www.reachout.net.in/lexicon

Dependent vs Dependant

2011-09-18T18:57:00.002+05:30

Dependent and Dependant - the difference

Dependent means reliant on; whereas, a dependant is a person (usually a child or a spouse).

There is often confusion over the words 'dependent' and 'dependant'.

Dependant

A dependant is person who is dependent on someone else. (For example, a child is dependent on its parents. Therefore, a child is a dependant of its parents.)

Example:

All embassy staff and their dependants must be at the airport by 6 o'clock.
(In this example, the word 'dependants' means spouses and children.)

Dependent

The word "dependent" is an adjective meaning 'contingent on', 'relying on', 'supported by' or 'addicted to'. The word 'dependant' refers to a person and is a noun.

Example:

I am dependent on the weather for a safe crossing.
(reliant on the weather)

IN AMERICAN ENGLISH, DEPENDENT IS BOTH ADJECTIVE AND NOUN

Two of my dependents became dependent on heroin.
(should be ...my dependants...)

Two of my dependents became dependent on heroin

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

E.G. vs I.E.

2011-09-18T18:55:00.001+05:30

e.g. and i.e. - the difference

E.g. means 'for example' (from Latin exempli gratia).
I.e. means 'in other words' or "that is" (from Latin id est).

The abbreviations e.g. and i.e. are often confused. This is because they are both used to introduce some clarification of something previously mentioned.

e.g.

The abbreviation e.g. is used to provide an example:

Examples:

The buffet (meals in a public area )provided excellent variety, e.g., vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups, Italian and French breads and numerous sweets.
(e.g. = for example)

He was the school champion of many activities (e.g., chess, badminton and 110m hurdles).
(e.g. = for example)

i.e.

The abbreviation i.e. is used to restate an idea more clearly or offer more information.

Examples:

It happened in August; i.e. two months ago.
(i.e. = in other words)

It happened in August; e.g. two months ago.
(e.g. = for example)

Service charge is included in all prices, i.e., you don't have to leave a tip.
(i.e. = in other words)

Getting Them Wrong

Often mixing the abbreviations up does not mean your sentence is grammatically incorrect. However, getting them wrong will change the meaning of your sentence.

Examples:

All amphibians (animals that live both in the water and on land )are thriving in the new pond, e.g., the two bullfrogs were being very active yesterday.
(This sentence is fine grammatically. From it, we infer that there are more than two bullfrogs in the pond.)

All amphibians are thriving in the new pond, i.e., the two bullfrogs were being very active yesterday.
(This sentence is fine grammatically. We infer that there are only two bullfrogs in the pond.)

REMEMBERING WHICH IS WHICH

This may assist in remembering:
e.g. = "example given"
i.e. = "in effect"

THE FORMAT WITH E.G. OR I.E.
Comma before is okay:
He directs a variety of genres, e.g., crime, disaster, drama, fantasy.
Semicolon before is okay:
He directs a variety of genres; e.g., crime, disaster, drama, fantasy.
Brackets are okay:
He directs a variety of genres (e.g., crime, disaster, drama, fantasy).
Starting a sentence is okay:
He directs a variety of genres. E.g., he directs crime, disaster, drama and fantasy.

COMMA AFTER E.G. OR I.E.
In the US, it is usual to follow e.g. or i.e. with a comma. It is less common in the UK. There is leniency in all conventions. The golden rule is: be consistent.

FULL STOPS (PERIODS ) OR NOT
It is usual to see full stops (periods) with e.g. and i.e. However, you can write them without. The golden rule is simply: be consistent.

DON'T USE ETC. AFTER E.G.

The examples you offer after using e.g. are usually samples from a more complete list. Therefore, it is often not appropriate to use etc. after e.g. since it is understood that you are only offering a partial list by way of example. In the example below, the etc. is redundant:

Mark needs gloves to handle live fishing bait (e.g., rag worm, lug worm, crab, etc.)
In the example above:
the use of e.g. is correct
the use of etc. is wrong

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Appraise vs Apprise

2011-09-18T18:54:00.002+05:30

Appraise means 'to assess'. Apprise means 'to inform'.

Appraise

The verb 'to appraise' means 'to assess' or 'to evaluate'.
Examples:
We inspect and appraise pre-owned vehicles.
(assess/evaluate pre-own vehicles)

Managers appraise their subordinates against objectives set in the terms of reference.
(assess/evaluate their subordinates)

Apprise

The verb 'to apprise' means 'to inform' or 'to notify'.
Examples:

Please apprise the patient of the outcome of yesterday's meeting.
(inform/notify/tell the patient)

Managers appraise their subordinates of objectives in the terms of
reference.
(should be apprise their subordinates of objectives, i.e., notify them)

APPRISE IS COMMON
This error occurs because many are unaware that the verb 'to apprise' even exists. Well, it does. In fact, in business writing, it's marginally more common than 'to appraise'.

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Ability vs Capacity

2011-09-18T18:52:00.001+05:30

“He has extraordinary ability for getting his work done “or “ A worker is judged on the basis of the ability he shows”.

Capacity means power to receive, contain or hold e.g.

“This cooker has a capacity of two liters”. When capacity is applied to intellectual faculties, it means power to take in knowledge as opposed to power to express in doing. It usually implies inborn power rather than cultivated, e.g.

“His capacity for intellectual work is very limited”.

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Aims vs Objectives

2011-09-18T18:50:00.001+05:30

The difference between aims and objectives

Aims and objectives refer to targets and goals, but they are different, especially in terms of time. Objectives have a specific length of time in which they need to be achieved, but aims do not have any time limits placed on them.

Every program has a target that it wants to meet. The aim is a general statement about that target and the objectives are the ways in which the aim will be carried out. An aim is very broad and is difficult to measure. The objectives that are listed as part of that aim are measurable and when they have all been achieved, it can be said that the aim or goal has been achieved.

Objectives are very specific and can be measured. These are used in educational institutions every day. A teacher for a specific course has a curriculum guide listing what the students are expected to achieve in that course throughout the semester or the year. The following is an example of an English Language Arts aim and objectives for a specific unit of study;

Aim: Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts;

Objectives: 1. Students will write written responses to their reading in a reading log once a week.

2. Students will participate in Literature Circles in which they discuss their reading with students in the group. Literature Circles will be held every Thursday and students will come to class ready to discuss the assigned reading.

Teachers measure the students performance by reading the responses in the reading log and by being a facilitator at the group meetings. They will keep detailed notes about the students’ levels of performance.

In the above example, the aim is very broad and is actually a goal across grade levels. The objectives explain how this aim will be achieved and when. The actions of the teacher explain how the objectives will be measured.

A company that has a training program has a set period of time for the trainees to work through the program. The objectives are measured in the performance they exhibit throughout the training period and from the results of tests they take. A program may have the aim of graduating a specific number f people from the program each year.

The objectives must be SMART. This is an acronym for:

S – specific

M- measurable

A – Achievable

R – Realistic

T – Timely

Summary

An aim is abstract, but an objective is very specific.

There is a time limit on an objective, but not on an aim

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Compliment vs Complement

2011-09-18T18:49:00.001+05:30

Complement (V) Vs Compliment (N)

Complement is a verb, which means to make something seem better or more attractive when combined.

For example: "The colours blue and green complement each other perfectly."

Compliment is a noun, which means a remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect.

For example: "It was the nicest compliment anyone had ever paid me."

Tip! Having problems with your spelling? Try these mnemonics:-

If it complements something it completes it. (With an e.)

I like compliments. (With an i.)

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Since vs From

2011-09-18T18:48:00.001+05:30

Since vs. From

Difference Between Since and From

Most of the people are confused about the use of since and from. This tip aims to bring out the differences in their usage.

Use of from

‘From’ is a preposition which is used for showing distance or indicating a place. For example:

I have come from London.
My school is 5 miles from here.

It is often followed by ‘to’. For example, it takes 4 hours to go from this railway station to bus stand.
It is also used when you compare or differentiate two things. For example, the two concepts are different from each other.

Use of since

Since is used when we are talking about a particular point of time or to indicate the beginning of something.

For example,

They are in this business since 1921.
He has been living here since he was a small boy.

Another use of since is done in the sense of ‘because of’ or when someone is giving a reason. For example:

Since it was raining, we could not go out.
I was late since I met a friend on the way.

You can also use since to have a meaning similar to ‘right from’. For example:

Since childhood I was fond of playing football.

One main difference between since and from is that since can be used in the beginning of a sentence while from is rarely used in the beginning of a sentence.

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Beside vs Besides

2011-09-18T18:46:00.001+05:30

Difference Between “beside” and “besides”?

In the case of beside and besides, that single letter –S is the difference between a preposition and an adverb, respectively.

Beside is a preposition that refers to the position “next to” or that signals something as irrelevant.
Eg. The test itself is beside the issue; it is the philosophy on which the test is based that must be addressed.
Eg. You’ll find “Iron Man” beside the rest of my comic book movies.
Eg. That is beside the point.

To determine if beside is the word you need, substitute the phrase next to or not relevant to for beside in your sentence—if it makes sense, beside is your word.		To determine if besides is the word you need, substitute the phrase in addition to or except for beside in your sentence—if it makes sense, besides is your word.
Eg. That is [not relevant to] the point. Besides is an adverb that identifies something as “in addition to” or as an exception.		Eg. Do you have any comments [in addition to] the ones you have already voiced?
Eg. Do you have any comments besides the ones you have already voiced?		Eg. No one [except for] the professor can withdraw you from the class.
Eg. Besides being a politeness strategy, hedging can also be a means of joining an ongoing conversation.		Eg. I’m too tired to run; [in addition], my running shoes have recently disappeared.
Eg. I’m too tired to run; besides, my running shoes have recently disappeared.
Eg. No one besides the professor can withdraw you from the class. Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

Practice vs Practise

2011-09-18T18:44:00.001+05:30

Practice is a noun, it refers to an act itself; it’s an action rather than an idea.

