Hi daurelie,

I just want to second what shanks said, really (nice one, s!). But let me add that I am myself pretty uncomfortable with the fine detail of grammar, and the technicalities of how to write. It's all too easy for these to be treated as rules that have to be followed rather than just a high level model of how we tend to use the English language.

In other words, experience and example come first (reading and writing), rules come afterwards and are built on that foundation. What's more, the foundation changes with experience - it is alive. It occasionally takes time for the rules to catch up.

As an example, Email and Boards such as this one have created a new style of writing that hovers between formal writing and telephone conversation. The rules, or perhaps better, "protocols", are still evolving. You can see some of them evolve right here!

I'm not saying that knowing whether a word is a noun or adjective or adverb or verb is useless, but it is useless without seeing the word used in an appropriate context. Sounds like jmh's dictionary reference would be a good one on that count.

Quite useful to have an online dictionary to (virtual) hand if you're exploring words online. I'm currently using the Merriam Webster: http://www.webster.com but there are probably other recommendations around on AWAD.

Have fun!
Fisk