Words confused
Words confused
Recent is used to talk about things which happened a short while ago. Modern means ‘of the present or recent times’.
- Modern writers prefer prose to poetry.
- It was the worst cyclone in recent times.
To recollect is to call something to mind with some effort.
To remember is to call something to mind without any effort.
- I couldn’t recollect her name or face.
- Suddenly I remembered that I hadn’t locked the door.
Regular means ‘evenly spaced’, ‘coming or happening at regular intervals’.
- The regular ticking of the clock
- He is a man of regular habits.
When you are punctual, you are neither late nor early.
- Be punctual. (= Be exactly on time.)
A relative is a kinsman or kinswoman.
- She is a relative of mine.
- There is no relation between them.
- What is the relation between you and that woman?
Respectable means ‘deserving respect’. Respectful means ‘showing respect’.
- He is a respectable man.
- He was quite respectful to his teachers.
Each of those in question
- Go to your respective places.
To steal is to take away secretly. To rob is to take away forcibly or with violence.
- Someone has stolen my watch.
- Someone robbed me of my watch.
If you are sensitive, you get hurt easily. If you are sensible, you have commonsense.
- He is very sensitive. Don’t tease him.
- She is a very sensible woman.
The least and the fewest
The least and the fewest
- He does the least work in this office.
- Jane does the most work in this office. Jack does the least.
- ‘She will be really upset when she hears about this.’ ‘That’s the least of my worries.’
- ‘What’s the time?’ ‘I haven’t got the least idea.’
- I’m not the least bit afraid of dogs.
The fewest
The fewest is the superlative form of few.- The essay with the fewest grammatical mistakes isn’t always the best.
- The least expensive picnics are often the most enjoyable.
- The most expensive things aren’t always the best.
At least
At least means ‘not less than’.- She is at least forty years old. (= She is not less than but more than forty years old.)
- He interviewed at least four times this month.
- I have seen that film at least ten times.
- She has been in love at least six times.
Not in the least
Not in the least means ‘not at all’. It is used in a formal style.- I was not in the least impressed by her manners. (= I was not at all impressed by her manners.)
Special uses of some adverbs
Special uses of some adverbs
Short is used as an adverb in expressions like stop short (= stop suddenly) and cut short (= interrupt)
Shortly means ‘soon’.
- You will hear from us shortly.
Slow is an adjective; slowly is an adverb. However, slow can be used as an adverb after verbs like go and drive.
- Go slow.
Sound is used as an adverb in a few expressions. Example: sound asleep.
- The baby is sound asleep.
- The baby is sleeping soundly.
Straight is used both as an adjective and as an adverb.
- A straight road goes straight from one place to another.
Tight is an adjective; tightly is an adverb. After certain verbs, tight can also be used as an adverb.
Common expressions are: hold tight and packed tight. Note that before a verb, we always use tightly.
Tightly held
Tightly packed
Wrong and wrongly
The normal adverb is wrongly. In an informal style, wrong can be used instead of wrongly after a verb.
- I wrongly believed that I was going in the right direction.
- You guessed wrong.
Using next and nearest
Using next and nearest
- Excuse me. Where is the nearest hospital? (NOT Where is the next hospital?)
- The nearest railway station is two kilometers away.
- We will get off at the next station. (NOT We will get off at the nearest station.)
- We are looking forward to your next visit. (NOT We are looking forward to your nearest visit.)
- As soon as he finished one project, he started planning the next. (NOT … he started planning the nearest.)
- The boy next door is a little careless about truth. (NOT The boy nearest door is a little careless about truth.)
- Who is sitting next to Peter? (More natural than ‘Who is sitting nearest to Peter?’)
Using afraid
Using afraid
Be afraid is the normal expression for talking about fear.
- He is afraid of the dark.
- Don’t be afraid. (NOT Don’t fear.) (NOT Don’t afraid.)
- Are you afraid of spiders?
- There is nothing to be afraid of.
