How and when to use what? (EXPLAINABLE vs EXPLICABLE)

In English, words that look similar may have different meanings or should be used in different situations. Quite often do we use a word when it''''s supposed to be another one. This topic will give a collection of pairs of words that are commonly miss used. (Đồ chôm!!!)

affect vs. effect

Affect is a VERB. Most commonly, it means to influence or have an impact on something or someone.
Ảnh hưởng là 1 động từ. Thông thường nhất, nó chỉ việc tác động hay chi phối đến một vật gì hoặc đến ai.

Example: How will this article affect your writing?

Effect is a NOUN. Most commonly, it means a result or something brought about by a cause.
Hiệu quả là một danh từ . Thông thường nhất nó chỉ kết quả hay chuyện gì đem đến từ một nguyên do nào đó.

Example: I wonder if this article will have an effect on your writing.

Note: In the field of psychology, affect can serve as a noun. And effect can be a verb, but it''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s an obscure usage. Thus, 99.9% of the time you ''''ll be safe if you remember: "A" is the verb. "E" is the noun.



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Được CXR sửa chữa / chuyển vào 13:35 ngày 29/02/2004

All together vs. Altogether
All together means in or as a group.
Example: The plan won't work unless we are all together in it.
Altogether is a newer arrival on the scene. It means entirely.
Example: We are altogether satisfied with the plan.
Note: At one time, all together was all there was. But, over time and through repeated popular usage, altogether came to be acceptable.
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A lot vs. Alot
A lot is a two-word phrase that means many or much.
Examples: She has a lot of friends. I have a lot of work to do. We had a lot of fun.
Unlike with All together and Altogether, Alot is not yet made to be a word.
Note: Lot is generally treated as a noun, which can be use either as a singular or a plural.
Examples:
We hear a lot about Angels these days.
I have lots of ideas.
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Capital vs. Capitol:
Capital: The noun capital has several meanings . For example, it can mean an upper case letter, the top part of a column , money , or the city where a seat of government is located . It's the last meaning that's the real "trap" and that causes the most confusion.
Example: Washington D.C. is our nation's capital . (Notice that capital is not capitalized).
Capitol: There's Capitol, a building in which legislative bodies meet or where functions of government are carried out .
Example: The U.S. Congress meets in the Capitol, which is in Washington D.C., our nation's capital . (Notice that Capitol is capitalized).
Note: capital could also be an adjective, it means top, best, extreme, superior, excellent, etc.
Example: She always comes up with capital (excellent) ideas.
"Nguyện mỗi người có một niềm vui"
Được CXR sửa chữa / chuyển vào 11:08 ngày 05/07/2003

Stationery vs. Stationary
Stationery means special paper for letters.
Example: While the simple and clean look of our office's stationery is great for a letter, it's not so great for a newsletter.
Stationary means immobile or unmoving.
Example: He was so stationary that I thought he was a statue.
Question: Is there any way to remember which is which?
Answer: Yes! Tips: The first vowel of letter is e, so stationery should be used correspondingly; similarly, the first vowel of statue is a, so stationary should be used.
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Agree with: to be in accordance or to come to an understanding
Agree to: to give consent
Example: He agrees with me about the need for change, but he wonâ?Tt agree to my plan.
Command: An order. (The command to stop made the thief slow down)
Commend: To praise. (John, I commend you on your recent promotion)
Commence: Begin. (The aid campaign will commence on June 10)
Comments: Remarks. (Her comments caused several people to leave)
Note: to comment means to remark
Confidant: A friend. (I have been one of Tomâ?Ts closest confidants)
Confident: Sure (He was confident that Sally could do the job)
Confidently: Certainly (She presented her proposal to the board confidently)
Confidentially: Privately (Confidentially, Sue did not win the nomination)
Continual: repeat regularly and frequently. (She grew weary of the continual telephone calls)
Continuous: extended or prolonged without interruption. (The broken siren make a continuous wail)

Adapt vs. Adopt
Adapt means to take something and make it fit, to modify or adjust it.
Examples: It's a good idea to adapt yourself to your situation. Two articles in this month's issue were adapted from other sources.
Adopt means to accept and approve something formally, to take something as one's own.
Examples: Her parents adopted her when she was a baby. The constitutional amendment was adopted.
Advice vs. Advise
Advice is a noun, and its last consonant sound is sss. It means a recommendation about behavior of some kind.
Example: The advice I gave him was to stop chewing his food with his mouth open.
Advise is a verb, and its last consonant sound is zzz. It means the act of giving a recommendation.
Example: I advise you to stop chewing your food with your mouth open.
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Anyone vs. Any one
Anyone is used when you're making an indefinite reference and mean any person at all.
Example: It's so simple that anyone can figure it out.
Any one is used when you are referring to a specific person or element in a group.
Example: It's so simple that any one of you can do it.
Note: The same "one word if it's indefinite and two if it's specific" rule also works for someone vs. some one, everyone vs. every one, sometime vs. some time, etc.
Amount of vs. Number of
The distinction between singular and plural is the deciding factor here.
Amount of is used when the noun that follows is singular.
Example: The amount of time it now takes me to write this essay is much less than it was 5 years ago.
Number of is used when the noun that follows is plural.
Example: The number of words in this message is 121.
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Được CXR sửa chữa / chuyển vào 06:59 ngày 10/07/2003

As I remember, the word "amount" used for noncount nouns, and " number" used for count nouns. However, there is a note for using the word "number":
Use a plural verb when 'number' is preceded by "a". Use a singular verb when 'number' is preceded by "the".
A number of employees are receiving raises.
The number of employees receiveing raises is increasing.

Between vs. Among
Between is used when you want to relate TWO persons or things (or when you have three or more items you want to relate one pair at a time).
Examples: The Wabash River runs between Lafayette and West Lafayette. Sometimes you have to read between the lines.
Among is used when you want to relate MORE THAN TWO persons or things at the same time.
Examples: The three friends started arguing among themselves. The estate was divided among the many heirs.
Question: Is there any tips toward knowing which one, between and among, to use?
Answer: Yes! two and between both contain tw.
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