This is a guide to help learners to communicate easily in both speech and writing through a better understanding of the English language.
Male / manly / masculine
As an adjective ‘male’ means ‘typical of or relating to men or boys.’
Motor-racing has largely been a male preserve.
As a noun ‘male’ is a male animal.
Police described her attacker as a black male.
A male chauvinist is a man who believes that men are better than women.
‘Manly’ means ‘having qualities that people expect and admire in a man, such as being brave and strong.’
Roger has a deep manly voice.
‘Masculine’ means ‘having qualities considered to be typical of men or of what men do.’
Sandra has a very masculine voice.
Mandatary / mandatory
When used as nouns both words mean a person holding a mandate, the first being the more common form. However, when used as an adjective ‘mandatory’ means ‘obligatory.’
Your attendance at the meeting is mandatory.
Mankind
‘Mankind’ means ‘all humans considered as a group.’ It takes a singular verb.
Since earliest times, mankind has been fascinated by fire.
Mankind has not tolerated such treatment in the past.
Mannered
‘Well-mannered’ means ‘polite in the way you behave in social situations.’
Suren is the most well-mannered boy in the class.
‘Well-mannered’ and ‘ill-mannered’ are preferred by grammarians to ‘good-mannered’ and ‘bad-mannered.’ However, the latter two seem to be steadily gaining ground.
Many a
This phrase is always used with a singular verb although ‘many’ requires a plural verb.
Many a good man has been ruined in this manner.
Marginal
A marginal change or difference is too small to be important.
There is a marginal increase in the unemployment figures.
Marginal people or groups are not considered powerful or important.
The album contains a few songs by marginal bands.
In a marginal constituency voters are likely to choose their candidates by a narrow margin.
Mask / masque
A mask is something that covers all or part of your face to protect or hide it.
Many people wear surgical masks.
Some people wear masks to attack or rob travellers.
If a smell, taste or sound is masked by a stronger one, it cannot be noticed because of the stronger one.
Air-fresheners mask bad smells but do not remove them.
‘Mask’ also means ‘to hide your feelings or the truth about a situation.’
Some people mask their true feelings with humour.
A masking tape is a long narrow paper that is sticky on one side, used especially to protect the edge of an area which you are painting.
A masque is a type of play popular in England in the 16th and 17th centuries that included music, dancing and songs.
Massive
‘Massive’ means ‘very large, solid and heavy’
Massive walls protected the palace.
The word ‘massive’ also means ‘unusually large, powerful or damaging.’
My water bill was massive last month.
The word ‘massive’ is rather too fashionable in its figurative sense. In some places other adjectives such as ‘huge, widespread, intensive, vigorous’ and ‘powerful’ can be used effectively.
Masterful / masterly
‘Masterful’ means ‘controlling people or situations in a skilful and confident way.
The minister handled the situation in a masterful way.
‘Masterly’ means ‘done or made very skilfully.
The musician gave a masterly display of his skills.
Materialise
‘Materialise’ means ‘to happen or appear in the way that you expected.’
We expected problems, but they never materialised.
‘Materialise’ also means ‘to appear in an unexpected and strange way.’
The figure of a beautiful woman suddenly materialised in the shadows.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the science of numbers and of shapes, including algebra, geometry and arithmetic. It is generally followed by a singular verb when it is thought of as a science.
Mathematics is an important subject in the school curriculum.
Mathematics is my weak point.
Maxim
A maxim is an expression of a general truth, especially in relation to conduct.
Maximise
‘Maximise’ means ‘to increase something such as profit or income as much as possible.’
The company’s main function is to maximise profit.
‘Maximise’ also means ‘to use something in a way that gives you the greatest practical value or the best results.’
We need to maximise the space.