Practise is a verb, it refers to ‘do something repeatedly to improve one’s skill’; to do an activity or train regularly so that one can improve his skill.

To put this much simply, practise is a verb (doing word) and practice a noun (thing).

NOTE: In American English, both the noun and the verb are spelled “practice”. Both forms are however used in the British English. As a matter of fact, in other English speaking countries (Australia, Canada, UK, Ireland, and South Africa), “practice” is the noun and “practise” the verb. Therefore it is important to make sure that you use the right version for the right audience.

Here are some examples below using the word “practice” (a noun) and “practise” (a verb):

Examples using the word “practice” (noun)

If you want to speak French well, you need to practice.
It is their practice to give annual raises.
I can’t see how your plan is going to work in practice.
It is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner.
Are you coming to football practice this evening?
My singing practice has been a little lax, lately.
She refused to play the piano, because she was out of practice.
She ran a thriving medical practice.

Examples using the word “practise” (verb)

The new government has promised all citizens the right to practise their religion.
Why don’t you practise what you preach?
I’m quite good at tennis but I need to practise my serve.
She practises the violin every day.
She practised medicine for twenty years before she became a writer.
I need to practise my English.
They are practising for the Olympic games.
A practising doctor.

If you are having difficulty of remembering the difference between “practise” and “practice” then you can try using the method below.

Practice is a noun. It has the word ice in it, which is a noun. Practise is a verb. It has the word is in it, which is a verb.

Contributed by: bharathisarkar @ gmail.com

A or An

2011-09-04T20:36:00.000+05:30

When to you use “a” or “an”

Using the articles “a” or “an” is often tricky because there are no exact rules on usage. It mainly depends on how the word is pronounced and how the first letter of a word sounds when deciding which one to use. However, here are a couple tips to help decipher which is more appropriate in a sentence.

Step 1

Use the “a” article before all words that begin with consonants.
For example, “a cat” or “a donkey.”

Step 2

Use the “an” article before any silent h. This is an exception to the above rule.
For example, “an honor.”

Step 3

Put “an” before words that begin with vowels.( A E I O U )
For example, “an apple” or “an enemy.”

Step 4

Consider the two exceptions to Step 3. When “u” sounds like “y” in “you”, or “o” sounds like “w” in “one”, then use “a”. For example, “a user friendly device” or “a one man show.”

Step 5

Remember which article to use by basing it on the sound of the first letter in a word, not the actual letter. If the first letter sounds like a vowel, you use “an.” If the first letter sounds like a consonant, use “a.”

Step 6

Try not to confuse which article to use when you are dealing with acronyms and other abbreviations. For example, it is correct to say “an MRI”, even though it begins with a consonant. This is because “an” can only go before vowels, and you pronounce MRI “em are eye.” It sounds as if it begins with a vowel.

Contributed by: bharathi.sarkar @ netafim-india.com

Farther & Further

2011-09-04T20:35:00.000+05:30

When To Use “Farther” and “Further”?

The ability to use farther and further correctly helps make your writing clear and intended meaning more apparent. Many people use these two words interchangeably, thinking there is no difference between them. There definitely is a difference. By understanding this difference, you can improve your writing skills.

What is the Difference?

Farther applies to actual, physical distance. On the other hand, Further applies to metaphorical distance.
Eg. I travel farther, and I study a subject further.

“Farther”		“Further”
Farther refers to physical or geographical distance. Here are some examples of proper use of this word.		Further refers to time, quantity, or degree. In other words, further indicates a continuation or extension of anything else other than distance; the word relates to more abstract references. Further is another way of saying “additional.” Here are some examples of correct use of further.
Eg. We are farther from Mumbai than I thought.		Eg. Prices will likely drop further next year.
Eg. She went farther away from her family than she had gone before.		Eg. I don’t want to discuss this topic further.
Eg. My new apartment is farther from my office than my old apartment.		Eg. I have to look further into the matter later.
Memory Cue Use farther if you can substitute the word with more miles.		Eg. The subject calls for further study

7 Spelling and Grammar Errors that Make You Look Dumb

2011-08-21T19:00:00.001+05:30

Dont let these easy-to-fix spelling and grammar mistakes make you look unprofessional.

In business, excellence is indeed worth striving for. Make sure all of your communications hold to high standards, because misspellings and bad grammar can hold you back in your career.

Many brilliant people have some communication weak spots. Unfortunately, the reality is that written communication is a big part of business, and how you write reflects on you. Poor spelling and grammar can destroy a professional image in an instant.

Even if your job doesn't require much business writing, you'll still have emails to send and notes to write. And if you're looking for a job, your cover letters and resumes will likely mean the difference between getting the interview or not.

Bad grammar and spelling make a bad impression. Don't let yourself lose an opportunity over a simple spelling or grammar mistake.

Here are seven simple grammatical errors that I see consistently in emails, cover letters and resumes.

Tip: Make yourself a little card cheat sheet and keep it in your wallet for easy reference.

You're / Your

The apostrophe means it's a contraction of two words; "you're" is the short version of "you are" (the "a" is dropped), so if your sentence makes sense if you say "you are," then you're good to use you're. "Your" means it belongs to you, it's yours.

Â· You're = if you mean "you are" then use the apostrophe

Â· Your = belonging to you

You're going to love your new job!

It's / Its

This one is confusing, because generally, in addition to being used in contractions, an apostrophe indicates ownership, as in "Dad's new car." But, "it's" is actually the short version of "it is" or "it has." "Its" with no apostrophe means belonging to it.

Â· It's = it is

Â· Its = belonging to it

It's important to remember to bring your telephone and its extra battery.

They're / Their / There

"They're" is a contraction of "they are." "Their" means belonging to them. "There" refers to a place (notice that the word "here" is part of it, which is also a place â€“ so if it says here and there, it's a place). There = a place

Â· They're = they are

Â· Their = belonging to them

They're going to miss their teachers when they leave there.

Loose / Lose

These spellings really don't make much sense, so you just have to remember them. "Loose" is the opposite of tight, and rhymes with goose. "Lose" is the opposite of win, and rhymes with booze. (To show how unpredictable English is, compare another pair of words, "choose" and "chose," which are spelled the same except the initial sound, but pronounced differently. No wonder so many people get it wrong!)

Â· Loose = it's not tight, it's loosey goosey

Â· Lose= "don't lose the hose for the rose" is a way to remember the same spelling but a different pronunciation

I never thought I could lose so much weight; now my pants are all loose!

Lead / Led

Another common but glaring error. "Lead" means you're doing it in the present, and rhymes with deed. "Led" is the past tense of lead, and rhymes with sled. So you can "lead" your current organization, but you "led" the people in your previous job.

Â· Lead = present tense, rhymes with deed

Â· Led = past tense, rhymes with sled

My goal is to lead this team to success, just as I led my past teams into winning award after award.

A lot / Alot / Allot

First the bad news: there is no such word as "alot." "A lot" refers to quantity, and "allot" means to distribute or parcel out.

There is a lot of confusion about this one, so I'm going to allot ten minutes to review these rules of grammar.

Between you and I

This one is widely misused, even by TV news anchors who should know better.

In English, we use a different pronoun depending on whether it's the subject or the object of the sentence: I/me, she/her, he/him, they/them. This becomes second nature for us and we rarely make mistakes with the glaring exception of when we have to choose between "you and I" or "you and me."

Grammar Girl does a far better job of explaining this than I, but suffice to say that "between you and I" is never correct, and although it is becoming more common, it's kind of like saying "him did a great job." It is glaringly incorrect.

The easy rule of thumb is to replace the "you and I" or "you and me" with either "we" or "us" and you'll quickly see which form is right. If "us" works, then use "you and me" and if "we" works, then use "you and I."

Between you and me (us), here are the secrets to how you and I (we) can learn to write better.

Master these common errors and you'll remove some of the mistakes and red flags that make you look like you have no idea how to speak.

Contributed by: sanskriti_patel @yahoo.com

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- Every Day

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- 17 Rules for Capitalization

► January (1)

I CAN READ IT! CAN YOU ?

2011-08-15T18:33:00.001+05:30

I CAN READ IT! CAN YOU ?

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too.
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

5 Common Grammatical Errors That People Make

2011-03-28T10:51:00.001+05:30

1 Use a hyphen when combining two or more words to describe a word that follows. The combined words act as a single adjective: a ten-dollar bill, a three-year-old boy, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Don't use the hyphen if the describing words come after the word being described: A well-done steak should be well done. An over-the-top presentation was over the top.

2 Use an apostrophe when a letter or group of letters is being left out to form a contraction. Remembering this simple rule will help avoid one of the most common grammar dilemmas: it's or its? Use the apostrophe when the word means it is. Leave it out for "The dog wagged its tail."

3 Don't be confused about when to say "Sally and me" or "Sally and I." The simple way to check is to leave the other person out of the sentence altogether. "He spoke to Sally and I" becomes "He spoke to I." "My friends and me went to the concert." becomes "Me went to the concert." If the sentence sounds wrong without the other words, it is wrong.

4 Adjectives are almost always singular. No matter how many dollars are involved, it's a twenty-dollar bill. No matter how many drugs he sells, he is a drug dealer, not a drugs dealer. The exception is when the meaning is unclear: The two countries are engaged in an arms race, not an arm race.

5 Be careful about words that have masculine and feminine forms. A man is blond; a woman is blonde. The man is a fiance; his girlfriend is a fiancee. Francis is normally a man; Frances is a woman. Marion is most commonly a masculine form of the name; Marian is feminine.

Contributed by: asharaj53 @ gmail.com

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English IS a Funny Language

2010-12-25T12:39:00.000+05:30

There is no egg in eggplant or ham in hamburger;

neither apple nor pine in pineapple.

English muffins were not invented in England or french fries in France.

Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham?

