Accede – means
to agree with.
Concede –
means to yield, but not necessarily in agreement. Exceed – means to be more than.
We shall accede to your request for more evidence.
To avoid
delay, we shall concede that more evidence is necessary.
Access – means availability Excess – means too much.
The lawyer
was given access to the records of the company.
The expenditures this month are far in the excess of income.
Accept – means
to take when offered.
Except – means
excluding. (preposition)
Except – means to leave out. (verb)
The hero gladly accepted the ‘keys to the city.
All the food except the vegetables were eaten by the children.
The school
excepted her from taking gym classes because of her illness.
Adapt – means to adjust or change
Adopt – means
to take as one’s own
Adept – means skillful
Children can
adapt to changing conditions very easily.
The orphan
was adopted by the young couple.
Propery instruction and practice will make you an adept chess player.
NOTE: adapt to, adopt by, adept in or at.
Adapted to –
implies original or natural suitability.
The gills of
the fish are adapted to underwater breathing.
Adapted for – implies created suitability.
Atomic energy is constantly being adapted for new uses.
Adapted from – implies change to be made suitable.
The movie was adapted from the best selling book.
Addition – means the act or process of adding.
Edition – means printing of a publication.
In addition to a dictionary, he always uses a thesaurus. The first edition of Duka’s book was published in 1997.
Advantage – means a superior position.
Benefit – means a favor conferred or earned (as a profit).
He had an
advantage in experience over his opponent.
The rules were changed for his benefit.
NOTE: to take advantage of, to have an advantage over.
Adverse –
(pronounced AD-verse) means unfavorable.
Averse – (pronounced a-VERSE) means disliking.
He took the
adverse decision poorly.
Many students are averse to criticism from their classmates.
Advise – means to give advice. Advise is losing favor as a synonym for notify.
Acceptable:
The teacher will advise the student about study habits.
Unacceptable: We are advising you of a delivery under separate cover. (SAY: notifying)
Affect – means
to influence. (verb)
Effect – means
an influence. (noun)
Effect – means to bring about. (verb)
Your
education must affect your future.
The effect of
the last war is still being felt.
A diploma
effected a tremendous change in his attitude.
NOTE: Affect also has a meaning of pretend.
She had an affected manner.
After – is unnecessary with the past participle.
SAY: After checking the timetable, I left for the station.
DON’T SAY: After having checked (omit after) the timetable, I left for the station.
Ain’t – is an unacceptable contraction for am
not, or not, or is not.
Aisle – is a
passageway between seats.
Isle – is a small island
All ready – means everybody or everything is ready. Already – means previously
They were all
ready to write when the teacher arrived.
They had already begun writing when the teacher arrived.
Alright – is
unacceptable.
All right – is
acceptable
All-round –
means versatile or general.
All around – means all over a given area.
The decathlon
champion is an all-round athlete.
The policemen
were lined up at Luneta Grandstand.
All together – means everybody or everything together.
Altogether – means completely.
The boys and
girls sang all together.
This was an
altogether different computer from the other office.
All ways –
means in every possible way.
Always – means
at all time.
She was in
all ways acceptable to the voters.
His reputation had always been remarkable.
Allude – means
to make a reference to.
Elude – means to escape from
It is almost impossible for one to elude tax collectors.
Allusion –
means a reference
Illusion –
means a deception of the eye or mind.
The student
made allusions to his teacher’s habits.
Illusions of the mind, unlike those of the eye, cannot be corrected with glasses.
Alongside of – means side by side with.
Bill stood alongside of Henry.
Alongside – means parallel to the side.
Park the car alongside the curb.
Alot – is
unacceptable. It should always be written as two words a lot.
Among – is used with more than two persons or things.
NOTE: Amongst should be avoided.
Between – is
used with two persons or things.
The inheritance was equally divided among the four children.
The business,
however, was divided between the oldest and the
youngest one.
Amount – applies to quantities that can be counted only one.
Number – applies to quantities that cannot be counted one by one.
A large
amount of grain was delivered to the storehouse.
A large
number of bags of grain was delivered.
