Words Confused & Words Misused
Michael Berman, UK
Michael Berman BA, MPhil, PhD (Alternative Medicines) works as a teacher and writer. Publications include A Multiple Intelligences Road to an ELT Classroom and The Power of Metaphor for Crown House, and Tell us a Story for Brian Friendly Publications. Books published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing include The Nature of Shamanism and the Shamanic Story (2007), Soul Loss and the Shamanic Story (2008) and Divination and the Shamanic Story (2008). His latest book, Shamanic Journeys through Daghestan, is due to be published by O Books in 2009. Michael has been involved in teaching and teacher training for over thirty years, has given presentations at Conferences in more than twenty countries, and hopes to have the opportunity to visit many more yet.
Although Michael originally trained as a Core Shamanic Counsellor with the Scandinavian Centre for Shamanic Studies under Jonathan Horwitz, these days his focus is more on the academic side of shamanism, with a particular interest in the folktales with shamanic themes told by and collected from the peoples of the Caucasus, where his partner and her family come from. For more information please visit www.Thestoryteller.org.uk
The Words Confused & Words Misused texts that are presented below are suitable for students of Upper Intermediate level and above. In other words, they are useful for learners preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate exam (or its equivalent) and any level beyond that. Following The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages guideline, this would include levels B2, C1, and C2. These particular texts are geared towards Business English students, and can be used to add a business slant to a General English course if the learner profiles of the individual members of the class indicate that this would be appropriate. However, texts of this kind could of course be created for other categories of learners too
Asking the students to choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives is an activity that they have no doubt encountered before. However, by adding the warning “In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!” the exercise at once becomes a great deal more challenging. The incorrect answers are based on typical mistakes students of English as a Foreign Language tend to make. These include, for example, problems with what are known as “false friends” – words that reminds the learners of similar word in their own language, and mislead them into assuming that they thus has the same meaning in English (e.g. sensible in Spanish mean sensitive in English).
The learners can work on the texts individually, and then pair up to compare their answers. This way of working appeals to those students who are highly intrapersonal and prefer to work on their own initially before getting together with others. Alternatively, the learners could work in pairs from the outset, and then get together in groups of four to see if they can reach a consensus. This method of working not only appeals to those members of the group who have strong interpersonal skills, but also reduces the likelihood of errors.
Instead of merely asking the students to find the correct answers, you could also ask them to consider why the alternatives are inappropriate. However, it is important not to focus too exclusively on the reasons, and to remember that the only thing that really matters is whether they can use the language effectively, not whether they know the grammatical explanations. And for homework or follow-up work in class, you could ask them to make sentences of their own with the words they had problems with, to show they now know how to use them. They can then exchange these with another member of the class, and try to correct each other’s work before you look through the sentences and check them.
Cold-Calling
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
1 A / The fact of the matter is that if I want to buy something, I will go out and look 2 at / for it so cold-calling 3 on / to me is a total 4 loss / waste of time. 5 Moreover / Nevertheless, the people who are unfortunate enough to have to do this for a 6 life / living 7 appear / seem to be oblivious to this. I 8 wander / wonder how you 9 deal / tackle with 10 a / the problem. When door-to-door salesmen 11 assure / ensure you that they won’t take up much of your time, you know that is 12 exactly / precisely what they will do. And if they 13 say / tell that “I’m sure you’ll find what I have to say interesting”, then you can be equally sure that it will not be. 14 However / Moreover, for some reason they just never seem to get 15 a / the message. What they fail to understand about people like me is that the 16 more / most they persist, the 17 more / most certain it is that I won’t buy anything at all from them. 18 As / Like many the majority of people I know, I do not respond to this kind of approach so why on earth do people do such 19 jobs / works? The answer of 20 coarse / course is that many of them work for nothing more than a basic 21 salary / wage and have to depend on the commission they earn to make enough to live on, and this helps to explain why they are so desperate. I suppose we should feel sorry 22 about / for them. 23 However, Moreover, when you get woken up on Sunday morning at seven o’ clock by someone trying 24 selling / to sell you already have, or have absolutely no use 25 at all / whatsoever for, you tend to forget this!
