Critical thinking is sometimes called “thinking about thinking” because it is a skill that helps you analyze information effectively. It is this ability that helps you to make a sound judgment about the information you encounter.
Thinking critically involves understanding your own preconceptions and biases. Being aware of your attitudes helps you to be consistent in your standards when evaluating sources.
TipQuillBot’s online Notepad can help you keep track of the sources you consult to compare and contrast ideas.
There are several situations where you might think about writing a follow-up email. Or you might hate the idea, but your head tells you it’s the right thing to do. This is most likely when:
You haven’t heard back after what seemed like a positive job interview.
You have written a cold-call email to a potential client and haven’t heard back.
You have responded to an online query from your website, but there has been no reply to your email.
It can be an unnerving experience, and there is always the risk that you will be seen as pushy. Being pushy, of course, is not going to get you the result you want.
By considering the following guidelines for each component of the email, you can make your follow-up email more effective. Use QuillBot’s AI Email Generator to make sure your emails have the right tone.
Albeit is a conjunction with a meaning similar to “although” or “even though.” It comes from the three words “all,” “be,” and “it,” but it is always written as one word.
Albeit introduces a subordinate or dependent clause that qualifies (i.e., tells us more about) the information contained in the main clause.
Examples: Albeit in a sentenceThe movie was entertaining, albeit a bit predictable.
The hike was challenging, albeit rewarding.
There have been some technical difficulties, albeit minor ones, during the launch.
We abided by the rules, albeit with a few creative interpretations.
For all intents and purposes is a phrase which means “in effect” or “practically speaking.” It is used to indicate that the practical outcome of something is the same as something else.
Examples: For all intents and purposes in a sentenceFor all intents and purposes, she was now the leader of the party.
Even though it had done 1,000 miles, it was, for all intents and purposes, a new car.
With the exams finished, the semester was, for all intents and purposes, over.
Mea culpa comes from the Latin for “my fault,” or “through my fault.” It is an interjection (i.e., a word or phrase that expresses a feeling) but can also be used as a noun meaning an admission of guilt (e.g., “The senator issued a mea culpa via the press office”).
Mea culpa has a long history in English dating back at least to Chaucer (14th century) and originates in a prayer of confession in the Roman Catholic Church. It is now used in a much more general sense to indicate that you accept being at fault for something.
Examples: Mea culpa in a sentenceDid I leave the door unlocked? Mea culpa! I’m so sorry!
The letter was nothing but a three-page mea culpa from the assistant.
The doctor’s short mea culpa on the website did little to calm the patients’ anger.
Because mea culpa has been used in English for so long (like “ad hoc,” “in vitro,” and “de facto”), it does not need to be italicized in the way more recent loanwords from other languages do.
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about citation, reasoning, or rhetoric, check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Mea maxima culpa comes from Latin and means “through my most grievous fault.” It is a stronger version of mea culpa, which means “(through) my fault.”
Mea maxima culpa comes from a Roman Catholic prayer of confession and is the third, final, and strongest expression of guilt in the lines “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.” Mea maxima culpa is not usually used outside of a religious context, whereas you will find mea culpa more widely used.
Towards and toward are both prepositions that can be used interchangeably. They both mean “in the direction of” (the most common meaning), as well as “in contribution to” and “in relation to.” Which one you use will largely depend on whether you use British English or American English.
In British English, it is more common to use “towards” (with an “s”).
In American English, it is more common to use “toward” (without an “s”).
Examples: Towards and toward in a sentenceI like to get a seat toward/towards the front of the plane.
The hikers made their way slowly toward/towards the clearing.
The money raised goes toward/towards the roof repairs.
It’s important to realize the benefits of a positive approach toward/towards your studies.
NoteYou can use towards in American English, even though it is less common. The same is true for British English and toward.
Also be aware that style guides might have specific requirements, with both APA and Chicago preferring toward without the “s.”
In some cases, you can use “to” as an alternative for towards/toward (e.g., “He was heading to the exit”).
Duly noted is a commonly used phrase that means “understood and taken into account.” The phrase is made up using the adverb “duly” (i.e., “in the correct manner”) and the verb “noted” (i.e., “acknowledged”).
Its most common use is in professional or formal contexts. When used more informally, it is often meant ironically as a way of disregarding the opinion expressed.
Duly noted in a sentence examplesYour comments about the new building development have been duly noted by the mayor.
The principal was wearied by the complaints, but nonetheless she duly noted them in the file.
Thank you for your comments; we have duly noted them.
Lose and loose have different pronunciations and usually act as different parts of speech.
Lose (single “o”; pronounced [loo-z] with a “z” sound) is a verb that means “fail to win” or “misplace.”
Loose (double “o”; pronounced [loo-s] with a soft “s”) is an adjective or adverb that means “not tight” or “not secure.” When used as a verb, it means “release.”
Examples: Lose in a sentence
Examples: Loose in a sentence
If you lose your passport, it will take several weeks to replace it.
I nearly fell off my bike because the seat was loose.
A true fan will support their team even if they lose.
It was more a loose relationship than a formal partnership.
Payed and paid sound exactly the same, but their spellings and meanings are different.
Payed is the past tense of “pay”, a rare verb that is used in mainly nautical contexts. It usually refers to the act of letting out a length of chain or rope or to the act of coating a boat with waterproof material.
Paid is the past tense of the very common verb “pay” when it means to settle a bill, or to give something as the cost for a course of action.
Examples: Payed in a sentence
Examples: Paid in a sentence
The sailboat had to be payed to cure the leaks.
As the water level dropped in the lock, Andy gradually payed out the rope on the boat.
Gurvinder paid the bill for everybody.
The sergeant paid with her life for her bravery.
NoteSometimes people make the mistake of writing payed because it follows the rule of adding “-ed” to make the past tense, but in the majority of cases, paid is the correct spelling.