- She is afraid that you might get angry.
Compare
- I was afraid of hurting his sentiments. (Because I had no intention to do so.)
- I was afraid to offend him. (Because he might hit me.)
I’m afraid is a polite way of giving information that will not be welcome.
- I’m afraid your wife has fallen ill. (= I am sorry to tell you that your wife has fallen ill.)
- I can’t help you, I’m afraid.
- ‘It is going to rain.’ ‘I’m afraid so.’
- ‘Could you help me?’ ‘I’m afraid not.’
Afraid cannot be used to modify a noun in the attributive position. Instead, we use other expressions with similar meanings.
- Jane is afraid. (BUT NOT Jane is an afraid woman.)
- Jane is a frightened woman.
- I am very much afraid, I can’t meet you.
Soon, Early and Quickly
Soon, Early and Quickly
- Get well soon. (NOT Get well early.)
- We will launch a new edition of this book sometime soon.
- It was difficult in the beginning, but I soon got used to it. (NOT It was difficult in the beginning, but I early got used to it.)
Early means ‘near the beginning of a period of time we are talking about’. Early does not mean soon.
Compare:
- Early this week, I had a strange experience. (NOT Soon this week, I had a strange experience.)
- He had an accident early this month.
- He will soon have an accident if he continues to drive like this. (NOT He will early have an accident…)
- I get up early in the morning. (NOT I get up soon in the morning.)
- I arrived early.
- We will be grateful for an early reply.
There is a difference between soon and quickly. We use quickly to refer to the speed with which something is done. Soon means ‘before long’.
- I got dressed quickly. (= I didn’t take a lot of time to get dressed.)
Come and Go
Come and Go
‘John, will you come here.’ ‘I’m coming.’ (NOT I am going.) (Here we are talking about movement to the place where the speaker / listener is.)
We came to live here in 1990. (NOT We went to live here in 1990.)
We use go for movements to other places.
I want to go and live in the woods. (NOT I want to come and live in the woods.)
We went to the park yesterday. (NOT We came to the park yesterday.)
We went to see Alice and James. (NOT We came to see Alice and James.)(Here we are talking about movements to places where neither the speaker nor the listener were.)
Come with
Come with can be used to talk about joining a movement of the speaker’s or listener’s.
We are going to the park. Would you like to come with us? (NOT Would you like to go with us?)
May I come with you? (NOT May I go with you?)
Come to
Come to can mean arrive at.
Come from is used to say where people’s homes are or were.
She comes from England.
Until and Till
Until and Till
- I waited until 6 o’clock and then I went home. OR I waited till 6 o’clock and then I went home.
- I will wait till / until I hear from you.
The preposition to is sometimes used instead of till and until. This usually happens after from…
- I usually work from ten to six. (OR I usually work from ten until / till six.)
- We walked as far as the edge of the forest. (NOT We walked until the edge of the forest.)
This car can seat up to eight people. (NOT This car can seat until eight people.)
Tenses with until
After until we use present tenses to talk about the future.
- I will wait until she comes. (NOT I will wait until she will come.)
- We won’t be seeing each other until / before Christmas.
Difference between below and under
Difference between below and under
- The knives are in the cupboard under the sink. OR The knives are in the cupboard below the sink.
- The sun disappeared below the horizon. (NOT The sun disappeared under the horizon.)
- The climbers stopped several hundred meters below the top of the mountain.
- He was wearing a blue shirt under his sweater.
- The cat is under the bed.
- The whole village was under water.
- The temperature is five degrees below zero.
- Parts of the city are below sea level.
- There were under ten students in the class. (NOT There were below ten students in the class.)
- You can’t get a driving license if you are under 18. (NOT You can’t get a driving license if you are below 18.)
There is a similar difference between above and over. Above is used in measurements of temperature and height.
Over is used to express ideas such as ‘older than’ and ‘more than’.
- You have to be over 18 to see that film.
