Praise and preys are two commonly confused words that are pronounced in the same way when spoken aloud but are spelled differently and mean different things, which makes them homophones. Homophones exist because of our ever-changing English language, and are a challenge for those who wish to learn to speak English. The way the spelling and definitions differ can be confusing even to native English speakers when attempting to learn vocabulary correctly. Proper pronunciation of spoken English may … [Read more...]
Bromance
Bromance is a relatively new word believed to have originated in the 1990s. Bromance is a portmanteau. Portmanteaus are words constructed from the blending of two existing words. English is a living language, which means it changes over time. New words are constantly entering the language, evidenced by the Oxford English Dictionary’s policy of adding English words to their lexicon quarterly. There are many avenues for a word to enter into use. New words may be coined from existing words. … [Read more...]
Asleep at the switch and asleep at the wheel
Asleep at the switch and asleep at the wheel are idioms with origins that date back a little over one hundred years. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. Often using descriptive imagery, common idioms are words and phrases used in the English language in order to convey a concise idea, and are often spoken or are considered informal or conversational. English idioms can illustrate emotion more quickly … [Read more...]
Color outside the lines
Color outside the lines is an idiom that has risen sharply in popularity over the last forty years. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. Often using descriptive imagery, common idioms are words and phrases used in the English language in order to convey a concise idea, and are often spoken or are considered informal or conversational. English idioms can illustrate emotion more quickly than a phrase that … [Read more...]
Incomplete comparison
An incomplete comparison is an error in the use of English grammar. Grammar is the way in which language is structured, the rules that are the foundation of that structure and the study of those rules. Grammar is the way words are used together to form sentences. Grammar includes punctuation such as periods, commas, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, quotation marks and parentheses; parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, prepositions, verbs, conjunctions; modifiers such as adjectives and … [Read more...]
I can live with that
I can live with that is an idiom with an uncertain origin. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. Often using descriptive imagery, common idioms are words and phrases used in the English language in order to convey a concise idea, and are often spoken or are considered informal or conversational. English idioms can illustrate emotion more quickly than a phrase that has a literal meaning, even when the … [Read more...]
Prize, prise or pries
Prize, prise and pries are three commonly confused words that are pronounced in the same way when spoken aloud but are spelled differently and mean different things, which makes them homophones. Homophones exist because of our ever-changing English language, and are a challenge for those who wish to learn to speak English. The way the spelling and definitions differ can be confusing even to native English speakers when attempting to learn vocabulary correctly. Proper pronunciation of spoken … [Read more...]
Lamb vs lam
Lamb and lam are two commonly confused words that are pronounced in the same way when spoken aloud but are spelled differently and mean different things, which makes them homophones. Homophones exist because of our ever-changing English language, and are a challenge for those who wish to learn to speak English. The way the spelling and definitions differ can be confusing even to native English speakers when attempting to learn vocabulary correctly. Proper pronunciation of spoken English may help … [Read more...]
Bumper crop
Bumper crop is an idiom with its origins in the 1600s. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. Often using descriptive imagery, common idioms are words and phrases used in the English language in order to convey a concise idea, and are often spoken or are considered informal or conversational. English idioms can illustrate emotion more quickly than a phrase that has a literal meaning, even when the … [Read more...]
Play second fiddle
The idiom play second fiddle dates from the 1800s. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal definition. Often using descriptive imagery, common idioms are words and phrases used in the English language in order to convey a concise idea, and are often spoken or are considered informal or conversational. English idioms can illustrate emotion more quickly than a phrase that has a literal meaning, even when the etymology … [Read more...]