USE Definition & Meaning

I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale. Usage can sometimes be synonymous with use (noun), but keep in mind it doesn’t have as wide a range. Continue reading to learn more about these commonly confused words. Different citation styles (such as MLA, APA, Chicago, and AMA) have slightly different rules regarding whether to capitalize the first letter after a colon. If it is important that you follow one of these styles precisely, be sure to use the appropriate manual to look up the rule.

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I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale. Apples, grapes, and pears were on sale. The problem becomes a little trickier in constructions with did. The form considered correct following did, at least in American English, is use to.

Words or phrases that describe a noun can be set off with dashes if you wish to emphasize them. You can see that “There are many different types of paper, including” is not a complete sentence. To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation.

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Although the words employ and use have much in common, employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged. The words employ and utilize are common synonyms of use. While all three words mean «to put into service especially to attain an end,» use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end. LanguageTool is an intelligent writing assistant that can detect incorrect use of use to in addition to correcting various other types of errors.

Common uses of colons

  • Continue reading to learn more about these commonly confused words.
  • But when the phrase itself already contains one or more commas, dashes can help readers understand the sentence.
  • Use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end.
  • Words or phrases that describe a noun can be set off with dashes if you wish to emphasize them.

Use can be both a verb and a noun, while usage can only function as a noun. It’s also important to distinguish between dashes and hyphens. I bought shiny, ripe apples; small, sweet, juicy grapes; and firm pears. I bought shiny, ripe apples, small, sweet, juicy grapes, and firm pears. It may help to remember that used to is usually the correct option. Use to works only if paired with did or didn’t to describe something that happened in the past but not anymore.

  • You can sometimes use a dash to help readers see that certain words are meant as an introduction or conclusion to your sentence.
  • Use can be both a verb and a noun, while usage can only function as a noun.
  • Two dashes can emphasize material in the middle of a sentence.
  • You can use a colon to draw attention to many things in your writing.
  • To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions.

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Overusing dashes can break how to use abc analysis for inventory management up the flow of your writing, making it choppy or even difficult to follow, so don’t overdo it. Use has a wide range of definitions, whether it’s acting as a verb or a noun. Two dashes can emphasize a modifier.

Colons

You can use a colon to draw attention to many things in your writing. The categories listed below often overlap, so don’t worry too much about whether your intended use of the colon fits one category perfectly. To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions. You can sometimes use a dash to help readers see that certain words are meant as an introduction or conclusion to your sentence. I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

Phrases Containing use

Our town was asked to reduce water usage because of the drought. Employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged. Use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end.

Two dashes can emphasize material in the middle of a sentence. Some style and grammar guides even permit you to write a complete sentence within the dashes. To mark “bonus phrases.” Phrases that add information or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas. But when the phrase itself already contains one or more commas, dashes can help readers understand the sentence. The first thing to know when talking about dashes is that they are almost never required by the laws of grammar and punctuation.

Because the d and t sounds in used to are blended into a single consonant in speech, people sometimes get confused about the spelling of the phrase. It may be that many people in fact say use to rather than used to, but since the pronunciations are essentially identical, it makes no difference. (The same occurrence happens in the pronunciation of supposed to.) In writing, however, use to in place of used to is an error.