Know the Difference

Precede and Proceed

Precede: go before

e.g. The speech is going to precede the performance.

Proceed: keep on going

e.g. Proceed with the plan until you receive instruction to stop.

Amused and Bemused

Amused: entertain

e.g. We were amused by your wonderful performance.

Bemused; bewildered or confused

e.g. The reporters were totally bemused by that contradictory information from the White House.

Allude and Elude

Allude: refer to

e.g. The witness was trying to allude to what another witness had said.

Elude: escape

e.g. The defendant was trying to elude the question from the prosecutor.

Farther and Further

Farther: at a greater physical distance

e.g. This place is farther away from your parents’ home.

Further: at a greater figurative distance

e.g. His explanation is further from the truth.

Ascent and Assent

Ascent: rise to

e.g. The dictator’s ascent to power was sudden and swift.

Assent: agreement

e.g. There was little assent between the Democrats and the Republicans on this issue.

Formally and Formerly

Formally: officially

e.g. The manager formally announced your promotion.

Formerly: previously

e.g. He was formerly the President of this company.

Stephen Lau

Copyright©2018 by Stephen Lau

Learn American Idioms

As different as day and night: very different

e.g. My brother and I are twins, but we are as different as day and night.

More than meets the eye: there is a hidden meaning

e.g. What the Mayor mentioned in the speech implied more than meets the eye.

Down and out: very poor

e.g. He is down and out without a job and a roof over his head.

No flies on: very alert, smart

e.g. You cannot trick her; there are no flies on her.

In fine feather: in good condition; in good health

e.g. With a good night sleep, I am in fine feather today.

All of it: the best

e.g. From the way he presented him at the debate, he was all of it.

Name of the game: the main goal

e.g. The name of the game is winning; we must win this election no matter what.

As easy as pie: very easy

e.g. Cooking a turkey is as easy as pie.

Face the music: confront danger; accept a bad situation

e.g. There are many circumstances in life in which you have to face the music.

Feel like: have a desire for something

e.g. I feel like eating a hamburger.

All in a day’s work: part of daily work

e.g. I don’t like to cook, but it’s all in a day’s work.

All systems are go: everything is good and ready as planned

e.g. Everything is in order, and all systems are go. We can now launch the rocket.

Dance to another tune: change to a different attitude or behavior

e.g. If your parents were here, you would dance to another tune.

A little bird told me: somehow I knew

e.g. “How did you know what I did?” “Well, a little bird told me.”

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Use Tenses Correctly

To write well, you need to know how to use English tenses correctly. Tenses are difficult to many because in many languages tenses are not used to express "time" or the "relationship of sequence"; instead, adverbs, such as "yesterday", "tomorrow", "soon" etc. are used.

To learn how to use English tenses correctly, you must have a perception of the "time" element.

Let's take a looks at present tense, present continuous tense, present perfect tense, past tense, and past perfect tense with the following examples:

PAST<----------------------------------------------------->PRESENT

I lived in Texas.   *                            

I had lived in Texas for more than 20 years.  *****       

I moved to Ohio 5 years ago.  *                                  Now, I live in Ohio.

                                                                                     I am living in Ohio. **

                                                                     I have lived in Ohio for 5 years. *****

"I lived in Texas" (past tense): an action in the past; it was a fact. (*)

"I had lived in Texas for more than 20 years." (past perfect tense): an action that "continued" (****)for some time in the past.

"I moved to Ohio 5 years ago" (past tense): an action in the past; it was a fact (*)

"Now I live in Ohio." (present tense): an action in the present; it is a fact. (*)

"I am living in Ohio." (present continuous tense): an action in the present, and it may continue for some time into the near future.**

"I have lived in Ohio for 5 years." (present perfect tense): an action in the past that has continued into the present, and will probably continue into the near future. *****

Hopefully, the above examples have demonstrated how you should use some of the English tenses correctly.

Stephen Lau

Read my book Effective Writing Made Simple. Click here for the digital, and here for the paperback edition.

Learn Some American Idioms

Idioms are words and phrases in a language that have come into existence for a variety of reasons, some obvious enough, some inexplicable, but most of them appropriately and delightfully characteristic of the race that created them. American idioms are no exception; they reflect American culture at every social level. They are used in everyday life, in speaking and in writing, in movies and on television, and by people from all walks of life.

Through thick and thin: through good times as well as bad times

e.g. Don’t worry! I’ll stick by you through thick and thin.

Meet someone halfway: compromise

e.g. He settled the agreement with her by meeting her halfway.

Name of the game: the main goal

e.g. The name of the game is winning; we must win this election no matter what.

Dog in the manger: a very selfish person

e.g. Don’t be a dog in the manger! You no longer need this; why don’t you give it to us?

Act one’s age: behave maturely

e.g. Stop behaving like a teenager! Act your age.

Lead someone astray: cause someone to do something wrong or illegal

e.g. If you are always in the company of lawbreakers, you  may be easily be led astray.

Late in the day: kind of late
e.g. Don’t you think it’s late in the day to change your tactics?

First and last: above all; under all circumstances

e.g. She was an accomplished pianist first and last.

Hit like a ton of bricks: surprise or shock

e.g. The sudden resignation of the President hit the people like a ton of bricks.

Go the distance: do the whole thing

e.g. This is a long, complicated project. To succeed, you must go the distance.

For a song: inexpensive

e.g. You can get this on the Internet for a song.

Pull the wool over someone’s eyes: deceive

e.g. Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes: I wasn’t born yesterday.

Take som

 ething on the chin: get a direct blow

e.g. The bad news was a shock to me; I took it on the chin.

Hold one’s end up: do one’s part; reliable

e.g. I know I can count on you; you always hold your end up.

Hit the nail on the head: do exactly the right thing

e.g. Your remark hit the nail on the head; that was precisely the solution to the problem.

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Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau