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Guide to English
Activity pack

GUIDE TO ENGLISH

ACTIVITY PACK

Welcome
This activity pack helps you improve your written english skills. It includes lots of hints and tips about how to write and communicate effectively with colleagues and customers.

Contents
1 2 3 4

Frequently Misspelled Words . . . . . . . 1 Confusables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Punctuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Weighty Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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Frequently Misspelled Words

Introduction
Listed below is a list frequently misspelled words. It has been collated with our business in mind and is useful as a reference guide when you are writing to customers or colleagues. A absence absorption accept access accessible accommodate achievement acknowledge acquaintance acquire acquisition address adequate adviser advisor affect aggravate agreeable all right amateur analysis analyse anonymous anxiety apologise apparent appearance appropriate argument arrangement assess assist auxiliary awful

bachelor beginning believed

benecial beneted bookkeeper

breadth breathe budgeted

bureaucracy business

catalogue cate.g.ory cemetery changeable chaos cigarette clue

colleague commitment committed committee companies compatible comparative

competence complementary complimentary congratulate connoisseur conscientious conscious

consensus consistent convenience correspondence correspondent corroborate council

counsel courteous courtesy

deceive decient dependant dependent describe

description desirable deterrent develop disappear

disappoint discipline discreet discrepancy dissatisfaction

distributor drought

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ef ciency eighth eliminated embarrassment

enthusiasm equipment equipped essential

exaggerated exceed excel excellence

exercise exhausted extremely

fallacy familiar favourite

feasible nancial foreign

forty full fullled

fullment

gauge genuine

government grammar grievance

guarantee guard

happiness harassment height

heroes honorary honour

humorous humour hypocrisy

imaginary immediately implement inadvertent

incidentally independent indispensable inuential

install instalment intelligence irrelevant

irresistible

judgement

judicial

knowledge

laboratory le.g.itimate leisure

liable liaison licence

likeable likelihood loneliness

losing lying likelihood

maintenance manageable manoeuvre

marriage mediocre Mediterranean

memento miscellaneous missile

misspell mortgage

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necessary negotiable

nevertheless niece

ninetieth noticeable

necessary

occasionally occur

occurred occurrence

omission omit

omitted outrageous

parallel parliament particularly pastime peculiar perceive

permanent permissible perseverance persistence persuade phenomenon

precede predecessor preference preferred preliminary privilege

professional pronunciation propeller proprietary psychology

questionnaire

quiet

received recommend reference

referred relieve repetition

rescind responsibility restaurant

rhythm ridiculous

scarcely seize sergeant

serviceable sincerely skilful

subtle successful supersede

suppress surprising synonymous

technical, technology temporary

tendency tragedy

transfer transferred

transient twelfth

unnecessary

vacuum

volume

weird

withhold

yield

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Confusables

Introduction
Listed below is a list of frequently confused words.

accept except adverse averse advice advise affect effect

To accept is a verb, e.g. Yes, Ill accept your offer. Except is a preposition, e.g. Everyones going except me. Both these words are adjective showing a degree of hostility, e.g. The launch met an adverse reception; they were averse to the product. Adverse is stronger than averse. Averse is usually used in the form he is averse to... Advice is a noun, e.g. Please accept my advice. Advise is the verb, e.g. Please advise me on this problem.

Affect is almost always used as a verb, e.g. That wine affected me badly. Effect can be used as a noun, e.g. That wine had a bad effect on me. It can also be used as a verb when it means to bring something about, e.g. To effect a reconciliation means to make a reconciliation happen. Alternately means one after the other, e.g. When you walk you use alternate feet. Alternatively means in the alternative where someone has a choice between to possibilities, e.g. You can have soup, or alternatively, you can have a prawn cocktail. These are both prexes. Ante means before, as in ante-natal. Anti means against, as in anti-smoking.

alternately alternatively ante anti complement compliment council counsel

To complement something is to make it complete. To compliment someone is to praise them. Free tickets are complimentary ones.

A Council is a noun, as in Local Council of which a member is a Councillor. Counsel may be a verb or a noun. To counsel someone is to give them advice, as does a Marriage Guidance Counsellor. When used as a noun it means advice or, when referring to a person, a barrister. Someone who is disinterested is acting impartially, not out of self-interest. Someone who is uninterested is bored.

disinterested uninterested

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emigrant immigrant eminent imminent ensure insure formally formerly its its lend borrow lie lay peace piece personal personnel practice practise precede proceed

Which of these words you use to describe someone moving from one country to another depends on your point of view. If that person is leaving the country you are in, she or he will be an emigrant. If she or he is entering the country you are in, he or she is an immigrant. An eminent person is an important or famous one. An imminent event is one which is about to happen.