If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese? One index, two indices? Is cheese the plural of choose?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?

If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

In what language do people recite at a play, and play at a recital?

Ship by truck and send cargo by ship?

Have noses that run and feet that smell?

Park on driveways and drive on parkways?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another? When a house burns up, it burns down.

You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on.

When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.???

Now I know why I flunked my English!

Contributed by: reach.prema.r @ gmail.com

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The shortest word in English with the Mostest Meanings

2010-09-14T18:29:00.001+05:30

What is the world UP TO ????

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use ! it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is choked UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.We seem to be pretty mixed UPabout UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now........ my time is UP, so time to shut UP!

Oh...one more thing:
What is the first thing you do in the morning the last thing you do at night?
U P

Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book.

Now, I'll shut UP.

Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language. Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language. (But then, that's probably true of many languages.)

There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.'

It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use ! it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is choked UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.We seem to be pretty mixed UPabout UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now........ my time is UP, so time to shut UP!

Oh...one more thing:
What is the first thing you do in the morning the last thing you do at night?
U P

Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book.

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Every Day

2010-06-29T18:35:00.001+05:30

What is the difference between "every day" and "everyday"?

The difference between "everyday" and "every day" is quite simple, and there is an easy rule of thumb which you can use to determine which phrase would be suitable. In short, "everyday" is an adjective which describes something ordinary or commonplace, while the phrase "every day" means "each day." Confusing these two is a very common grammatical error, and learning to catch this error can improve the quality of your writing immensely

These are two words that are often confused by people. When used as two words, it means daily. Here are a few examples.

* Why should I have a bath every day?

* There's no need for you to call him every day.

* The children play tennis every day.

"Everyday", on the other hand, is normally used as an adjective. It is used to mean common or ordinary. Here are a few examples.

* Traffic is an everyday problem in our city.

* These are my everyday clothes.

* Sweeping, dusting, and mopping are part of her everyday routine.

Use "everyday" before a noun.

Contributed by: idealimam @ yahoo.com

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17 Rules for Capitalization

2010-02-28T13:58:00.000+05:30

Rule 1. Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.

Examples: He said, "Treat her as you would your own daughter."

"Look out!" she screamed. "You almost ran into my child."

Rule 2. Capitalize a proper noun.

Example: Golden Gate Bridge

Rule 3. Capitalize a person's title when it precedes the name. Do not capitalize when the title is acting as a description following the name.

Examples: Chairperson Petrov

Ms. Petrov, the chairperson of the company, will address us at noon.

Rule 4. Capitalize the person's title when it follows the name on the address or signature line.

Example: Sincerely,

Ms. Haines, Chairperson

Rule 5. Capitalize the titles of high-ranking government officials when used with or before their names. Do not capitalize the civil title if it is used instead of the name.

Examples: The president will address Congress.

All senators are expected to attend.

The governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general called for a special task force.

Governor Fortinbrass, Lieutenant Governor Poppins, Attorney General Dalloway, and Senators James and Twain will attend.

Rule 6. Capitalize any title when used as a direct address.

Example: Will you take my temperature, Doctor?

Rule 7. Capitalize points of the compass only when they refer to specific regions.

Examples: We have had three relatives visit from the South.

Go south three blocks and then turn left.

We live in the southeast section of town.

Southeast is just an adjective here describing section, so it should not be capitalized.

Rule 8. Always capitalize the first and last words of titles of publications regardless of their parts of speech. Capitalize other words within titles, including the short verb forms Is, Are, and Be.

Exception: Do not capitalize little words within titles such as a, an, the, but, as, if, and, or, nor, or prepositions, regardless of their length.

Examples: The Day of the Jackal

What Color Is Your Parachute?

A Tale of Two Cities

Rule 9. Capitalize federal or state when used as part of an official agency name or in government documents where these terms represent an official name. If they are being used as general terms, you may use lowercase letters.

Examples: The state has evidence to the contrary.

That is a federal offense.

The State Board of Equalization collects sales taxes.

We will visit three states during our summer vacation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been subject to much scrutiny and criticism lately.

Her business must comply with all county, state, and federal laws.

Rule 10. You may capitalize words such as department, bureau, and office if you have prepared your text in the following way:

Example: The Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) has some jurisdiction over Indian lands. The Bureau is finding its administrative role to be challenging.

Rule 11. Do not capitalize names of seasons.

Example: I love autumn colors and spring flowers.

Rule 12. Capitalize the first word of a salutation and the first word of a complimentary close.

Examples: Dear Ms. Mohamed:

My dear Mr. Sanchez:

Very truly yours,

Rule 13. Capitalize words derived from proper nouns.

Example: I must take English and math.

English is capitalized because it comes from the proper noun England, but math does not come from mathland.

Rule 14. Capitalize the names of specific course titles.

Example: I must take history and Algebra 2.

Rule 15. After a sentence ending with a colon, do not capitalize the first word if it begins a list.

Example: These are my favorite foods: chocolate cake, spaghetti, and artichokes.

Rule 16. Do not capitalize when only one sentence follows a sentence ending with a colon.

Example: I love Jane Smiley's writing: her book, A Thousand Acres, was beautiful.

Rule 17. Capitalize when two or more sentences follow a sentence ending with a colon.

Example: I love Jane Smiley's writing: Her book, A Thousand Acres, was beautiful. Also, Moo was clever.

Contributed by: verygood101 @ yahoo.com

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33 Names of Things You Never Knew Had Names

2010-01-02T22:21:00.000+05:30

1. AGLET - The plain or ornamental covering on the end of a shoelace.

2. ARMSAYE - The armhole in clothing.

3. CHANKING - Spat-out food, such as rinds or pits.

4. COLUMELLA NASI - The bottom part of the nose between the nostrils.

5. DRAGÉES - Small beadlike pieces of candy, usually silver-coloured, used for decorating cookies, cakes and sundaes.

6. FEAT - A dangling curl of hair.

7. FERRULE - The metal band on a pencil that holds the eraser in place.

8. HARP - The small metal hoop that supports a lampshade.

9. HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER - A 64th note. (A 32nd is a demisemiquaver, and a 16th note is a semiquaver.)

10. JARNS,

11. NITTLES,

12. GRAWLIX,

13. and QUIMP - Various squiggles used to denote cussing in comic books.

14. KEEPER - The loop on a belt that keeps the end in place after it has passed through the buckle.

15. KICK or PUNT - The indentation at the bottom of some wine bottles. It gives added strength to the bottle but lessens its holding capacity.

16. LIRIPIPE - The long tail on a graduate's academic hood.

17. MINIMUS - The little finger or toe.

18. NEF - An ornamental stand in the shape of a ship.

19. OBDORMITION - The numbness caused by pressure on a nerve; when a limb is 'asleep'.

Subscribe to REACHOUT

20. OCTOTHORPE - The symbol '#' on a telephone handset. Bell Labs' engineer Don Macpherson created the word in the 1960s by combining octo-, as in eight, with the name of one of his favourite athletes, 1912 Olympic decathlon champion Jim Thorpe.

21. OPHRYON - The space between the eyebrows on a line with the top of the eye sockets.

22. PEEN - The end of a hammer head opposite the striking face.

23. PHOSPHENES - The lights you see when you close your eyes hard. Technically the luminous impressions are due to the excitation of the retina caused by pressure on the eyeball.

24. PURLICUE - The space between the thumb and extended forefinger.

25. RASCETA - Creases on the inside of the wrist.

26. ROWEL - The revolving star on the back of a cowboy's spurs.

27. SADDLE - The rounded part on the top of a matchbook.

28. SCROOP - The rustle of silk.

29. SNORKEL BOX - A mailbox with a protruding receiver to allow people to deposit mail without leaving their cars.

30. SPRAINTS - Otter dung.

31. TANG - The projecting prong on a tool or instrument.

32. WAMBLE - Stomach rumbling.

33. ZARF - A holder for a handleless coffee cup..

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Paradoxical Proverbs

2009-09-13T09:18:00.000+05:30

All good things come to those who wait.

BUT

Time and tide wait for no man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pen is mightier than the sword.

BUT

Actions speak louder than words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wise men think alike.

BUT

Fools seldom differ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The best things in life are free

BUT

There's no such thing as a free lunch

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slow and steady wins the race

BUT

Time waits for no man

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look before you leap

BUT

Strike while the iron is hot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do it well, or not at all.

BUT

Half a loaf is better than none.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birds of a feather flock together.

BUT

Opposites attract.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't cross your bridges before you come to them.

BUT

Forewarned is forearmed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doubt is the beginning of wisdom.

BUT

Faith will move mountains.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Great starts make great finishes.

BUT

It ain't over 'till it's over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Practice makes perfect.

BUT

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silence is golden.

BUT

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You're never too old to learn.

BUT

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

BUT

One man's meat is another man's poison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

BUT

Out of sight, out of mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

BUT

Many hands make light work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hold fast to the words of your ancestors.

BUT

Wise men make proverbs and fools repeat them.

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Tortuous, Torturous, or Tortured?

2009-05-31T19:19:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Tortuous means "winding, crooked" or "tricky to handle."

Torturous means "causing torture" or "painful in a cruel way."

Tortured as an adjective means "receiving torture" or "pained."

Examples: He had to take a tortuous route through the Alps .

He survived the torturous existence of the concentration camp.

The beggar gave a tortured look to the passers-by.

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There's, Theirs, or Their's?

2009-05-31T19:14:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Theirs is a possessive pronoun.

There's is a contraction for there is or, rarely, there has. Note the apostrophe replacing the missing letter or letters.

Their's does not exist.

Examples: That painting is theirs.

(possessive pronoun)

There's more to this than meets the eye.

(contraction of there is)

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Their, There, or They're?

2009-05-31T19:13:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Their is a possessive pronoun. It always describes a noun.

Note the spelling of their. It comes from the word they, so the e comes before the i.

