#grammar rules for conjunctions

[mylanguageclasses]

Subordinating Conjunctions in English

Subordinating conjunctions are essential tools in English grammar that help connect dependent clauses to independent clauses, adding depth and complexity to sentences. They provide context, show relationships between ideas, and clarify the meaning of sentences. In this blog post, we’ll explore the usage of subordinating conjunctions in every possible situation, provide examples, and offer…

[showing0resultsforsanity]

this a thousand times but also for one of those times I'm looking pointedly at starting sentences with conjunctions (another one of those times is for breaking other grammar rules)

the "canon isn't real we make our own rules" to "i am begging you people to revisit the source material" pipeline

[strawbby-selfships]

Posting here since I’m kinda vauging, but hot take… I hate hate HATE gatekeeping writing and fanfic bc of course everyone is going to be at different levels of skill, people may not have a good grasp on the language they’re writing in, etc.

But… you NEED to learn the fundamental principles of writing at SOME point in your writing journey. I’m talking like, starting a new paragraph when a character starts talking, using commas just… at all, using apostrophes for possessives and in conjunctions, etc.

Again I’m not trying to gatekeep who can and can’t write fanfic but I came across an author who has been writing for four years (at least on ao3) and hasn’t learned that you need to start new paragraphs when a character talks yet, so all their fics are a massive wall of text. Just like, plz, learn the most basic of formatting & grammar rules so your fics are actually legible.

I want to emphasize that I believe anyone can, and should, write! This post isn’t about fics written by people just starting out, or fics with minor to moderate editing/grammar/formatting issues. This is about veteran writers who just straight up do not care about the legibility of their fics and don’t use fucking paragraphs 😭

[zsakuva]

How many Conlangs have you created to this day?

How does the process go when you try to create a new one? (In general)

What kind of resources do you use when creating conlangs? (e.g./ a language whose grammar you take as an example, or taking inspirations from ancient Egyptian, pronunciation-wise)

Five for my fantasy world (though only one is extensively being worked on a decade later), and one for the Sakuverse.

It depends on what the starting point is. Usually I start with a brief outline of what I want the language to sound like (including enunciation, pitch, and overall cadence), and then focus on a general sentence structure which will be expanded upon as new words and grammatical rules are created.

For example, I always start with the sentence, "I go to the city." Then, I start adding more, such as, "I went to the city" to establish how tenses work, "I want to go to the city" to figure out intent, "My father goes to the city" to understand possessives, "I want to go to a big city" to work out adjectives, and so on. As the sentences become more functional, it changes to dissecting the smaller rules like conjunctions, participles, etc.

3. Not gonna lie, I just wing it. I would listen to languages I know nothing about to get a feel of its rhythm or pronunciation, and then I would implement what I want to use and go from there.

[melikes-reads]

To German speakers

Serious question: how do you think, before you talk?

I've been watching German tv series and reading German fics, so my reading and listening comprehension is improving.

But.

German syntax is puzzling. Extremely so.

I know the grammar rules, I do! But my mind automatically goes subject + verb + object + conjunction + subject + verb + object when I want to speak.

When I write, I have time to reflect about the correct order of each word (and pieces of a word!), but trying to speak and remember where every part of the speech goes, and the right declensions… Impossible.

So, any advice?

[elumish]

There tends to be this viewpoint that English language (fiction) writing is only "correct" when it sounds like a native English speaker wrote it. Other than the inherent racism and xenophobia involved in that, not even every native English speaker writes in the same way or follows the same "rules" when writing.

When you're trying to think about what "rules" you need to follow in fiction on a pure sentence level, here are a few ways to think about it:

Does the use of punctuation inhibit understanding or break extremely standard rules (e.g., never ending a sentence with a period)?

Do these words in this order with this punctuation have the meaning I intend to convey?

Are the prepositions, conjunctions, and articles used in a way that is standard to the dialect of English that you are writing in? If not, is that intentional?

Does the grammar or phrasing of this sentence make it ambiguous or difficult to understand? If so, is that ambiguity intentional?

Does this phrase or word order match or diverge from a common English set phrase or standard (e.g., "knock on wood" versus "knock on trees", adjective order? Is this intentional?

Is this a translation of a common set phrase in another language? Does this have an understandable meaning in English? Would the use of this phrase locate my character, narrator, or story to a place or culture that they are not a part of?

Do the speech patterns of this character (e.g., use of contractions) reflect how a person of that background, culture, educational background, etc. would speak? If not, is that intentional?

A lot of the thoughts about how writing by non-native English speakers sounds boils down to some version of "does it sound right?" But, as you can see in the questions above, "right" is generally more about reflecting whatever it is that you're trying to write than about matching the English that American school children learn.

Native English speakers break English "rules" in their writing all the time. We just tend to have more practice at it.

From my standpoint, the most important question for any story is, can my readers understand what I am saying from the words on the page, and if not, am I doing that on purpose? Basically everything else is stylistic.

English doesn't belong to people who learn it as a first language, and we lose a lot of literary possibilities by pretending it does.

[neo-my-geo]

Hey gang, it’s your old pal Neo here. If you know me, it’s probably from one of the several very stupid TF2 comics I’ve posted to Tumblr.

However! I am also an English major (unfortunately). One who has read millions of words worth of fanfiction in their life. I have been part of the Sherlock, BNHA, Disco Elysium, and, of course, TF2 fandoms; I’ve been around the block.

The further I’ve progressed into my English education, the more I’ve noticed which mistakes are the most common in fanfiction. Many of them are easily fixable; writers just need to be pointed in the right direction. 

“Neo! Does this mean you think people shouldn’t be allowed to post their works online without a background in formal English education?”

Of course not! I can explain why if you’d care to venture below the cut with me!

Yes, I will explain how to use commas.

It’s important to note that this is NOT a post about formal writing. You aren’t writing an essay. Please, for the love of god, do not write fiction like you’re writing an essay.

There are no stakes to writing fanfic. No one is going to get hurt if an author doesn’t know what a dangling participle is. One of my favourite things about fanfiction is that it’s one of the only art forms left that’s done exclusively for fun! You should write what you enjoy, and share what you make with like-minded people. 

