As I understand them, when used as nouns they both mean the same: a strong feeling of dislike, but I’m not sure about how “intense” are each one related to the other. Does one of them represent a stronger feeling than the other, or their difference resides more in the context where they are used? … Read more
What is the difference between "clean" and "clear"? clean verb [with object] make clean; remove dirt, marks, or stains from: clean your teeth properly after meals I cleaned up my room (as noun cleaning) Anne will help with the cleaning clear make or become clear, in particular: [with object] remove an obstruction or unwanted item … Read more
Regarding the sentence She kept walking about the room. Is that ok to use “in” instead, as in She kept walking in the room Why is “about” used in this sentence? Is there any difference to between “about” and “in”? (The above question was asked to me) Answer The definition of “about” is Used to … Read more
What is the difference between “should” and “had better”? Consider these sentences for example: It’s cold outside. You should wear a coat. It’s cold outside. You’d better wear a coat. What are the differences in meaning? How can one decide which one to use? What pitfalls are there? Answer The primary difference between the two … Read more
Are there any differences (general or regional differences) between “in order to”, “so that” and “so as to”? I’ve seen that they may be interchangeable, but I’m not so sure. Answer Those are largely similar; however, from here and here: in order to and so as to are more formal and used before verbs like … Read more
Is there any difference between “alright” and “all right“? I can find both forms in different articles (especially on the Internet), although all right seems to be more common. I was wondering if both forms are acceptable or whether it is some sort of difference between American and British English or just a common mistake? … Read more
What are the grammatical rules determining whether to use which or what? I usually go by intuition. It’s “What car are you looking at?” and “What bicycle do you like most?” but “Which song did you sing?” Quite often, I don’t know whether to use what or which. How can I tell? Answer Which is … Read more
Although both words can be found in dictionaries, I’m constantly forgetting which one is which. Are there any mnemonic rules that would help me remembering them? Answer Lose has lost one of its o‘s. Loose has an extra o, like an extra hole in a loose knot. (Honestly, though, remembering just the first one should … Read more
When I talk about many people, like community, what should I use? A large community A huge community A big community In my native language (German), we use just one word for that: groß. What is the difference in English? Answer Per this NGram, large is far more common overall than big and huge put … Read more
I can say I’m ill or I’m sick. But what is the difference between the usage of these terms? I’ve heard that one can use sick for longer-term and ill for shorter-term, but is that really correct? How are these terms different for native speakers? Answer While those might mean the same for the laymen, … Read more