There is an adverb meaning "that location." It is sometimes used with the verb to be as an idiom. It is spelled like here which means "this location."

They're is a contraction of they are. Note the spelling: The a from are is replaced by an apostrophe.

Examples: Their dog has fleas. (possessive of they)

I put the collar right there. (that location)

There are five prime numbers less than ten.

(with to be)

They're 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. (contraction of they are)

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The Use of Prepositions in English

2009-05-31T18:33:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Preposition usage is an important part of the English Language, or any language for that matter. So just what is proper preposition usage?

Prepositions are generally used to show the relationship between its object and other words in the sentence.

The following show preposition usage and the relationships of prepositions with the other words in the sentences they are in.

Remembering relationships will help you remember which preposition to use.

· Place (in, on, under, over, near, beside, etc.)

"Your book is on the table."

· Direction (to, toward, into, through, etc.)

"The football player ran through the stadium to the other end."

· Time (in, on, at, etc.)

"We can meet at five o'clock."

· Agent (by)

"This book was written by a famous author."

· Instrument (by, with)

"I heard the news by television. (Communication)

"She came by bus." (Transportation)

"He opened the door with a key." (Instrument or tool)

TIP:

We use by + no article for communication and transportation.

Examples: by phone, by radio, and by bus, by car

· Accompaniment (with)

"I like spaghetti with white sauce."

"Mrs. Vajiona went to Thassos Island with her husband Georgios."

· Purpose (for)

"He went to the store for milk and bread.

TIP:

Never, Never use for + verb + ing to express the purpose of the verb.

Example: "He went to the store for buying milk and bread." This is wrong usage and a common mistake!

· Partition / Possession (of)

"They painted the front of the building white and green."

"He broke the top of the table with his fist."

· Measure (by, of)

"We buy our olive oil by the 16 kilo container."

"Please buy a quart of milk from the market."

· Similarity (like)

"Mary walks like her mother."

· Capacity (as)

"Bill worked as a fireman until a year ago."

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Glorious Insults

2009-05-30T19:36:00.000+05:30

These glorious insults are from an era before the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words.

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."

"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." Clarence Darrow

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.." - Oscar Wilde

"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop

"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." - John Bright

"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S. Cobb

"He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson

"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." - Paul Keating

"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx

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Single or Singular?

2009-03-22T19:59:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Single means "one" or "individual." When applied to people, it usually means "unmarried." It can be a verb meaning "to call attention to." Sometimes an unmarried person is referred to as "a single." The state of being single is singleness.

Singular is a related word meaning "unique" or "distinctive" or "standing alone in some way." When applied to people, it implies "odd" or "unusual." The noun form is singularity, which is the state of being unique or uncommon. Singular is often used in mathematics and various sciences to describe a property, occurrence, or object that is unique or not related to anything else.

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Suppose

Real or Really?

2009-03-22T19:58:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Real is an adjective. It modifies only nouns or pronouns.

Really is an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Correct: He stayed at hotels with real class.

(Class is a noun. The adjective modifies it.)

Incorrect: He stayed at a real classy hotel.

(Classy is an adjective. It should be modified by an adverb.)

Correct: He stayed at a really classy hotel.

(The adjective classy is modified by the adverb.)

Raise or Rise?

2009-03-22T19:57:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Raise means "to make higher," "build," or "nurture and cause to grow." It is normally transitive, that is, the action is done to something or someone else.

Rise means "to get up" or "become elevated." It is never transitive. The past tense is rose; the past participle, risen.

Examples: They raised the barn in two days.

The sun rises and sets every day.

Quote, Quotation, or Quotation Mark?

2009-03-22T19:57:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Quote is a verb. It means "to repeat the words of a writer or speaker."

Quotation is a noun. It means "words quoted" or "the act of quoting."

Quotation marks are punctuation marks used to highlight a written quotation.

Correct: He quoted Shakespeare frequently.

Incorrect: We listened to a long quote from the government report.

Correct: We listened to a long quotation from the government report.

Incorrect: You need to put this part in quotes.

Correct: You need to put this part in quotation marks.

Quash or Squash?

2009-03-22T19:56:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Quash usually applies to government or government authority. It means "to annul" or "legally invalidate."

Squash means "to squeeze" or "crush."

Examples: The "fairness doctrine" quashed media debates.

The army squashed the demonstration in the capital.

Assume or Presume?

2009-03-22T19:56:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Assume has a variety of meanings. It basically means "to take up or on oneself," "to suppose or take for granted," "to pretend," or "to be taken up." The noun form is assumption.

Presume is related to and similar to assume, but it has the sense of doing it beforehand. It means "to dare or venture without prior knowledge," "to assume as believable without direct proof," "to take as a premise, subject to further proof," or "to behave arrogantly or overconfidently." The noun form is presumption.

A presumption is often taken up or assumed to be true until proven otherwise, as presumed innocent. Sometimes it has the sense of behaving in a superior manner, as in to presume upon someone. Presumption often has the sense of blind overconfidence, or going beyond the limits of proper manners. Presumptive means "based on reasonable grounds of evidence" as in presumptive heir. Presumptuous means "unusually confident or bold, often arrogant," or "foolhardy."

To assume suggest taking by one's own will or power for good or evil, right or wrong. If he assumes a position that is not rightfully his, he has arrogated or usurped it. A person can assume office either lawfully or unlawfully. When a debater assumes something, he or she may take it for granted without explaining it. If a person takes to himself character traits or a position he does not posses, he pretends to or affects the character he is assuming. A smooth talker often assumes something to be true that would be challenged if directly stated. When people claim something, they assert that they have a right to it. When they assume it, they take it.

The adjective assumed means "taken for granted" or "fictitious." When used as an adjective, assuming means "arrogant," its opposite, unassuming is more common. Something that is assumable is something that can be taken, as an assumable loan.

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Prescribe or Proscribe?

2009-03-22T19:55:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Prescribe means "to set down authoritatively for direction" or "to set down a medical procedure in order to cure or alleviate symptoms." The noun form is prescription, that is, something prescribed.

Proscribe means "prohibit or limit" or "ostracize or avoid in a social sense." The noun form is proscription.

The words perscription and perscribe do not exist in English.

Perspective or Prospective?

2009-03-22T19:54:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Perspective means "point of view, especially the ability to see the whole of something." In art, it specifically means the ability to present three dimensional objects using a two dimensional medium. Perspective is normally a noun.

The prefix per- means "completely."

Prospective means "future or potential" and is normally an adjective. The noun form is prospect.

The prefix pro- means "forward."

The Latin root of both words, -spect-, means "to see." So perspective literally means "seeing completely" and prospective means "seeing ahead."

Prosecute or Persecute?

2009-03-22T19:54:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Prosecute means "to begin or carry out a legal claim against someone, usually for a crime" or "to carry or accomplish." The act of prosecuting is prosecution. The side carrying out the legal claim is also referred to as the prosecution. An attorney representing the accuser (usually the government) is a prosecutor.

Persecute means "to harrass, or pursue in order to injure or afflict." The act of persecuting is persecution.

Tongue Twisters

2009-03-22T19:47:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Rajesh (verygood101 @ yahoo.com)

1. If you understand, say "understand" . If you don ' t understand, say " don ' t understand". But if you understand and say "don ' t understand". How do I understand that you understand? Understand!

**********

2. I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won ' t wish the wish you wish to wish.

**********

3. Sounding by sound is a sound method of sounding sounds.

**********

4 ..A sailor went to sea to see, what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.

**********

5 .. Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People

**********

6 ..If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

**********

7 ..I thought a thought.But the thought I thought wasn ' t the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn ' t have thought so much.

**********

8 ..Once a fellow met a fellow In a field of beans. Said a fellow to a fellow, "If a fellow asks a fellow, Can a fellow tell a fellow What a fellow means?"

**********

9.Mr Inside went over to see Mr Outside. Mr Inside stood outside and called to MrOutside inside.

Mr Outside answered Mr Inside from inside and Told Mr Inside to come inside. Mr Inside said "NO", and told Mr Outside to come outside. Mr Outside and Mr Inside argued from inside and outside about going outside or coming inside. Finally, Mr Outside coaxed Mr Inside to come inside, then both Mr Outside and Mr Inside went outside to the riverside.

**********

10..SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS ON THE SEA SHORE , BUT THE SEA SHELLS THAT SHE SELLS, ON THE SEA SHORE ARE NOT THE REAL ONES

**********

11.. The owner of the inside inn was inside his inside inn with his inside outside his inside inn. **********

12..If one doctor doctors another doctor does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does the doctor doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors? "When a doctor falls ill another doctor doctor ' s the doctor. Does the doctor doctoring the doctor doctor the doctor in his own way or does the doctor doctoring the doctor doctors the doctor in the doctor ' s way"

**********

13..We surely shall see the sun shine shortly. Whether the weather be fine, Or whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold Or whether the weather be hot, We ' ll weather the weather Whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not. Watch? Whether the weather is hot.

Whether the weather is cold. Whether the weather is either or not. It is whether we like it or not.

**********

14..Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely .

**********

15 .A flea and a fly in a flue Said the fly "Oh what should we do" Said the flea" Let us fly Said the fly"Let us flee" So they flew through a flaw in the flue

**********

16..If you tell Tom to tell a tongue-twister his tongue will be twisted as tongue-twister twists tongues.

**********

17..Mr. See owned a saw.And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw. Now See ' s saw sawed Soar ' s seesaw Before Soar saw See, Which made Soar sore..Had Soar seen See ' s saw Before See sawed Soar ' s seesaw, See ' s saw would not have sawed Soar ' s seesaw. So See ' s saw sawed Soar ' s seesaw.But it was sad to see Soar so sore Just because See ' s saw sawed Soar ' s seesaw .....