What I want to do is provide assistance as best I can to writers who want to improve their fundamentals without having to take the same university courses I did. Nobody is going to be getting a formal education to write fanfiction unless they’re ridiculously dedicated, and I’m not expecting that of anyone. 

The point I need to stress is that knowing these grammar fundamentals can instantly improve the flow of your writing. Punctuation is a ridiculously important tool for writers, ESPECIALLY in fiction. Commas, semicolons, and full stops (including periods, exclamation points, and question marks) steer the pacing in the reader’s mind; did you notice how your brain stopped for a second after that semicolon? I can show you how to do that.

You may be wondering why I’m going through so much effort to teach all of this to strangers on the internet. The answer is that I enjoy sharing this knowledge with others and helping them grow. By seeing this, my goal is to help you become more proficient at self-editing. Showing this to people who actually want to learn will, hopefully, benefit the community as a whole, and I think that’s very worth it. 

Also, while this post is obviously themed around TF2, the points I’m making can be applied to any fiction. Grammar is for everyone, and the church of the semicolon always has room for more initiates. 

Also also, as an edit, I should clarify that this is meant to cover the more objective facets of self-editing, which is why I'm mostly covering punctuation. Maybe I'll do another post about using adjectives someday.

With that out of the way, let’s get going!

I’ve teamed up with several English teachers (real ones! One of which may or may not be my mom!) and an editor to gather a list of the most common problems we see in amateur fiction. This post is going to be split into three broad sections: apostrophes, commas/semicolons, and other common problems. 

The apostrophe

This section is short, but it holds weight. Other than commas, apostrophes are the most typoed grammatical tool in any fanfiction I’ve edited. This is because, much like the rest of English, the rules surrounding them can be annoying and inconsistent. 

Apostrophes have two main uses: possessives and conjunctions.

A possessive is a word that denotes the ownership of one thing over another. The vast majority of the time, this is done using an apostrophe and an S.

There is, however, one glaring exception to this rule, and it’s the bane of my existence. 

When denoting possession of an object over something else while using the pronoun ‘it,’ you do NOT add an apostrophe before the S.

A conjunction, on the other hand, is when a writer uses an apostrophe to combine two words. The following are examples of common conjunctions:

What’s (what is)

They’re (they are)

It’s (it is)

Conjunctions are not often used in formal writing. Thankfully, we aren’t dealing in formal writing. Go crazy.

Time for a lightning round of the most commonly mistaken for each other possessives and conjunctions!

Your is possessive. You’re is a conjunction of ‘you’ and ‘are.’ When you can’t decide which one to use, imagine replacing it with ‘you are’ and seeing if it makes sense. If it doesn’t, use your.

Their is possessive. There indicates a location. They’re is a conjunction of ‘they’ and ‘are.’ 

The comma and the semicolon

You knew it was coming. I knew it was coming. It’s time to talk about commas.

Commas and semicolons are far and away the biggest grammatical hole in the toolset of fanfiction writers everywhere. They’re often treated like the rules surrounding them are complicated and difficult to understand, but the exact opposite is true! 

The big issue I’ve heard time and time again is that the rules of commas are often explained through metaphor instead of example; this means that writers everywhere have slightly different ideas of how you’re supposed to use them. The fact of the matter is that, yes, there are correct and incorrect ways to use commas. Knowing when they’re appropriate and when they aren’t is easily the fastest way to bring your writing from looking amateurish to sounding professional and experienced. 

In order to know how to use a comma, you must first understand the difference between a dependent and an independent clause. 

An independent clause is a section of writing that functions perfectly well as its own sentence. It MUST have both a subject and an action/verb.

A sentence without an independent clause is known as a fragment, and they’re the bane of English teachers with highlighters everywhere. 

A dependent clause is a section of writing that does not have both a subject and an action; it does not function as its own sentence.

Now, let’s say you want to combine the two. When joining a dependent clause to an independent clause, the order in which they are placed is crucial to whether you use a comma or not. 

When joining a dependent to an independent with the independent clause first, you do not need to use a comma.

When joining a dependent to an independent with the dependent clause first, you MUST use a comma. 

Keep in mind that, if one strives for total grammatical perfection, all narrative sentences MUST have an independent clause. This, however, does not apply to dialogue. Human beings do not think about whether what they’re saying is a dependent clause, and neither would the vast majority of fictional characters. Don’t be afraid to break the rules of grammar as long as it’s contained within quotation marks. 

Alright, that’s the easy part. Time to learn about joining two independent clauses. It’s semicolon time, baby!

If you join two independent clauses without properly using a comma or a semicolon, it is a run-on sentence. You do not want these in your writing. They’re awkward to read and mess up the flow.

When joining two independent clauses, you can use EITHER a comma or a semicolon. You just need to follow these rules:

If you’re joining two independent clauses with a comma, you MUST use a joining word (and, but, so, etc.) AFTER the comma. 

If you’re joining two independent clauses with a semicolon, you do NOT need to use a joining word.

Did you know that a sentence with a comma counts as its own independent clause? This means that you can make a sentence that includes a mix of both without it being a run-on! Just make sure that, no matter what, the semicolon is between two independent clauses. 

Still, try not to write more than two clauses in a sentence too often. Sentences with a lot of punctuation are very attention-grabbing, but shouldn’t be overused. Full stops aren’t your enemy and variety is the spice of life. 

It’s also important to remember that you should avoid using more than one comma in a clause (with the exception of the rule below). That part loops back to the 'avoiding run-ons' bit.

It’s really that easy! 

Commas are also used in informal writing to inject a separate thought or descriptor mid-sentence without breaking the flow by adding a period. This is often used when describing the perspective of a character experiencing something in a story, but not (usually) when using omniscient perspectives. 

The final issue I frequently see with commas in fanfiction is in regards to dialogue. Sometimes you end it with them, and sometimes you don’t. What gives? 

Well, my friend, the answer is, thankfully, much simpler than the previous section.

When following dialogue with a dialogue tag, use a comma instead of a full stop. If you’re continuing the previous sentence after the tag, use a comma after it as well. 

Note that a dialogue tag is a short phrase that identifies the speaker. It isn’t a complete sentence on its own.

When following dialogue with an action that does not serve as a dialogue tag, use a full stop instead of a comma. 

Other common problems

This section is dedicated to putting specific grammatical errors into words, along with how to solve them. 

