Wrong word choice

Word choice errors involve the incorrect use of one word in place of another. The two words may have related forms (other and another, for example) or they may be completely different (do and make, for example).

Descriptions of some of the most common word choice errors are given below:

Wrong choice of make or do

The verb to do is often used in place of to make, and tomake in place of todo. In its basic sense, make means to produce, to create, to construct, while todo means to perform, to act, to accomplish, these verbs are also used in a number of set expressions:

Set expressions with Make:

make advances, make an attempt, make a comparison, make a contribution, make a decision, make a distinction, make a forecast, make a law, make a point, be made of (= be composed of), make up (= compose), make an investment, make a plan, make a prediction, make a profit, make a promise, make an offer, make a suggestion.

To make is also used in this pattern: make + someone +adjective (The gift made her happy.)

Common Expressions with Do:

do an assignment, do business with, do one's duty, do someone a favor, do a job (errand, chore) do research, do one's work.

The auxiliary verb do is used rather than repeat main verbs: (My computer doesn't operate as fast as theirs does.)

Wrong choice of like or alike and like or as

The word alike is incorrectly used in place of like, or like is used in place of alike. These words are used correctly in the following patterns:

Like А, В ... Like birds, mammals are warm-blooded.

A, like B, ... Birds, like mammals, are warm-blooded.

A is like В ... Birds are like mammals in that they are both warm-blooded.

A and В are alike ... Birds and mammals are alike in that they are both warm-blooded.

The word like is also sometimes confused with the word as. When like is used in a comparison, it is followed by a noun or pronoun. When as is used in a comparison, it is followed by a clause containing a subject and a verb.

I did my experiment just as Paul did. My results were much like Paul's.

The word as is also used before nouns when it means in place of or in the role of. This is particularly common after certain verbs: serve, function, and use, among others.

The vice-president served as president when the president was sick

Wrong choice of other or another

Another means "one more, an additional one." It can be used as an adjective before a singular noun or alone as a pronoun.

He needs another piece of paper.

I have one class in that building and another in the building across the quadrangle.

An understudy is an actor who can substitute for another actor in case of an emergency.

Other is used as an adjective before a plural noun. It is also used as an adjective before a singular noun when preceded by a determiner such as the, some, any, one, no, etc. It can also be used alone as a pronoun when preceded by a determiner.

There are other matters I'd like to discuss with you.

One of the books was a novel; the other was a collection of essays.

There's no other place I'd rather visit.

Wrong choice of because/because of, despite/inspite of or although, when/while or during

Certain expressions, such as because, are adverb clause markers and are used only before clauses, other expressions, such as because of, are prepositions and are used before noun phrases or pronouns.

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<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
How do these expressions illustrate the author’s idea that the door the perception of culture has been opened?	\|	Adverb-clause Markers Prepositions

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