Annual – means
yearly.
Biennial –
means once in two years or every two years. Anywheres – is unacceptable.
SAY we can’t
find it anywhere.
ALSO SAY nowhere (NOT nowhere),
Somewhere
(NOT somewhere)
Aren’t I – is colloquial. Its use is to be discouraged.
SAY: AM I not entitled to an explanation?
(preferred to Aren’t I…)
As – (used as
a conjunction) is followed by a verb
Like – (used as a preposition) is Not followed by a verb.
Do as I do,
not as I say.
Try not to
behave like a child.
Unacceptable:
He acts like I do.
As far as – expresses distance.
So far as – indicates a limitation.
We hiked as
far as the next guest house.
So far as we know, the barn was adequate for night‘s stay.
As good as-
should be used for comparisons only.
This buildings is as good as the next one.
Note: As good
as does Not mean practically.
Unacceptable:
They as good as promised us a place in the hall.
Acceptable:
They practically promised us a place in the hall.
as if – is
correctly used in the expression .”He talked as if his jaw hurt him”
Unacceptable:
“He talked like his jaw hurt him.”
Ascent – is the act of rising.
Assent – means approval.
The ascent to
the top of the mountain was perilous.
Congress gave
its assent to the President’s emergency power.
Assay–means to
try or experiment.
Essay – means
an effort or, the result of an effort.
We shall
assay the ascents of the mountain tomorrow.
The
candidate’s views were expressed in a well-written essay.
Attend to –
means to take care of.
Tend to –
means to be inclined to
One of the
clerks will attend to mail in my Absence.
Lazy people
tend to gain Weight.
Back – should
NOT be used with such words as refer and return since the prefix re means back.
Unacceptable: Refer back to the text, if you have difficulty recalling the facts
Backward and
backwards – both are acceptable and may be used interchangeably as adverb.
We tried to
run backward (or backwards).
Backward as
an adjective means slow in learning. (DON’T say
backwards in this case)
A backward
pupil should be given every encouragement.
Berth – is a
resting place.
Birth – means
the beginning of life.
The orphans
were given a new berth near the sea.
He was a
fortunate man from birth.
Beside – means
close to.
Besides –
means in addition to.
He lived
beside the stream.
Besides being
a lawyer, she was a skilled musician.
Better – means
recovering.
Well – means
completely recovered.
He is better
now than he was a week ago.
In a few more
weeks, he will be well.
Both – means
two considered together.
Each – means
one of two or more.
Both
of the applicants qualified for the position.
Each
applicant was given a generous reference.
Note: Avoid
using such expressions as the following:
Both
girls tried to out do the other. (Use each girl instead.)
They
are both alike (Omit both).
Breath – means
an intake of air.
Breathe –
means to draw air in and give it out.
Breadth –
means width.
Before
you dive in, take a very deep breath.
It is
difficult to breathe under water.
In a
square, the breadth should be equal to the length.
Bring – means
to carry toward the person who is speaking.
Take – means
to carry away from the speaker.
Bring the books here.
Take your
raincoat with you when you go out.
Broke – is the
past tense of break.
Broke - is unacceptable
for without money.
He broke his
arm.
“Go for
broke” is a slang expression widely used in gambling circles.
Celine
accidentally broke the vase.
Bunch – refers
to things.
Group – refers
to persons or things.
This
looks like a delicious bunch of bananas.
What a
well – behaved group of children!
Note: The
colloquial use of bunch applied to persons is to be discouraged.
A
bunch of the boys were whooping it up.
(Number
is preferable).
Certainly –
(and surely) is an adverb.
Sure – is an
adjective.
He was
certainly learning fast.
Unacceptable:
He sure was learning fast.
Cite –means to quote.
Sight – means seeing
Site – means a place for building.
He was fond
of citing from the Scriptures.
The sight of
the wreck was appalling.
The Board of
Directors is seeking a site for the new building.
Coarse – means
vulgar or harsh
Course – means
a path or a study
He was
counseled because of his coarse behavior.
The ship took
its usual course.
Which course
English are you taking?