Speak and Talk: Difference
Speak and Talk: Difference
Formality
Talk is less formal than speak. In fact, talk is the usual word to refer to informal communication.
- I want to talk to you.
- I think you should talk to him.
- I don’t know why she has stopped talking to me.
- I would like to talk to you about the film I watched yesterday.
- Stop talking nonsense.
- We talked for an hour.
- Speak your mind.
- I was so shocked that I could hardly speak.
- They are not speaking anymore.
- Actions speak louder than words.
Lectures etc
Talk is often used for the act of giving an informal lecture. Speak is preferred for more formal lectures.
Compare:
- This is Ms Susan Fernandez, who is going to talk to us about cookery.
- This is Professor Susan Fernandez, who is going to speak to us on recent developments in stem-cell therapy.
- She can speak English. (NOT She can talk English.)
- She speaks ten languages fluently.
- Could I speak to Alice, please? (More natural than ‘Could I talk to Alice?’)
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Speak and Talk: Difference
Speak and Talk: Difference
Formality
Talk is less formal than speak. In fact, talk is the usual word to refer to informal communication.
- I want to talk to you.
- I think you should talk to him.
- I don’t know why she has stopped talking to me.
- I would like to talk to you about the film I watched yesterday.
- Stop talking nonsense.
- We talked for an hour.
- Speak your mind.
- I was so shocked that I could hardly speak.
- They are not speaking anymore.
- Actions speak louder than words.
Lectures etc
Talk is often used for the act of giving an informal lecture. Speak is preferred for more formal lectures.
Compare:
- This is Ms Susan Fernandez, who is going to talk to us about cookery.
- This is Professor Susan Fernandez, who is going to speak to us on recent developments in stem-cell therapy.
- She can speak English. (NOT She can talk English.)
- She speaks ten languages fluently.
- Could I speak to Alice, please? (More natural than ‘Could I talk to Alice?’)
Overworked words – nice and get
Overworked words – nice and get
[acquired, caught, earned, coaxed, became, delicious, handsome, enjoyable, scored, kind]
1. My sister (gets) two hundred dollars a week.
2. In the first half, the winger (got) a goal.
3. While studying in Sydney, Jane (got) a strong Australian accent.
4. She (got) the baby to eat some rice.
5. In the jungle, most of the men (got) sick.
6. Fortunately for her, she (got) the last train from Toronto.
7. Mother made a cake which was very (nice).
8. I think the male vocalist is (nice).
9. The three days I spent in Bangalore was (nice).
10. My father is always (nice) to visitors.
Answers
1. My sister earns two hundred dollars a week.
2. In the first half, the winger scored a goal.
3. While studying in Sydney, Jane acquired a strong Australian accent.
4. She coaxed the baby to eat some rice.
5. In the jungle, most of the men became sick.
6. Fortunately for her, she caught the last train from Toronto.
7. Mother made a cake which was very delicious.
8. I think the male vocalist is handsome.
9. The three days I spent in Bangalore was enjoyable.
10. My father is always kind to visitors.
Words ending in -ic and-ical
Words ending in -ic and-ical
Adjectives ending in –ic
Academic, artistic, athletic, catholic, domestic, dramatic, emphatic, energetic, fantastic, linguistic, majestic, neurotic, pathetic, public, systematic, tragic
In older English, some of these words used to end in –ical. Examples are: tragical and majestical.
Adjectives ending in –ical
Biological, chemical, critical, cynical, grammatical, logical, mathematical, mechanical, medical, musical, physical, radical, tactical, topical
A few adjectives can have both forms with no difference in meaning.
Examples are: arithmetic and arithmetical
Egoistic and egoistical
Fanatic and fanatical
Geometric and geometrical
In some cases both forms exist, but there is a difference of meaning.
Classic and classical
Classic refers to a famous example of its type.
Classical refers to the culture of ancient Greece and Rome.
It is hard to learn classical music.
Comic and comical
Comic is the normal adjective for artistic comedy.
