Metonymy

Metonymy denotes a word/phrase that is used as a substitute for another word, with which it is closely associated.

Crown –a person of royal blood.

Dish –plate of food.

Pen – written word.

Hollywood –US movie industry.  

Litotes

Litotes denotes a figure of speech that consists of an understatement in which the affirmative is expressed by negating its contrary.

You will not regret getting involved in this business.

He is not a bad actor.  

Quantifiers

Quantifier is a word/phrase that provides information about the quantity/amount of something.

Ex: much, a bit, a large amount of, a great deal of, few, some, all, enough, lots of, several, plenty, not much, etc.

Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis (also known as Palilogia) refers to the repetition of a word or phrase (usually with no words in between) to emphasize something.

Those two businessmen always have just one thing on their minds: money, money, money!

Study, study, study! I am fed up of this word. Everyone says the same thing.

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Flash in the pan

Meaning: Short-lived success; promises much, but fails to deliver.

Ex.: Tom got an A+ grade, which was not just a flash in the pan.

Finding your feet

Meaning: Becoming familiar with a new situation, gaining confidence in a new scenario.

Ex.: Paul is yet to find his feet in the entertainment industry.

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Give it a shot

Meaning: To make an attempt, try.

Ex.: If you really want to set up your own business, give it a shot.

A dead end

Meaning: End of something, point beyond which no progress is possible.

Ex.: The cops got many leads, but they all led to a dead end.

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Drag one’s feet

Meaning: Make unnecessary delay in doing or completing something.

Ex.: The CEO was dragging his feet on the workers’ bonus issue.

Pull someone’s leg

Meaning: To tease, make a fool, or trick someone.

Ex.: Do you really want to help me or are you just pulling my leg?

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

No stone unturned

Meaning: Make every possible effort, try all options.

Ex.: The cops left no stone unturned to catch hold of the crooks.

By hook or by crook

Meaning: By any means, using any way: right or wrong.

Ex.: Harry wanted that contract by hook or by crook.

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Turn over a new leaf

Meaning: To change for the better, try to improve, give up bad habits, etc.

Ex.: After his bullish behavior landed him in serious trouble with the cops, Tom turned over a new leaf.

Wild goose chase

Meaning: fruitless search or pursuit, unsuccessful search, etc.

Ex.: The robbers made the cops to go on a wild goose chase.

Idiom

Idiom refers to a word, phrase or an expression whose collective meaning differs from their individual (words) meaning.

Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Something that occurs very rarely.

Ex.: Since my friend went abroad, we talk only once in a blue moon.

Add fuel to the fire

Meaning: To make a situation much worse than what it originally was.

Ex.: The Principal’s indifferent attitude towards the students’ grievances added fuel to the fire.

Chiasmus

Chiasmus refers to a figure of speech in which words/phrases are sequenced in the reverse order, i.e., it denotes inverted parallelism.

         ·          Winners never quit; quitters never win.

         ·         “Men do not quit playing because they grow old;
           they grow old because they quit playing.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

         ·         Control your anger before your anger controls you.

Confused Nouns

Habit and Custom

Rule: Habit pertains to individuals; Custom refers to society as a whole.

Incorrect Usage: (a) Abusing others is a very bad custom.

                                (b) Indian marriages involve a lot of habits.

Correct Usage: (a) Abusing others is a very bad habit.

                             (b) Indian marriages involve a lot of customs.

Commonly Used Foreign Terms

Adieu (French): Farewell, goodbye.

Sans (French): Without, absent, minus.

In situ (Latin): In the same place, original position.

Ex gratia (Latin): Doing a favour morally, not compelled to do it legally.

Commonly Used Foreign Terms

Ad hoc (Latin): Arranged, done or dealing with a particular/specific purpose.

Per se (Latin): By itself, oneself or themselves.

Bon voyage (French): Farewell wishes for having a good trip or journey.

Modus operandi (Latin): A particular way of doing something, operating or functioning.

Double Negative

Double negative refers to a clause in which two negatives are used instead of one to give emphasis.

Incorrect Usage: The audience could not barely hear the speech.

Correct Usage: “The audience could barely hear the speech” or “The audience could not hear the speech”.

Incorrect Usage: He does not know nothing about this deal.