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Proper Usage: Refute

2009-03-15T16:45:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Refute At one time, the newspaper I worked for banned this word because a building full of so-called experienced journalists from Britain, United States, Canada, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were consistently getting it wrong. Refute cannot be used as a synonym for deny. To deny something is to say you didn't do it. To refute is to prove you didn't do it with evidence. In addition, don't confuse refute with rebut. Rebut means to argue to the contrary using evidence. To refute is to use that evidence to prove and win your argument.

Proper Usage: Alternative

2009-03-15T16:44:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Alternative This is another word to do with choices. However, alternative refers to only ONE other choice. If you are unhappy with your job but you have one offer from another company, then you have an "alternative". If you have two other job offers, you have "other choices" or "options" but NOT "other alternatives".

Proper Usage: Enormity

2009-03-15T16:44:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Enormity It appears the traditionalists may be losing the battle when it comes to this word. Enormity, in its original meaning, does NOT mean huge. It is not the noun for enormous, which is enormousness. Enormity actually means the quality of being outrageous, or wickedness. However, it has been so commonly used to refer to great size, it appears even dictionaries have given up because I've seen recent editions include both meanings.

Correct Usage: Dilemna

2009-03-15T16:43:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Dilemma You see this kind of sentence quite often: "He faced a dilemma on whether he should go to Harvard or Yale". Wrong! I've also read dilemma being written as synonymous with problems. Again, wrong. Dilemma is when you have only two choices and both are undesirable. So, if you have a choice between jail and a big fine, then you are in a dilemma. If you have a choice between a promotion at your current job and more money in another job, then that is not a dilemma because both paths are attractive.

English Bloopers: Part XVIII

2009-03-15T16:42:00.000+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

1. "Myself Miss Aarti Sinha."

"She cooked dinner for Tarika, Dipti and myself."

"Albert, Maria and myself went to the movies."

This one's an epidemic! More and more people academically, officially and professionally have been using the word 'myself' instead of 'my name', 'me' and 'I'. They think it sounds 'cultured'; in reality, it sounds foolish. The above should be:

~"My name is Miss Aarti Sinha."

~"She cooked dinner for Takirka, Dipti and me."

~"Albert, Maria and I went to the movies."

2. "Please go ahead.. I am coming back of you."

"I finished the exam in front of her."

Back and front refer to direction, not length of time. Instead, use:

~ "Please go ahead. I will come after you."

~ "I finished the exam before her."

3. "Reply fastly!"

This one is rampant in chat windows and e-mail inboxes! In fact, there's no such word as 'fastly'.

~ "Reply quickly!" is the correct way of saying it.

4. "There is very much risk in this work."

"It is very much hot today."

These are sentences sound unnatural. Instead, try:

~ "There is a lot of risk involved in this work."

~ "It is very hot today."

The next one's a classic, and my all-time favourite!

5. "I am like this only."

"She is like that only."

The frequent misuse of the word 'only' in Indian English is astonishing! The above should be:

~ "This is the way I am."

~ "That is the way she is."

Sourav Shah, a 25-year-old marketing executive from Pune sent in the following English error, which we come across rather often as well:

1. "I cannot cope up with this hectic schedule."

"I was stuck up in traffic."

'Up' should not be attached to verbs like 'cope' and 'stuck', but we Indians do it all the time!

~ "I cannot cope with this hectic schedule."

~ "I was stuck in traffic."

SENTENCE CLASSIFICATION

2009-03-08T18:49:00.000+05:30

SENTENCE CLASSIFICATION

There are two great classes of sentences according to the general principles upon which they are founded. These are termed the loose and the periodic.

In the loose sentence the main idea is put first, and then follow several facts in connection with it. Defoe is an author particularly noted for this kind of sentence. He starts out with a leading declaration to which he adds several attendant connections. For instance in the opening of the story of Robinson Crusoe we read: "I was born in the year 1632 in the city of York, of a good family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull; he got a good estate by merchandise, and leaving off his trade lived afterward at York, from whence he had married my mother, whose relations were named Robinson, a very good family in the country and from I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual corruption of words in England, we are now called, nay, we call ourselves, and write our name Crusoe, and so my companions always called me,"

In the periodic sentence the main idea comes last and is preceded by a series of relative introductions. This kind of sentence is often introduced by such words as that, if, since, because. The following is an example:

"That through his own folly and lack of circumspection he should have been reduced to such circumstances as to be forced to become a beggar on the streets, soliciting alms from those who had formerly been the recipients of his bounty, was a sore humiliation."

On account of its name many are liable to think the loose sentence an undesirable form in good composition, but this should not be taken for granted. In many cases it is preferable to the periodic form.

As a general rule in speaking, as opposed to writing, the loose form is to be preferred, inasmuch as when the periodic is employed in discourse the listeners are apt to forget the introductory clauses before the final issue is reached.

Both kinds are freely used in composition, but in speaking, the loose, which makes the direct statement at the beginning, should predominate.

As to the length of sentences much depends on the nature of the composition. However the general rule may be laid down that short sentences are preferable to long ones. The tendency of the best writers of the present day is towards short, snappy, pithy sentences which rivet the attention of the reader. They adopt as their motto multum in parvo (much in little) and endeavor to pack a great deal in small space. Of course the extreme of brevity is to be avoided. Sentences can be too short, too jerky, too brittle to withstand the test of criticism. The long sentence has its place and a very important one. It is indispensable in argument and often is very necessary to description and also in introducing general principles which require elaboration. In employing the long sentence the inexperienced writer should not strain after the heavy, ponderous type. Johnson and Carlyle used such a type, but remember, an ordinary mortal cannot wield the sledge hammer of a giant. Johnson and Carlyle were intellectual giants and few can hope to stand on the same literary pedestal. The tyro in composition should never seek after the heavy style. The best of all authors in the English language for style is Addison. Macaulay says: "If you wish a style learned, but not pedantic, elegant but not ostentatious, simple yet refined, you must give your days and nights to the volumes of Joseph Addison." The simplicity, apart from the beauty of Addison's writings causes us to reiterate the literary command"Never use a big word when a little one will convey the same or a similar meaning."

Macaulay himself is an elegant stylist to imitate. He is like a clear brook kissed by the noon-day sun in the shining bed of which you can see and count the beautiful white pebbles. Goldsmith is another writer whose simplicity of style charms.

The beginner should study these writers, make their works his vade mecum, they have stood the test of time and there has been no improvement upon them yet, nor is there likely to be, for their writing is as perfect as it is possible to be in the English language.

Apart from their grammatical construction there can be no fixed rules for the formation of sentences. The best plan is to follow the best authors and these masters of language will guide you safely along the way.

Magnificent or Munificent?

2009-03-01T19:27:00.002+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Magnificent means "grand," literally "made great" or "doing great things." Its root is magn- which means "great" or "large."

Munificent means "lavish" or "very generous," literally "making gifts." The root muni- means "gift."

Luxuriant or Luxurious?

2009-03-01T19:27:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Luxuriant means "characterized by thick or abundant growth." It is usually applies to the growth of plants, fur, or hair. The noun form is luxuriance.

Luxurious means "characterized by wealth and comfort," more directly from our modern word luxury. The noun form is luxury or luxuriousness.

Examples: Captain Cook named the place Botany Bay because of the luxuriant jungle vegetation surrounding it.

They checked into the most luxurious suite in the hotel.

Grammatical Errors by Standard Authors

2009-03-01T19:27:00.000+05:30

Even the best speakers and writers are sometimes caught napping. Many of our standard authors to whom we have been accustomed to look up as infallible have sinned more or less against the fundamental principles of grammar by breaking the rules regarding one or more of the nine parts of speech. In fact some of them have recklessly trespassed against all nine, and still they sit on their pedestals of fame for the admiration of the crowd. Macaulay mistreated the article. He wrote,"That a historian should not record trifles is perfectly true." He should have used an.

Dickens also used the article incorrectly. He refers to "Robinson Crusoe" as "an universally popular book," instead of a universally popular book.

The relation between nouns and pronouns has always been a stumbling block to speakers and writers. Hallam in his Literature of Europe writes, "No one as yet had exhibited the structure of the human kidneys, Vesalius having only examined them in dogs." This means that Vesalius examined human kidneys in dogs. The sentence should have been, "No one had as yet exhibited the kidneys in human beings, Vesalius having examined such organs in dogs only."

Sir Arthur Helps in writing of Dickens, states"I knew a brother author of his who received such criticisms from him (Dickens) very lately and profited by it." Instead of it the word should be them to agree with criticisms.

Here are a few other pronominal errors from leading authors:

"Sir Thomas Moore in general so writes it, although not many others so late as him." Should be he.Trench's English Past and Present.

"What should we gain by it but that we should speedily become as poor as them." Should be they.Alison's Essay on Macaulay.

"If the king gives us leave you or I may as lawfully preach, as them that do." Should be they or those, the latter having persons understood.Hobbes's History of Civil Wars.

"The drift of all his sermons was, to prepare the Jews for the reception of a prophet, mightier than him, and whose shoes he was not worthy to bear." Should be than he.Atterbury's Sermons.

"Phalaris, who was so much older than her." Should be she.Bentley's Dissertation on Phalaris.

"King Charles, and more than him, the duke and the Popish faction were at liberty to form new schemes." Should be than he.Bolingbroke's Dissertations on Parties.

"We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same proportion more than us." Should be than we.Swift's Conduct of the Allies.

In all the above examples the objective cases of the pronouns have been used while the construction calls for nominative cases.

"Let thou and I the battle try"Anon.

Here let is the governing verb and requires an objective case after it; therefore instead of thou and I, the words should be you (sing.) and me.

"Forever in this humble cell, Let thee and I, my fair one, dwell"Prior.

Here thee and I should be the objectives you and me.

The use of the relative pronoun trips the greatest number of authors.

Even in the Bible we find the relative wrongly translated:

Whom do men say that I am?St. Matthew.

Whom think ye that I am?Acts of the Apostles.

