Avenge and revenge

Revenge and avenge are often confused. Avenge means ‘get or take vengeance for’. To avenge my father is to punish someone who has hurt my father.

I must avenge my father.
We must avenge the insult.

Incorrect: I must revenge my mother.
Correct: I must avenge my mother. (= I must punish someone who has hurt my mother.)

Incorrect: I must revenge my enemy.
Correct: I must take revenge on my enemy. (= I must punish my enemy.)

Note that you avenge with the idea of seeing justice done. Revenge is less concerned with justice. To revenge is to do something (wrong) just because it gives you satisfaction.

Jane’s father avenged her death by getting her killer arrested and convicted.

(Jane’s father wants to see justice done.)

Jane’s boyfriend took revenge on her killer by killing his wife.

Of course, Jane’s boyfriend was upset with the man who killed her. But justice can’t be his primary concern when he decided to kill that man’s wife.

Invent and discover

These two words are often confused. Use invent of something which did not exist until man created it. Examples are: telephone, computer, steam engine, train, rockets etc.

James Watt invented the steam engine. (It was James Watt who created the steam engine. It didn’t exist before he invented it.)

Who invented the light bulb?

Use discover of something which existed without man’s knowledge. Examples are: stars, galaxies, countries, continents, deserts, mineral deposits etc. Remember that you can’t discover something you created. You can only invent it.

Columbus discovered America. (It wasn’t Columbus who created America. It was already there.)

Who discovered the North Pole?

Respect as a verb and a noun

The verb respect is often confused. 'To respect' someone is to have a very high opinion of someone’s character. I respect my parents.
I respect my teachers.
I respect my elders.

As a noun respect means high opinion or regard.

We must show respect to our teachers.

Study the following sentences:

Incorrect: People respected him at the station.
Correct: People treated him with respect at the station.
Correct: People showed respect for him at the station.

Difference between wear and put on

These two words are often confused. ‘To put on clothes’ refers to the act of dressing. He is in his room putting on his clothes.

Once the act of dressing is over, the verb ‘to wear’ is used to express the act of carrying clothes on the body.

He came wearing a blue shirt. (NOT He came putting on a blue shirt.)

Here we are not referring to the act of dressing.

I felt very hot as I had been wearing a sweater for hours.
Who is that boy wearing a black jacket?

Different from, different to or different than

Different is usually followed by from.

• This is quite different from that.
• She is very different from her sister.

Many British speakers also use to after different.

• His ideas are different from those of his friends.
• OR His ideas are different to those of his friends.
• She is very different from her sister.
• OR She is very different to her sister.

In American English, than is common after different. From is also used.

• American football is very different from soccer. OR American football is very different than soccer.

In British English, different than is possible before a clause.

• The situation is different from what I expected.
• OR The situation is different to what I expected.
• OR The situation is different than I expected.

With and without

With can mean ‘carrying’ or ‘having’.

• He wore a coat with four pockets. (= The coat has four pockets.)
• There I met a man with no legs.
• They have bought a house with a big garden.

With can also indicate what is used.

• Write with a pen.
• They filled the barrow with sand.

With may show association.

• I live with my husband and kids.
• Oil does not mix with water.

With is used after a number of adjectives which show how people are feeling towards others.

Angry with

Upset with

Furious with

Cross with

Pleased with

Patient with

With can indicate the manner in which something is done.

• I will do it with pleasure.

With can mean ‘at the same time as’ or ‘in the same way as’.

• A tree’s shadow moves with the sun.
• Swim with the tide.

With may indicate support or agreement.

• Are you with me or against me in this matter?

With and against After certain verbs (e.g. fight, struggle, quarrel, argue, play etc.) with can be used with the same meaning as against.

• I don’t want to argue with you.
• Do you dare to fight with him?

with and without Without is the opposite of with.

• We will be able to do it with your help.
• We won’t be able to do it without your help.

Difference Between efficient and effective

If somebody or something is efficient, he/she/it is able to perform duties well.

• He is very efficient: he knows how to get things done.
• The telephone system is far more efficient than the postal service.

If something is effective, it has the desired effect.

• I still have that headache. I think those tablets weren’t very effective. (NOT Those tablets weren’t very efficient.)

By the way, incidentally

By the way and incidentally are used to introduce something that is not directly connected with the conversation.

• I met John yesterday and we talked about his new projects. Oh, by the way, he sends you his regards.
• Jane is very upset with Peter. She thinks that he shouldn’t have hid anything from her. Incidentally, she has lost her job.

These two expressions can also be used to change the subject completely.

• ‘James has had another stroke’. ‘Oh, yes? Poor guy. By the way have you seen John recently?’
• ‘Nice evening.’ ‘Yes, isn’t it? Oh, incidentally, what happened to that $50 I lent you?’