Correct Usage: “He does not know about this deal” or “He knows nothing about this deal”.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech, which makes use of exaggeration to emphasize something or make a strong impression.

We nearly died laughing at the clown’s antics.

I called him a thousand times.

Tom has got tons and tons of money.

It’s raining cats and dogs.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech, which makes use of exaggeration to emphasize something or make a strong impression.

My school bag weighs a ton.

It took him ages to cross the crowded street.

I have told you a million times not to be so careless.

She has hundreds of dresses, but, still wants more.

I was so tired that I could sleep for a year.

Phonestheme

Phonestheme refers to a particular sound or its sequence, which implies a certain meaning.

sn-phonestheme is usually related to the nose.

Examples: Snort, Snuff, Sniff, Sneeze, Snoop, etc.

sl-phonestheme suggests slipperiness.

Examples: Slide, Slime, Sludge, Slip, etc.

Phonestheme

Phonestheme refers to a particular sound or its sequence, which implies a certain meaning.

gl-phonestheme is related to reflection, vision, or light.

Examples: Glare, Glaze, Glitter, Glisten, Glimmer, etc.

fl-phonestheme is related to movement.

Examples: Flight, Flurry, Flow, Flock, Float, Flash, etc.

Simile

Simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two things to emphasize the description. Usually ‘like’ and ‘as’ are used for this purpose.

He is as poor as a church mouse.

She is as busy as a bee.

Tom is as brave as a lion.

She performed like a professional artiste.

He slept like a log.

They treated him like an alien.

Anagram

Anagram is a word/phrase that is made up of the same letters as another word/phrase.

           ·         Rite – Tier – Tire

           ·         Part – Trap

           ·         Conversationalists – Conservationalists

           ·         Team – Tame – Mate – Meat

           ·         Nest – Sent – Tens – Nets

           ·         Won – Now – Own

Anagram

Anagram is a word/phrase that is made up of the same letters as another word/phrase.

          ·         Alert – Alter – Later

          ·         Expect – Except

          ·         Lump – Plum

          ·         Hustle – Sleuth

          ·         Limped – Dimple

          ·         Below – Bowel – Elbow

          ·         Demo – Dome – Mode

          ·         Evil – Veil – Vile – Live

          ·         Opt – Pot – Top

          ·         Star – Arts – Rats – Tars

Palindrome

Palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same (forward or backward).

Words: Madam, peep, bib, radar, refer, rotator, kayak, deed, reviver, nun, stats, etc.

Phrases: Don’t nod; race car; no lemon, no melon; never odd or even; Madam I’m Adam, etc. 

Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Climb down: Jack climbed down the ladder in a jiffy.

Seriously funny: The clown’s antics were seriously funny.

Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Small crowd: A small crowd had gathered to watch the rescue operation.

Original copy: I forgot where I had kept the original copy of the legal documents.

Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

All alone: He was locked up all alone in a dark room.

Found missing: Tom was found missing from his trailer.

Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Awfully good: The pudding tasted awfully good.

Pretty ugly: She looked pretty ugly in her new attire.

Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined.

Deafening silence: The auditorium was filled with a deafening silence.

Exact estimate: The Manager wanted an exact estimate of the project’s cost.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of words, which (when spoken aloud) imitate the sounds related with the things/actions they refer to.

Creak: High-pitched squeaking sound.

Splash: Sound of something falling into liquid.

The door creaked eerily in the middle of the night.

The car fell into the river with a big splash.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of words, which (when spoken aloud) imitate the sounds related with the things/actions they refer to.

Boom: Bang, explosion, resound, etc.

Purr: Low continuous vibratory sound (especially of a cat), whirr, drone, etc.

The fireworks’ boom frightened the baby.

The cat purred when his master patted him.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of words, which (when spoken aloud) imitate the sounds related with the things/actions they refer to.

Sniff: Smell, breath, sound of inhaling air through nose, etc.

Tweet: Chirp, chirrup, chatter of a young bird, etc.

The dog was sniffing the biscuit tin.

The birds were tweeting noisily in their nests.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of words, which (when spoken aloud) imitate the sounds related with the things/actions they refer to.

Beep: Short, high-pitched sound.

Flutter: Wave, fly, flap, flicker, etc.

