Correct Choice of Words

CURRANT / CURRENT

Currant means a kind of black berry; current means a movement of air or water; or of the present time.

e.g. We enjoy the dessert made with honey and currant.

e.g. The water may not be safe for swimming because there is a strong current below the water surface.

e.g. His secretary always keeps him updated with current affairs.

PRECEDE / PROCEED

e.g. Soaking the beans overnight should precede the cooking.

e.g. We decide

Precede means come or go before in time or place; proceed means to go forward.

d to proceed with the plan, even without the funding.

 TERMINABLE / TERMINAL

Terminable: can be ended.

e.g. Your job is only temporary and terminable at any time.

Terminal: at the end.

e.g. The doctor told the patient PRETENSE / PRETENSION

that she had terminal cancer.

SECONDARY / SECONDLY

Secondary means next after the first in importance; secondly means in the next place.

e.g. Concentrate on this; that is only a secondary source.

e.g. Firstly, you have to take care of yourself. Secondly, take care of your family.

Pretense is to make believe; pretension is a claim

e.g. I make no pretense to like her (I do not pretend that I like her).

e.g. He laughed and made a pretense not to be offended by the insult.

e.g. I make no pretension to that award.

e.g. I never make any pretension that I am an expert in this field.

WAIVE / WAVE

Waive means to forgo or relinquish; wave means to move.

e.g. If you sign this document, you will waive all your rights.

e.g. He was waving his hands at you.

DEFER / INFER

Defer: give way or yield to; infer: conclude.

e.g. He is a good kid: he always defers to his parents' wishes.

e.g. We can infer from your statement that you don't like this policy.

ACCOUNTABLE TO / ACCOUNTABLE FOR

Accountable to: responsible to someone; accountable for: responsible for something

e.g. The Manager has to be accountable to the Board; he has to be accountable for all his business decisions. 

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau