles, and is the most prevalent language on the Internet and in popular media. Will English as we know it continue to dominate the global public sphere?</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Sun, 10 Feb 2008 07:16:47 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Our press release of a couple of days ago, based on our research into common errors made in English writing, has garnered quite some interest in the press: among others, publictechnology.net and startups.co.uk ran articles based on our statistics.</p> <p>This interest shows that now more than ever there is a growing awareness that bad grammar reflects badly on the message the writer is trying to convey. This problem has been amplified online, as people seem to miss more errors in their writing. Whether you are a corporate professional writing important business documents, or a blogger writing about your niche interests, good grammar will help you achieve your goals more effectively.</p> <p>WhiteSmoke gives you the integrated solution you need for great writing, with its grammar checker, spell checker and text enrichment features. Write better, right now.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:57:45 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Despite the ready availability of free spelling and grammar checkers, 60% of all business correspondence STILL gets sent containing one or more grammar or spelling errors, according to the results of a study released today by WhiteSmoke, developer of the world's leading English writing software solutions. Many of the errors can be traced to free word processing checkers that do not perform context-based text modifications, a field in which WhiteSmoke is a forerunner.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:57:36 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>Welcome to the New Year! We'll start this year with a collection of articles for students - a whole range of articles to help you write better essays. From specific advice on how to write a conclusion, through to more general articles on how to write a research paper or how to write a book review, the WhiteSmoke articles for essay writing will get you off to a good start in 2008.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:21:22 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>WhiteSmoke has created a range of free articles for any letter you need to write. Use our letter writing templates to help sharpen your writing for any occasion. There is something here for everyone, from a letter of apology template through to tips on writing a cover letter for a job application. So, if you need to get a headstart on a letter, head over to the Free Letter Writing Articles page now.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:40:02 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>I previously indicated that I will try to cover more business writing on this blog, following some requests from readers. A good place for anyone interested in Business English or business writing in general would be our index of business writing articles. We create new content regularly, so make sure to keep checking back. To go to the business writing article index, follow this link:</p> <p><a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/free-business-writing-articles.html">Free Business Writing Articles by WhiteSmoke</a></p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:56:00 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>We continue our guide to English vocabulary with Part 2 of our history of English vocabulary.</p> <p>The Renaissance arrived to England in around 1500 with a burst of literary works being published in Early Modern English thanks to the developments in mass printing. It was only at this time that some initial consolidation was beginning to occur in the language's vocabulary. After centuries of the church dictating religious guidelines for the cultural and spiritual life of Europeans, an increased nostalgic interest in the humanistic values of ancient Greece and Rome produced a torrent of unparalleled creativity.</p> <p>Scholarly research was written in Latin, as English was considered poor in vocabulary and too crude for expressing abstract ideas. A large portion of such words were originally Latin but entered English through their French manifestation. The education of children, however, was now being carried out in English. This entailed the use of new words from Greek, while Latin continued to be a steady source of vocabulary.</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:58:29 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~3/188283848/whitesmoke-blog.html <p>We have just opened up our Guide to English Vocabulary with a two part article on the history of English Vocabulary. Today we will look at Part 1, and tomorrow Part 2.</p> <p>The English language has become the international language. In addition to the 400 million people speaking English as a first language, about 800 million use or study English as a second/ foreign language. As English grammar is relatively simple compared to other languages, it is the vastness of English vocabulary which poses a real challenge in the quest to master the language.</p> <p>Almost every word in English seems to have many synonym sets with rough to subtle differences in meaning between members of each set. For example, to name the place where one lives, you can use home, house, quarters, or lodging (standard); residence, domicile, or habituation (formal); and shack, digs, spot, or pad (informal, slang). A set of words can also be found to describe a person who talks a lot: articulate, eloquent, fluent (positive connotation); vocal, talkative, verbose (neutral connotation); chattering, gossipy, and gabby (negative connotation). There just seems to be no end to English words!</p> <p>The most complete dictionary of English, the Oxford English Dictionary, or OED (second edition, 20 volumes, 1989) has more than 600,000 word entries (including archaic forms and variant spellings). Nevertheless, English is estimated to have more than a 1,000,000 words, as the second half of the 20th century enriched the language with an abundance of specialist, technical and scientific terms, not to mention slang and contributions from local English varieties (American, British, Australian &amp; New-Zealander English, Indian English, and more). Just for comparison, Arabic has "only" 200,000 words, German 160,000, French 140,000, Japanese 116,000, and Hebrew 100,000 (rough estimates).</p> <a href="http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html">Read More at the WhiteSmoke Blog</a><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=Q9Xc0xB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=Q9Xc0xB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=ykswV6B"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=ykswV6B" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=PgGSnlb"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=PgGSnlb" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=gArRFtB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=gArRFtB" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?a=MmDpLOB"><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~f/whitesmoke-blog?i=MmDpLOB" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.whitesmoke.com/~r/whitesmoke-blog/~4/188283848" height="1" width="1"/> Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:28:56 GMT http://www.whitesmoke.com/whitesmoke-blog.html