Language Help Archives - Page 4 of 6

5 P’s of spreading ideas: propaganda words in English

October 5, 2021English

It is important to talk about how we change people's minds and how ideas are spread in English, that is, propaganda words in English. This is a common topic for natives, and learners of English should know why natives chose…

When you need to change the French past participle

September 28, 2021French

A friend of mine just recently asked me this question about the French past participle. Fortunately, I am the authority on this issue according to that person. The question was: when do you need to change the French past participle?…

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…

C’est or il est: what’s the difference?

August 31, 2021French

This grammar in French can be a problem for many learners because it is so common but so untranslatable. Even neighboring languages don’t have the exact same grammar distinction. How can you know if you should choose c’est or il…

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…