Grammar & Usage Guides

anxious vs eager

<em>Anxious</em> carries worry: "I'm anxious about the results." <em>Eager</em> carries keen anticipation: "Sh...

inner vs inter

Inner is an ordinary adjective meaning inside or closer to the centre: <em>the inner courtyard</em>, <em>her i...

among vs amongst

There is no difference in meaning or grammar: <strong>among</strong> and <strong>amongst</strong> are intercha...

horizontal vs vertical

<strong>Horizontal</strong> runs side to side, flat and parallel to the ground: <em>the shelf has to be perfec...

meantime vs meanwhile

Meantime is normally a noun and needs a preposition in front of it: <em>in the meantime, help yourself to coff...

marine vs maritime

Marine describes the sea itself and the things that live in it: marine biology, marine mammals, a marine engin...

lend vs loan

Lend is the verb everyone accepts: "Could you lend me your ladder?" Loan is the noun: "He took out a loan to b...

garden vs yard

In British English, the green space attached to a house is the garden, planted or not: "the kids are in the ba...

council vs counsel

A council is a body of people who meet to decide things: "The city council voted to close the road." Counsel i...

until vs unto

<em>Until</em> marks the moment something stops: <em>The library is open until nine.</em> <em>Unto</em> is an...

objective vs subjective

Objective means based on facts that can be checked and would stay true no matter who was looking — "the object...

bear vs bull

In market language, a <strong>bull</strong> expects prices to rise and a <strong>bear</strong> expects them to...

thee vs thou

Thou is the subject form — it does the action: "Thou art my witness." Thee is the object form — it receives th...

strategy vs tactics

Strategy is what you are trying to achieve and why that route will work: <em>Our strategy is to win the mid-ma...

confused vs confusing

Confused describes the person having the feeling: "I'm confused by these instructions." Confusing describes th...

yep vs yup

There is no difference in meaning: both are informal spellings of yes. "Yep, that's the one." "Yup, still wait...

root vs route

A root is the part of a plant that grows underground, or the origin of something: "the root of the problem." A...

refuge vs refugee

Refuge is the shelter itself — protection from danger, or the place that provides it: "They took refuge in a c...

active vs passive

In the <strong>active</strong> voice the subject performs the action: <em>the committee rejected the proposal<...

but vs butt

But is the little joining word meaning "however" or "except": "I'd come, but I'm working late." Butt, with two...