I like to watch comic opera.
Comical means ‘funny’.
There was a comical expression on his face.
Economic and economical
Economic refers to the science of economics. Economy means ‘not wasting money’.
The country faces many economic problems at the moment.
We are looking for an economical little car.
Magic and magical
Magic and magical have similar meanings, but magic is the more common word.
A magic wand, a magic carpet etc
Magical can mean ‘wonderful’ or ‘exciting’.
I had a magical experience the other day.
Still, already and yet
Still, already and yet
Still
Still is used to talk about situations that are still not finished.
- It is still raining.
- Is she still working?
- I have been waiting for hours, but I still haven’t heard anything from them.
- You are still seeing him, right?
Not yet is used to say that something which is expected to happen is in the future – it hasn’t happened yet.
- She has not yet arrived.
- I have not yet received that letter.
- Has the postman come yet?
- Are you ready yet?
- We have yet to hear from them. (= We are still waiting to hear from them.)
Already is used to talk about a situation that has already happened.
- The visitors have already arrived.
- We have already finished.
- ‘You must go to Venice.’ ‘I have already been.’
In British English, perfect tenses are common with already and yet. Americans often use past tenses with these words.
- Have you called them yet? (GB)
- Did you call them yet? (US)
- She has already arrived. (GB)
- She already arrived. (US)
Rather
Rather
- It is rather cold here.
- You are rather late.
When rather is used with adjectives and adverbs it often suggests ideas such as ‘more than is usual’ or ‘more than was expected’.
- ‘How was the program?’ ‘Rather good.’ (I was surprised.)
- She speaks English rather well – people often think that she is a native speaker.
- He is rather an idiot. (NOT He is a rather idiot.)
- It was rather a pleasant experience. OR It was a rather pleasant experience.
- I rather think she is committing a mistake.
- He rather enjoys doing nothing.
Rather can modify comparatives and too.
- You eat rather too much.
- It is rather later than I thought.
This expression shows preference. It is normally used in parallel structures. For example, with two adjectives, two adverbs, two nouns etc.
- I would prefer to have tea rather than coffee.
- We ought to invest in education rather than buildings.
Correct usage of afraid
Correct usage of afraid
- Are you afraid?
Be afraid is more common than fear in an informal style.
- Don’t be afraid. (NOT Don’t fear.)
- There is nothing to be afraid of.
- I was afraid of hurting his feelings.
Compare:
- I was afraid of offending his feelings. (because I had no wish to do so)
- I was afraid to offend him. (because he might hit me)
I’m afraid is a polite way of giving information that will not be welcome.
- I’m afraid that I can’t help you. (= I am sorry to tell you that I can’t help you.)
- I’m afraid your wife has been taken ill. (= I am sorry to tell you that your wife has been taken ill.)
- I can’t meet you. I’m afraid.
Afraid is one of the adjectives that cannot be used before a noun in the attributive position. It is used in the predicative position after be and other copular verbs. In attributive position, other words must be used.
Compare:
- James is afraid.
- James is a frightened man. (NOT James is an afraid man.)
I’m very much afraid he’s out. (= I am sorry to tell you that he is out.)
More and Most
More and Most
- You should sleep more than you do at the moment.
- I need more time to finish the work.
Before a noun with a determiner we use more of.
- He is more of a fool than I thought. (NOT He is more a fool than I thought.)
- Three more of the missing miners have been found. (NOT Three more the missing miners …)
- Do it once more.
- Do you want to go there any more.
- It is an hour’s journey, more or less.
- She is no more. (= She is dead.)
Most is the superlative form of many and much. It indicates the greatest in number, quantity etc. In comparisons most is normally used with the.
- Those who have the most money are not always the happiest.
- Susie found the most strawberries.
- Most Indians understand Hindi.
- Most people like babies.
Before a noun with a determiner (articles, possessives, demonstratives) we use most of.
- Most of the people here are farmers. (NOT Most the people here are farmers.)