Not sticking to the chosen point of view

Always choose your point of view before you start. Is it in the first, second, or third person? Is it omniscient or limited? Does the point of view switch during the story?

First person perspective is told as if the POV character is directly describing their experience to the reader. The character uses I and we to describe their own actions.

Second person perspective is told as if the reader is a character in the story and their actions are being described to them. This is the rarest, and the most difficult to write.

Third person perspective is the most common and the simplest to write. The events of the story are a separate entity from the reader altogether and the narrator uses they/he/she/it pronouns for characters. 

Omniscient perspective means the narrator of the story knows all, including the thoughts and feelings of each character. 

Limited perspective means the narrator of the story only knows what the POV character knows. 

Past and present tense

When you decide between writing a story in past or present tense, it is crucial that you do not switch between them unless it is narratively intentional. Reading a past tense story that mistakenly switches to the present tense is like being pulled out of the room someone is telling a story in and suddenly taking part in it yourself. It’s disorienting and gives the reader unwanted pause.

Overly-long paragraphs

A common adage spread by English teachers is that most paragraphs should be at least eight sentences long. This is great advice for beginner essays. You’re writing fiction. 

If you have a new thought, start a new paragraph! A concise and well-read single-sentence paragraph is infinitely better than one that drags a thought for too long. Aim to have a blend of paragraph lengths when you write, alternating between the descriptive and the punctual. 

Dangling participles

A dangling participle is when a word is used to describe a noun that isn’t actually present in the sentence. Much like how a sentence without an action isn’t grammatically correct, neither is a sentence without a subject. 

Malapropisms

A malapropism is when an author mistakenly uses one word or phrase instead of another similar-sounding one. I’m not about to list every single malapropism ever made, but these are the ones I notice most often:

To comprehend is to understand something, to apprehend is to arrest someone, and to be apprehensive is to be anxious or fearful of something bad happening.

Could care less means you do care. Couldn’t care less means you don’t.

A lot means a large amount of something. Alot isn’t a word and you shouldn’t use it.

The only real solution to using malapropisms is to make sure you fully understand any words you use in your writing. Never guess, and make sure you always google it. Having beta readers also helps.

If you made it this far, congratulations! You now know the most common errors in amateur fiction and how to solve them! Thank you for listening to me complain for two thousand words. 

The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to make mistakes. First drafts are always gonna be a little bad. The real key to success is knowing what your end goal is, and how you plan on achieving it. Here’s hoping this was a helpful tool for that!

Shoutout to @salmonandsoup for helping me think of the list of issues to address! You're a real one. Also shoutout to my mom, who doesn't have Tumblr. Also the third person. You know who you are.

[duckprintspress]

Round Table Discussion: Grammar Pet Peeves

Today, March 4th, is National Grammar Day! Last year, we celebrated with six of our favorite grammar quirks. This year, we’re going to the other end of the spectrum: we had a conversation with our editors and blog contributors about grammar things we hate. They may be technically correct, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make us crazy. Eighteen people, many anonymous, contributed to this discussion.

Dangling Modifiers

boneturtle: Dangling modifiers, hands down. Even when I can decipher what the writer meant based on context, it viscerally hurts me every time. When I am editing I have to stand up and take a lap around my apartment when I hit a dangling modifier. Remind myself that I am here to help. Learn more about dangling modifiers.

Commas

anonymous: Commas are not difficult! Commas end phrases. Full stop. That’s all they do. Is a phrase necessary to the grammatical coherence of the sentence? if the answer is yes, no commas because that phrase hasn’t ended. If the answer is no, commas! comma hug that bish if it’s the middle of a sentence. The difference between grammatical and informational is whether or not the sentence makes sense without the phrase. 

Examples: 

The man who ordered the six double anchovy pizzas claims to have a dolphin in his pool. 

You need “who ordered the six double anchovy pizzas” because you need to identify which man you’re talking about. The world is full of many men. 

The ancient Buick, which Madeleine purchased via Craigslist, belched black smoke whenever she pressed the accelerator. 

We don’t need to know how Madeleine purchased the car for the sentence to make sense. You don’t even meed “Madeleine” for the grammar to make sense. Therefore, hug that phrase! 

(a comma on each side of the phrase) or give it a dramatic send off with a comma and an end punctuation. (i could go into conjunctions, too, but those are a little more complex, and if you were taught them properly, i understand not getting the comma use 😂 ) 

Prepositions at the End of Sentences

Tris Lawrence: There was a dictionary (Merriam-Webster? Oxford? idek) that posted recently on social media about how the rule about not ending a sentence with a preposition came from English scholars trying to make English line up with Latin, and that it’s totally okay to do it… and I’m just wanting to point to it to yell THIS because uhhh trying to rework sentences to not end in a preposition often creates clunky awkward things (my opinion, I recognize this).

D. V. Morse: Ending sentences/clauses with a preposition. Well, not doing that is supposed to be the rule, but depending on the sentence, it can be a convoluted mess to try and avoid it. Winston Churchill famously told someone off after they “caught” him breaking that rule, saying, “This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.” (Yes, I had to look that up.)

Pronoun Confusion

anonymous: I hate playing the pronoun game when reading. I hate it in life when someone comes up to me and tells me a story involving 2 people of the same pronouns and stops using names halfway through, and I hate it while reading too. Nothing makes me fall out of scene more if I don’t know who just did/said what. Use names. That’s why we have them.

Nina Waters: epithets. If I know the characters name…why? Also, when people use “you” in third person writing. There are times I’ll allow it as an editor/times when I do think it’s at least acceptable but not gonna lie, I absolutely hate it.

anonymous: My pet peeve … I read hundreds of essays in a given month for work, plus a whole lot of fanfic for fun. A rising issue that I have noticed in both places is incomplete sentences (lacking subjects, typically). I think it’s because people rely on Google’s grammar checker to tell them if something is wrong and…Google doesn’t check for that apparently. I’m increasingly convinced that my high schoolers simply weren’t taught sentence structure, because when I ask them to fix it they almost universally say some variant of “I don’t understand what you’re asking me to do.” Therefore, it might be punching down a little to complain about it. I’m not sure. It does drive me nuts though. Lol

“Would Of”

Neo Scarlett: Not quite sure if that falls under grammar, but I hate hate hate when people use “should of” instead of should’ve. Or “would of.” It just makes my toe nails curl up because it may sound right, but it looks wrong and is wrong.