Come to be -
should NOT be replaced with the expression become to be, since become means to
come to be.
Comic - means
intentionally funny.
Comical –
means unintentionally funny.
A clown is a
comic figure.
The pecular hat she wore gave her a comical appearance.
Conscience –
meanse sens of right
Conscientious –
means faithful.
Conscious –
means aware of ones self.
Man’s
conscience prevents him from becoming completely selfish.
We all depend
in him because he is conscientious.
The injured
woman was completely conscious.
Considerable –
means sense of right.
Cease – means
to end.
Seize – means
to take hold of.
Will you please
cease making those sounds?
Seize him by
the collar as he comes around the corner.
Cent - means a
coin.
Scent – means
an odor.
Sent – is the
past tense of send.
The nine-cent
postal card is a thing of the past.
The scent of
roses is pleasing.
We were sent
to the rear of the balcony.
Calendar – is
a system of time.
Calendar – is
a smoothing and glazing machine.
Colander – is
a kind if sieve.
We measure
our calendar year from January 1 through December
31.
In ceramic
work, the potting wheel and the calendar are indispensable.
Garden-picked
vegetables should be washed in a colander before
cooking.
Can – means
physically able.
May – implies
permission.
I can lift this chair over my head.
You may leave after you finish your work.
Cannot help –
must be followed by an – ing form.
We cannot help feeling (NOT feel) distressed about his.
NOTE: CANNOT HELP FEELING BUT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
Can’t hardly –
is a double negative. It is unacceptable.
SAY: The
child can hardly walk in those shoes.
Capital – is
the city
Capitol – is
the building.
Paris is the
capital of France.
The Capitol
in Washington is occupied by the congress.
NOTE: Capital also means wealth.
Compare to – means to liken something which has a diffremt form.
Compare woth – means to compare persons or things with each other when they are of the same kind.
Contrast with – means to show the difference betweem two things.
A minister is
sometimes compared to a shepherd.
Complement –
means to a completing part.
Compliment –
is an expression of admiration.
His wit was a
complement to her beauty.
He
complimented her attractive hairstyle.
Consul – means
a government representative
Council –
means an assembly that meets for deliberation. Counsel – means advice.
Americans
abroad should keep in touch with their consuls.
The City
Council enacts local laws and regulations.
The defendant
headed the counsel of his friends.
Convenient to
- should be followed by a person.
Convenient for
– should be followed by a purpose.
Will these
plans be convenient to you?
You must
agree that they are convenient for the occasion
Copy – is an imitation of an original work.(not necessarily and exact imitation)
Facsimile – is
an exact imitation of and original work.
The
counterfeiters made a crude copy of the one thousand peso bill.
The official
government engraver, however, prepared a facsimile
of the bill.
Could of – is
unacceptable. (Should of is also unacceptable)
Could have –
is acceptable. (Should have is acceptable.)
Acceptable:
You could have done better with more care Unacceptable:
I could of won.
ALSO AVOID:
must of, would of.
Decent – means
suitable.
Descent –
means going down.
Dissent –
means to disagreement.
Allusion –
regerence to something.
Illusion –
means to a wrong idea that will probably not influence action.
People were under the delusion that the earth was flat.
It is just an
illusion that the earth is flat.
Desert –
(pronounced DEZZ-ert) means an arid area.
Desert –
(pronounced di-ZERT) means to abandon; also a reward or punishment.
Dessert – (pronounced di-ZERT) means the final course of a meal.
The Sahara is
the world’s most famous desert.
A husbamd
must not deser his wife.
Lifetime
imprisonment was a just desert for his crime.
We had leche
plan for dessert.
Different from
– is acceptable.
Different than
– is unacceptable.
Acceptable:
Jack is different from his brother.
Unacceptable:
Baguio’s climate is different than Manila’s climate.
Doubt that –
is acceptable.
Doubt whether
– is unacceptable.
Acceptable: I
doubt that you will pass this term.
Unacceptable:
We doubt whether you will succeed.
Dual - means
relating to two.
Duel – means a
contest between two persons.
Dr.Jekyll had
a dual personality.