Who should be written in both cases because the word is not in the objective governed by say or think, but in the nominative dependent on the verb am.

Who should I meet at the coffee house t'other night, but my old friend?"Steele.

"It is another pattern of this answerer's fair dealing, to give us hints that the author is dead, and yet lay the suspicion upon somebody, I know not who, in the country."Swift's Tale of a Tub.

"My son is going to be married to I don't know who." Goldsmith's Good-natured Man.

The nominative who in the above examples should be the objective whom.

The plural nominative ye of the pronoun thou is very often used for the objective you, as in the following:

"His wrath which will one day destroy ye both." Milton.

"The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye."Shakespeare.

"I feel the gales that from ye blow."Gray.

"Tyrants dread ye, lest your just decree Transfer the power and set the people free."Prior.

Many of the great writers have played havoc with the adjective in the indiscriminate use of the degrees of comparison.

"Of two forms of the same word, use the fittest."Morell.

The author here in trying to give good advice sets a bad example. He should have used the comparative degree, "Fitter."

Adjectives which have a comparative or superlative signification do not admit the addition of the words more, most, or the terminations, er, est, hence the following examples break this rule:

"Money is the most universal incitement of human misery."Gibbon's Decline and Fall.

"The chiefest of which was known by the name of Archon among the Grecians."Dryden's Life of Plutarch.

"The chiefest and largest are removed to certain magazines they call libraries."Swift's Battle of the Books.

The two chiefest properties of air, its gravity and elastic force, have been discovered by mechanical experiments.Arbuthno

"From these various causes, which in greater or lesser degree, affected every individual in the colony, the indignation of the people became general."Robertson's History of America.

"The extremest parts of the earth were meditating a submission."Atterbury's Sermons.

"The last are indeed more preferable because they are founded on some new knowledge or improvement in the mind of man."Addison, Spectator.

"This was in reality the easiest manner of the two."Shaftesbury's Advice to an Author.

"In every well formed mind this second desire seems to be the strongest of the two."Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments.

In these examples the superlative is wrongly used for the comparative. When only two objects are compared the comparative form must be used.

Of impossibility there are no degrees of comparison, yet we find the following:

"As it was impossible they should know the words, thoughts and secret actions of all men, so it was more impossible they should pass judgment on them according to these things."Whitby's Necessity of the Christian Religion.

A great number of authors employ adjectives for adverbs. Thus we find:

"I shall endeavor to live hereafter suitable to a man in my station."Addison.

"I can never think so very mean of him."Bentley's Dissertation on Phalaris.

"His expectations run high and the fund to supply them is extreme scanty,Lancaster's Essay on Delicacy.

The commonest error in the use of the verb is the disregard of the concord between the verb and its subject. This occurs most frequently when the subject and the verb are widely separated, especially if some other noun of a different number immediately precedes the verb. False concords occur very often after either, or, neither, nor, and much, more, many, everyone, each.

Here are a few authors' slips:

"The terms in which the sale of a patent were communicated to the public."Junius's Letters.

"The richness of her arms and apparel were conspicuous."Gibbon's Decline and Fall.

"Everyone of this grotesque family were the creatures of national genius."D'Israeli.

"He knows not what spleen, languor or listlessness are."Blair's Sermons.

"Each of these words imply, some pursuit or object relinquished."Ibid.

"Magnus, with four thousand of his supposed accomplices were put to death."Gibbon.

"No nation gives greater encouragements to learning than we do; yet at the same time none are so injudicious in the application."Goldsmith.

"There's two or three of us have seen strange sights."Shakespeare.

The past participle should not be used for the past tense, yet the learned Byron overlooked this fact. He thus writes in the Lament of Tasso:

"And with my years my soul begun to pant With feelings of strange tumult and soft pain."

Here is another example from Savage's Wanderer in which there is double sinning:

"From liberty each nobler science sprung, A Bacon brighten'd and a Spenser sung."

Other breaches in regard to the participles occur in the following:

"Every book ought to be read with the same spirit and in the same manner as it is writ"Fielding's Tom Jones.

"The Court of Augustus had not wore off the manners of the republic "Hume's Essays.

Moses tells us that the fountains of the earth were broke open or clove asunder."Burnet.

"A free constitution when it has been shook by the iniquity of former administrations."Bolingbroke.

"In this respect the seeds of future divisions were sowed abundantly."Ibid.

In the following example the present participle is used for the infinitive mood:

"It is easy distinguishing the rude fragment of a rock from the splinter of a statue."Gilfillan's Literary Portraits.

Distinguishing here should be replaced by to distinguish.

The rules regarding shall and will are violated in the following:

"If we look within the rough and awkward outside, we will be richly rewarded by its perusal."Gilfillan's Literary Portraits.

"If I should declare them and speak of them, they should be more than I am able to express."Prayer Book Revision of Psalms XI.

"If I would declare them and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."Ibid.

"Without having attended to this, we will be at a loss, in understanding several passages in the classics."Blair's Lectures.

"We know to what cause our past reverses have been owing and we will have ourselves to blame, if they are again incurred."Alison's History of Europe.

Adverbial mistakes often occur in the best writers. The adverb rather is a word very frequently misplaced. Archbishop Trench in his "English Past and Present" writes, "It rather modified the structure of our sentences than the elements of our vocabulary." This should have been written," It modified the structure of our sentences rather than the elements of our vocabulary."

"So far as his mode of teaching goes he is rather a disciple of Socrates than of St. Paul or Wesley." Thus writes Leslie Stephens of Dr. Johnson. He should have written," So far as his mode of teaching goes he is a disciple of Socrates rather than of St. Paul or Wesley."

The preposition is a part of speech which is often wrongly used by some of the best writers. Certain nouns, adjectives and verbs require particular prepositions after them, for instance, the word different always takes the preposition from after it; prevail takes upon; averse takes to; accord takes with, and so on.

In the following examples the prepositions in parentheses are the ones that should have been used:

"He found the greatest difficulty of (in) writing."Hume's History of England.

"If policy can prevail upon (over) force."Addison.

"He made the discovery and communicated to (with) his friends."Swift's Tale of a Tub.

"Every office of command should be intrusted to persons on (in) whom the parliament shall confide."Macaulay.

Several of the most celebrated writers infringe the canons of style by placing prepositions at the end of sentences. For instance Carlyle, in referring to the Study of Burns, writes:"Our own contributions to it, we are aware, can be but scanty and feeble; but we offer them with good will, and trust they may meet with acceptance from those they are intended for."

"for whom they are intended," he should have written.

"Most writers have some one vein which they peculiarly and obviously excel in."William Minto.

This sentence should read,Most writers have some one vein in which they peculiarly and obviously excel.

Many authors use redundant words which repeat the same thought and idea. This is called tautology.

"Notwithstanding which (however) poor Polly embraced them all around."Dickens.

"I judged that they would (mutually) find each other."Crockett.

"....as having created a (joint) partnership between the two Powers in the Morocco question."The Times.

"The only sensible position (there seems to be) is to frankly acknowledge our ignorance of what lies beyond."Daily Telegraph.

Lord Rosebery has not budged from his positionsplendid, no doubt,of (lonely) isolation."The Times.

"Miss Fox was (often) in the habit of assuring Mrs. Chick."Dickens.

"The deck (it) was their field of fame."Campbell.

"He had come up one morning, as was now (frequently) his wont,"Trollope.

The counsellors of the Sultan (continue to) remain scepticalThe Times.

Seriously, (and apart from jesting), this is no light matter.Bagehot.

To go back to your own country with (the consciousness that you go back with) the sense of duty well done.Lord Halsbury.

The Peresviet lost both her fighting-tops and (in appearance) looked the most damaged of all the shipsThe Times.

Counsel admitted that, that was a fair suggestion to make, but he submitted that it was borne out by the (surrounding) circumstances.Ibid.

Another unnecessary use of words and phrases is that which is termed circumlocution, a going around the bush when there is no occasion for it,save to fill space.

It may be likened to a person walking the distance of two sides of a triangle to reach the objective point. For instance in the quotation: "Pope professed to have learned his poetry from Dryden, whom, whenever an opportunity was presented, he praised through the whole period of his existence with unvaried liberality; and perhaps his character may receive some illustration, of a comparison he instituted between him and the man whose pupil he was" much of the verbiage may be eliminated and the sentence thus condensed:

"Pope professed himself the pupil of Dryden, whom he lost no opportunity of praising; and his character may be illustrated by a comparison with his master."

"His life was brought to a close in 1910 at an age not far from the one fixed by the sacred writer as the term of human existence."

This in brevity can be put, "His life was brought to a close at the age of seventy;" or, better yet, "He died at the age of seventy."

"The day was intensely cold, so cold in fact that the thermometer crept down to the zero mark," can be expressed: "The day was so cold the thermometer registered zero."

Many authors resort to circumlocution for the purpose of "padding," that is, filling space, or when they strike a snag in writing upon subjects of which they know little or nothing. The young writer should steer clear of it and learn to express his thoughts and ideas as briefly as possible commensurate with lucidity of expression.

Volumes of errors in fact, in grammar, diction and general style, could be selected from the works of the great writers, a fact which eloquently testifies that no one is infallible and that the very best is liable to err at times. However, most of the erring in the case of these writers arises from carelessness or hurry, not from a lack of knowledge.

As a general rule it is in writing that the scholar is liable to slip; in oral speech he seldom makes a blunder. In fact, there are many people who are perfect masters of speech,who never make a blunder in conversation, yet who are ignorant of the very principles of grammar and would not know how to write a sentence correctly on paper. Such persons have been accustomed from infancy to hear the language spoken correctly and so the use of the proper words and forms becomes a second nature to them. A child can learn what is right as easy as what is wrong and whatever impressions are made on the mind when it is plastic will remain there. Even a parrot can be taught the proper use of language. Repeat to a parrot."Two and two make four" and it never will say "two and two makes four."