- Most of us like to watch a good movie. (NOT Most us like to watch a good movie.)
- This is a most interesting book. (= This is a very interesting book.)
How to improve your vocabulary?
How to improve your vocabulary?
Create Vocabulary Themes
Vocabulary themes are a great way to enrich your vocabulary. Create themes that include words, their definition and example sentences.
Watch English films
Watch English TV channels and films. They will help you to understand native English speakers. You will also learn many new words used in context.
Use Specific Vocabulary Lists
Instead of studying a long list of unrelated words, use specific vocabulary lists that will help you learn the kind of vocabulary you need for your work or school.
Word Formation Charts
Use word formation charts. Knowing how words are formed will help you score high marks in advanced level examinations like TOEFL and IELTS. A word formation chart will show the noun, adjective, verb and other forms of the key words in alphabetical order.
Visual Dictionaries
Visual dictionaries are great tools for learning vocabulary. Plenty of English learner visual dictionaries are available on the internet.
Learn Collocations
Collocations are common word combinations that always go together. Learning some of the most important collocations is essential to sound natural.
Tips:
Instead of learning a large number of words which you may never use, learn the vocabulary you need to study.
Don’t make random word lists. Try to group them in themes. This will help you memorize them more quickly.
It is easy to learn new words when you add context to them. Write a few example sentences using the new words you have learned. This will help you learn these words in context.
Keep a notepad in hand when you are reading something in English. Write down unfamiliar words and look them up in a dictionary.
Easily confused words Quiz 1
Easily confused words Quiz 1
1. The speaker made several ————— to mythology in his speech.
a) Illusions
b) Allusions
2. We must make every effort to ————- a Third World War.
a) Avert
b) Invert
3. He has great ————— for his daughter.
a) Affection
b) Affectation
4. He is an —————- rogue.
a) Artful
b) Artificial
5. Success often depends on a person’s ability to ——————– himself / herself to changing circumstances.
a) Adapt
b) Adopt
6. I hate ————– in speech or manner.
a) Affection
b) Affectation
7. The writer has failed to support his arguments with ————– quotations.
a) Apposite
b) Opposite
8. She looked lovely in her ————— dress.
a) Bridle
b) Bridal
9. A child’s mind requires —————- surroundings to develop well.
a) Congenital
b) Congenial
10. He is ————– to violent methods.
a) Averse
b) Adverse
11. I can —————- the bare principles of the Special Theory of Relativity, but I can’t ———— the full implications of that theory.
a) Apprehend, comprehend
b) Comprehend, apprehend
12. Her —————- qualities endear her to everybody.
a) Amiable
b) Amicable
Answers
1. Allusions
2. Avert
3. Affection
4. Artful
5. Adapt
6. Affectation
7. Apposite
8. Bridal
9. Congenial
10. Averse
11. Apprehend, comprehend
12. Amiable
Words ending in -man
Words ending in -man
Some words ending in –man do not have a common feminine equivalent. Examples are: chairman and fireman. But because most women object to being called ‘chairman’ or ‘spokesman’, these expressions are now being avoided in general references to people of either sex. In some cases, the word person is now used instead ofman. And this can happen even in references to men.
Examples are: chairperson, spokesperson.
Susie has just been elected chairperson of the club. OR Susie has just been elected chair of the club.
A spokesperson for the government said that there was no cause for concern.
Words ending in –woman are also becoming common. Examples are: chairwoman and spokeswoman.
Another tendency is to use words that are not gender-specific. For example, the word fireman is now being replaced by the wordfirefighter. In the same way, the word foreman has been replaced by the word supervisor which can refer to people of either sex.
Man and mankind
These two words are still used to refer to the whole of the human race.
Man is mortal. (This statement refers to the whole of the human race including women.)
Nuclear weapons are the greatest enemies of the mankind.
However, some people are against this use. They prefer using the expressions people, humanity or human race.
