More about words often confused

to cry  to sob  to wail  to whimper  to weep
To cry is the most general word for producing tears when you are
unhappy or hurt.
The baby is crying because it is hungry.
We cry when we are in pain.
To sob means to cry noisily, taking sudden sharp breaths.
The girl is sobbing because she has been rebuked by her mother.
Mina’s mother has been sobbing all morning because Mina is    seriously  ill.
To wail means to cry loudly:
Mrs Huq has been wailing because her husband is dead.
We wail when disaster strikes us.
To whimper means to cry making a low  weak  noises:
Dogs whimper when they are beaten.
The child is whimpering because his mother refused to give him chocolates.
To weep means to cry quietly for a long time:
She has been weeping all day because there has been no food at home.
The nation wept when the leader passed away.
All these verbs can be used like ‘say’:
“I don’t like you to leave me alone,” she cried/ wailed/sobbed.
To be in tears means to be crying.
To burst into tears means to begin to cry suddenly.
To cry your eyes out means to cry a lot for a long time because you are very sad.

fat  overweight  large or heavy  plump  chubby  tubby  stocky  stout  flabby  obese
Fat is the more common and direct word, but it is not very polite to say to someone that they are fat. Instead of using the word fat, it is better to say:
He has put on weight.
Overweight is the more neutral word:
He is a bit overweight.
To avoid being overweight, you should cut down on calories
Large or heavy is less offensive than fat.
Mrs Ali is a large woman.
Big describes someone who is tall as well as fat.
His sister is a big girl.
Plump means slightly fat in an attractive way, often used to describe women.
Ms Hena is a plump woman.
Chubby is used mainly to describe babies, children who are fat in a pleasant healthy-looking way.
Mr Hasan’s youngest child is chubby, isn’t he?

Tubby is informally used in a friendly way to describe people who are short and round especially around the stomach.
His friends call him tubby.
Stocky , a neutral word, means fairly short, broad and strong.
Hasan is a stocky young man.
Stout is often used to describe older people who have round and heavy appearance
My friend Jamal is a stout man with a bald head.
Flabby describes flesh that is fat and loose and sounds offensive.
My uncle does not take exercise and he looks flabby.
Obese is used by doctors to describe people who are so fat that they are unhealthy.
If you eat too much and don’t take exercise, you will look obese.
Note that it is not considered polite to refer to a man’s size or weight when you talk to him

mistake  error  inaccuracy slip  howler
These are all words for a word, figure or fact that is not said, written down or typed correctly.
Mistake a word or figure that is not spoken or written correctly.
Non-native speakers often make mistakes in using English.
Make sure that you don’t make gross mistakes in pronouncing  words.
Error, (rather formal), a word, figure, etc. that is not said or written down  correctly;
There are a lot of grammatical errors in your composition.
Errors are very common in students’ writing.
Error is a more formal way of saying mistake.
Inaccuracy (rather formal) a piece of information that is not exactly correct.
Your article is marred by inaccuracies.
It is important to avoid inaccuracies when you are sending an article for publication.
Slip, a small mistake usually made by being careless or not paying attention.
While reading proof, one should pay close attention to possible slips.
Slips are always irritating.
Howler (informal, especially British) a stupid mistake especially in what it says or writes:
The report of the Enquiry Committee is full of howlers.
A howler is usually an embarrassing mistake which shows that the person who made it does not know something that he ought to know.
There are a number of howlers in the essay.

Patterns and collocations
a(n) mistake/error/ inaccuracy/ howler/ slip
a common mistake/error
a spelling/grammatical mistake/error
to make a mistake/error/ be full of mistakes/errors
to correct the mistakes/errors

storey  floor
You use storey(British) or story (American)  when you are talking about the  number of levels a building has.
I live in a 3-storey building
This building is 18-storey high.
Floor is used mainly to talk about which particular level in the building someone lives on or goes to etc.
My office is on the 6th floor of this building.

look  glance  gaze    stare    glimpse    glare

These are all words used as nouns for an act of looking when you turn your eyes in a particular direction

look: an act of looking at somebody or something: Have a look at the flowers

glance: a quick look: He stole a glance at the girls.

gaze: a long steady look at somebody or something: We gazed at the sunset.

stare: a long steady look at somebody or something, especially in a way that is unfriendly

or that shows surprise: She stared at the unknown young man when he greeted her.

glimpse: a look at somebody or something for a short time when you do not see the person or thing completely:  We caught a glimpse of the leader in the crowd.

glare: a long angry look at somebody or something: The manager fixed the demonstrators with a hostile glare.

Patterns and collocations

• a look/glance/gaze/stare/glare at somebody or something
• a glimpse of somebody or something
• with a look/glance/stare/glare
• a long penetrating piercing look
• a brief look/glance/glare
• to give somebody a look/glance/glare
• to have/get/take/steal/sneak look/glance
• to avoid somebody’s look/glare/glance

look watch  see  view  observe  regard

These words used as verbs all mean to turn your in a particular direction.

look: to turn your eyes in a particular direction.