Semi-Colons

Shea Sullivan: I saw a list punctuated by semicolons recently and that made me froth at the mouth a bit.

anonymous: I think any editor who’s worked with me knows that I have a pet peeve about using colons or semi-colons in dialogue. Or really, any punctuation mark that I don’t think people can actually pronounce. Semicolons can live anywhere that I don’t have to imagine a character actually pronouncing them.

English isn’t Dumb!

theirprofoundbond: As a former linguistics student, it bugs me a lot when people say that English is a dumb or stupid language because it has borrowed from so many languages. What people mean when they say this is, “English can be really difficult (even for native speakers).” But I wish people would say that, instead of “it’s dumb/stupid.” Languages are living things. Like other living things, they adapt and evolve. English is basically a beautiful, delightful platypus. Let it be a platypus.

Dei Walker: I remember seeing somewhere that English has four types of rules (I’m trying to find the citation today) and everyone conflates them. And I guess my pet peeve is that everyone treats them equally when they’re NOT. There are rules but not all of them are the same – there’s a difference between “adjectives precede nouns” (big truck, not *truck big) and “don’t split infinitives” (which is arbitrary).

And, because we couldn’t resist, here are some of our favorite things, because when we asked for pet peeves…some people still shared things they loved instead of things they hated.

Oxford Comma

Terra P. Waters: I really really love the Oxford comma.

boneturtle: me: [in kindergarten, using oxford comma]

teacher: no, we don’t add a comma between the last two objects in a list.

me: that’s illogical and incorrect.

anonymous: I will forever appreciate my second grade teacher’s explanation of Oxford comma use: Some sentences are harder to understand if you don’t use it, but no sentence will ever be harder to understand because you do use it. Preach, Mrs. D

anonymous: I am definitely Team Oxford Comma. I even have a bumper sticker which says so

Other Favorites

Shea Sullivan: I adore the emdash, to every editor’s chagrin.

Shadaras: zeugmas! I think they’re super cool!

Shea Sullivan and Hermit: I use sentence fragments a lot. Fragments my beloved.

English Grammar vs. Grammar in Other Languages

anonymous: so in English my favourite thing is the parallel Latin and Saxon registers because of how that affects grammar, but in Japanese my favourite grammatical thing is the use of an actual sound at the end of the sentence to denote a question, as opposed to how in English we use intonation? Also how in Japanese the sentence structure requires reasoning first and action second in terms of clauses. So rather than go “let’s go to the cinema because it’s raining and I’m cold,” you’d go “because it’s raining and I’m cold, let’s go to the cinema.” (My least favourite thing is the lack of spaces between words in the written form but that’s purely because I find that level of continuous letters intimidating to translate.)

I also love how Japanglish in the foreign communities in Japan starts to develop its own grammatical structure as a way of situating yourself in this space between the two languages. It’s used as a call-sign of belonging to that specific community, because in order to make some of the jokes and consciously break the rules of English or Japanese grammar and/or choose to obey one or the other, you’re basically displaying your control over both/knowledge of them. Like, the foreign community in Japan is often a disparate group of people with multiple different native languages who are relying on their knowledge of at least one non-native language but often two to signify their status in the group as Also An Outsider and I think that’s really interesting.

Nina Waters: Chinese and Japanese both drop subjects, and Chinese doesn’t have like… a/the… Japanese doesn’t have a future tense… Chinese kinda sorta doesn’t have tenses at all… (these are not pet peeves, btw, I love how learning a language with such different ways of approaching these things reshapes my brain). Chinese also doesn’t really have yes or no.

There’s a joke somewhere on Tumblr about that, though I actually think it’s about using “a” versus “the,” like, someone was giving a Russian speaker a hard time after they said “get in car” and they were like “only you English speakers are dumb enough to feel this is essential why would I be talking about getting into any random car of course I mean our car wtf.”

anonymous: on the subject of other languages, epithets are also something that happen differently in other languages. In French repeating a word (names included, and sometimes even pronouns) is considered bad writing. As in, way more than in English. Going by how grating the English translation of the Witcher books was to me when the French one was fine, I’d say it’s the same with Polish, at least. It’s also very interesting how brains adapt to writing styles in other languages.

What are some of your favorite and least favorite grammar quirks, in English or in the language of your choice?

[mylanguageclasses]

Adverbs and Their Types in English

Adverbs are one of the most versatile parts of speech in the English language. They add depth, clarity, and precision to sentences by modifying verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or even entire sentences. Whether you’re a native speaker or learning English as a second language, understanding adverbs and their types is essential for effective communication. In this blog post, we’ll explore what…

[ftfiction]

5 Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even the best writers make grammar mistakes. The key is recognizing them and knowing how to correct them. Here are five common grammar pitfalls and simple tips to avoid them:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

The Mistake: Using a singular verb with a plural subject or vice versa. Example: "The list of rules are confusing." The Fix: Match the verb to the subject, not the words in between. Corrected: "The list of rules is confusing."

Quick Tip: Ignore phrases between the subject and verb when deciding agreement.

2. Misplaced Modifiers

The Mistake: Placing descriptive words in the wrong part of the sentence, causing confusion. Example: "She almost drove her kids to school every day." The Fix: Place modifiers next to the word they describe. Corrected: "She drove her kids to school almost every day."

Quick Tip: Ask yourself: "What exactly is being described?"

3. Comma Splices

The Mistake: Joining two independent clauses with only a comma. Example: "I love writing, it’s so relaxing." The Fix: Use a period, semicolon, or conjunction to separate the clauses. Corrected: "I love writing; it’s so relaxing."

Quick Tip: If both parts of the sentence can stand alone, they need proper separation.

4. Confusing "Their," "There," and "They’re"

The Mistake: Mixing up these commonly confused words. Example: "Their going to the park over there." The Fix:

"Their" shows possession: "Their books are on the table."

"There" refers to a place: "Let’s go over there."

"They’re" is a contraction of "they are": "They’re excited to go."

Quick Tip: Replace "they’re" with "they are" to see if it fits.