To ensure is to make sure. To insure something is to take out an insurance policy on it, e.g. I have ensured that all of my possessions are insured.

Formally is the opposite of informally, whereas formerly means previously.

Its means it is, or it has. The apostrophe shows the letter i is missing. Its is the equivalent of my, her, their, etc, when applied to a thing, e.g. The doors come off its hinge. Its useless now. The owner lends; the borrower borrows. Lend to, borrow from.

To lie is to tell a lie or lie down; you do this yourself. To lay is to put someone or something down; you do it to something or someone else.

Peace is the absence of war or noise. Piece is a part or bit.

Personnel is concerned with a lot of people (a companys personnel); personal is private.

Practice is the noun, e.g. Some practice would help you improve. Practise is the verb, e.g. You must practise if you want to improve. The same rule applies as for advice and advise.

To precede is to go before, e.g. The meeting will be preceded by lunch. To proceed is to go ahead, e.g. Please proceed with the meeting without me.

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principal principle

Where principal is used as a noun it means the head of something, e.g. of a training college. Where principal is used as an adjective it means main, or chief, e.g. The principal reason for the drop in sales is the dif culty in delivering on time. Principle is always used as a noun. It means a fundamental belief, e.g. I never work on Sundays on principle. Sight is to do with eyes and seeing; site is to do with place of location.

sight site specially especially stationary stationery storey story teach learn their there theyre to too two where were whether weather whose whos

Specially means for a particular purpose, e.g. This was made specially for you. Especially means unusually or to a high degree, e.g. This is especially good work.

Stationary means unmoving, xed - it is an adjective. Stationery is a noun referring to pens, paper etc.

Storey means oors as in a ve-storey building. Story means tale as in fairy story.

Teachers teach things to others. Learners learn things from others.

Their is the equivalent of his or her when referring to more than one person. There is the opposite of here. Theyre is they are with an apostrophe to show the a is missing.

To is used as in going to a place. Too is used to show an excess or for emphasis, e.g. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Two equals 2.

Where is to do with place, e.g. Where? - There! Were is part of the verb to be - we were.

Whether means if. Weather is about the climate, e.g. I wonder whether the weather will be ne.

Whose is used to show possession of something, e.g. The person whose of ce is on the ground oor... Whose of ce is it? Whos is the equivalent of who is. The apostrophe indicates the i is missing.

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3
. ! ; : ?

Punctuation
full stop exclamation mark comma hyphen semicolon apostrophe colon question mark

The Comma
To show a short pause, we use a comma. Use a comma in the following:

Compound Sentences
Unless the sentence is extremely short, use a comma between two independent or main clauses (those that express a complete thought) joined by and. She left to go shopping at Harrodss, and I began to weed the garden.

Items in a series
He bought shoes, socks, a jumper and a tie.

These can be put into three groups: marks that divide or end sentences marks that show emotion marks that indicate conversation If you think about it, it would be very dif cult to read a story aloud without these marks. How would you know when to end a sentence, or express surprise, or hesitate in the middle of a sentence? Perhaps punctuation was invented to allow us to imitate speech in our writing. Someone giving a speech has to stop every few seconds or run out of breath. The speechmaker puts his or her ideas together in sentences and stops at the end of each sentence. In writing, we use a full stop to show this. Lets put the pause marks in order of length, with increasing length from left to right:

Direct Address
When the form of address is in the middle of the sentence, the address must be set off by two commas - one before and one after. Remember, children, to clean your rooms.

Appositives
Appositives are nouns that explain, repeat, or stand in the same position as other nouns. David, our accountant, is on holiday.

Parenthetical Words, Phrases Or Clauses

All these items simply add information. You can remove them from a sentence without changing the essential meaning. His strategy, however, backfired.

Missing Words
Sometimes words can be replaced by a comma. To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Between adjectives of equal weight not linked by and

The cage was filled with angry, snarling lions.

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Before and after nonrestrictive clauses

The cover, which was designed by our staff, is riveting.

The Colon
The colon is used to introduce, supplement, explain or add something to a sentence. What precedes the colon should be a complete sentence. Use a colon in the following cases:

After exclamations such a Oh or Yes

Oh, dear, what can the matter be?

Before of when it denotes a place of residence

The speaker was John Harris, of Norwich.

After an introductory statement containing the words as follows or following

We will discuss the following types of problems: poor planning, sporadic communication, and defective parts.