If you look carefully, you will see a  new moon shimmering in the western sky,

watch: to look at something for a time paying attention to what is happening:

They are watching television.

see¨ to watch a game, television programme, performance, etc.

I saw an interesting film on television last night.

view(formal): to look at something, especially when you do it carefully:

People came from all over the country to view the exhibition of his paintings.

watch  see  or view ?

You can watch/ see / view/programme, but you cannot see/view television. View is more formal than see and is used especially in business context.

observe (formal) to watch somebody or something carefully, especially to learn more about them/ it.

The patient was observed over a period of time.

regard: to look at somebody or something, especially in a particular way:

He regarded the man suspiciously.

Patterns and collocations

*to look/watch for somebody or something

* to watch/observe what /who/how

* to look/watch/view/regard somebody or something with amazement or surprise

*to look at/watch/observe somebody or something carefully/closely/intently

*to watch, see ,view a programme

To watch/see/view a game/fight

old elderly  aged  long-lived  mature

These words describe somebody who has lived for a long time or that usually lives for a long time.

old: having lived for a long time; no longer young:

He is getting old. He will be seventy next year.

elderly(rather formal) used as a polite word for ‘old’:

These seats are reserved for elderly people.

aged (formal)very old:

Having aged relatives in the house can be stressful.

long-lived: having a long life; lasting for a long time:

Everyone in his family is long-lived.

mature used as a polite or humorus way of saying that someone is no longer young.: This shop sells clothes for mature men.

Patterns and collocations

*(a)an old/elderly aged/long-lived man/woman

* (an)old/ elderly/long-lived gentleman/lady/couple

*a fairly/quite/old/elderly man/woman

post  mail

In British English the official system of sending and delivering letters, parcels, etc. is called the post. In American English it is called the mail.

I ‘ll send you an application form in the post tomorrow.

Send me a copy of your book by mail/post

In British English post is also used to mean letters, parcels, packages, etc, that are delivered to you. Mail is the usual word in American English. Sometimes it is also used in British English.

Has the post/mail arrived morning?

Exercise

1. Correct the following sentences:
   1. We see television in the afternoon.
   2. He is watching the flowers.
   3. My father is an old man. He is 75.
   4. The patient is watched for a period.
   5. Choose the correct option:
   6. We (looked at/gazed at) at the sunrise. It was gorgeous.
   7. We (saw him/had a glimpse of him in the crowd.
   8. The police (saw him/regarded) him  suspiciously
   9. She was angry at his remarks. She looked at him/She glared at him.
   10. She observes television/watches television at night.

Lesson 24

More about Words Confused

job/post/position/ vacancy/placement/appointment/opening

These are all words for a particular position doing work for which you receive regular payment.

Job: a position doing work for which you receive regular payment: I am looking for a job in a company.

Post: a job, especially an important job, in a large organization: She has got an important post in the Civil Service.

Position: (rather formal) a job: He has got a senior position in the Opposition Party.

job or position?

Position usually refers to a particular job within an organization, usually at a high level and is not normally used about jobs generally. It is often used in job applications, descriptions and advertisements.

Vacancy is a job that is available for somebody: There are some vacancies in the Education Service.

Placement : a job often as part of a course in which you get experience of a particular type of work: She has got a placement in a computer programme.

Appointment (rather formal): a job or position of responsibility: This is a permanent appointment requiring hard work.

Opening: a job that is available for somebody to do: There are several openings in the Sales department of Otobi.

Vacancy or opening?

These words have the same meaning and there is very little difference in their use. Vacancy is more frequent, especially in British English. Opening is slightly more informal and is used more in American English and in financial journalism.

Patterns and collocations

1. a permanent/temporary job/position/post/vacancy/placement/appointment.
2. A full-time/part-time job post/position vacancy/appointment
3. To have/have got a job/post/vacancy/position/appointment
4. To apply for a job/post/position/vacancy
5. To hold a job/post/position
6. To fill a job/post/position/vacancy
7. To resign from/leave/quit a job/post/position

take lead escort  drive  show  guide  usher  direct

These words mean to go with somebody from one place to another

Take: to go with somebody from one place to another, for example, to show them the way to a place: The New Market is too far away; I will take you there by car.

Lead: to go with or in the right direction: go in front of somebody in order to show the way or to make them go in the right direction:  I don’t know the way to the place; you had better lead the way.

Escort: to go with somebody in order to protect or guide them or to show them the way:

The Prime Minister arrived at the conference escorted by security forces.

Drive: to take somebody to a place by car or taxi: I will drive you to the airport.

Show: to take somebody to a particular place: in the right direction or along the right way: The volunteers showed our seats in the conference room.

Guide: to show somebody the way to a place often by going with them; to show you the place you don’t know:  The assistant librarian guided us around the library.

Direct (rather formal): to tell or show somebody how to get somewhere or where to go: A young girl at the reception directed us to the Managing Director.

Patterns and collocations

1. to take/lead/escort/direct/guide somebody to/out/into something
2. to take/direct/guide/show somebody around/round
3. to take/lead/guide somebody home
4. to take/lead/guide somebody to safety
5. to lead/show the way

used to   be used to

*Do not confuse used to do something with be used to something.

