Click on the tabs above to explore some fundamental rules for writing in English. Whether you're a native English speaker or an English Language Learner, going over these building blocks of writing can help you learn new ways to express yourself, write in different levels of formality, and develop a greater command of the English language.
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When spellcheckers like Word or Grammarly and Generative AI (GenAI) like Chat GPT exist and can correct your mistakes, why are the rules of grammar important? Why should you care about knowing the difference between “they’re” and “their” or the correct way to use a comma?
You’ve probably heard it before: “AI is only as good as its programming and learning material” or “AI can be wrong.” But its true, and important to keep in mind. Spellcheckers and GenAI might give you the very technically “right” way to write a sentence, but sometimes those corrections blur your meaning. If you don’t have a good grasp of grammar, you might miss confusion caused by the lack of context that spellcheckers and GenAI have. For example, consider the different meaning the following sentences:
A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing
Both are grammatically correct, but the difference in punctuation drastically alters the meaning.
Considering that Spellcheck and GenAI can be wrong and mislead your reader, remember that you are in the best position to explain the ideas you have. You know what you want to say and how you want to say it. Having a good grasp of grammar and punctuation can make you a better writer and put you in a better position to convey those ideas clearly and accurately.
This guide was created/compiled by Amanda Wills and last updated by Teevin Fournier in 2025. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0 International License.