Both the
wrestlers were fatally injured in a duel.
Dute to – is
unacceptable at the beginning of a sentence. Use because of, on account of, or
some similar expression instead.
Unacceptable:
Due to the rain, the game was postponed.
Acceptable:
The postponement was due to the rain.
Each other –
refers to two persons.
One another –
refers to more than two persons.
The two girls
have known each other for many years.
Several of
the girls have know one another for many years.
Either… or –
is ised when referring to choices.
Neither…nor –
is the negative form.
Either you or
I will win the election.
Neither Bill
nor Henry is expected to have a chance.
Eliminate –
means to get rid of.
Illuminate –
means to supply with light.
Let us try to
eliminate the unnecessary steps.
Several lamps
were needed to illuminate the corridor.
Emerge – means
to rise out of.
Immerge –
means to plunge into. (also immerse)
The swimmer
emerged from the pool.
The student
totally immerged himself in his studies.
Emigrate-
means to leave one’s country for another.
Immigrate –
means to enter another country.
The Norwegian
semigrated to America in the mid -1860’s
Many of the
Norwegian immigramts settled in the Middle West.
Everyone – is
written as one work when it is a pronoun.
Every one –
(two words) is used when each individual is stressed.
Everyone
present voted for the proposal.
Every one of
the voters accepted the proposal.
NOTE: Everybody is written as one word.
Everywheres –
is unacceptable.
Everywhere –
is Acceptable.
We searched everywhere
for the missing book.
NOTE: Everyplace
(one word) is likewise unacceptable.
Fell bad –
means to feel ill,
Feel bad –
means to have a poor sense of touch.
I feel bad
avbout the accident I saw.
The numbness
in his limbs caused him to feel badly.
Feel good –
means to be happy.
Feel well –
means to be in good health.
I feel bery
good about my recent promotion.
Cool weather
always makes him feel well.
Flout – means
to insult.
Flaunt means to make a display of.
He flouted
the authority of the principal.
The movies
star flaunted her sexy body.
Formally –
means in a formal way.
Formerly –
means at an earlier time.
The letter of
reference was formally written.
She was
formerly a delegate to the convention.
Former – means
the first of two.
Latter - means
the second of two.
The former
half of the book was in prose.
The latter
half of the book was in poetry.
Forth – means
forward.
Fourth – comes
after third.
They went
forth like warriors of old.
The fourth
honor is Danica.
NOTE:
spelling of forty (40) and fourteen (14)
Get – is a
verb that strictly means to obtain.
Please get my
bag.
There are
many slang forms of GET that should be avoided:
AVOID: Do you
get me? (SAY: Do you understand me?)
AVOID: YOU
can’t get away with it. (SAY: You won’t avoid punishment if you do it.)
AVOID: Get
wise to yourself. (SAY: Use common sense.)
AVOID: We
didn’t get to go. (SAY: We didn’t manage to go.)
Got – means
obtained.
He got the
tickets yesterday.
AVOID: You’ve
got to do it. (SAY: You have to do it.)
AVOID: We have
got no sympathy for them. (SAY: We have no sympathy for them.)
AVOID: They
have a great deal of property.)
Hanged – is
used in reference to a person. (regular verb)
Hung – is used
in reference to a thing. (irregular verb)
The prisoner
was hanged at dawn
The picture
was hung above the fireplace.
However –
means in what possible way.
We are
certain, however, that you will like this class.
We are
certain that how ever you decide to study, you will succeed.
If –
introduces a condition.
Whether –
introduces a choice.
I shall go to Europe if I win the prize.
He asked me whether I intended to go to Europe. (not if )
If it was –
implies that something might have been true in the past.
If it were –
implies doubt, or indicates something that is contrary to fact.
If your book
was there last night, it is there now.
If it were
summer now, we would all go swimming.
In – usually
refers to a state of being ( no motion)
Into – is used
for motion from one place to another.
The records
are in that drawer.
I put the
records into that drawer.
NOTE: “We were walking in the room” is correct even
though there is motion, The motion is not from one place to another.
Irregardless –
is unacceptable.