* You use used to do something to talk about something that happened regularly or was the case in the past, but not now. He used to play football, but he gave up a couple years ago.

* You use be used to something/doing something to talk about something that you are familiar with so that it no longer seems new or strange to you.: We are used to hot weather in our part of the world. You can also use get used to something: Don’t worry about the noise in the street. You will get used to it.

much a lot of  lots of

*Much is used only with uncountable nouns. It is used mainly in questions and negative sentences: I don’t have much free time. Does he have much money?

*In statements a lot of or lots of (informal) is much more common: He is in export-import business and he earns a lot of money. You can also use plenty of. These phrases can also be used in questions and negative sentences.

*A lot of or lots of are still felt to informal,especially in British English, so in formal writing it is better to use much, a great deal of or a large amount of.

* Very much and a lot of can be used as adverbs: You are going abroad, so I will miss you very much. I miss my family a lot. Thanks a lot for the invitation.

Exercise

.1         Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

1. He has got a good—–

1. She occupies an important ——- in a major political party.
2. The police——the Minister to the conference room.
3. I don’t know the place. Please——the way.
4. I am writing to apply for the—–of a teacher at your school.

.1         Choose the correct option:

• Sir. Thank you (very much/a lot) for your help.
• He (gets up/used to get up) at 6 o’clock.
• I will take you home in my car./I will drive you home.
• My friend Hamid has (resigned from the job/He has quit the job.)
• There are some (vacancies/openings) in this firm.
• She has got (a placement/ an appointment) in a training programme.

Sadruddin AhmedLesson 19Transitive Phrasal Verbs
We explained and illustrated the use of some intransitive phrasal verbs in the last lesson.In this lesson we deal with some important transitive phrasal verbs:beat up (hurt someone badly): The public caught a mugger and beat him up.blot out (prevent thinking about something): W.B. Yeats was jilted by Maude Gonne but he could not blot out her image.bring about (cause):  He brought about this trouble on himself.bring along (take someone with you): Can I bring a friend along to your party?  bring back(remind something): This photo brings back some wonderful memories.  bring down(lower) The government could not bring down the prices of essential   items.  bring forward bring up): Please bring the matter forward at the next meeting.  bring in(make money):  Now that he has got a job, how much does he bring in?  bring off (cause to happen): It was a difficult job, but we managed to bring it off.  bring out (publish): We are going to bring out a journal next month.  bring round (make well again): She fainted at the party but the doctor brought her round.  bring up (raise children):  She has brought up three children.  buy up(buy everything): He bought up all the land in the surrounding area.  call off (call off): The workers have called off their strike.  call up(telephone):  I called him up last night.  carry off (succeed in doing): She was at first nervous about the task, but carried it off.  carry out (implement): We must carry out the orders of the government.  cast side (throw out): Why don’t you cast aside your old clothes?  catch up (overtake): Go ahead. I’ll catch you up.  clean out (clear out): I want to clean out this drawer.  cross out (draw a line through something): The paragraph is all wrong. Cross it out.  cut back(reduce): We must cut back our expenses.  cut down (make smaller): You should cut the article down to 2000 words.  cut off (disconnect): Our gas supply has been cut.  deal out (distribute): The company dealt out the profits among the shareholders. dig up( break the ground into small pieces): They are digging up a well.  dig up (discover information about something): Some newspapers dig up scandal.  do down( criticize someone): He is always doing me down.  do up(make oneself more attractive): Many women do themselves up before going out.  drag on(go on for a long time): The Kashmir dispute has dragged on for a long time.  drink in(look at something with interest): She sat there drinking in the sunset.   eat into( destroy or damage): Medical bills are eating into my savings.   fight off (resist): The passenger was stabbed by the mugger as he tried to fight him off.  fill in(complete a form):Fill in the application form.    find out(learn information about something); I’ll go and find out what is going on here.   fix up( arrange a meeting, date, event): We ‘ll fix up the date of the meeting.   follow up ( find out more about something): The idea is interesting and we decided to    follow it up. gather up( prepare to be brave): She gathered up courage to say ‘no’ to the proposal of marriage.  give away( tell people something secret):  He gave away the secret to the police.  give away( give something free):The shop is giving away a  pack of shampoo to every one.  give back (return something): He gave back the money he had borrowed from me.  give off( produce light or heat): This radiator  does not give off much heat.  hand in( give something to someone): He has handed in his resignation.  hand out( give something to each person in a group):The teacher handed out worksheets.  hand down( give something to someone younger): My grandmother handed down this necklace to me.  hold up( delay someone or something) Traffic was held up for several hours by the   accident.  hold down (to keep prices at a low level) The government could not hold down the prices.  hush up( prevent people from discovering something): The family hushed up the scandal.  keep back (prevent something ) Barriers were built to keep back flood waters.  keep down (control) Keep your weight down.  keep up( continue doing) Keep up the good work.  knock down( destroy a building):The City Corporation knocked down all illegal structures.  lay down( officially establish a rule): The management has laid down a policy which everybody must follow.  leave out( not to take something): Leave out butter from the menu.  let in ( allow somebody to come in); Someone is knocking on the door. Let him in.  let down( disappoint someone) Please come to my party. Don’t let me down.  note down( to write something so that you don’t forget it): I ‘ll note down your address.  pass round(offer something to everybody): Will you pass these chocolates round?  patch up ( improve relationship): They patched up the quarrel.  pay back( pay someone the money you owe): Will you lend me some money? I will pay it back tomorrow.play down(make something less important): The Ministry played down the seriousness of the disaster.  play up(emphasize a particular quality): Play up he attractive aspects of the picnic spot.  point out( make a person notice something): We must point out the importance of physical fitness.                                                                          pull down( destroy a building): The City Corporation is going to pull down all illegal buildings.  put out( publish): The party has put out a statement.  put out( turn off) Put out the light.  put on( (wear) : Put on your shoes.  put up( hang) Put up a notice.  read  out (read aloud) Please read out the minutes of the last meeting.  rinse out(wash the inside of a glass): I’ll rinse out these glasses. rip off( remove something): The boys ripped off their clothes and jumped into the water.
Exercise1.Use phrasal verbs in place of the italicized verbsa. The government cannot lower the prices of goods.b. The garment workers have withdrawn their strike.c. The tourists are enjoying the beauty of the spot.d. The chairman of the company distributed the prizes.e. Submit your homework on Thursday.f. The City Corporation has decided to demolish all unauthorized buildings.g. Settle the quarrel between yourselves.h. Mention the importance of exercise.1. Fill in the blanks with phrasal verbs:a. The boy was ——by his aunt.b. ——the application form.c. The company has——-certain rules about leave.d. As employees of this organization we should ——its merits.e. We must ——a statement in the press at once.f. The meeting has been ——g. I ‘ll —–the money I am borrowing from you.h. These socks —-  bad smell.