5. Apostrophe Misuse

The Mistake: Using apostrophes for plurals or misplacing them in possessive forms. Example: "The dog’s are barking loudly." The Fix: Use apostrophes only for contractions or to show possession. Corrected: "The dogs are barking loudly." (Plural) or "The dog’s collar is red." (Possessive)

Quick Tip: Ask yourself if the word shows ownership or if it’s just plural.

Final Thoughts: Grammar mistakes happen to everyone, but with practice, they’re easy to fix. Double-checking your writing and keeping these tips in mind can make a huge difference. Need help with editing? Feel free to reach out—I’m here to help! ✍️

Need an editor? Let’s collaborate! DM me or check out my pinned post for details.✨

"Like everything metaphysical the harmony between thought and reality is to be found in the grammar of the language." Ludwig Wittgenstein

[gwendolynlerman]

Russian Vocabulary

How to Remember the Names of Cases

Russians are taught a mnemonic rule to remember the names of cases. It is a sentence in which each word begins with the initial of the case: Иван Родил Девчонку, Велел Тащить Пелёнку (Ivan had a baby girl and ordered (someone) to bring diapers).

Иван - именительный (nominative)

Родил - родительный (genitive)

Девочку - дательный (dative)

Велел - винительный (accusative)

Тащить - творительный (instrumental)

Пелёнку - пред��ожный (prepositional)

Grammar

слово - word

корень - root

префикс - prefix

суффикс - suffix

окончание - ending

существительное - noun

склонение - declension

падеж - case

род - gender

мужской - masculine

женский - feminine

средний - neuter

число - number

единственное - singular

множественное - plural

одушевлённость - animacy

одушевленное - animate

неодушевлённое – inanimate

глагол - verb

спряжение - conjugation

лицо - person

первое - first

второе - second

третье - third

время - tense

инфинитив - infinitive

настоящее - present

прошедшее - past

будущее - future

наклонение - mood

индикативное - indicative

повелительное - imperative

условное - conditional

вид - aspect

несовершенный - imperfective

совершенный - perfective

залог - voice

активный - active

пассивный - passive

причастие – participle

деепричастие - adverbial participle

глагол движения - verb of motion

направленность - directionality

однонаправленный - unidirectional

разнонаправленный - multidirectional

прилагательное - adjective

краткая форма - short form

полная форма - long form

сравнительная степень - comparative form

превосходная степень - superlative form

местоимение - pronoun

личное местоимение - personal pronoun

определитель - determiner

возвратное - reflexive

вопросительное - interrogative

неопределённое - indefinite

определительное - emphatic

отрицательное - negative

притяжательное - possessive

указательное - demonstrative

числительное - numeral

дробное - fractional

порядковое - ordinal

числовое - cardinal

наречие - adverb

предлог - preposition

сочетание - conjunction

междометие - interjection

частица - particle

предложение - sentence

утверждение - affirmation

отрицание - negation

вопрос - question

субъект - subject

прямой объект - direct object

косвенный объект - indirect object

координация - coordination

подчинение - subordination

безличное - impersonal

[bumblehoneybee]

You are an excellent writer, could you give me some tips? (It's for research-)

Thank you very much! I have been writing as a hobby since I was eleven, and I’m almost 24 now so needless to say I have lots of experience lolol

Tips I have are pretty basic. I tend to read a lot on my own, fanfics and published novels, to kinda explore how other people describe the world and people and things. Little bits of inspiration come from each little thing, and builds up into something I like!

I’m a fan of idioms and metaphors, as you’ve probably noticed. Feelings and emotions like pain and love and anger and sadness are never just something simple, so I like to describe them in ways that would make sense.

The book Misery by Stephen King starts out with a man getting into a car crash. His legs are broken, and the pain is described at these broken off pilings jutting from the sand at the beach, slowly being covered and uncovered by the tide. Pain and nonpain, high tide and low tide. The way the comparison sings in your brain is what I want to capture with my own writings!

It’s showing and not telling you can say. But of course, writing that’s just the same thing over and over again gets repetitive, so it’s good to have those short, concise, pointed sentences too. They really hammer things in, smack you in the chest and then you look down and think “oh, so that happened”

Variety is the spice of life! Paragraphs are easier to read when the sentences arent all the same, a mix of short and long, concise and ever flowing. They don’t need to be 50/50, but it’s usually good to split things up a bit.

And finally, while grammar rules are good and they definitely should be listened to, they don’t always have to be listened to. You’re writing a story, not an essay. Somethings you need sentences that start with conjunctions, or you need single word sentences, or run ons, or jumbled up words, because they convey the feeling or the meaning you need the reader to know!

That all being said, there are no real certainties with writing and all that. While these are the things I tend to lean towards, you’re not required to do them yourself! Stephen King and many others have “how to write” books, or more specifically “how I write” books, if you’re ever interested in their perspectives! They’re not necessary tho, since like with most things, you learn most by doing.

I hope this all makes sense! I tend to ramble on lol

[curator-on-ao3]

For the fic writing meme...🔥: What's a piece of writing advice you consider bad advice?

Oh, hell yeah! Thank you for asking, @aristofranes! ❤️

*rolls up sleeves*

Any advice that suggests all writers should have the same process of planning and/or pantsing.

Advice that entails writers following grammar “rules” that aren’t real (e.g., not beginning a sentence with a conjunction) or that have evolved (e.g., a comma between adjectives can be iffy these days) or that aren’t grammar or rules (e.g., unnecessary alternatives to “said” as a dialogue tag).

For me, personally, the advice for first drafts to use brackets, placeholders, etc., instead of writing/researching through the point of concern absolutely does not work. I need to do my best on the first draft if I’m going to want to edit. A bracket, placeholder, etc., would just make editing!me mad at writing!me, and she has enough problems.

Note: If someone else asks this question, I will likely have more answers. Also, if anyone wants me to give opinions on a specific piece of writing advice, I can do that.

Thank you again for asking, @aristofranes! ❤️

| fic writing asks |

[sarkariresultdude]

Understanding American College Test Results: A Comprehensive Overview

 In the USA, standardized checking out has long been a cornerstone of university admissions. From the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) to the ACT (American College Testing), these exams aim to measure a scholar’s readiness for college-level work. The results from these checks have historically performed a good sized function in determining a pupil’s eligibility for admission to various schools and universities. However, the landscape is changing, and the role of take a look at outcomes is being reevaluated with the aid of educators, policymakers, and students alike.

how to interpret American college test results

What Are American College Tests?