They had no idea from where the beep sound was coming.

The beep of the car horn woke him up.

The dove fluttered its wings in pain.

The clothes fluttered in the breeze.  

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of words, which (when spoken aloud) imitate the sounds related with the things/actions they refer to.

Chatter: Click together repeatedly, babble, rant, etc.

Buzz: Low murmuring sound, hum, drone, etc.

My teeth were chattering in the cold.

We woke up to the chattering of monkeys.

The Chairman’s arrival ended the buzz in the conference room. 

The buzzing of the doorbell was maddening.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Imminent means impending, forthcoming, about to happen, etc.

Eminent means well-known, renowned, notable, outstanding, reputed, famous, prominent, etc.

The soldiers were unaware of the imminent danger of being ambushed.

He was an eminent member of the society.

He is an eminent surgeon.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Pole means a rod, stick, opposite, extreme, etc.

Poll means vote, survey, census, etc.

He used a long pole to jump the boundary wall.

They are twin brothers, but their characters are poles apart.

The politicians resort to widespread campaigning just before the polls.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Wonder means doubt, curious, surprise, astonishment, amazement, etc.

Wander means to stroll, roam, walk, stray, etc.

I wonder what Tom was doing all these years.

We wondered at Jack’s intelligence for his age.

The kid was found wandering alone in the park.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Discreet means cautious, careful, wary, etc.

Discrete means separate, distinct, detached, etc.

The cops should have been more discreet with their undercover operation.

The bank had discrete sections for each function.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Drought means dry, arid, famine, dearth, lack, etc.

Draught means air current, a dose of liquid, etc.

The farmers of the drought-hit areas sought help from the Government.

His gold medal ended his country’s decade-long international medal drought.

The cold draught was coming from a hole in the roof.

He had a draught of ale in the morning.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Real means actual, true, genuine, authentic, etc.

Reel means coil, roll, stagger, stumble, spin, etc.

That movie is based on real events.

His real name is not Jack.

A reel of wire was found by the roadside.

The company is reeling under debts.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Principal means main, primary, key, leader, headmaster, etc.

Principle means rule, law, code, standard, notion, etc.

Coconut was the principal ingredient in that recipe.

The Mayor arranged a meeting for all the principals in town.

He never compromises on his principles.

Both these devices work on the same principle.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Desert means arid or barren region, wasteland, abandon, leave, quit, etc.

Dessert means sweet course at the end of a meal.

The Sahara Desert is in Africa.

He deserted his family and went abroad.

We had ice cream for dessert.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Ordinance means order, regulation, command, law, etc.

Ordnance means weapons, arms, artillery, armaments, etc.

Violation of traffic ordinances is a punishable act.

Ordnance factories cater to the demands of the Army, Air Force, and Naval establishments.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Decent means polite, honest, respectable, civilized, etc.

Descent means fall, decline, drop, plunge, crash, origin, lineage, etc.

Dissent means to disagree, differ, oppose, rebel, etc.

Please help me to find a decent home.

He is from a decent family.

The aircraft made a steep descent.

That lady is of Irish descent.

A few Board members dissented from the majority on the new project.

Homophones

Homophones are words that are pronounced alike, may have the same spelling, but differ in meaning.

Acetic means of, containing or derived from acetic acid.

Ascetic means austere, abstainer, hermit, monk, etc.

Acetic acid has a sour taste.

He gave up all luxuries and led his life like an ascetic.

Confused Words

Brake and Break

Brake means to slow down, reduce speed, etc.

Break means to shatter, smash, crack, interval, gap, etc.

He had to put sudden brakes to avoid hitting the kid.

The kids broke the window glass.

The cops had to break the door to get in.

He took a break from work.

Confused Words

Scrap and Scrape

Scrap means bit, piece, fragment, cancel, abandon, etc.

Scrape means to rub, scratch, grate, etc.

She scribbled her address on a scrap of paper.

The live telecast plan was scrapped at the last moment.

He scraped the mud off his car tyres.

She scraped the carrots.

Confused Words

Rote and Wrote

Rote means by heart, memorize, routine, etc.

Wrote is the past tense of write.

The teacher asked the students to rote the poem.

He wrote his name and address in the form.

Confused Words

Pour and Pore

Pour means to spill, flow, dispense, transfer, etc.

