e stands for electronic We invent new words all the time and we’ve made several new words by putting ‘e’ in front of them. I wonder if the original meaning of ‘e’ has now been forgotten. We usually hyphenate these words when they are new. e-mail e-newsletters e-commerce e-business e-learning Some hyphens drop off over time. […]
The difference between disinterested and uninterested If you are not interested in something are you disinterested or uninterested? disinterested Disinterested means impartial. I am disinterested in politics. uninterested Uninterested means not interested in. I am uninterested in music. I wonder if this distinction is dying out. I think we tend to say I am not interested rather than I am uninterested. Learn […]
The difference between deprecate and depreciate He made deprecating remarks that led to the house depreciating in value. deprecate Deprecate means to put down or disapprove of. He made deprecating remarks about the evening. depreciate Depreciate means to decline in value. The property depreciated. Learn more Learn more about other commonly confused words with my online Business Writing course. Subscribe to […]
Palindrome A Toyata’s a Toyota Have you ever wondered what a palindrome is? A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same way forwards or backwards. Anna don’t nod madam nurses run Watch this YouTube video that reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite too. […]
Singular or plural? A pair of slippers takes a singular verb Slippers take a plural verb Non-native English speakers sometimes have difficulty knowing whether to use a singular or plural verb with some nouns. For instance, it seems odd to use a singular verb with a ‘pair of’ when we’re obviously talking about two things […]
Statuses or status? Reader’s question: What is the correct plural of status? Answer: Pam Peters, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage, says: ‘In English usage status has both an anglicized plural statuses and the (zero) plural status. The second results from its being a Latin fourth declension noun … but also correlates with English use of the word as a mass noun, as in considering […]
A group of people or persons? persons Number of individuals who can be counted. Five persons are coming. people Large or uncounted group. Several people can’t come. PS The distinction between people and persons may be dying out because these words are often used interchangeably. Learn more Learn more about words with my online Business Writing course. Sign up for my […]
I used to walk on the beach. I was used to seeing black swans on the lake. Reader’s question: What is the rule for distinguishing between ‘used to do’ and ‘be used to’? Answer: ‘Used to do’ means something that you did in the past, possibly on a regular basis, and no longer do. […]
The difference between discreet and discrete If you are very good at keeping secrets are you discreet or discrete? discreet Discreet means prudent or circumspect; not given to careless talk. She was very discreet and didn’t reveal his secret. discrete Discrete means separate or individual. The goods are in discrete packages. Memory jogger Discreet: two […]
Reader’s question: In Australian English, do we say judgment or judgement? Answer: In Australian and New Zealand English, we tend to use judgement in everyday usage, but judgment is often used in legal writing. American English prefers judgment. The Australian Macquarie Dictionary says: ‘Although the general community is roughly divided on the preferred spelling, with a slight tendency […]