Choice of Words
The right Choice of Words will make the sentence a beautiful one.
On many occasions the wrong words in the sentences would make the sentences awkward ones.
Example-1:
• Plastic is able to be shaped into many forms.
The correct form is:
• Plastic can be shaped into many forms.
Example-2:
• As counting progressed, it became increasing clear that Democrats were heading for a victory.
Here in this sentence, the word ‘increasing’ is meant to modify the adjective ‘clear’, and therefore in the form of an adverb-increasingly.
The correct sentence is:
• As counting progressed, it became increasingly clear that Democrats were heading for a victory.
The Choice-of-Words has made this sentence beautiful one.
Example-3:
• The chance of your being run over by a truck increases if you drive your scooter in the middle of the road.
The word ‘chance’ should be used only to signify a desirable event. To signify the undesirable event, the word ‘risk’ should be used.
So the correct sentence is:
• The risk of your being run over by a truck increases if you drive your scooter in the middle of the road.
Example-4:
• George lacks illness.
The word ‘lack’ should be used only to notify the possession of desirable thing.
In the case of undesirable thing, the word ‘has not’ should be used.
The correct sentence is:
• George has no illness.
Example-5:
• An obvious irritated voice answered the telephone.
As in the example, the word ‘obvious’ is modifying the adjective ‘irritated’. So that word must be an adverb.
The correct sentence is:
• An obviously irritated voice answered the telephone.
The Choice-of-Words has made this sentence beautiful one.
Example-6:
• It was in 1947 in which India got its independence.
The subordinate conjunction that is used to denote a time period is WHEN, not IN WHICH.
So the correct sentence is:
• It was in 1947 when India got its independence.
The phrase ‘so as to’ is always wrong.
Example-7:
• I went to the market so as to buy apples.
The correct sentence is:
• I went to market for buying apples. (or) I went to market to buy apples.
Gerund should be used only when there is no separate noun form for the verb.
Example-8:
• Newton is credited with the discovering of gravity.
This sentence is wrong one.
Because, the gerund ‘discovering’ should not be used here. The separate noun is there-discovery.
The correct sentence is:
• Newton was credited with discover of gravity.
The Choice-of-Words has made this sentence beautiful one.
Examples:
• I do not like your choosing of that sari.• I do not like your choice of that sari.
• Do you agree with his judging in this case?• Do you agree with his judgment in this case?
• Trespassing into this property is not allowed.• Trespass into this property is not allowed.
• In spite of his denying of his guilt, the accused was convicted by the judge.• In spite of his denial of his guilt, the accused was convicted by the judge.
The Choice-of-Words has made these sentences beautiful ones.
Note:
Generally a sentence in active voice is preferred to a sentence in passive voice.
Examples:
• When we bought this house, it was unknown to us that it had a reputation of being haunted.
Even though this sentence is grammatically correct one, the active sentence given below is preferred.
• We bought this house without knowing its reputation of being haunted.
Note:
• A single word is more idiomatic than a phrase.
• A shorter phrase is more idiomatic than a longer phrase.
• A phrase is more idiomatic than clause.
Examples:
• Vikram is a boy who is intelligent.
The following sentence is preferred to the above sentence.
• Vikram is an intelligent boy.
The Choice-of-Words has made this sentence beautiful one.
Examples:
• I used to play cricket while being a young boy.
The following sentence is preferred to the above sentence.
• I used to play cricket as a young boy.
The Choice-of-Words has made this sentence beautiful one.
Remember all these points and create sentences which should be both grammatically and idiomatically correct.
Go to the 'Advanced English Index' to continue
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