Regardless –
is acceptable.
Unacceptable:
Irregardless of the weather, I am going to the game.
Acceptable:
Regardless of his ability, he is not, likely to win.
Its – means
belonging to it.
It’s – means
it is.
The house
lost its roof due to bad weather.
It’s an
exposed house, now.
Kind of and sort of
– are unacceptable for rather.
SAY: We are
rather disappointed with you.
Last – refers
to the final member in a series.
Latest –
refers to the most recent in time.
Latter –
refers to the second of two.
This is the
last bulletin. There won’t be any other bulletins.
This is the
latest bulletin. There will be other bulletins.
Of the two
most recent bulletins, the latter is more encouraging.
Lay – means to
place.
Lie – means to
recline.
NOTE THE FORMS OF
EACH VERB:
TENSE LIE (Recline)
Present The child is lying down.
Present perfect The child has lain down.
TENSE LAY (Place)
Present The chicken is laying an egg.
Past The chicken laid an egg.
Present Perfect The chicken has laid an
egg.
Lightening –
is the present participle of to lighten.
Lightning –
means the flashes of light accompanied by thunder.
Leaving
the extra food behind resulted in lightening the pack.
I
don’t know, but I would say much rain fell last night.
May – is used
in the present tense.
Might – is
used in the past tense.
We are hoping that he may come today.
He might have done it if you had encouraged him.
It’s I – is always acceptable.
It’s me – Is acceptable only in colloquial speech or
writing.
It’s him}
This is her} always unacceptable It was them}
It’s he}
This is she} always acceptable It was they}
Number – is singular when the total is intended.
The number of
pages in the book is 500
Number – is plural when the individual units are referred to.
A number of
pages (in the book) were printed in italic type.
Of any – (and of anyone) is unacceptable for of all.
SAY: His was the highest mark of all. (NOT of any or of anyone) Off of – is unacceptable for aloud.
SAY: He read
aloud to his family every evening.
Outdoor- (and
out-off-door) is an adjective.
Outdoors – is an adverb
We spent most
of the summer at an outdoor music camp.
Most of the
time we played string quartets outdoors.
NOTE: Out- of- doors is acceptable in neither case.
People – comprise a united or collective group of individuals. Persons – are individuals that are separate and unrelated.
Only five
persons remained in the theatre afther the first act.
The people of Tacloban have enthusiastically accepted Pope Francis during his visit.
Persecute –
means to make life miserable for someone. (Persectution is illegal.)
Prosecute –
means to conduct a criminal investigation. (Prosecution is legal.)
Some terrorist insist on persecuting others.
The lawyer is prosecuting the criminals.
Precede –
means to come before.
Proceed –
means to go ahead. (Procedure is the noun)
Sit – means to
take a seat. (intransitive verb)
Set – means place. (transitive verb)
NOTE for the forms
of each verb.
TENSE SIT (Take a seat)
Present He sits on a chair.
Past He sat on the chair.
Present perfect He has sat on the chair.
TENSE SET (PLACE)
Present He sets the lamp on the table.
Past He set the lamp on the table.
Present Perfect He has set the lamp on the table.
Some time -
means a portion of time.
Sometime –
means at an indefinite time in the future.
Sometimes –
means occasionally.
I’ll need
some time to make a decision.
Let us meet
sometime after twelve noon.
Sometimes it
is better to hesitate before singing a contract.
Somewheres –
is acceptable.
Supersese – means to replace.
What were the
circumstances that preceded the attack?
We can then
proceed with our plan for resisting a second attack.
It is then
possible that Plan B will supersede Plan A.
Principal –
means chief or main (as an afjective); a leader (as a noun)
Principle – means a fundamental truth or belief.
His principal
supporters came from the city.
The principal
of the school asked for cooperation from the staff.
Humility was
the guiding principle of Buddha’s life.
NOTE: Principal may also mean as sum placed at interest.
Part of his monthly payment was applied as interest on the principal.
Stationary –
means standing still.
Stationery – means writing materials.
In ancient
times people thought the earth was stationary.
We bought writing paper at the stationery store.