Cold-Calling: 1 The 2 for 3 on 4 waste 5 Nevertheless 6 living 7 appear / seem 8 wonder 9 deal 10 the 11assure 12 exactly / precisely 13 say 14 However 15 the 16 more 17 more 18 Like 19 jobs 20 course 21 salary / wage (both possible, but with different meanings. A salary is usually paid monthly whereas a wage is paid weekly) 22 for 23 However 24 to sell 25 at all / whatsoever
Business or Economy Class?
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
It 1 seems / would seem to me that 2 business travellers / the business travellers 3 are often / often are taken advantage of by travel companies, and that business class 4 fares / fees are 5 far / much more expensive than they need to be. In 6 practice / practise, what is happening is that the airlines are 7 doing / making enormous profits on a service that is 8 hardly any different to / almost identical to 9 that / those you get as an 10 economical / economy class passenger. Is it really 11 worth to pay / paying up to twice or even 12 three times / thrice 13 a / the cost of a normal ticket for a slightly better meal or a bit more 14 legroom / leg space? Will it result 15 in / of 16 you / your 17 getting / to get to your final destination 18 any quicker / any more quickly? Of course 19 it doesn’t / not. And if 20 having / to have a newspaper is important to you or complimentary alcoholic drinks, why not 21 buy / to buy 22 it / them before your departure and take them with you? On the other hand, if it is your company 23 footing / paying the bill rather than you, perhaps it doesn’t matter that much. 24 However / Moreover, if the money comes out of your own pocket, then my 25 advice / advice to you would be to think twice before you pay extra to travel business class next time.
Business or Economy Class? 1 seems / would seem 2 business travellers 3 are often 4 fares 5 far / much 6 practice 7 making 8 hardly any different to / almost identical to 9 that 10 economy 11 paying 12 three times 13 the 14 legroom 15 in 16 you / your 17 getting 18 any quicker / any more quickly 19 not 20 having 21 buy 22 them 23 footing / paying 24 However 25 advice
What makes a good Leader?
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
1 An / The answer to this question is 2 worth / worthy of its weight in 3 diamonds / gold. 4 In my opinion / If you ask me, a good leader is someone 5 who / that 6 conducts / leads 7 by / with example, but at 8 same / the same time has the 9 capability / ability to delegate. 10 Another / Other requirement for the 11 job / work is clearly good 12 communication / communicative skills. 13 Beside / Besides these 14 attributes / qualities, he or she 15 also would / would also benefit 16 from / of vision, originality and attention to 17 detail / details. 18 Being / To be able to 19 handle / handle with awkward members of 20 staff / stuff is a great asset too. When deadlines have to be met, I would also expect a good leader to roll up his or her 21 sleeves / trouser legs and get 22 down / up to work just like everyone else in the company is required to do in such situations. 23 Moreover / However, I would be interested to know what your opinion 24 of / on the subject is and what you 25 consider / regard to be important.
What makes a good Leader? 1 The 2 worth 3 gold 4 In my opinion / If you ask me 5 who / that 6 leads 7 by 8 the same 9 ability 10 Another 11 job 12 communication 13 Besides 14 attributes / qualities 15 would also 16 from 17 detail 18 Being 19 handle 20 staff 21 sleeves 22 down 23 However 24 on 25 consider
The Perils of Mixing Business with Pleasure
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
I know it’s not something to be proud 1 in / of but I’m afraid I have to 2 admit / confess that 3 they / there have been 4 occasions / times when I have mixed business with pleasure, and had 5 relations / relationships with people I’ve worked with. Hopefully now I’m both older and wiser, I would not make such 6 errors / mistakes of judgement again. 7 However / Moreover, when we’re young and 8 led / ruled by our hearts instead of our 9 brains / heads, we do tend to act rashly at times. We then find out 10 at our own expense / to our cost that all we have succeeded 11 in doing / to do is to put our jobs at risk, for one or even 12 both / the both of the persons involved can end up 13 being dismissed / to be dismissed in such situations. And even 14 if / though this is not 15 a / the case, it could still well 16 lead to / result in one of them feeling they have to hand in their 17 notice / notices as a result of what has 20 expired / transpired. This is why I urge you in the strongest possible 23 conditions / terms to make sure you don’t fall 24 into / through this trap. So make sure you don’t forget it – work and pleasure definitely don’t mix!