In writing, however, it is different. Without a knowledge of the fundamentals of grammar we may be able to speak correctly from association with good speakers, but without such a knowledge we cannot hope to write the language correctly. To write even a common letter we must know the principles of construction, the relationship of one word to another. Therefore, it is necessary for everybody to understand at least the essentials of the grammar of his own language.

Perimeter or Parameter?

2009-02-17T19:35:00.002+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

These two words are often confused, especially parameter for perimeter.

Perimeter, pronounced with a short i in the second syllable, means "the border or line around an object, especially a two-dimensional geometric figure." By extension, it can refer to the border of any area or any kind of limit.

Parameter, pronounced with a short a in the second syllable, is a specific mathematical or physical term which means "a variable which has the same value in more than one equation." Unfortunately, people will often use the word parameter when they mean "boundary" or "limitation," because it sounds more scientific or technical.

Sociologist Thomas Sowell writes: "One of the incidental examples of 'scientific' puffery is the widespread use of the term 'parameters' to mean boundaries, rather than its actual meaning in mathematical equations. What are usually called 'parameters' in discussions of social policies could more accurately be called perimeters. But of course that would not foster the illusion of 'science.'"

Loath or Loathe?

2009-02-17T19:35:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Loath is an adjective meaning "unwilling." It ends with a hard th and rhymes with growth or both.

Loathe is a verb meaning "to hate intensely." It ends with a soft th like the sound in smooth or breathe.

Examples: He was loath to admit that he was included in the deal.

(He was unwilling)

Alex loathes spiders.

(Hates them intensely)

THE PARAGRAPH

2009-02-17T19:35:00.000+05:30

THE PARAGRAPH

The paragraph may be defined as a group of sentences that are closely related in thought and which serve one common purpose. Not only do they preserve the sequence of the different parts into which a composition is divided, but they give a certain spice to the matter like raisins in a plum pudding. A solid page of printed matter is distasteful to the reader; it taxes the eye and tends towards the weariness of monotony, but when it is broken up into sections it loses much of its heaviness and the consequent lightness gives it charm, as it were, to capture the reader.

Paragraphs are like stepping-stones on the bed of a shallow river, which enable the foot passenger to skip with ease from one to the other until he gets across; but if the stones are placed too far apart in attempting to span the distance one is liable to miss the mark and fall in the water and flounder about until he is again able to get a foothold. 'Tis the same with written language, the reader by means of paragraphs can easily pass from one portion of connected thought to another and keep up his interest in the subject until he gets to the end.

Throughout the paragraph there must be some connection in regard to the matter under consideration,a sentence dependency. For instance, in the same paragraph we must not speak of a house on fire and a runaway horse unless there is some connection between the two. We must not write consecutively:

"The fire raged with fierce intensity, consuming the greater part of the large building in a short time." "The horse took fright and wildly dashed down the street scattering pedestrians in all directions." These two sentences have no connection and therefore should occupy separate and distinct places. But when we say"The fire raged with fierce intensity consuming the greater part of the large building in a short time and the horse taking fright at the flames dashed wildly down the street scattering pedestrians in all directions,"there is a natural sequence, viz., the horse taking fright as a consequence of the flames and hence the two expressions are combined in one paragraph.

As in the case of words in sentences, the most important places in a paragraph are the beginning and the end. Accordingly the first sentence and the last should by virtue of their structure and nervous force, compel the reader's attention. It is usually advisable to make the first sentence short; the last sentence may be long or short, but in either case should be forcible. The object of the first sentence is to state a point clearly; the last sentence should enforce it.

It is a custom of good writers to make the conclusion of the paragraph a restatement or counterpart or application of the opening.

In most cases a paragraph may be regarded as the elaboration of the principal sentence. The leading thought or idea can be taken as a nucleus and around it constructed the different parts of the paragraph. Anyone can make a context for every simple sentence by asking himself questions in reference to the sentence. Thus"The foreman gave the order" suggests at once several questions; "What was the order?" "to whom did he give it?" "why did he give it?" "what was the result?" etc. These questions when answered will depend upon the leading one and be an elaboration of it into a complete paragraph.

If we examine any good paragraph we shall find it made up of a number of items, each of which helps to illustrate, confirm or enforce the general thought or purpose of the paragraph. Also the transition from each item to the next is easy, natural and obvious; the items seem to come of themselves. If, on the other hand, we detect in a paragraph one or more items which have no direct bearing, or if we are unable to proceed readily from item to item, especially if we are obliged to rearrange the items before we can perceive their full significance, then we are justified in pronouncing the paragraph construction faulty.

No specific rules can be given as to the construction of paragraphs. The best advice is,Study closely the paragraph structure of the best writers, for it is only through imitation, conscious or unconscious of the best models, that one can master the art.

The best paragraphist in the English language for the essay is Macaulay, the best model to follow for the oratorical style is Edmund Burke and for description and narration probably the greatest master of paragraph is the American Goldsmith, Washington Irving.

A paragraph is indicated in print by what is known as the indentation of the line, that is, by commencing it a space from the left margin.

Lend or Loan?

2009-02-08T11:00:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

In standard English lend is a verb, and loan is a noun.

Nonstandard: Please loan us a hundred dollars.

Standard: Please lend us a hundred dollars.

Using Little, Littlest, and Least

The word little can be used in two different senses--meaning "small in size" or "small amount of."

Examples: He was still a little boy. (small in size)

Please give me a little milk. (small amount of)

This becomes trickier in the comparative and superlative because little has two different forms.

If little means "small in size," the comparative is littler or more little, and the superlative is littlest.

If little means "small amount of," the comparative is less, and the superlative is least.

Examples: He was the littlest boy in the class.

Please give me less milk than he has.

He drank the least amount of milk of anyone there.

You may also like to read-

English Bloopers - Part XV

For Free

Farther or Further?

Exalt or Exult?

Especially or Specially?

Punctuation: The Comma

Moral or Morale?

2009-02-08T10:59:00.006+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Morale, accent on second syllable, is a noun meaning "a person's mental or emotional state."

Moral, accent on first syllable, is either a noun meaning "the lesson from a story" or an adjective meaning "virtuous, behaving according to high standards."

Examples: Team morale rose after the no-hitter.

The moral of the story is "Never tell a lie."

She made a point with her moral and ethical actions.

Macro- or Micro-?

2009-02-08T10:59:00.005+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

The prefix macr- or macro- means "large" or "long."

The prefix micr- or micro- means "small" or "tiny."

Examples: macroeconomics--the study of economic systems.

microeconomics--the study of a specific transaction or market.

The prefix micr- or micro- in the metric system means "millionth," so a microliter is a millionth of a liter.

Official or Officious?

2009-02-08T10:59:00.003+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Official is far more common. It usually is an adjective meaning "authorized." As a noun, it means a person with authority, usually one who has authority to make decisions or decide matters between two parties.

Officious means "meddling in matters not one's concern."

Punctuation: The Mark of Interrogation, The Period and the Exclamation Mark

2009-02-08T10:59:00.001+05:30

The Period is the simplest punctuation mark. It is simply used to mark the end of a complete sentence that is neither interrogative nor exclamatory.

After every sentence conveying a complete meaning: "Birds fly." "Plants grow." "Man is mortal."
In abbreviations: after every abbreviated word: Rt. Rev. T. C. Alexander, D.D., L.L.D.
A period is used on the title pages of books after the name of the book, after the author's name, after the publisher's imprint: American Trails. By Theodore Roosevelt. New York. Scribner Company.

The Mark of Interrogation is used to ask or suggest a question.

Every question admitting of an answer, even when it is not expected, should be followed by the mark of interrogation: "Who has not heard of Napoleon?"
When several questions have a common dependence they should be followed by one mark of interrogation at the end of the series: "Where now are the playthings and friends of my boyhood; the laughing boys; the winsome girls; the fond neighbors whom I loved?"
The mark is often used parenthetically to suggest doubt: "In 1893 (?) Gladstone became converted to Home Rule for Ireland."

The Exclamation point should be sparingly used, particularly in prose. Its chief use is to denote emotion of some kind.

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It is generally employed with interjections or clauses used as interjections: "Alas! I am forsaken." "What a lovely landscape!"
Expressions of strong emotion call for the exclamation: "Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on!"
When the emotion is very strong double exclamation points may be used: "Assist him!! I would rather assist Satan!!"

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Could / May / Might

Commonly Confused Latin Abbreviations in English

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Maybe or May Be?

2009-02-01T19:45:00.003+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Maybe, the compound word, is an adverb meaning "perhaps" or "possibly."

May be is a verb phrase meaning "might be" or "could be."

Examples: Maybe I will go out tonight.

I may be going out tonight.

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English Bloopers - Part XV

For Free

Farther or Further?

Exalt or Exult?

Especially or Specially?

Punctuation: The Comma

Orient or Orientate?

2009-02-01T19:45:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

The word orient as a noun means "east." It may be capitalized when referring to the geographical location of the Far East.

Example: Hong Kong is located in the Orient.

Orient as a verb means to "find direction" or "give direction." The noun form of this kind of orienting is orientation.

Sometimes people in their speech will form an imagined verb from orientation and say orientate. At best, orientate is a back-formation used humorously to make the speaker sound pompous. The correct word is the verb orient.

Incorrect: Melanie is helping me get orientated to the new job.

Correct: Melanie is helping me get oriented to the new job.

Orientate is more widely accepted in the U.K. than in the U.S.A., but it should be avoided in any formal or standard writing.

Using Of

2009-02-01T19:44:00.002+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Do not use of to replace the verb have.

See Could Of or Could Have? for examples.

The word of following the prepositions outside, inside, off, or atop is nonstandard. Simply drop the word of.

Incorrect: He looked inside of the box.

Correct: He looked inside the box.

Punctuation: The Dash and the Parenthesis

2009-02-01T19:44:00.001+05:30

The Dash is generally confined to cases where there is a sudden break from the general run of the passage. Of all the punctuation marks it is the most misused.

