P@ul’s Companion to English : 1

Sushanta Paul·Tuesday, October 6, 2015

P@ul’s Companion to English
...…….a methodological approach to improve your vital communication skill in English
Language dramatically.

CONFUSINGLY RELATED WORDS

These are words that cause problems when the speaker is not able to distinguish between them.
They are similar in meaning or pronunciation but cannot be used interchangeably. Learn the
definition of each and its use before employing it in conversation.
1. ACCEPT (verb)—to take what is given. Professor Perez will accept the chairmanship of the
humanities department.
2. EXCEPT (preposition)—excluding or omitting a thing or person. Everyone is going to the
convention except Bob, who has to work.
3. ACCESS (noun)—availability, way of gaining entrance. The teachers had no access to the
students' files, which were locked in the principal's office.
4. EXCESS (a) (adjective)—abundant, superfluous. We paid a surcharge on our excess baggage,
(b) (noun)—extra amount. The demand for funds was in excess of the actual need.
5. ADVICE (noun)—opinion given to someone, counseling. If you heed the teacher's advice, you
will do well in your studies.
6. ADVISE (verb)—act of giving an opinion or counsel. The Congress advised the president
against signing the treaty at that time.
7. AFFECT (verb)—to produce a change in. The doctors wanted to see how the medication
would affect the patient.
8. EFFECT (a) (noun)—end result or consequence. The children suffered no ill effects from their
long plane ride, (b) (verb)-produce as a result. To effect a change in city government we must all
vote on Tuesday.
9. ALREADY (adverb)—an action that happened at an indefinite time before the present. Jan's
plane had already landed before we got to the airport.
10. ALL READY (noun + adjective)—prepared to do something. We are all ready to go boating.
11. AMONG (preposition)—shows a relationship or selection involving three or more entities. It
was difficult to select a winner from among so many contestants.
12. BETWEEN (preposition)—shows a relationship or selection involving only two entities.
Between writing her book and teaching, Mary Ellen had little time for anything else. Note: When
between is followed by two nouns or noun phrases, the two nouns or noun phrases must be
separated by and and never by or.
13. BESIDE (preposition)—next to. There is a small table beside the bed.
14. BESIDES (preposition or adverb)—in addition to, also, moreover. I have five history books
here besides the four that I left at home
15. ASIDE (adverb)—to one side. Harry sets money aside every payday for his daughter's
education.

Can You Identify the Animals birds and plants?

Associate a clue in column A with a word in column B. The first one has been done for you. A1
a large furry animal ......... B1 bear
A
1. a large furry animal
2. footprints left by animals
3. a cat could do this to you with its claws
4. fire comes out of its nose
5. a male duck
6. birds do this when they're eating
7. an animal uses its teeth to do this
8. fruit becomes this in the sun
9. wild animals, hunted for food, are referred to as
10. the inside part of a nut
11. men, women and children are
12. a large area of leather
13. meat from deer
14. a wasp could do this to you
15. small grapes become this when they have dried
16. a ___ of locusts
17. we refer to the whole of humanity as 'the human ...'
18. a Chihuahua is an unusual ___ of dog
19. a lot of cows together
20. a lot of sheep together
21. you do this to an orange before you eat it
22. it's called this when it's just come out of an egg
23. a baby cow or bull
24. meat from a baby bull
25. it lays eggs
26. a dry plum
27. the inside part of an apple contains these
28. you might grate this to flavour food
29. the outside body of a crab
30. you'd find one inside a peach
31. animals or plants which are all alike are referred to as this
B
1) bear
2) bite
3) breed
4) calf
5) chick
6) dragon
7) drake
8) flock
9) game
10) hen
11) herd
12) hide
13) human
14) kernel
15) peck
16) peel
17) pips
18) plague
19) prune
20) race
21) raisins
22) rind
23) ripe
24) scratch
25) shell
26) species
27) sting
28) stone
29) tracks
30) veal
31) venison