Confusing words exercise
Confusing words exercise
Complete the following sentences.
1. Although they were an ……………………………. couple, they didn’t have an ………………………….. divorce.
a) amiable; amicable b) amicable; amiable
2. The …………………………. of money you earn in a month depends on the …………………………. of products you sell.
a) amount; number b) number; amount
3. I am worried that his illness seems to have …………………………….. by tension.
a) aggregated b) aggravated
4. You can’t …………………………… things you don’t expect.
a) anticipate b) hope
5. Will you wait …………………………?
a) while b) awhile
6. The …………………………. audience awaited the ………………………….., sweating performer.
a) eager; anxious b) anxious; eager
7. I felt ……………………… about her performing …………………………. on the stage.
a) bad; badly b) badly; bad
8. ………………………… my brother, there were ten other boys standing ………………………… the statue.
a) beside; besides b) besides; beside
9. The …………………………. government policies will only push the economy ……………………………..
a) backward; backwards b) backwards; backward
10. She ……………………….. with her all the things she had recently ……………………..
a) brought; bought b) bought; brought
Answers
1. Although they were an amiable couple, they didn’t have anamicable divorce.
2. The amount of money you earn in a month depends on thenumber of products you sell.
3. I am worried that his illness seems to have aggravated by tension.
4. You can’t anticipate things you don’t expect.
5. Will you wait awhile?
6. The eager audience awaited the anxious, sweating performer.
7. I felt bad about her performing badly on the stage.
8. Besides my brother, there were ten other boys standing besidethe statue.
9. The backward government policies will only push the economybackwards.
10. She brought with her all the things she had recently bought.
Words confused
Words confused
Rob and steal
Rob: deprive somebody of his property; take (property) from a place unlawfully and often by force
Armed men robbed the state bank yesterday.
They robbed the traveler of his wallet.
Steal: to take and keep something which belongs to somebody else.
The master punished the boy for stealing the money.
Stay and stop
Stay: remain; keep still in the same place
We stayed in a farmhouse for our holidays.
Stop: to come to rest; to stay somewhere for a while
We stopped at the pub for a drink.
Access and excess
Few children in the villages have access to a computer.
The number of students who seeks access to the laboratory are in excess of 300.
Cease and seize
Cease: stop
Seize: take hold of something eagerly or violently
She never ceases to amaze me.
The policeman seized the thief by the collar.
Cite, sight and site
Cite: quote
He is quite fond of citing from the Vedas.
Sight: spectacle
That was a sight to see.
Site: place
They are building a factory on the site.
Conscience, cautious and conscious
Conscience: ethics, sense of right and wrong
One should have a clear conscience.
Cautious: careful, alert
One must be cautious while driving.
Conscious: aware, mindful
A healthy man is not conscious of his breathing.
He is conscious of his guilt.
Words commonly confused
Words commonly confused
Admit and confess
To admit is to acknowledge truth. Admit can also mean ‘allow somebody to enter’.
I must admit that it was a tempting offer.
Confess
To confess is to admit having done something wrong.
She confessed having stolen the money.
Amount and number
Use amount before an uncountable noun. Use number with a countable noun.
A large amount of money was wasted on the project.
A large number of people took part in the competition.
Anxious and eager
When you are anxious, you are feeling nervous or worried.
I am anxious about his health. (= I am worried about your health.)
Eager
When you are eager to do something you are enthusiastic and excited about it.
She is eager to prove her mettle.
We are eager to see you healthy again.
Apt and liable
When you are apt to do something, you are likely to do something.
He is apt to get angry.
Liable means responsible.
You are liable for the damage caused by your action.
Audience and spectators
Audience means people listening to a radio program.
The speaker bored the audience with his long speech.
A spectator is a person who watches a match or a show.
The dancers enchanted the spectators with their magical performance.
Climate and weather
Climate means the typical weather in a region over a period of years.
The climate of Mumbai is better than the climate of Chennai.
