Write Site
  • Athabasca University
  • Write Site
  • English Grammar Handbook
  • Vocabulary and spelling
  • Write Site - Home
  • Staff and contact info
  • Coaching
    • Write Site dropbox
    • RealTime writing coaching
  • Writing forum
  • Webinar schedule
  • Lessons and videos
  • English Grammar Handbook
    • Basic grammar
      • Basic grammar: Parts of speech
      • Word forms
      • Words often confused and misused
    • Sentences and grammar
      • Recognition of sentence parts
      • Verbs
      • Transitional devices
      • Common sentence errors
    • Mechanics
      • Punctuation
      • Word mechanics
    • Style
    • Vocabulary and spelling
    • Concise ESL Support
      • Introduction
      • Articles
      • Conditional and hypothetical constructions
      • Direct and indirect speech
      • Idioms
      • Infinitives and gerunds
      • Irregular verbs
      • Modals and related expressions
      • Passive verb tenses
      • Phrasal verbs
      • Prepositions
      • Pronouns
      • Pronunciation
      • Verb tenses
      • Word forms
    • Glossary
    • Supplementary resources
    • Credits
  • Academic writing resources
    • Critical thinking, reading and writing
    • The writing process
    • Research writing
    • Writing in the disciplines
    • Writing genres and samples
      • Genres common to academic writing
      • Argumentative essay
      • Argumentation structure
      • Expository writing
      • Analytical film review process
      • Conducting and writing up interviews
  • Citations and references
    • Basics of documentation quiz
      • Quiz
      • Answers
    • Resources
    • Avoiding plagiarism
    • Library basics
  • Studying writing at AU
    • Studying writing at AU
    • Writing resources
    • Writing courses
    • Assess your writing and language skills
    • Marking guide for writing assignments

Vocabulary and spelling

Dictionaries

  • Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English – good for ESL/EAL writers and beginners
  • Online Etymology Dictionary – learn about the origin of words to help you understand definitions
  • Oxford English Dictionary (OED) – the gold standard in dictionaries
  • Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – OED for ESL/EAL writers and beginners

Thesauruses

  • WordHippo
  • Onelook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus

Collocations, idioms, and phrasal verbs

  • Idioms, Athabasca University
  • Phrasal verbs, Athabasca University
  • Phrasal verb alternatives – useful for concise writing
  • Spelling and collocations module, NAIT

Learning about words

  • Parts of speech, Athabasca University
  • Word forms, Athabasca University
  • Irregular plurals, Athabasca University
  • Easily confused words, Grammar Monster
  • Guide to Grammar and Writing

Updated February 13, 2023 by Digital & Web Operations, University Relations (web_services@athabascau.ca)

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