Pore means hole, aperture, ponder, etc.

He poured the water into the jar.

The rain poured quite heavily.

The rock had many pores in it.

He pored over last night’s events.

Confused Words

Quite and Quiet

Quite means rather, somewhat, entirely, very, fully, etc.

Quiet means still, calm, silent, serene, gentle, peaceful, etc.

It’s quite hot outside.

He is quite rich.

He just wanted to have a quiet nap.

The kids were very quiet, which was rather unusual.

Confused Words

Pale and Pail

Pale means faint, dim, light, fade, colorless, etc.

Pail means a bucket, tub, container, etc.

She looked pale after she heard about the accident.

The curtains had pale patterns.

She dropped the pail of water.

The pail is too heavy to be carried by a single person.

Confused Words

Sore and Soar

Sore means painful, aching, stinging, injury, angry, annoyed, etc.

Soar means to fly, ascend, rise, climb, escalate, etc.

My feet were sore after the long walk.

She was sore over his sarcastic remark.

The eagle can soar high in the sky.

When the hospital offered free help, the poor couple’s spirits soared.

Confused Words

Roll and Role

Roll means to revolve, turn over, move, rotate, etc.

Role means function, task, responsibility, part, character, etc.

The lorry rolled down the hillside.

They rolled the injured guy on to his back to give him first aid.

Tom was sentenced for his role in the bank robbery.

He was given the lead role in the play.

Confused Words

Taut and Taught

Taut means tight, rigid, strained, firm, etc.

Taught means trained, educated, qualified, etc.

The rope was tied tautly.

His Uncle taught him to read and write.

Confused Words

Raise and Rise

Raise means to lift, elevate, move up, boost, improve, etc.

Rise means to arise, stand up, ascend, grow, etc.

An iron fence surrounding the mansion was raised.

Their hopes were raised after a few survivors were found.

Land prices are rising steeply with every passing day.

They all rose to greet the Mayor.

Confused Words

Soul and Sole

Soul means spirit, core, character, individual, etc.

Sole means single, lone, exclusive, unique, etc.

They all prayed for the departed soul.

His company has bagged the sole rights for telecasting the Golf championship.  

Confused Nouns

Cause and Reason

Rule: Cause is that which produces a result; Reason is the cause to do something, it justifies the result.

Incorrect Usage: (a) You need to have a good cause to come here.

                                  (b) What was the reason of that accident?

Correct Usage: (a) You need to have a good reason to come here.

                                        (b) What was the cause of that accident?

Confused Nouns

Shade and Shadow

Rule: Shade is the portion, which is sheltered from direct sunlight; Shadow is the form that is created when something comes in front of light.

Incorrect Usage: (a) They took rest in the shadow of a tree.

                                (b) He was afraid of his own shade.

Correct Usage: (a) They took rest in the shade of a tree.

                                             (b) He was afraid of his own shadow.

Confused Words

Teem and Team

Teem means swarm, abound, pour, etc.

Team means side, gang, squad, group, etc.

The river is teeming with fish.

The hockey team put up an impressive performance in the World Championship.

Confused Nouns

Floor and Ground

Rule: Floor is the surface of a room on which we walk; Ground is the surface of the earth outside a building.

Incorrect Usage: (a) His clothes were scattered on the ground of his room.

                             (b) That floor is not fit for building houses.

Correct Usage: (a) His clothes were scattered on the floor of his room.

                          (b) That ground is not fit for building houses.

Confused Words

Sale and Sail

Sale means selling, deal, trade, retailing, etc.

Sail means navigate, drift, flow, travel, etc.

That house is up for sale.

They sailed in the luxury liner.

Confused Words

Dying and Dyeing

Dying means death, demise, fading, vanishing, etc.

Dyeing means coloring, painting, etc.

He arrived in the early morning flight to meet his dying grandfather.

Thai bronzeware has become a dying art.

Tom had dyed his hair brown.

Confused Words

Hail and Hale

Hail means sleet, frozen rain, call, summon, greet, salute, acknowledge, etc.

Hale means sound, healthy, strong, fit, etc.

The sinking ship’s crew hailed a fishing boat for help.

It hailed all night.

The people hailed their new king.