 These tests determine a student’s capabilities in areas together with analyzing comprehension, arithmetic, grammar, and, in a few cases, scientific reasoning and essay writing. Typically taken by high college juniors and seniors, the rankings from these exams are submitted in conjunction with university applications.

SAT Overview:

Scored on a scale of four hundred to 1600

Two predominant sections: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math

Optional Essay (discontinued after June 2021)

Administered by means of the College Board

ACT Overview:

Four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science

Optional Writing Test

Administered through ACT, Inc.

The Role of Test Results in Admissions

For a long time, high test scores had been considered a robust indicator of educational potential and have been frequently seen as a ticket to prestigious establishments. Admissions officers used them along GPAs, extracurricular sports, letters of advice, and private essays to evaluate candidates.

In many aggressive faculties, check ratings have historically served as an preliminary screening mechanism. For instance, college students with underneath-average ratings is probably removed early inside the technique, no matter different strengths. Conversely, high rankings may want to bolster an software and catch up on different areas that were not as robust.

Test effects also motivated scholarships and financial aid choices. Merit-based scholarships regularly protected a minimal test score requirement, making the checks critical now not best for admission but also for affordability.

Recent Trends in Test Results

In current years, there was a shift in how take a look at consequences are considered. Several factors have contributed to this converting landscape:

Test-Optional Movement: Over 1,800 faculties and universities within the U.S. Have followed take a look at-optional rules, which means college students can pick out whether or not to publish SAT or ACT scores. This motion gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic while take a look at dates have been canceled or postponed nationwide.

Score Declines: The average scores on each the SAT and ACT have seen slight declines in latest years. The College Board and ACT, Inc. Characteristic this to more than one factors, together with academic disruptions, mental fitness challenges, and increased diversity within the check-taking populace.

Holistic Admissions: More schools are adopting a holistic overview manner, which considers the whole pupil in place of focusing closely on check results. This includes comparing management roles, community carrier, unique abilities, and lifestyles experiences.

Socioeconomic Bias: Critics argue that take a look at effects reflect socioeconomic status greater than educational potential. Students from wealthier backgrounds often have get right of entry to to high-priced check guidance publications, tutors, and resources which can notably enhance rankings.

Cultural Bias: Some query whether the assessments are culturally biased, potentially disadvantaging college students from minority backgrounds. Language and content may also want certain agencies, main to disparities in overall performance.

Stress and Mental Health: The strain to carry out well on a unmarried exam can take a toll on students’ mental health. High-stakes testing environments can exacerbate tension and make contributions to burnout.

Questionable Predictive Value: Research suggests that while standardized take a look at scores correlate with first-12 months college performance, they may be not usually strong predictors of long-time period achievement. High faculty GPA is often a better indicator of a student’s capability to persist and graduate.

Alternatives to Traditional Testing

With mounting worries approximately the fairness and effectiveness of standardized checks, numerous options had been proposed or implemented:

Test-Blind Admissions: A step past take a look at-non-compulsory, take a look at-blind guidelines suggest that colleges do now not take into account check scores at all, even supposing submitted. Institutions just like the University of California gadget have followed this technique.

Portfolio-Based Admissions: Some colleges allow students to post portfolios showcasing their work, together with research papers, art, or initiatives, rather than check rankings.

Interviews and Personal Statements: Greater emphasis is being located on interviews and personal essays to assess a pupil’s person, motivation, and fit for the organization.

Class Rank and GPA: Schools may prioritize academic overall performance over time—inclusive of cumulative GPA or magnificence rank—over a single standardized degree.

The Future of College Testing

The debate over the relevance of standardized take a look at effects continues. Some educators advise for an entire overhaul of the device, while others agree with that the tests, if reformed, can nonetheless provide value. There is also a developing movement toward designing extra equitable tests that don't forget extraordinary getting to know patterns and life studies.

Technological improvements might also shape the future of checking out. Online adaptive checking out, wherein the difficulty of questions adjusts based totally on preceding answers, could provide a extra customized and accurate degree of scholar capability. Additionally, new gear for assessing tender capabilities, along with emotional intelligence and teamwork, may want to supplement educational metrics.

Student Perspectives

From the scholar perspective, the shift away from obligatory trying out has been both a alleviation and a source of misunderstanding. While a few admire the flexibility and reduced stress, others locate the dearth of clean standards annoying. With so many schools adopting extraordinary regulations—take a look at-elective, take a look at-bendy, or take a look at-blind—it can be hard for college kids to strategize their programs.

Students who are robust take a look at-takers can also nonetheless benefit from filing scores, mainly if applying to aggressive applications. On the alternative hand, college students who conflict with standardized assessments may also focus on strengthening other factors in their application.

[ijosijen]

toki pona la pilin mi tawa nasin lawa ona

third-word-of-that-title la is a topic/context marker. that's not a hot take its the word's literal definition, but seriously la is just a clunker version of japanese wa. (also, why is its likely etymology the romance article? huh?)

its implementation in toki pona is seriously weird and one of my favourite bits of the language.

it's interesting to note that wa comes after the japanese topic. makes sense. that lang is very head-final. toki pona, however is about as head-initial as it comes. its also got similar case particles, but all of them come before their chunk of the sentence -- li as a verb marker, e as an object marker, the various prepositions covering dative uses, and pi before compound adjectivals/modifiers.