Twin Brothers
In the following sentences, choose the form in parentheses that means the same as the underlined
word or words.
1. Louis was depending on the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the championship, (picking
out/counting on)
2. Dr. Clements distributed the materials at the deans' conference, (passed out/brought up)
3. Archeologists continue searching for buried Egyptian treasures, (keep on/do away with)
4. Four armed men robbed the bank last week and escaped with an undetermined amount of cash,
(held up/pointed out)
5. We had to postpone the meeting because too many people had the flu. (drop out of/put off)
6. When Karen became ill, her colleagues had to manage without her. (get along/take off)
7. The department chairman asked his staff to help with the registration, (called on/counted on)
8. If we terminate our relations with that country, we'll have to find another supplier of raw
materials, (break off/draw up)
9. After arriving at the check-in counter, Dennis discovered that he was in the wrong airport,
(found out/pointed out)
10. Kevin quit the engineering program because he found it too difficult, (checked out
of/dropped out of)
11. The gasoline fumes caused Mike to faint, (pass out/break off)
12. The baseball game had to be postponed because of the inclement weather, (put off/put on)
13. All bids for the project had to be submitted by November 1. (turned in/drawn up)
14. Because she is so tall, Sandy doesn't like high-heeled shoes. (care for/pick out)
15. My adviser indicated numerous errors in my proposal and told me to rewrite it. (figured
out/pointed out)

What would you do, say or, tell?

Write the correct form of say or tell in the following sentences. Be careful to observe sequence of
tenses.
1. Harvey…….he would take us on a picnic today.
2. Pete…..the children some funny stories now.
3. Who…..you that he was going to New York?
4. When did you……Mary that the party would be?
5. My sister……us that it had snowed in her town last week.
6. No one in the second grade class could……time.
7. The comedian always……his friends funny jokes when he is at a party.
8. What time did you……that the lecture had begun?
9. Who……that we are having an exam tomorrow?
10.The judge instructed the witness to……the whole truth about the accident.
11.The little boy……a lie about not eating the cookies before lunch.
12.Hamlet……, "To be or not to be, that is the question."
13.Our teacher……that we would not have any homework during the vacation.
14.Because he could not……time, the boy arrived home very late one evening.
15.I saw my friend in the library and……that I had wanted to talk to him.
16.Shaun……that he had already seen the movie.
17.Larry……that his friends would be going camping next week.
18.James……that he has already done his homework.
19.I wonder who……that blondes had more fun.
20.. Never……a secret to a person who spreads gossip.

Let’s boost up our vocabulary

From the answer choices, find out the opposite word for the words in capital letters:
1. FALLACY: (A) personal philosophy (B) imaginative idea (C) unconfirmed theory (D)
tentative opinion (E) valid argument
2. DIVULGE: (A) keep secret (B) evaluate by oneself (C) refine (D) restore (E) copy
3. BOYCOTT: (A) extort (B) underwrite (C) underbid (D) stipulate (E) patronize
4. ADULTERATION: (A) consternation (B) purification (C) normalization (D)
approximation(E) rejuvenation
5. DEPOSITION: (A) process of congealing (B) process of distilling (C) process of eroding (D)
process of evolving (E) process of condensing
6. ENERVATE: (A) recuperate(B) resurrect (C) renovate(D) gather(E) strengthen
7. LOQUACIOUS: (A) tranquil (B) skeptical (C) morose (D) taciturn(E) witty
8. REPINE: (A) intensify (B) excuse (C) express joy (D) feel sure (E) rush forward
9. VENERATION: (A) derision(B) blame(C) avoidance(D) ostracism(E) defiance
10. INVETERATE: (A) casual(B) public (C) satisfactory (D) trustworthy (E) sophisticated

Let not adjectives lose their charms!!!

Adjective + preposition
Supply suitable prepositions.
1. Make sure the label is properly attached ___ your suitcase.
2. John’s ashamed ___ his bad spelling.
3. Margot looks stunning dressed ___ black.
4. I’m getting pretty fed up ___ my present job.
5. This computer is similar ___ the one we have in our office.
6. George became interested ___ antiques at a very early age.
7. Tanya expects to be successful ___ anything she does.
8. My name is Wills, but I’m not related ___ the Wills you know.
9. You must be very proud ___ your son.
10. I’ve never been very keen ___ flying.
11. Anyone would feel nervous ___ having an operation.
12. My younger sister’s shy ___ meeting strangers.