Even at the age of sixty, that man is hale and hearty.

Confused Words

Between and Among

Between is used only for two.

Among is used for more than two.          

                                

A scuffle started between the two gangs.

The team members started quarrelling among themselves.

Confused Words

High and Tall

High is used for things like buildings, trees, hills, etc.

Tall is commonly used when referring to people.

That building is very high.

She is just four feet tall.

Confused Words

Strait and Straight

Strait means narrow, closed, passage, channel, canal, etc.

Straight means direct, upright, at once, right, plain, frank, without curves, etc.

The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea.

After the party, they headed straight to the airport.

The road was long and straight.

Confused Words

Cast and Caste

Cast means to throw, toss, fling, emit, radiate, etc.

Caste means a particular class, social group, genre, etc.

A large and strong net was cast to catch the shark alive.

Caste discrimination should be severely condemned.

Confused Words

Duel and Dual

Duel means contest, fight, clash, etc.

Dual means double, twin, twofold, etc.

The two politicians were engaged in a verbal duel.

His abroad trip had a dual purpose.

Confused Words

Waist and Waste

Waist means middle, waistline, the part of human body below the ribs and above the hips.

Waste means spend, destroy, squander, lose, etc.

The river has waist-deep water.

We should not waste money on unnecessary things.

Confused Words

Decease and Disease

Decease means death, depart, pass away, die, etc.

Disease means sickness, illness, ailment, etc.

Her deceased parents had left for her an ancestral house.

Heart diseases have become very common nowadays.

Confused Words

Pray and Prey

Pray means to implore, plead, ask, beg, etc.

Prey means quarry, victim, etc.

They prayed God for Tom’s quick recovery.

The helpless deer became an easy prey for the lion.

Confused Words

Site and Sight

Site means an area, place, location, etc.

Sight means to view, see, observe, look, etc.

This is the proposed site of the new temple.

The lookout caught sight of the trespassers.

Confused Words

Personal and Personnel

Personal denotes individual, private, belonging to a particular person, etc.

Personnel denote workers, staff, employees, etc.

One should not poke nose in others’ personal matters.

The newly joined sales personnel have to undergo training for a week.

Confused Plurals

Advice

Rule: The word advice cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: He needs some good advices.

Correct Usage: He needs some good advice.

Confused Words

Further and Farther

Further denotes both greater distance and to a greater degree.

Farther is used only for distances.

We are not going to tolerate his behavior further.

They could not walk farther.

Confused Words

Later and Latter

Later indicates a subsequent time or stage.

Latter indicates the physical order (it denotes the second of two things).

I will come later.

Both, France and Europe are great tourist places; but, the latter is more popular.

Confused Words

Beside and Besides

Beside means next to, by the side of, near, etc.

Besides means in addition to, also, apart from, etc.

I have kept your lunch and medicine on the table beside your bed.

Besides being a successful businessman, he was also a top golf player.

Confused Words

Wander and Wonder

Wander means to roam, stroll, etc.

Wonder means to speculate, doubt, etc.

Tom wandered about aimlessly in the streets.

The cops wondered how the convict escaped from prison.

Confused Words

Assent and Ascent

Assent means to agree, consent, etc.

Ascent means to rise, climb, etc.

They gave their assent for the business proposal.

The hot air balloon started its ascent slowly.

Confused Words

Stationary and Stationery

Stationary means to be fixed, motionless, steady, etc.

Stationery means writing and other office materials.

The scouts were instructed to remain stationary when the Chief Guest crossed by.

They went to buy some stationery.

Confused Words

Complement and Compliment

Complement means to complete, supplement, add, etc.

Compliment means to praise, congratulate, laud, etc.

Great music complemented the restaurant’s ambience and delicious cuisine.

She was complimented for her new attire.

Confused Words

Adapt and Adopt

Adapt means to modify, fit, adjust, etc.

Adopt means to take up, choose, accept, etc.

The company policies need to be adapted to suit the current market scenario.

There are many couples who are childless, but feel hesitant to adopt a child.

Confused Plurals

Thunder/Lightning

Rule: Thunder/Lightning cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: There were thunders and lightnings followed by torrential rain.

Correct Usage: There was thunder and lightning followed by torrential rain.