Lesson 18

Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs consist of two or three words. They consist of
•    a verb followed by an adverb:
The car broke down.
The rainy season has set in.He stood up.
•    a verb followed by a preposition:
She looks after her ailing mother.
He is walking across the field.
I ran into an old friend yesterday.
* a verb followed by an adverb and a preposition:
At the meeting he came up with a proposal.
I look forward to seeing you.
He broke in on her privacy.
By combining a verb and an adverb and a preposition in this way we can extend the meaning of the verb or create a new meaning different from any that the verb has on its own. Therefore you cannot always guess the meaning of a phrasal verb from the usual meanings of the verb and the adverb or preposition.
Note that phrasal verbs are never written as a single word or with a hyphen.
Some phrasal verbs are used as intransitive. Many of these are verb plus adverb combinations. Here is a list of such verbs:
back away (move away backwards): The crowd backed away as the police approached.
back down (to admit that one is wrong): The chairman backed down and apologized.
boil over ( liquid flowing over the edge of the pan): Take the milk off the heat. It is boiling over.
break away (leave an organization): Some people broke away from the main party and formed a new one.
break out (something unpleasant starts): Last night a fire broke out in a slum.
cloud over (become cloudy): The sky suddenly clouded over and it began to rain.
catch on (become popular): This fashion is likely to catch on.
come about (happen): Tell us how the problem came about.
come along(go somewhere with someone): We are going for a walk. Would you like to come along?
come down(become lower): Inflation is coming down.
come forward( offer to give help): Nobody came forward to help the old man.
come off( become separated from something): I opened the drawer and the knob came off.
come on(said to encourage someone to hurry): Come on. We are going to be late if we don’t hurry.
come out( appear in the sky): The stars have come out.
come round (become well): She fainted because of the heat but soon came round.
come up(to be mentioned): A number of points came up at the meeting.
crop up(happen or appear unexpectedly): Problems will crop up but we will deal with them.
cut in(interrupt):  Don’t cut in when your boss is speaking.
die down (stop): The teacher came in and the noise died down.
die out( stop existing): The plants are dying out for lack of rain.
dine out(eating in a restaurant): We will dine out tomorrow.
doze off( fall asleep): After a heavy meal some people doze off.
drop down( fall down): The runner was so exhausted that he dropped down.
drop in( visit someone):  Please drop in whenever you find time.
drop out ( stop doing something ): Many students drop out without completing their course.
fade away ( slowly disappear):  As we grow older, the memories of our childhood fade away.
fade out ( become weaker) The sound of the film has faded out.:
fall back ( retreat): As the allied forces advanced, the enemy fell back.
fall behind (fail to do something fast enough): He neglects his studies and so he is falling behind his classmates.
fall out (come out): He is worried because his hair is falling out.
fight back( resist): If you attack somebody, he might run away or fight back.
fizzle out ( fail): He undertook a number of projects but they all fizzled out.
fool around ( behave in a silly way): Don’t fool around with fire arms.
get about( move about): After the operation, he is too weak to get about.
get along ( have a good relationship): How are you getting along with your boss?
get by ( be able live by having just enough of something you need):  He earns
enough to get by.
get away (run away): The police chased the mugger, but he got away.
get off (alight): I will get off at the next station.
get on (board a vehicle): The bus was so crowded that I couldn’t get on..
get out (come out): The door was locked and the people inside could not get out.
grow up( become bigger): The child is growing up well.
hang around (loiter around): Many young people hang around cinema halls.
hang on (wait a minute): Hang on a minute. I will come in a moment.
hang together(to be coherent): Your story does not hang together.
hold on (wait): Hold on. He is coming.
hold out ( resist): The enemy will not be able to hold out much longer. Their provisions have run out.
lie back(relax): Don’t worry. Lie back. Everything is going to be all right.
look back (think about something that happened in the past): When I look back, I have no regrets.
look in( visit): Look in whenever you find time.
move off (go away): The car moved off slowly.
pass away (die): His father passed away yesterday.
pay up (make payment): You must pay up your dues by the first week of the month.
pop up (appear unexpectedly): He popped up unexpectedly.
push ahead (go forward): Whatever may be the difficulties, we must push ahead.
ring off (stop talking on the phone):  The caller has rung off.
run away( leave hurriedly): With the arrival of the police, the muggers ran away.
run out( supply exhausted): We have run out of sugar.
set in (begin): The rainy season has set in.
settle down ( start living in a place for a long time): He has married and settled down.
shop around (to compare the price or quality of items in various shops): She often shops around.
sink in ( become understood): Speak slowly so that your words may sink in.
sit back (relax): Don’t worry. Sit back.
speak up (to express one’s thoughts and feelings): Let him speak up for himself.
spring up (to get up quickly): He sprang up to protest.
stand down (to give up a position): In spite of the agitation against him, the President refused to step down.
stand out (become prominent): His sacrifice stands out as a shining example for others.
stay in ( remain indoors): There is disturbance in the city. We had better stay in.
walk out (leave a place angrily): The opposition walked out from Parliament yesterday.
Exercise
1.    Fill in the blanks with phrasal verbs:
a.    She did not cook yesterday. She——-
b.    He is ——other students.
c.    His scheme was impractical and ——-
d.    I am——–for a walk.
e.    She was sick, but she has now ——
f.    When the bus stopped, a number of passengers——.
g.    The mugger ——–before the police arrived.
h.    The plants ——-for lack of water.
i.    He was attacked, but he —–
1.    Rewrite the following sentences replacing the single word verbs with phrasal verbs:
a.    Extinguish the cigarette before going out.
b.    His father died yesterday.
c.    He refused to resign his position.
d.    Some unexpected problems have arisen.
e.    He left hurriedly.
f.    The shouting stopped.
g.    Winter has started.
h.    They surrendered.
i.    They have established a clinic.