Weather
Weather means the state of atmosphere on a particular day.
The weather was stormy.
Words confused
Words confused
Couple and pair
Couple: a husband and wife or a boyfriend and girlfriend.
Two couples remained on the dance floor.
Pair: two things of the same kind which go together.
Example: a pair of shoes, a pair of trousers
Despise and detest
Despise: have a very low opinion of someone or something; regard someone as worthless.
One must not despise the poor.
Detest: hate
I detest the hot climate of Chennai.
Habit and custom
Habit: something which a person does so often that he does it without thinking about it
Custom: the usual or normal way of doing things
It is our custom to give presents on Christmas Day.
John has this nasty habit of making unpleasant remarks.
Leave and let
Leave: to go away from somewhere; to put something somewhere and allow it to stay there
Leave your shoes outside.
I left my coat in the bedroom.
Let: allow someone to do something; allow something to happen
Let him go.
Legible and readable
Legible: clearly written, easy to read
Readable: writing that is easy or pleasant to read
Your handwriting is not at all legible.
The book was full of technical jargon which made it hardly readable.
Patron and customer
Patron: person who supports financially the artistic or social work of a person or society
The artist thanked his patrons.
Customer: person buying things in a shop
He is a regular customer of ours.
People and person
Person: a man, woman or child
People: men and women in general; all those persons forming a nation or race
Government of the people by the people for the people
He is a nice person.
Rather as an adverb of degree
Rather as an adverb of degree
Rather can be used as an adverb of degree. This use of rather is common in British English. As an adverb of degree, rather has a similar meaning to ‘quite’ or ‘fairly’. However, it is more emphatic.
In American English, rather is not normally used as an adverb of degree.
With adjectives and adverbs
When used with adjectives and adverbs, rather suggests ideas such as ‘more than was expected’ or ‘more than was usual’. Unlike too, which is also used to express similar ideas, rather does not have a negative meaning.
- ‘How is your new job?’ ‘Rather good.’ (Here rather is used with an adjective.)
- ‘She speaks English rather well – people often think that she is a native speaker.’ (Here rather is used with an adverb.)
With nouns
Rather can modify noun phrases. If there is no adjective with the noun, rather goes before articles. If there is an adjective, rather can go either before or after the article.
- He is rather a criminal. (NOT He is a rather criminal.)
- That was rather a good idea. OR That was a rather good idea.
We do not normally use rather to modify a plural noun used without an adjective.
Rather can also modify verbs.
- She rather enjoys playing with her kids.
- I rather think she is making a mistake.
With comparatives and too
Rather can be used to modify comparative adjectives and adverbs. It can also be used to modify too.
- It was rather too much.
- It was rather better than I expected.
Prepositions after particular words and expressions
Prepositions after particular words and expressions
Bad at
He is not bad at badminton.
Believe
When believe means accept as true it is used without a preposition.
I won’t believe a word you say.
Believe in
Do you believe in ghosts?
Belong in / on (= have its place in / on)
Those books belong on the top shelf.
Belong to (= be a member of)
I belong to a local athletics club.
Blue with, red with, green with etc.
She went green with envy.
Clever at
She is not very clever at singing.
Congratulate somebody on something
I must congratulate you on your success.
Congratulate on / for doing something
He congratulated me on / for having won the first prize.
Crash into
The car crashed into a tree.
Depend on / dependent on
We might cancel the trip – it depends on the weather.
He is dependent on his parents.
Details of
Write now for details of our special offer.
Die of / from
He died of Malaria.
A week after the accident he died from his injuries.
Difficulty with something / difficulty in doing something
I have difficulty with my travel arrangements.
We had no difficulty in finding his address.
Disappointed with somebody
He is disappointed with his son.
Disappointed with / at / about something
I am disappointed with my performance.
Discussion about
We had a long discussion about philosophy.
Note that the verb discuss is used without a preposition.
Let’s discuss your plans. (NOT Let’s discuss about your plans.