It is employed to denote sudden change in the construction or sentiment: "The Heroes of the Civil War,how we cherish them." "He was a fine fellowin his own opinion."
When a word or expression is repeated for oratorical effect, a dash is used to introduce the repetition: "Shakespeare was the greatest of all poetsShakespeare, the intellectual ocean whose waves washed the continents of all thought."
The Dash is used to indicate a conclusion without expressing it: "He is an excellent man but"
It is used to indicate what is not expected or what is not the natural outcome of what has gone before: "He delved deep into the bowels of the earth and found instead of the hidden treasurea button."
It is used to denote the omission of letters or figures: "Jn Js for John Jones; 1908-9 for 1908 and 1909; Matthew VII:5-8 for Matthew VII:5, 6, 7, and 8.
When an ellipsis of the words, namely, that is, to wit, etc., takes place, the dash is used to supply them: "He excelled in three branchesarithmetic, algebra, and geometry."
A dash is used to denote the omission of part of a word when it is undesirable to write the full word: He is somewhat of a rl (rascal). This is especially the case in profane words.
Between a citation and the authority for it there is generally a dash: "All the world's a stage."Shakespeare.
When questions and answers are put in the same paragraph they should be separated by dashes: "Are you a good boy? Yes, Sir.Do you love study? I do."

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Marks of Parenthesis are used to separate expressions inserted in the body of a sentence, which are illustrative of the meaning, but have no essential connection with the sentence, and could be done without. They should be used as little as possible for they show that something is being brought into a sentence that does not belong to it.

When the unity of a sentence is broken the words causing the break should be enclosed in parenthesis: "We cannot believe a liar (and Jones is one), even when he speaks the truth."
In reports of speeches marks of parenthesis are used to denote interpolations of approval or disapproval by the audience: "The masses must not submit to the tyranny of the classes (hear, hear), we must show the trust magnates (groans), that they cannot ride rough-shod over our dearest rights (cheers);" "If the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), will not be our spokesman, we must select another. (A voice,Get Robinson)."

When a parenthesis is inserted in the sentence where no comma is required, no point should be used before either parenthesis. When inserted at a place requiring a comma, if the parenthetical matter relates to the whole sentence, a comma should be used before each parenthesis; if it relates to a single word, or short clause, no stop should come before it, but a comma should be put after the closing parenthesis

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Manic or Maniac?

2009-01-26T19:04:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Manic, an adjective, is a clinical term having to do with a psychological affliction.

Maniac, a noun, is a crazy person. The adjective form is maniacal, with the accent on the second syllable.

Examples: He takes lithium for manic depression.

She started acting like a maniac when she heard the news.

Leave or Let?

2009-01-26T19:03:00.004+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Leave means "to allow to remain."

Let simply means "to allow" or "to permit."

Incorrect: Let him alone!

Correct: Leave him alone!

(Allow him to remain alone.)

Incorrect: Leave me do it again.

Correct: Let me do it again.

(Allow me to do it.)

Literally and Related Words

2009-01-26T19:03:00.003+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

Literal comes from the Latin word meaning "letter." It means "according to a specific word or definition, not figurative or metaphorical." It can also mean "following the exact words," "made up of letters," or "exact in fact or detail." The adverb form is literally.

A literal translation is a translation that is word-for-word, following the syntax of the original language. A verbal translation is also a word-for-word translation, but it follows the syntax of the second language.

In recent years the word literally has become overused, often having a sense of nothing more than "very" or "really." Avoid its use in this sense.

Punctuation: Quotation Marks

2009-01-26T19:03:00.001+05:30

The Quotation marks are used to show that the words enclosed by them are borrowed.

A direct quotation should be enclosed within the quotation marks: Abraham Lincoln said,"I shall make this land too hot for the feet of slaves."
When a quotation is embraced within another, the contained quotation has only single marks: Franklin said, "Most men come to believe 'honesty is the best policy.'"
When a quotation consists of several paragraphs the quotation marks should precede each paragraph.
Titles of books, pictures and newspapers when formally given are quoted.
Often the names of ships are quoted though there is no occasion for it.

The Apostrophe should come under the comma rather than under the quotation marks or double comma. The word is Greek and signifies a turning away from. The letter elided or turned away is generally an e. In poetry and familiar dialogue the apostrophe marks the elision of a syllable, as "I've for I have"; "Thou'rt for thou art"; "you'll for you will," etc. Sometimes it is necessary to abbreviate a word by leaving out several letters. In such case the apostrophe takes the place of the omitted letters as "cont'd for continued." The apostrophe is used to denote the elision of the century in dates, where the century is understood or to save the repetition of a series of figures, as "The Spirit of '76"; "I served in the army during the years 1895, '96, '97, '98 and '99." The principal use of the apostrophe is to denote the possessive case. All nouns in the singular number whether proper names or not, and all nouns in the plural ending with any other letter than s

, form the possessive by the addition of the apostrophe and the letter s. The only exceptions to this rule are, that, by poetical license the additional s may be elided in poetry for sake of the metre, and in the scriptural phrases "For goodness' sake." "For conscience' sake," "For Jesus' sake," etc. Custom has done away with the s and these phrases are now idioms of the language. All plural nouns ending in s form the possessive by the addition of the apostrophe only as boys', horses'. The possessive case of the personal pronouns never take the apostrophe, as ours, yours, hers, theirs.

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Fourteen Punctuation Marks in English Grammar

These sentences are also a little strange. Why?

Irregular Comparisons

Deft Definitions

The English Language in a Nutshell

Dialogues for Posterity

Plurals of words of foreign origin

2009-01-04T16:37:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

· addendum- addenda

· apparatus -apparatus or apparatuses

· appendix -appendices (books),

· appendixes (anatomy)

· bacillus -bacilli

· bacterium -bacteria

· bureau -bureaux

· consortium- consortia

· corrigendum -corrigenda

· criterion -criteria

· curriculum -curricula

· focus -focuses, focal points,

· foci (mathematics, science)

· formula- formulas (politics)

· formulae (science)

· forum -fora or forums

· genus -genera

· index -indexes (books),

· indices (science, economics)

· maximum -maximums or maxima

· medium -media,

· mediums (spiritualism)

· memorandum- memoranda

· papyrus -papyri or papyruses

· phenomenon -phenomena

· plus- pluses

· premium- premiums

· referendum- referenda or referendums

· spectrum -spectra (science),

· spectrums (politics)

· symposium -symposia or symposiums

English Bloopers - Part XVII

2009-01-02T18:49:00.003+05:30

Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)

WRONG: Please don't make me to do it.

CORRECT: Please don't make me do it.

WRONG: Don't let him to go.

CORRECT: Don't let him go.

WRONG: There is so much of noise in this room.

CORRECT: There is so much noise in this room.

WRONG: Let's go for shopping.

CORRECT: Let's go shopping.

WRONG: I am hungry. Please order for some food.

CORRECT: I am hungry. Please order some food.

2. Omitting prepositions where they are required.

WRONG: Please convey her my condolences.

CORRECT: Please convey my condolences to her.

WRONG: Can you drop me at Pizza Hut?

CORRECT: Can you drop me off at Pizza Hut?

3. Other instances of prepositions being used incorrectly.

~ WRONG: I have been working in this company since three years.

CORRECT: I have been working in this company for three years.

CORRECT: I have been working in this company since 2004.

When 'since' is used as a time preposition, it is used only with reference to a specific point of time (eg: since 1995, since last Christmas, since yesterday) or with reference to a period of time that has already elapsed (eg: since childhood, since the probation period).

~ WRONG: Please pay attention on this topic.

CORRECT: Please pay attention to this topic.

~ WRONG: I travel on bus.

WRONG: I came in bus.

CORRECT: I travel by bus.

CORRECT: I came by bus.

Punctuation: The Semi-Colon and the Colon

2009-01-02T18:49:00.001+05:30

The Semicolon marks a slighter connection than the comma. It is generally confined to separating the parts of compound sentences. It is much used in contrasts:

"Gladstone was great as a statesman; he was sublime as a man."
The Semicolon is used between the parts of all compound sentences in which the grammatical subject of the second part is different from that of the first: "The power of England relies upon the wisdom of her statesmen; the power of America upon the strength of her army and navy."
The Semicolon is used before words and abbreviations which introduce particulars or specifications following after, such as, namely, as, e.g., vid., i.e., etc.: "He had three defects; namely, carelessness, lack of concentration and obstinacy in his ideas." "An island is a portion of land entirely surrounded by water; as Cuba." "The names of cities should always commence with a capital letter; e.g., New York, Paris." "The boy was proficient in one branch; viz., Mathematics." "No man is perfect; i.e., free from all blemish."

The Colon except in conventional uses is practically obsolete.

It is generally put at the end of a sentence introducing a long quotation: "The cheers having subsided, Mr. Bryan spoke as follows:"
It is placed before an explanation or illustration of the subject under consideration: "This is the meaning of the term:"
A direct quotation formally introduced is generally preceded by a colon: "The great orator made this funny remark:"
The colon is often used in the title of books when the secondary or subtitle is in apposition to the leading one and when the conjunction or is omitted: "Acoustics: the Science of Sound."
It is used after the salutation in the beginning of letters: "Sir: My dear Sir: Gentlemen: Dear Mr. Jones:" etc. In this connection a dash very often follows the colon.
It is sometimes used to introduce details of a group of things already referred to in the mass: "The boy's excuses for being late were: firstly, he did not know the time, secondly, he was sent on an errand, thirdly, he tripped on a rock and fell by the wayside."

Panogram

2009-01-01T20:18:00.001+05:30

Contributed by: Bharathi G (bharathig @ hpcl.co.in)

PACK MY BOX WITH FIVE DOZEN LIQUOR JUGS.

This sentence has all the 26 alphabets and is called as PANOGRAM.

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