Do some English words make you jittery?
Do some of them confuse you like a frog in a dessert?
Let us enlighten you with some pairs of perplexing words that may be confusing at first, but if used correctly, can prove to be quite useful in the normal usage of English language in daily life.
1-Advise &Advice
Advise is a Verb
I had advised you to go to the doctor last week, Why didn’t you?
Advice is a Noun
Why didn’t you take her advice and go to the Doctor?
Explanation– We can see that Advise is the action of giving someone advice
Whereas, Advice the noun which you provide itself.
Use them together:
I advise you to not take anyone’s advice.
2-Quiet& Quite
Quiet is an Adjective
She is very quiet today.
Quite is an Adverb
This room is quite warm.
Explanation-We shall notice that Quiet means to be silent
&
Quite is a degree stating ‘to a large extent’
Use them together:
It is quite evident that she is a quiet girl.
3-Pretty & Pretty
Pretty is an Adjective
Monica is looking so pretty today.
Pretty is an Adverb
Her parents are pretty conservative.
Explanation-Pretty as an adjective means attractive
And Pretty as an adverb states the ‘fair extent of something’
Please Note: Pretty is not used in formal conversations as compared to Quite.
Use them together:
It is pretty obvious that he would be with a pretty girl.
4-Affect & Effect
Affect is a verb.
Your behavior affects me.
Effect is a Noun
The effects of your behavior are long-lasting.
Explanation-Affect means to make a difference to
Effect means to a change which is a result of an action
Use them together:
The gruesome effects of the earthquake have gravely affected the victims.
5-Compliment & Complement
Compliment is a Noun and Verb
I was so touched by her kind compliment.
The passengers complimented the Cabin Crew for their presence of mind.
Complement is a Verb
They make a splendid couple. They complement each other so much
Explanation-Compliment is a praise or words of appreciation you give someone
Complement, on the other hand, is the action of bringing out one another’s best features.
Use them Together:
I must compliment you for the dinner and It was well complemented by the wine.
These were a few words that we catered to today. We hope this would help you in identifying words and their distinctive qualities.
Let us complement our language and be a recipient of a plethora of compliments !!