Unit 3 Commonly confused words

1. Verb+ Ing
- Wrong: There is no obstacle to register the company.
- Correction: _____________________________________________________________________
- More academic: _____________________________________________________________________
Notes of the use of the verbs: “agree”, “consent”, “entitled” “inclined” and “prone”
Compare:
- The Buyer cannot agree to delete Clause 3.7.
=> _____________________________________________________________________
- The Buyer cannot agree to deleting Clause 3.7.
=> _____________________________________________________________________
2. Countable and uncountable nouns
- Wrong: Recently we have seen some improvements in the economic conditions.
- Correct: _____________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: My secondment to London was really valuable experience.
- Correct: _____________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: He is on holidays now and will be returning to the office next week.
- Correct: _____________________________________________________________________
Notes:
- Agreement: < > agreement(s):
- Business: < > business(es):
- Translation: < > translation(s):
- Improvement: < > improvement(s):
- Experience: < > experience (s):
- Interest: < > interest(s):
3. Nouns originated from phrasal verbs
- He HANDED OVER the shipping documents to the issuing bank for payment on Saturday.
- The _________________________the shipping documents to the issuing bank for payment took place on
Saturday.
Notes:
Verb Noun Verb Noun
break out breakout spin off spin-off
buy out buyout start up startup / start-up
follow up follow-up take away takeaway
pay back payback take off takeoff / take-off
print out printout take over takeover
sell down selldown / sell-down turn over turnover
sell off sell-off

4. The use of SINCE, AS, FOR (Meaning BECAUSE)

- Confusion: We do not recommend the course of action you propose SINCE there is a risk that the
employee will refer the matter to court.
- Better: ____________________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: For our partner was very aggressive, we had been all tired of the negotiation,
- Correct: ___________________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: There is no need for introductions as everyone already knows each other,
- Correct: ___________________________________________________________________________
5. The use of quantifiers: “ALL”, “WHOLE” AND “ENTIRE”
- Wrong: They have plans to sell the whole or a significant portion of the assets.
- Correct: __________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: You do not have to pay them a bonus for entire 2015.
- Correct: __________________________________________________________________
Notes:
- WHOLE/ ENTIRE + ________________________________________________________
- All (of the)” + _____________________________________________________________
6. Order of adjectives
- Wrong: a Dutch leading manufacturer
- Correct: a ______________________________________________ manufacturer => observation, origin
- Wrong: arbitration potential claims
- Correct: ______________________________________________claims => observation, qualifier
- Wrong: the economic recent instability
- Correct: the ______________________________________________ instability => age, type
- Wrong: a Vietnamese temporary residence permit.
- Correct: a ______________________________________________ permit => observation, origin,
qualifier
- Wrong: a ______________________________________________ agreement
- Correct: a ______________________________________________ agreement => observation, age,
qualifier, qualifier

7. The use the words: risk, potential, can/could, may/might, possible/possibility

- Wrong: There is a potential risk that the Company may refuse to satisfy your demand.
- Correct: There is a risk that the Company _____________________ refuse to satisfy your demand.
- Wrong: We enclose with this letter a list of programmes which might be potentially of interest to you.
- Correct: We enclose with this letter a list of programmes ___________________________of interest to
you.

8. “According to” and “in accordance with”

- Wrong: According to Article 72 of the Act, employees of the Company have the right to form a
representative body.
- Correct: ______________________________________________
- Wrong: In accordance with the clerk we spoke to when we telephoned the supervisory authority this
morning, the application was filed last week.
- Correct: ______________________________________________
Notes:
- According to: ______________________________________________
- In accordance with: ______________________________________________

9. The use of provide, provided/providing that

Consider the following cases:
- Section 3 PROVIDES THAT the obligation does not apply in the following circumstances.
Meaning: => ______________________________________________
- Before it was amended, the Act PROVIDED THAT the seller could take possession of the goods and
retain them until payment was made.
=> Meaning: Under the previous version of the Act, the seller could take possession…)
- You may produce your own version of the form, PROVIDED THAT the content is the same as in the
attached template.
Meaning: => ______________________________________________

9. Born & Borne

Which word is correct?
- All shipping costs shall be born/borne by the customer.
=> Correct: ______________________________________________

10. Practicable & Practical

Which word is correct?
- And unlike other pollutants, no effective, commercially practical/ practicable control technology exists.
=> Correct: ______________________________________________
- Meaning:
Practicable = ______________________________________________
Practical= ______________________________________________