It is really hope-inspiring that with the increased demand of English as a language of communication both in academic and employment environment in our country, the percentage of people using this language efficiently is also rising dramatically. It is no more surprising as well now-a-days when you see a middle aged employee going to language classes not for personal interest, but for promotion prospect or for catering to the newly emerged urgency in the current job. The mounting circulation of the English newspapers also bears the testimony to how positive the overall trend is. However, like many other Asian people, despite all the pragmatic applications of English as a communicative language, it is both amusing and sad to observe how many of us have been recurrently making some wrong uses of English words and phrases. The mistaken uses are so popular that even the correct use of them is considered as gross mistakes. Well, these things happen in every language.

The two most popular mistakes are probably the use of HOTEL and LIBRARY in the kind of sentences like ‘I had my lunch at a nearby hotel’ or ‘I am going to the library to buy some books’. A native speaker will surely find these sentences too difficult to understand since hotels are not places for eating and no libraries in the world sell books. Shouldn’t we try to go to a RESTAURANT for meal and to a BOOKSTALL for buying books? Now if you look over the restaurants and libraries of your town and try to match the signboards declaring what they are— you will get a pleasant surprise! How long has this bizarre culture been practised dauntlessly? Who knows!

Many of us still think that the reply to ‘How do you do?’ is ‘Fine, thanks’ because ‘How do you do’ and ‘How are you’ are homogenous in meaning. But in reality ‘How do you do?’ is a greeting sentence usually used during getting acquainted with someone and the reply is as it is: ‘How do you do?’. It sounds like HI or HELLO. It makes no sense indeed to translate this as ‘kemon aso?’.  Then let us consider the use of TAKE in ‘She is going to take an exam.’ Now, you really cannot blame anyone who understands that she is a teacher. Because in Bengali TAKE means neya. But in this sentence ‘take exam’ means ‘sit for the exam’ while ‘to give exam’ is the responsibility of a teacher. Again, there are some words/phrases many of us use in everyday conversation like ‘departmental store’, ‘electric bill’ ‘footpath’ ‘go marketing’, ‘more superior than somebody/something’ ‘take a decision’, ‘discuss about the matter’, ‘last morning/afternoon/evening’, ‘He got married with his cousin’, I am accustomed with working late at night’, which all are but great mistakes. A department store might belong to a department, (which makes it departmental) but definitely not all them are so. And if the bill is ever electric, it must be run by electricity; please say electricity bill. The meaning of footpath is usually a country road; the kind of roads that wind down the villages, but the thing we want to mean is actually ‘sidewalk’ or ‘pavement’. And let’s note the rest of the corrections— go shopping, ‘superior to somebody/something’, ‘make a decision’, ‘discuss the matter’, ‘yesterday (in the) morning/afternoon/evening’, ‘he got married to his cousin’ and ‘I am accustomed to working late at night’ instead.