Confused Plurals

Money

Rule: Money cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: The profit money are to be distributed among the 3 brothers.

Correct Usage: The profit money is to be distributed among the 3 brothers.

Confused Plurals

Machinery

Rule: Machinery cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: The factory was in urgent need of new machineries.

Correct Usage: The factory was in urgent need of new machinery.

Confused Plurals

Progress

Rule: Progress cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: India has made rapid progresses in the field of technology.

Correct Usage: India has made rapid progress in the field of technology.

Confused Plurals

Sheep

Rule: Sheep is used for both singular and plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: He is involved in sheeps-rearing business.

Correct Usage: He is involved in sheep-rearing business.

Confused Plurals

Knowledge

Rule: Knowledge cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: He has in-depth knowledges about this business.

Correct Usage: He has in-depth knowledge about this business.

Confused Plurals

Grass

Rule: Grass cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: We sat down on the grasses.

Correct Usage: We sat down on the grass.

Confused Plurals

Luggage

Rule: Luggage cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: We forgot our luggages in the cab.

Correct Usage: We forgot our luggage in the cab.

Confused Plurals

Damage

Rule: Damage cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: The tsunami caused widespread damages.

Correct Usage: The tsunami caused widespread damage.

Confused Plurals

Work

Rule: Work cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: They have lots of works in the office.

Correct Usage : They have a lot of work in the office.

Confused Plurals

Bread

Rule: Bread cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: I had breads for breakfast.

Correct Usage : I had bread for breakfast.

Confused Plurals

Fish

Rule: Fish cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: We caught lots of fishes yesterday.

Correct Usage: We caught lots of fish yesterday.

Confused Plurals

Furniture

Rule: The word furniture cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: Their furnitures are made of teak wood.

Correct Usage: Their furniture is made of teak wood.

Confused Plurals

Information

Rule: The word information cannot be used in a plural sense.

Incorrect Usage: The cops required informations about the murderer.

Correct Usage: The cops required information about the murderer.

Confused Nouns

Appetite and Desire

Rule: Appetite means a strong desire, especially for food; Desire is a strong wish to want something.

Incorrect Usage: (a) She lost her desire.

                                (b) I don’t have the appetite to study.

Correct Usage: (a) She lost her appetite.

                             (b) I don’t have the desire to study.

Confused Nouns

Air and Wind

Rule: Air is the substance necessary for breathing; Wind is the air current blowing in some direction.

Incorrect Usage: (a) The strong air blew away the thin sheets.

                                (b) She needed fresh wind.

Correct Usage: (a) The strong wind blew away the thin sheets.

                             (b) She needed fresh air.

Confused Nouns

Scene and Scenery

Rule: Scene is a particular spot of an event/happening; Scenery is the natural landscape of a place.

Incorrect Usage: (a) The cops arrived at the crime scenery very late.

                                (b) The view of the scene was breathtaking.

Correct Usage: (a) The cops arrived at the crime scene very late.

                                             (b) The view of the scenery was breathtaking.

Confused Nouns

Centre and Middle

Rule: Centre is the equidistant point from the edge of a figure; Middle is the equidistant area from two sides.

Incorrect Usage: (a) She was standing in the centre of the street.

                                (b) Place that box in the middle of the circle.

Correct Usage: (a) She was standing in the middle of the street.

                                             (b) Place that box in the centre of the circle.

Confused Nouns

Story and History

Rule: Story is a tale or account of events, which may be either true or false; History is a sequential record of past events.

Incorrect Usage: (a) Rome’s story is very interesting.

                                (b) Kids love to hear histories.

Correct Usage: (a) Rome’s history is very interesting.

                                             (b) Kids love to hear stories.

Confused Adjectives

Angry and Sorry

Rule: Angry means enraged, furious; Sorry means sad, regretful.

Incorrect Usage: (a) She is sorry with me for lying to her.

                                (b) I am angry that I couldn’t help you.

Correct Usage: (a) She is angry with me for lying to her.

                                             (b) I am sorry that I couldn’t help you.

Confused Adjectives

Beautiful and Handsome

Rule: Beautiful is used for women; Handsome is used when referring to men.

Incorrect Usage: (a) That actor is very beautiful.

                               

Correct Usage: (a) That actor is very handsome.