Stayed – means
remained
Stood- remained upright or erect.
The army
stayed in the trenches for five days.
The soldiers stood at attention for one hour.
Sure – for surely is unacceptable.
SAY: You surely (NOT sure) are not going to write that!
Taken in – is Unacceptable in the sense of deceive or attend.
SAY: We were deceived (NOT taken in) by his oily manner.
We should like to attend (Note take in) a few plays during our vacation.
Their – means
benging to them.
There – means
in that place.
They’re – means they are.
We took their books home with us.
You will find
your books over there on the desk.
Theyre going to the ballpark with us.
Theirselves – is unacceptable.
SAY: Most children of school age are able to care for themselves in many ways.
These kind –
is acceptable.
This kind – is acceptable.
I am fond of
this kind of apples.
NOTE: These
kinds would also be acceptable.
Through – meaning finished or completed is unacceptable.
SAY: We’ll
finish (NOT be through with) the work by five o’clock.
Try to – is
acceptable.
Try and – is
unacceptable.
Try to come (NOT try and come)
NOTE: Plan on
going iis unacceptable
Plan to go is acceptabl
To – means in
the direction of.
Too – means
more than or also.
There are two
sides to every story.
Three twos
(or2’s) equal six.
We shall go
to school.
We shall go,
too.
The weather is too hot for doing outdoor games
Was – If
something is contrary to fact (not a fact),
Were - use
were in every instance.
I wish I were in Paris.
Unacceptable:
If he was asensible, he wouldn’t act like that. (SAY: If he were . . .)
Ways – is unacceptable for way.
SAY: we
climbed a little way (NOT ways) up the hill.
Went and took – (went and stole, etc.) is unacceptable
They stole
(NOT went and stole) our tools.
When – (and
where) should NOT be used to introduce a definition of a noun.
SAY: A
tornado is a twisting, high wind on land. (NOT is when a Twisting, high wind is on land.)
A pool is
place for swimming. (NOT is where people swim)
Whereabouts –
is unacceptable for where.
SAY: Where
(NOT whereabouts) do you live?
NOTE:
Whereabouts as a noun meaning a place is acceptable.
DO you know
his whereabouts?
Whether –
should NOT be preceded by of or as to.
SAY: The
president will consider the question wether (NOT of Whether) it is better to ask for or demand higher taxes now.
He inquired
whether (NOT as to whether) we were going or not.
Which – is
used incorrectly in the following expressions:
He asked me
to stay, which I did.
(CORRECT: He asked
me to stay and I did.)
It has been a
severe winter, which in unfortunate. (CORRECT:
Unfortunately, it has been a severe winter.)
You did not
write besides which you have not telephoned. (CORRECT:
omit which)
While – is
unacceptable for and the though.
SAY: The
libratry is situated on the south side: (OMIT while) the laboratory is on the north side.
Though (NOT
while) I disagree with you, I shall not interfere with your right to express your opinion.
Though (NOT
while) I am in my office every day, you do not attempt
to see me.
Who – The
following is a method (without going into grammar rules) for determining
When to use who or
whom.
“Tell me
(Who, Whom) do you think should represent our company?”
STEP ONE:
Change the who- whom part of the sentence to its natural order.
(who, whom)”
Do you should represent our company?”
STEP TWO:
Substitute HE for WHO, HIM for WHOM.
Do you think
(he, him) should represent our company?
You would say
he in this case.
THEREFORE:
“Tell me WHO –Whom do you think should represent the company?” is correct.
Who is} Who am}
Note these constructions:
It is I who am the most experienced. It is he who is ….
It is he or I who am ….
It is I or he who is ….
It is he and I who are …
Whose – means
of whom.
Who’s – means who is.
Whose is this
notebook?
Who’s in the
next office?
Would have –
is unacceptable for had.
SAY: I wish
you had (NOT would have) called earlier.
You all- is
unacceptable for you (plural)
SAY: I wish
you had not (NOT would have) called earlier.
You all – is
unacceptable for you (plural)
SAY: We welcome you, the delegates from Region 5.
You are all welcome Delegates of Negros.