(fun sidebar: toki pona doesn't have an and-conjunction. you just repeat the particle, which also introduces the ghost subject marker en, dropped for the first subject.)

all of them preposition except la, which sits in the exact same head-final spot that it does in japanese. toki pona is the topic of this post, so the first chunk of its title is "toki pona la."

this is. so weird. compared to all other particles. now, la is a bit more flexible than wa is -- people use it for comparisons, if-then statements, complicated adverbials, and optional tense marking. (the last is an extension of the adverbial thing, since toki pona tense-marking takes the chinese route by default.)

but still. it's odd. slightly less odd is its sentence-initial position, which tbf is still a weird extension of this head-finality in an otherwise completely head-initial language. toki pona trains the speaker to keep the head as leftward as possible except for this one (1) modifier phrase. it's like you hit the la and the entire sentence directionality mirrors itself.

it's neat! it's interesting! it's notable! if only because toki pona is such an efficiently-streamlined creature everywhere else that this odd bit of irregularity really stands out. but "la" sort of needs to come early, it's required to set the stage. the endless struggle vs. head-initial and head-final parameters ig.

me personally i'd have made la-phrases head-initial and double as a dative/prepositional marker. prepositions in toki pona are a weird semi-closed class that are also content words most of the time (limited lexicon budget), but moving "la" there and having it head the PP would let the "preposition heads" be an open class of normal content words. base la would probably overwrite "lon" in this state. rip "lon la."

also, unlike japanese, pronouns are still required to refer to the antecedent inside a la-phrase. i'd absolutely have axed that, if it was to be allowed full focus marking.

the question would be whether or not to go full japanese and subsume some/all of the other particles once the constituent was moved (pure context, big natlangs get away with it), or leave behind the constituent's case particle (kind of weird, but also very explicit, these particles aren't long) or bring the particle in right after "la" (might be the easiest to grok? but the aestheticcccc. but tbf la o already exists.)

lots of fun hypothetical possibilities i would have pushed for had i been there. "would have," because second half of the post,

toki pona la wile wan taso li ken ala ante e ona

"the desires of only one person can't change a thing about toki pona."

from an engineered-language perspective, toki pona has a pretty big glaring flaw here that makes the language clunkier and less subjectively "pretty" than it needs to be. but toki pona is not an engineered language. at least, not any more.

It's an undead language. whatever the inverse of a dead language is? I am coining a conlang-specific term: toki pona has no native speakers, but the community using it is large and established enough that it's now primarily developed through living language pressures.

Grammar rules/practices can't come from on high anymore. Even the original creator has moved to an increasingly descriptivist analysis of toki pona over the years.

The official learner's grammar was a snapshot of the language as it existed in the late 2010's. It was mixed with some personal/community bias, since the mood of the community hadn't fully crystalised into "let's just see where it goes" yet. It's getting a bit outdated, so she's working on an updated edition.

Huge tools have been whipped up to perform corpus analysis on spoken and written toki pona; the "correct" way to speak the language is nowadays "the standards of intelligibility that the community vaguely settles on."

there's still a bunch of social prescriptivism afoot, don't get me wrong - mislike of lexicalisation is the big famous one. but even this prescriptivism is organised and implemented along social lines, the same way that natural languages have prescriptive standards imposed on them. bad, but bad in a neat and interesting way.

the official toki pona dictionary is a corpus analysis of word and compound definitions that people use, refined with a metric ton of surveys. people do usage surveys 24/7.

new grammar rules show up not intentionally, but because ppl spontaneously do something that "makes sense." and if their audience think it makes sense too, welp. language evolution.

an example: you can honestly speak descriptively about the increasing acceptability of using prepositions inside the li-clause (the core predicate, not including direct object). a formerly kind of murky practice that's nowadays acceptable because the speaker community collectively decided that it was. no grammar polls or discussions or w/e, just a gradual consensus formed through use.

conlanger-hat Sijen would love to go back in time and tinker with this, but linguist-hat Sijen gets to see an organic messy thing emerge from the behaviour of a large group of people. linguist-hat Sijen is the main Sijen here, and i love this. so so much.

[astrologymeetpsychology]

Aries Rising - 1st house

Aries Rising and all the signs through the houses, all the way through to Pisces in 12th. I’ll give a description and some words and habits that are common with this house/sign combination. I’ll note any specifics to planet placements. If you have any questions please feel free to drop an ask. Also tell me if you’d prefer me to finish Aries or do the first 4 houses in the other signs first.

Apologies for any incorrect grammar - this took me a long time to write. :)

Aries Rising / Aries in 1st

Aries Rising is in its natural placement in the 1st house. On the surface, Aries Risings come across confident, independent and self assured. It must be said however that deep down many Aries Rising natives are quite insecure and uncertain deep down.

They like to put across a persona of having complete control of their surroundings and interactions. Truth is, Aries Risings often feel they are a bit out of sync with others.

Because Aries is in the house of public opinion and appearance, how they come across is incredibly important to them. Many take great effort to look presentable and remain calm and measured to those they have just met.

Likes company, picky to please, assertive, determined, put together, amicable, debater, opinionated, results driven, independent

☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️

When Aries in 1st is in the Sun, it can’t make this native a lot more like a typical Aries Sun. The main difference being that Aries Ascendants are often a lot less independent and self assured as their Sun counterparts. But when the first in Aries is here, you’ll likely get a much more traditional Aries vibe.

If the Sun is conjunct the Ascendant then this person likely have a very prominent presence. How the Ascendant and Sun are aspected will often indicate. Whether this presence is more calming, authoritative or mysterious for example.

Hard headed, independent, bold, devils advocate, high strung, adventurous, passionate, hard to ignore, well known

🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙

When Aries Moon is in the 1st this person will not be able to hide what they feel. A poker face is not something they are capable of doing, as their faces are often very expressive as Aries rules the face. These people may very well feel whatever emotion they are feeling very intensely. These people may good thing that most with this placement do is consider themselves and their emotional well being. Depending on the aspects being made, this can either be a very positive thing where they can assert their needs and have sufficient boundaries but it also could manifest as a somewhat selfish outlook, failing to notice how others feel in a given situation.

When Mercury is in the first you’ll often have a person who won’t shy away from a good discussion or debate. Devils Advocate could be their nickname because they are inclined to always learn about all different angles of an argument, whilst usually maintaining their own opinion. Sometimes these people can be a bit stubborn and try to convince others of where they are going wrong. It can be said though how this person comes across also can relate to aspects in hand. With Venus in close aspect, diplomacy will come easier to them than a Mars tight aspect (especially if the Venus is in a Trine or Sextile).

Expressive, dramatic, sentimental, what you see is what you get, determined, fierce, genuine, self absorbed, impressive, tenacious

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Venus in 1st will likely be quite perfectionistic, because they are highly sensitive to how they look. Being seen as proper, attractive and friendly makes a big part of what they focus their energy on in social situations. It’s very common for these natives to try to keep up to date with fashion and be very particular on the clothing colours they wear. Certain topics will interest them and they’ll be very proud of the knowledge they have obtained. It’s not uncommon for these people to have musical, beauty or acting skills as they are very good at using their physical body to express creativity. If the Moon is in a positive aspect, you can expect this creative ability to be amplified. Neptune too closely aspecting can also indicate a great creative flair.