A few days back someone wrote a mail to me asking for a CD. She wrote, ‘Since my pc got a heard disc crash, I have lost all my important data including the audio for meditation. Do you have an audio of that kind? I hardly need it.’ Now, at a general glance you may not notice the flawed part in the sentences of the letter. But it is the very last sentence ‘I hardly need it’ that means ‘I rarely need it’ which goes totally contradictory to the sense produced by the earlier sentences. ‘I greatly need it’ could have been all right. Similarly, ‘He works hardly’ will be ‘He works hard’. Here ‘Hard’ and ‘Hardly’ both are adverbs, but the former is an adverb of manner, while the later is an adverb of frequency. I can also remember calling a tool ‘plus’ until a few years back. Do you know what it actually is? It is ‘pliers’. What about half pants? When I was younger, I used to wear half pants. Well, I am sorry; it is short pant. Can you imagine what it would be like if there were a real half pant in the world and you had to wear it?

Apart from the misuses and wrong uses of English words/phrases, we also are careless regarding the pronunciation. There are a lot of words we have been mispronouncing for ages and never felt the urge to look up and find the phonetic transcription. Would you please try pronouncing the following words and then check with the help of a Cambridge or Oxford talking dictionary? Here they are: Rendezvous, learned (adj), saliva, blimey, stifle, comfortable, invitation, castle, debut, comfy, difference, loose, lose, visa, sugar, leisure, laser, shed, shade, residence.

Mistakes are made by all of us. Sometimes they are made as the most undesirable by the most reliable. Nobody should be shocked to see even a minister or a scholar make mistakes because those are accidental, slip of tongue. That is the reason why a few days back, following a sudden lay-off in some of our garment factories, when I heard one of our ministers (while talking to TV men) using the word ‘lay-out’ to mean ‘lay off’, believe me, I was not shocked and surprised! We all believe in the maxim— To err is human.

Let us make mistakes and learn from them. In fact, we are not committing any crimes. I do not know who this wise man was who said, ‘Success is the distance between two mistakes’, but I salute him. And finally, I do expect that at least before celebrating the next ‘International Mother Language Day’ we can make sure that we do not make the wrong use of any English and of course our mother tongue Bengali.

Lesson 14

More about Transitive Verbs
In lesson 13 we explained and illustrated the use of transitive verbs. Since most verbs in English are transitive, we have classified these verbs into a number of groups. In this lesson we illustrate transitive verbs which require adjuncts after their objects. The adjuncts are prepositional phrases beginning with a particular preposition after their object. Here is a list of verbs which take particular preposition:

regard as:    Everybody regards Socrates as a very wise man.
view as   :   Many people view the political situation in the country as alarming.
mistake for: I mistook you for one of my students.
prevent from: The police prevented the mob from causing violence.
deprive of:   No one should deprive the people of their legal rights.
remind of : May I remind you of your duties?
rob of:       The criminals robbed him of his wallet.
attribute to: He attributed his failure to carelessness.
compare to:  The poet compared his beloved to a rose.
confine to:  The police confined the prisoners to their cells.
return to:   Return the book to the library in a week’s time.
subject to: The police subjected him to interrogation while he was on remand.
pelt with: The boys pelted the frogs with stones.

With the following verbs, there is a choice of prepositions:

divide by: 10 divided by 5 equals 2.
divide into  Divide the essay into a number of paragraphs.
incorporate in/into: We will incorporate your suggestions in/into the final recommendation.
base on/upon: The report is based on/upon solid evidence.
lavish on/upon:  She lavishes money on/upon her grandchildren.
present to: He presented a camera to her niece on her birthday.
present with: They presented the child with a lot of toys.
supply to: The NGOs supplied food and medicine to the flood victims.
supply with: They supplied the victims with relief materials.

Other transitive verbs are typically followed by adjuncts of place:

place: She placed the baby on her lap.
put: She put the cup of tea on the table.
position: They positioned the table near the window.
escort: He escorted her to the party.
set: Set the bed by the window.
store: Store the food in the kitchen.
lay:  He laid the book on the bed.

Note that even verbs which are almost always followed by direct objects can occasionally be used intransitively. This is possible in very restricted contexts. For example, if you are contrasting two actions, it is not necessary say what else is involved:
Markets are places where people buy and sell.
Some people build, while others destroy.
There are people who give, while others take.
If you list different verbs for emphasis, you do not need to name the object:
They are determined to argue, defy and threaten.
He wants to forgive and forget.
Verbs which describe feelings and attitudes can sometimes be used without an object:
She is anxious to help.
He would like to please.

