English Vocabulary from
sponsored links
- My child studies in kindergarten. (wrong)
- My child studies in kindergarten. (correct)
- Explanation : The original German spelling of the word 'kindergarten' is standard in English.
- I saw an LCD display presentation. (wrong)
- I saw an LCD presentation. (correct)
- Explanation : 'LCD' stands for 'Liquid Crystal Display', so it is redundant to write 'LCD' display, you can write 'LCD screen' instead.
- Let alone the details of the story, I can't remember the title of the book we were supposed to read. (wrong)
- I can't remember the title of the book we were supposed to read, let alone the details of the story. (correct)
- Do log on to the website. (wrong)
- Please visit the website. (correct)
- Explanation : You log on to a website by entering your ID and password. If you are merely encouraging people to visit a site which has no such requirement, it is misleading to ask them to 'log on' to it.
- Multiply by double. (wrong)
- Multiply by 2. (correct)
- Explanation : If you are talking about making a number twice as large, the expression is 'double' or 'multiply by 2': 'double your sales to multiply your income by 2.' You could properly say 'increase by 100%' to mean the same thing, but lots of people won't understand that. And definitely do not confuse people by saying 'multiply by double'.
- The horse race was a neck in neck finish. (wrong)
- The horse race was a neck and neck finish. (correct)
- Explanation : When a race is very tight, it's described not as 'neck in neck' but 'neck and neck'.
- I was nonplussed with the car driver. (wrong)
- I was nonplussed with the problem. (correct)
- Explanation : 'Nonplussed' means to be stuck, often in a puzzling or embrassing way, unable to go further ('non' = 'no' + 'plus' = 'further'). It does not mean, as many people seem to think, 'calm, in control'.
- He was to overlook the dinner. (wrong)
- He was to oversee the dinner. (correct)
- Explanation : When you oversee the preparation of dinner, you take control and manage the operation closely. But if you overlook the preparation of dinner, you forget to prepare the meal entirely.
- I have a PC Computer. (wrong)
- I have a PC. (correct)
- Explanation : The phrase 'PC computer' is a bit awkward and redundant since 'PC' stands for 'Personal Computer'.
- The law perse is not clear. (wrong)
- The law per se is not clear. (correct)
- Explanation : This legal term (meaning 'in, of, or by itself') is a bit pretentious, but you gain little respect if you misspell 'per se' as a single word. Worse is the mistaken 'per say'.
- The sun revolves round its axis. (wrong)
- The sun rotates round its axis. (correct)
- Explanation : In ordinary speech these two words are often treated interchangeable, thought it's 'revolving credit account' and 'rotating crops'. Scientists make a sharp distinction between the two : The earth revolves (orbits) around the sun but rotates (spins) around its axis.
Shared by Bhargav Gupta Yechuri
sponsored links
0 Responses:
Post a Comment