In friendships, they can sometimes seem a little self absorbed because they will often talk about their interests and opinions. This however is not because they are not interested, they just have very quick thoughts that they share without thinking.

They are often happy to organise meet up with friends, because they love to bring people together. If the Sun is closely aspected, don’t be surprised if they like to be the host because they love to receive praise for a job well done.

Aesthetic, creative, dynamic, efficient, boastful, gregarious, musical, notable, outspoken, prideful, romantic, sanctimonious

🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Mars in 1st feels very happy here. This person likely has no qualms about saying what they think, when it means a lot to them. This is not to say they argue a lot like some stereotypes may try to convey - they simply feel passionate about certain things and don’t hold back.

When you have someone who has Mars in 1st, you’ll know if you’ve annoyed them. On the positive side, you know that they will always try their best to be open with you about their impressions of you and intentions. Mars here does not want mind games or small talk, it wants truth and action.

Because Mars refuses to be stifled here and often these people have some kind of physical outlet. It’s not necessarily sport but it could be hiking, walking or animals for example. They often have a lot of mental energy, especially if they also have a prominent Mercury or a close aspect to Mercury.

Stubborn, energetic, quick witted, ambitious, assertive, combative, straightforward, brash, honest

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀

These people are at their best when they are being proactive, independent and free spirited. Often these people want to make a big difference in the world and refuse to be held back. Many people aren’t cut out for public scrutiny, but you’re more than happy to take that risk to achieve what others before them have not.

They aren’t always confident they’ll get there but by having faith in their own ability, there is little they cannot achieve. Just because they have self belief does not mean they are arrogant or even appreciate being in a position of authority but they’ll find a cause they believe in and they will embrace hardship to gain results.

If a positive aspect to Satuen is made, they may find that indeed leadership is a calling they may follow or a career that involves a lot of self control. Less harmonious aspects however may result in power struggles with superiors or an inability for self discipline due to excess energy or difficulty with focus.

Lucky in finance, entrepreneurial, hard working, dedicated, active work, pleasure in enacting change, driven to success,

🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵

Saturn in the 1st in Aries may well have an opposing problem to Jupiter. On one hand they are energetic, driven and bold but on the other, they feel a need to stop and take caution. When this happens, indecisiveness and a propensity to anxiety can be manifested. What Saturn touches can being limitations and restrictions and here taking spontaneous action is usually what is restricted.

This is not to say that Saturn Aries in 1st house makes for a person who takes no action. On the contrary, they need to take action! However, a more deliberated and precise action is asked for which makes these people great at playing the long game and considering every outcome.

If Uranus aspects, this may result is regret over taken spontaneous action. It could equally manifest as taking unusual but efficient approaches to important questions or projects.

disciplined, cautious, astute, methodical, ingenious, meticulous, nuanced, prudent

🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢

Uranus is always a fascinating placement to look at, because it highlights uniqueness, change and the unconventional. In the 1st house and with Aries, you may well flit from project to project or idea to idea. This does not mean that this person is haphazard and lacking effort - it merely means that they may lose interest after a short period of time without change as both Aries and Uranus do not appreciate stagnation.

These people likely like to change their appearance from time to time. It may be subtle like changing outfit styles or they may dye their hair a marvelous colour. Whatever the case, they are doing this to prevent boredom and spice up their own lives. On the whole, others opinions don’t bother them too much.

If Moon or Venus makes a close connection, sensitivity to the changing moods and interests of others may be present, especially if Ascendant is holding a similar aspect. These people may notice the subtle changes in others around them and this may be an asset to them, because it makes them incredibly observant.

Observant, haphazard, eccentric, out there, enigmatic, open minded, adaptable, impulsive

🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣🟣

As Neptune will not be here for most, I will be looking at the 1st house though touching on Aries traits also. If your Neptune is here, we will expect you to have very intense hunches you cannot ignore. Neptune holds creativity, spiritualism and the unknown. You’ll rarely find someone with this placement who does not have strong convictions. When they feel something they feel it and will refuse to question this intuition, which makes them often quick acting in a crisis.

This also makes this person incredibly protective and dedicated. They will protect their loved ones to the death and will fight injustice with all they have got. They don’t mind putting their head over the parapet because they believe in treating others with dignity.

If you have Pluto and Moon aspects, psychic abilities that arose from a young age are pretty common. These abilitis are often emotion triggered and sporadic, but they can be trained to work in your favour over time.

Protective, strong willed, intuitive, human lie detector, charismatic, defender, principled

⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️

As Aries will not be in Pluto for a long time, we look to Pluto in the 1st house. Here Pluto has a natural ability to grow and start again; where most fear to take that step, 1st house Plutonian seem to do this without even thinking. Not only are they exceptional at transforming themselves, but they are also an amazing catalyst for manifestation and healing in others.

Here whether in Scorpio or Sagittarius, Pluto has a zest for life and a curiosity. It looks at what is happening around them and what their place and influence is within this realm. They do not shy away from the difficult questions but instead embrace the chance to grow at any opportunity.

Closely aspecting Venus / Lilith / Eros / Juno can indicate a healing influence from relationships where they find a strength and drive from their loved ones and/or become the major turning point for the healing of others.

deep, transformative, nurturing, psychic, emotional vampire, catalyst, adaptable, changeable

▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️

Some notes on some major asteroids and what this indicates:

Chiron: this may indicate a person who struggles expressing their true authentic self. This may be because they had their views and personality openly critiqued in the past or that they themselves do not know who they truly are. A big lesson in their lives may be to take themselves apart from others and their expectations and instead learn about who you are within yourself.

Lilith: expect someone who is inspirational and self assured. Arrogance does not always come hand in hand, though it certainly can. Power is found in having a noticeable presence and sense of appeal. Many Lilith here are very particular on how they look.

Ceres: Desire to nurture is strong, but the lesson is to also learn to allow yourself to be nurtured - both by yourself and by others.

Juno: Independence and autonomy are high priority in a relationship. You look for a partner whom you both add to each others lives, whilst also having your own interests and friends.

Note: some of these are just first house, due to long orbit times.