Transitive verbs with reflexive pronoun as object:

If an action involves two different people but you want to talk about a case where the same person is involved twice, you can use a reflexive pronoun as the object of the verb. For example, we usually blame someone when something goes wrong, but you can say ‘I blame myself for the accident’ if you are the only person involved in the blaming. A few verbs are typically used with reflexive pronouns:

She blamed herself for getting a poor grade.
May I introduce myself to you?
We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
Don’t distress yourself for my sake.
Elizabeth prided herself on her intelligence.
Don’t deceive yourself
He prefers to shave himself before breakfast.
You are old enough to behave yourself.
You must try to adapt yourself to any situation.
He is capable of expressing himself effectively.
Don’t strain yourself by over exercise.
We must ask ourselves some questions.
You can do the job very well if you exert yourself.
He availed himself of the opportunity that came his way.
I have reconciled myself to the idea of living in Dhaka.
He seated himself on the sofa.
You should adjust yourself to the changed circumstances.
He applied himself to learning how Islamic banking works.
He disengaged himself from the tangle he was involved in.
I find myself unable to recommend the article for publication.

Exercise
1.    Complete the following sentences with adjuncts after the objects:
a.    You object to the decision of the enquiry committee, but what do you
base your objection —–?
b.    I regard the situation on the University campus—–explosive.
c.    The book is divided——six chapters.
d.    I will incorporate your suggestions——the next edition of the book.
e.    Would you please present a copy of your book—–me?
2 Make your own sentences with the following verbs:
apply     enjoy    put    place
lay         set        pelt    subject
remind   compare        return
3.Correct the following sentences:
a. The company deprived the employees their legal dues.
b. The police prevented the crowd to enter the arena.
c. He lavished his wife a lot of jewellery.
d. They entrusted the nurse the task of looking after their sick father.
e. I reminded him his responsibility.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and which can be followed by the prepositions indicated:

answerable to         dependant on       incumbent on       parallel to
answerable for       dependent upon      incumbent upon      parallel with
burdened by           immune from       insensible of        reliant on
burdened with       immune to            insensible to         reliant upon
connected to          inclined to            intent on              stricken by
connected with       inclined towards      intent upon            stricken with

Examples

answerable to (having to explain your action to somebody in authority over you):
He is a businessman.
He is not answerable to anybody.
answerable for (responsible for something and ready to accept punishment or criticism                   for it):
Ministers should be responsible for their decisions.
burdened by (give somebody a duty that causes worry or difficulty):
He is burdened by high taxation.
burdened with:
He is burdened with a large family.
connected to: (something is joined to something else):
The printer is not connected to the computer.
connected with (make a link with somebody or something):
He is not connected with the crime.
dependent on/upon( affected or decided by something):
He is too old to work. He is dependent on/upon his children.
immune to( affected by a particular disease):
He is immune to measles.
immune from (protected from something and so is able to avoid it):
No one should be immune from prosecution.
inclined to/towards(tend to think or behave in a particular way):
I am inclined to agree with you.
incumbent on/upon(necessary as part of somebody’s duty):
It is incumbent on us to attend the ceremony.
insensible of(not aware of situation or that might happen):
We are were insensible of the risks involved in the task.
insensible to( unable to feel something):
He was insensible to pain.
intent on/upon (determined to do something):
He is intent on/ upon going abroad.
reliant on (depend on):
This organization is reliant on charity.
stricken(seriously affected by/with):
The family is stricken by poverty.

To complete the meaning of some adjectives which are used predicatively, you need to use ‘to’-infinitive following the adjectives. For example, you cannot just say: ‘I am unable’. You have add a ‘to’ infinitive: ‘to go there’.

Here is a list of adjectives which are always or nearly always followed by ‘to’-infinitives:
able      due     inclined      loath      unwilling
bound  fated       liable          prepared  willing
doomed      fit          likely      unable
Examples
He was able to complete his course in time.
The exam is due to begin next month.
I am inclined to think that he is efficient.
He is loath (not willing) to accept the job.
She is unwilling to marry the man chosen by her parents.
He is bound (likely to happen) to pass the exam.
He was fated to die young
You are liable to be expelled for cheating in the exam.
He is prepared (ready) to accept any well-paid job.
I am willing to help you.
Your efforts are doomed to fail.
He is fit to work hard.
He neglected his studies, so he is likely to fail in the exam.
I am unable to recommend you for the job.

We can use a ‘to’-infinitive after many other adjectives to give more information about something.
Examples
He was afraid to go out in the dark.
I am happy to see you.
He was powerless to do anything about the problem
She was ashamed to tell her mother about her secret marriage.
This lesson is easy to follow.
I am sorry to disturb you.
I am glad to receive your letter.
When adjectives which refer to someone’s beliefs or feelings  are used predicatively they are often followed by a that-clause.
Here is a list of common adjectives which are often followed by a that -clause:
Afraid        certain        happy        sorry        upset
angry         confident    pleased     sure         worried
anxious      frightened       proud       surprised
aware       glad           sad       unaware
Examples
He is afraid that he might miss the bus.
She is angry that she has lost her necklace.
We are anxious that she is not recovering from her heart attack.
I am aware that our English is poor.
We are certain that he will do well in the exam.
I am confident that he will win in the election.
She is frightened that she may not get the job.
I am glad that your mother is getting well.
We are happy that you have done well in the exam.
We are proud that you have come first in the competition.
I was unaware that she had got married.
She was upset that her father was ill.
I was pleasantly surprised that he was awarded the first prize in the essay competition.
We are worried that she has failed in the exam.

