English Archives - Page 3 of 4

Choose vs select vs pick vs opt: what is the difference?

September 21, 2021English

This group of words can be very confusing for learners because they are so close but so far. If you use them in the wrong context, it will immediately sound off for a native speaker. Of course, many other groups…

Nose words – smell, stench, stink, odor, aroma, scent, reek: what is the difference?

September 14, 2021English

English has a lot of "smell words" related to what we sense with our noses. They each have a distinct meaning that I will explain in this post. smell is a neutral word about something you sense with your nose…

Exceed or surpass: what is the difference?

September 7, 2021English

In the current world of statistics and trends, we are always seeing how the current statistics compare to previous statistics. Because of this, English learners will notice we use the words exceed or surpass often. They are used in similar…

In or after: what’s the difference?

August 24, 2021English

I've heard a lot of English learners misuse in or after. I understand why it can be confusing. Most likely, your native language does not have a similar distinction. However, mixing up in or after will instantly sound wrong to…

Headphones, earphones, headsets, or earbuds?

August 17, 2021English

We use headphones almost everyday. Because of this, we need to learn how to discuss them in English. As an English learner, you might have seen the words "headphones," "earphones," "headsets," or "earbuds," and some people use them interchangeably? Is…

Pull or draw: what is the difference?

August 10, 2021English

A lot of learners are confused and have a difficult time choosing pull or draw in their English sentences. In their native language, they might be the same. Also, it may seem like "draw" has so many disconnected meanings. You…

Provide vs give: what is the difference?

August 3, 2021English

Some English-learning sources give the wrong impression about the words provide and give. Provide is not the formal version of give. These two words are describing totally different things. In English, we don't have such a strong distinction between formal…

Been to vs. gone to: what is the difference?

July 20, 2021English

This pair of been to or gone to is really confusing, and that is okay. I understand why people mix them up. If someone has another native language like French, it is probably the same thing. In English, however, we…

How to use “over” correctly in English

July 13, 2021English

I've gotten a lot of questions about over in English. It has so many uses, but they are all so different. It can change part of speech, and with each change it has an unpredictably different meaning. What are those…

Accidentally or inadvertently: what is the difference?

July 6, 2021English

These two words, accidentally or inadvertently, are really similar, so I completely understand if you get confused by them. After explaining the differences between so many words, I can tell when learners will have trouble understanding nuances. Most likely these…