The Semicolon
A longer pause might call for a semicolon. Use a semicolon in the following cases.

To add emphasis to a strong statement

Only one course was open to the president: to fire the secretary.

Between independent clauses when the conjunction is omitted

I am going to the pool; I will be back for tea.

The Apostrophe
The apostrophe causes a lot of trouble. It has the following uses:
It can show the leaving out of a letter of letters, as in cant for cannot. Of course, you can write out the word and not worry about the apostrophe. This will make your writing sound formal and precise.

To separate items in a series when at least one of the items already contains a comma
The representatives are going to the conference in London: Kathy Briggs, IBM; Roger Greene, HewlettPackard; and Tom Parker, Dell.

To separate elements of a series that are two long of complex for commas
Parking spaces reserved for disabled persons should be as close as possible to building entrances; kerbs in the route of travel should have kerb cuts or ramps; and all walks should be level.

It can be used to show possession:

Somebody elses child or Marys dog.

The Exclamation Mark

The exclamation mark should rarely be used in business or technical writing.

The Hyphen
The most important use of a hyphen is for connecting compound words like: coat-ofarms, make believe, etc.
Garfield is a well-fed cat.

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Weighty Words

B
instead of try
handle, deal with by, with be responsible for by means of

Introduction
Weighty words can cause ugly bulges in sentences. Short words are the trademark of a good writer. Heres a list of weighty words and their lean substitutes. Keep this list handy, exercise daily and watch your writing ow faster.

C
instead of
category combined comply with comprise concerning concur consequently constitutes construct contains continue contribute

try
class, group joint follow form, include, make up about, on agree so is, forms, makes up build has keep on give

A
instead of
abbreviate accelerate accompany accomplish accordingly accumulate accurate achieve acquaint with acquire additional adjacent advance planning advantageous aircraft alteration anticipate a number of

try
shorten speed up go with carry out, do so gather correct, exact, right do, make tell gain, get more, added, other next to planning helpful plane change expect some, approximately, about

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D
instead of
delete demonstrate depart designate desire determine develop disclose discontinue disseminate do not due to the fact that during the time that

F
try
cut, drop show leave appoint, choose wish decide, nd grow, make show drop, stop issue, mail, send out dont since while

instead of
facilitate factor failed to feasible females nal nalise for a period of for example forfeit for the purpose of forward function

try
help cause, reason didnt can be done, workable women last complete, nish for such as give up, lose because, for send role, work

E
instead of
echelons effect elect eliminate encounter endeavour ensure establish evaluate evident examine expertise explain

H
try
levels make choose, pick cut, drop meet try make sure set up, prove, show check, rate, test clear look at skill show, tell

instead of
however

try
but

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i
instead of
identical immediately implement in accordance with in addition in an effort to inasmuch as in conjunction with incorporate incumbent upon indicate indication initial initiate in lieu of in order that in order to in regard to in the course of in the event that in the near future

L
try
same at once, now carry out, do by, following, under also, besides, too to since with blend, join, merge must show, write down sign rst start instead of for, so to about, concerning during, in if, when soon

instead of
legislation limited number locate location

try
law few nd place, scene, site

M
instead of
magnitude maintain majority minimise modify most of the time

try
size keep, support greatest, longest, most decrease, reduce change usual

N
instead of
necessitate no later than notify numerous

try
cause, need by let know, tell many, most

J
instead of
join together

O
try
join

instead of
observe obtain optimum option

try
see get best choice

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P
instead of
parameters participate perform permit personnel pertaining point of time portion position possess prepared previous prior to procedures proceed proposes to provide provided that purchase pertaining point of time portion position possess prepared previous prior to procedures proceed proposes to provide provided that purchase

R
try
limits take part do let people, staff about, on now, when part place, put have, own ready earlier, past before ways, rules go, go on, try means to, suggests give, supply if buy about, on now, when part place, put have, own ready earlier, past before ways, rules go, go on, try means to, suggests give, supply if buy

instead of
reason for reect regarding relating to relocation remain render request require reside retain review

try
why say, show about, of, on about, on move stay give, make ask must, need live keep check, go over

T
instead of
terminate therefore therein time period

try
end, stop so there time, period

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V
instead of
value verbatim viable

try
cost, worth exact practical, workable

W
instead of
whenever whereas with reference to with the exception of

try
when since about except for

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Document Information
You are responsible for ensuring that the information in this book remains condential to the Partnership. John Lewis plc Produced by: Learning & Development, John Lewis Name of document: 13552 guide to english lg Date modied: 13 December 2011 11:15 AM