Exercise
1.Make your own sentences with the following adjectives:
accustomed  adjacent  similar  injurious
devoted  fond  incapable  heedless  full
2.Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:
He is not answerable—-anybody.
She is stricken—-an incurable disease.
It is incumbent—–us to abide by the rules
I am prepared——-face any situation.
He is unwilling ——step down from his position.
3.Complete the following sentences with a that-clause:
She is confident ——
I am sorry—–
We are happy—-
He is sure—–
She anxious—-

More about Adjectives

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively (after the linking verbs) and are followed by the preposition ‘to’:
Accustomed    close     prone     resistant    adjacent    conducive    proportional   similar        allergic        devoted    proportionate        subjectattributable       impervious      reconciled         subservient
attuned               injurious       related            susceptible
averse                integral         resigned          unaccustomed

Examples
Accustomed to (something that we usually do):
We are accustomed to three meals a day.
Close to (near):     His school is close to the mosque.
Prone to (likely to suffer from something):     He is prone to accidents.
Resistant to (opposing something and trying to stop it happening):
Elderly people are often resistant to change.
Adjacent to (next to or near something): My house is adjacent to my office.
Conducive to (providing the right conditions for something good to happen): Walking is conducive to health.
Proportional to (appropriate size, amount or degree): Salary is proportional to qualification and experience.
Similar to (the same as): His income is similar to mine.
Allergic to (having an allergy to something): She is allergic to milk.
Devoted to (having great love for something or somebody): He is devoted to his family.
Proportionate to (increasing or decreasing according to changes in something else): The number of accidents is proportionate to the increased volume of traffic.
Subject to (likely to be affected by something): We are all subject to death.
Attributable to (probably cause by the thing mentioned): His failure is attributable to his            neglect of studies.
Impervious to (a person who is not influenced or affected by something): He is impervious to criticism…
Reconciled to (We accept it though we are not happy about It.): Most people are reconciled to their fate.
Subservient to (You do whatever someone wants you to do): The press is subservient                    to the management
Attuned to(able to understand and appreciate something): Her mood is attuned to the festive occasion.
Injurious to (harmful): Smoking is injurious to health.
Related to (connected): He is related to a high-ranking official.
Susceptible to (easily influenced or harmed by something): She is susceptible to cold.
Averse to (strongly disliking or opposed): He is averse to smoking.
Integral to (necessary or important as a part): Clubs are integral to the social life of the              city.
Resigned to (calmly accept something unpleasant): The party is resigned to its defeat in the election.
Unaccustomed (not used to) He is unaccustomed to getting up early in the morning.

There are a few adjectives which are followed by the preposition ‘of’ when they are used predicatively (after the linking verbs).

Here is a list of those verbs:
Aware               desirous          heedless           mindful
Bereft                devoid             illustrative       reminiscent
Capable              fond                incapable         representative
Characteristic     full                  indicative

Aware (knowing that something exists): I am aware of my weaknesses.
Bereft (lacking something or feeling great loss): With his wife dead, he is bereft of all hope.
Capable (able to do things effectively or achieve something): Although old, he is capable of hard work.
Characteristic (typical of a person or thing): Hospitality is characteristic of this family.
Desirous (wanting something) He is desirous of meeting you.
Devoid (to lack or be without something): He is completely devoid of common sense.
Fond (like something very much): She is fond of music.
Full (very happy): He is full of joy.
indicative of his lack of interest in the issue.

There are a few adjectives which are followed by the preposition ‘with’ when they are used predicatively (after the linking verbs). Here is a list of those adjectives:

Compatible        conversant       fraught       tinged
Consonant         filled                riddled

Compatible (ideas, methods which are able to exist together without causing problems): His conduct is not compatible with his precept.
Conversant (knowing about something): You need to become fully conversant with the rules of this company.
Consonant (something that fits or agrees with something else very well): His work is consonant with his way of thinking.
Fraught (filled with something unpleasant); The problem is fraught with danger.
Tinged (to add a small amount of particular emotion or quality): His voice was tinged with
Remorse.
Filled (make something full): Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears.
Riddled (make a lot of holes in somebody): His body was riddled with bullets.

Exercise
1. Make your own sentences with the following adjectives
Accustomed         close       prone         adjacent       similar
Devoted     impervious       related         injurious     averse
Incapable resistant        desirous     subject      bereft
2. Complete the following sentences with appropriate adjectives:
a.    She is—–of chutney.
b.    He is not——of the danger facing him.
c.    She is—–of writing correct English.
d.    He is—-of pride.
e.    His answers are—–of his carelessness.
f.    He is—–of the consequences of his actions
1.    Complete the following sentences with appropriate prepositions after the adjectives:
a.    His conduct is not compatible——his position.
b.    The glass is filled ——milk.
c.    He is reconciled——to his defeat in the election.
d.    Smoking is not conducive—–good health.
e.    He is mindful——his obligations to his family.
f.    She is prone—-accidents.