11. Attach & Enclose

Which word is correct?
- Please find the template agreement enclosed/attached to this email.
- Correct: ______________________________________________
Notes:
- Emails have ______________________________________________
- Letters have ______________________________________________

12. Eligible & Illegible

Which word is correct?
- Wrong: You are not illegible/ eligible to practise as a lawyer in this country unless you have received
official authorization to do so.
=> Correct: ______________________________________________
Notes:
- Eligible: ______________________________________________
- Illegible ______________________________________________

13. The use of possessive adjectives

- Wrong: With reference to our today’s conversation, I would like to present you with a summary of our
findings.
- Correct: With reference to______________________________________________________________
- Wrong: Following our Monday’s conversation regarding the wholesale licence, please find below detailed
information.....
- Correct: Following our _______________________________________________________________

14. Affect and Effect

Which word is correct?
- The present economic recession will effect/affect this company adversely.
Correct: ______________________________________________
- A government unable to effect/affect any change is a government that will produce no surprises.
Correct: ______________________________________________
Note:
- Affect: ______________________________________________
- Effect (v): ______________________________________________

15. “Base on”, “be based on”, “on the basis of” etc
- Wrong: We solely based on information provided by Mr Andreas Schmitt in his e-mail of last Friday.
- Correct: __________________________________________________________________________
- Wrong: Basing on the documentation you sent us, we believe your claim has a good chance of success.
- Correct: __________________________________________________________________________

16. As of
Consider the following sentences:
- The contract enters into force as of 1 January 2013. (= __________________)
- The contract has been effective as of 1 August 2011. ( = __________________ )
- The contract is effective as of 1 January 2013. (=__________________)

17. Convince and Persuade

Which word is correct?
- He persuaded/convinced me that I was negligent.
=> Correct: ___________________________________
- He persuaded/convinced me to settle out of court.
=> Correct: ___________________________________
- Meaning: When you convince, you change someone's way of thinking. When you persuade, you motivate
someone to act.

18. The use of “OF” and other prepositions

- Wrong: We would like to present our standpoint regarding the email of the Company dated 28 January
2011.
- Correct: ____________________________________________________________
- Wrong: As a result of a previous phase of the analysis of the different solutions, numerous changes had
to made to the prototype before it could be tested.
- Correct: ____________________________________________________________
Practice: Correct the following sentences
1. I do not recommend committing yourself to purchase the shares yet.
purchasing
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. This provision may cause unnecessary difficulties especially in complex matters where the parties do not
agree to extend the prescribed time period by either party.
extending
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Hochiminh City is a rapidly growing centre for businesses.
business
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. He gained valuable experiences from my time in London.
experience
______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Money deposited in a savings account earns interests.
saving
______________________________________________________________________________________
6. We have analysed the tax aspects of the transaction since we were instructed to do so.
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Have they paid the whole of the invoices from 2015 yet?
______________________________________________________________________________________
8. The unemployment rate for entire Vietnam was 18%.
______________________________________________________________________________________
9. We are dealing with a Dutch leading manufacturer.
______________________________________________________________________________________
10. If the goods are found defective, arbitration potential claims will arise.
______________________________________________________________________________________
11. Therefore, there could be a potential possibility that the contracts might be awarded to the affiliated
companies.
______________________________________________________________________________________
12. This document could be a potential basis for claims.
______________________________________________________________________________________
13. According to the new provisions, employers are obliged to inform all employees about which
employees are responsible for evacuating the building.
______________________________________________________________________________________
14. In the event of arbitration, all legal fees shall be born by the losing party.
______________________________________________________________________________________
15. Health Amendment Act 2007 required councils to take all practicable steps to ensure drinking water
complied with drinking water standards.
______________________________________________________________________________________
16. We have attached a pricelist with this letter for your reference.
______________________________________________________________________________________
17. Ordinary dividends are any dividends issued by a Canadian corporation, public or private, which are
not illegible for the enhanced dividend tax credit.
______________________________________________________________________________________
18. According to Colin’s yesterday e-mail it seems that there were some contractual arrangements between
the Company and Acme regarding the machine.
______________________________________________________________________________________
19. As requested, we based on the Company’s global template employment contract for L2/L3 level
employees when drafting the contract for Mr Kowalski.
______________________________________________________________________________________
20. In connection with receiving, on 11 March 2011, a letter of the Tender Committee announcing the
completion of the second stage of the tender proceedings, please be informed that …
______________________________________________________________________________________