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Learning a new language is never easy. Below you will find ten common mistakes among students of English as a second language. Even if you are a native English speaker I guess you could use a reminder on some of them.
Allude and Elude
Speakers and writers sometimes use the word “elude” when they mean “allude.” Sometimes they use “allude’ when they mean “refer.”
Word of the Day: Quintessence
Quintessence is the most important part of anything. It can also mean the pure essence of a substance.
Divine Passive Voice
Most writers know the difference between active and passive voice. In active voice, there’s a clearly identified agent performing an action:
Can You Write “Mifiction”?
I’ve discovered a new word for “interactive fiction” and a contest to go with it: mifiction.
Word of the Day: Jettison
Jettison is a verb that means to throw goods overboard to make a vessel in danger of wreck lighter or more stable. People often use it in a figurative sense, though, where it means to discard something.
On the Use of “Nemesis”
Chris Mentzer asks: “What is the difference between enemy and nemesis? What is the purpose of using the word ‘Arch’ before each?”
The Negative Prefix il-
A reader writes: I used to hear from my history teacher in high school that the word “illegal” isn’t actually a word. I never followed up on that notion, but I suppose from popular usage, “illegal” has become legitimized. Do you have any etymological info on that?