ongoing If something is ongoing, it’s continuing. It’s happening now or it’s happening at the same time that something else is happening. When Charles went to the doctor, he complained about an ongoing cough. U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan has been ongoing for over 15 years. No one knows, but Rachel and Jim have […]
tickle To tickle someone is to touch a person on the part of the body that causes laughter or some kind of tingly physical stimulation. These sentences incude some form of the word “tickle.” That tickles. That’s tickling me. The children are tickling each other. They’re tickling each other’s feet. Some people like to be tickled; others
tattle To tattle is to reveal a secret about another person. When someone tattles, it often results in problems for the person whose secret was revealed. Tattling generally occurs among children, but adults do it as well. Cindy tattled on her brother, Bobby, who broke a lamp in the living room. She told their mother about it.
tear You can use “tear” as a verb or as a noun. To “tear” something is to damage it by ripping with one’s hands. You can also use “tear” when removing paper from a notebook or checkbook: simple past past participle tear tore torn You have to tear your assignment from your notebook and give
tax A tax is a percentage of money paid to the government by businesses, consumers, and individuals. The money that is collected pays for services that we all need: police protection, emergency services, road construction, schools, public heath, etcetera. Many people don’t like to pay taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects taxes for the federal government.
tab Many Americans use the word “tab” as a noun when referring to an amount of money that is spent at a restaurant or a bar. What was the tab for the food and the drinks? What did the tab come to? The waitress brought us our tab. Who picked up the tab? (Who paid for
screw The word “screw” is used to describe the movement of turning something so that it fits into a hole of some kind. You screw a light bulb into a lamp socket. You screw in the light bulb, and when you want to take it out you unscrew it. A screw is also a piece
scrape When removing the top layer of something or when cleaning the surface of something, you can use the verb “scrape.” Scrape your plate before you put it in the dishwasher. (This sentence is in the imperative form. The subject is “you.) You have to scrape ice off of your windshield in the winter if you
scrap The word “scrap” refers to material that remains following a project. Scraps are left over from an activity in which something is made. These scraps may still have a value or some other purpose. We give food scraps to our dog. That old car is only useful as scrap. Large scraps of lumber remained
stun Use the word “stun” when a person is very surprised by something. This is a strong word, so make sure it fits the situation: Vanessa was stunned when she saw the repair bill for her car. We were absolutely stunned to find out that Bill and Elena were getting a divorce. (Notice that the word
