This is a guide to help learners to communicate easily in both speech and writing through a better understanding of the English language.
Cultivated / cultured
Someone who is cultivated is intelligent and knows a lot about music, art and literature. A cultivated land is a land that is used for growing crops or plants.
‘Cultured’ also means ‘intelligent, polite and interested in art, literature or music.’
Sophia is a well-read and cultured woman.
In the context of scientific and laboratory work, ‘cultured’ means ‘artificially nurtured or grown.’
‘Cultured’ is applied to a race of people and their way of life and its meaning is broader than ‘cultivated.’
Curb / kerb
‘Curb’ means ‘to control or limit something in order to prevent it from having a harmful effect.’
Health authorities have taken measures to curb the spread of the Corona virus.
Kerb is the edge of the pavement at the side of a road.
Her car mounted the kerb and ploughed into a bus halt.
Dare
‘Dare’ means ‘to be brave enough to do something that is risky or that you are afraid to do.’ It is especially used in questions or negative statements.
Bob wanted to question his boss, but he didn’t dare.
‘How dare you’ is used to show that you are very angry and shocked about what someone has done or said.
How dare you accuse my mother of lying?
‘I dare say’ is used when saying or agreeing that something may be true.
I daresay things will improve in the coming weeks.
A daredevil is someone who likes doing dangerous things.
Data
‘Data’ means ‘information or facts.’
The research involves collecting data from random samples.
After data, you can use a singular verb or in formal or technical English, a plural verb.
The data is collected by a research team.
The data are given in Table 5.
Do not use ‘datas’ or ‘a data.’
A database is a large amount of data stored in a computer system
‘Data mining’ is the process of using a computer to examine large amounts of information.
‘Data processing’ is the use of computers to store and organise information.
Dates
It is better to follow the sequence: day, month and year.
Rosy was born on July 2, 2000.
However, newspapers and publishing houses have adopted different styles.
Months
When the names of months have to be abbreviated, use the following form:
Jan. Feb. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Do not abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July unless absolutely necessary.
De- / dis-
These prefixes, which have negative force, are put at the beginning of words to create new ones with the opposite meaning.
Deindustrialisation: becoming less industrial
Dethrone: remove from power
Devalue: reduce value
Deactivate: switch something off
Disapprove: do not approve
Dishonesty: lack of honesty
Disable: to make someone unable to use a part of their body properly
Disadvantage: something that causes problems
Disagree: express a different opinion
Disallow: officially refuse to accept
Disappear: to become impossible to see any longer
Debar / disbar
There is some similarity in meaning between these two words, but in practice they are used quite differently.
‘Debar’ means ‘to exclude, prevent or prohibit.’
The committee decided to debar from the club all members who had not paid their subscriptions.
‘Disbar’ means ‘to expel from the legal profession.’
Lawyers found guilty of corrupt practices will be disbarred.
Decided / decisive
‘Decided’ means ‘unquestionable, unmistakable, resolute or determined.’
There is a decided air of importance about him.
‘Decisive’ means ‘conclusive, bringing to an end.’
Russia and Ukraine are fighting a decisive battle.