The Perils of Mixing Business with Pleasure 1 of 2 admit (to confess is usually something you do in court) 3 there 4 occasions / times 5 relationships 6 errors 7However 8 ruled 9 heads 10 to our cost 11 in doing 12 both 13 being 14 if 15 the 16 lead to / result in 17 notice 18 transpired 19 terms 20 into
Discrimination in the Workplace
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
In its 1 broadest / widest terms 2 discrimination / the discrimination in the workplace is when an employer or their employee treats you less favourably 3 as / than anyone else, and it can 4 manifest / show itself into two main types – direct and indirect. 5 Direct / The Direct discrimination tends to cover straightforward actions where an employee is obviously being treated less favourably 6 because of / on account of their sex or race. For example, 7 consider / take the case of a woman 8 that / who obviously is more qualified than the other members of staff 9 in / under consideration, but who is turned 10 down / over for promotion because she happens to be pregnant. As for 11 indirect / the indirect discrimination, it is a 12 more subtle / subtler version where it is not always obvious when the discrimination takes place. An example of this would be when 13 it / there is an imposed requirement or condition, 14 that / which 15 leads to / results in discrimination against individuals 16 on the grounds of / for reasons of gender or race. For instance: Imposing an age requirement 17 in / on a job advert, or 18 asking / to ask for qualifications above the requirement for the post. 19 As / Together with all legislation, it is one thing to identify someone breaking the law but 20 another / the other when it comes to 21 implement / implementing the rules. The office is a close community, at least in 22 conditions / terms of people's distance from each other, and it is a place where it is easy to feel 23 intimidated / intimidating. But the only way to get 24 disposed / rid of bad 25 practice / practise is to highlight it when you see it.
Discrimination in the Workplace 1 broadest 2 discrimination 3 than 4 manifest 5 Direct 6 because of / on account of 7 consider / take 8 that / who 9 under 10 down 11 indirect 12 more subtle / subtler 13 there 14 which 15 leads to / results in 16 on the grounds of / for reasons of 17 in 18 asking 19 As 20 another 21 implementing 22 terms 23 intimidated 24 rid 25 practice
Visualizing your Ideal Job
Choose the best answer from each pair of alternatives. In most cases, only one of the answers is correct, but sometimes they both might be suitable. So be careful!
How much time do you spend 1 bitching / to bitch about your lousy boss, ridiculously low salary, hellish commute 2 and etc. / and so on? As satisfying 3 as / than a good gripe session is, you're 4 losing / wasting precious energy 5 in / on the wrong picture. Five minutes a day spent 6 to visualize / visualizing your 7 ideal / idealistic work-life and fashioning a plan to get you there will move you 8 far / much 9 closer / nearer to your goal than 30 minutes of moaning and groaning 10 about / at what you don't want. The most successful entrepreneurs love what 11 do they do / they do. So if you haven't quite 12 figured / worked out where your passion 13 lays / lies, start 14 paying / to pay attention instead 15 of / to what it is that does hold your interest. In 16 other / the other words, try to 17 tune / tuning into what it is you really love and want to do. What characteristics or talents do people compliment you 18 for / on? What kind of work or lifestyles do you envy? And if you don't 19 still / yet have the knowledge or skills to turn your heart work 20 into / on a business venture, 21 do / make it your business to fill the gaps. Remember that unless you 22 don’t walk / walk out into the unknown, the 23 chances / odds of making a profound difference in your life are 24 minimal / minimum. But to 25 keep / prevent yourself from being overwhelmed - yet still make headway - break your larger goal down into more manageable steps. And at the same 26 moment / time you're setting your 27 sights / vision on achieving your future goal, be 28 aware / mindful of how much abundance you have in your life right now! Changing course is a journey. 29 Add up / Count your blessings and enjoy the 30 ride / trip. When you think about it, it's all we really have.
Visualizing your Ideal Job 1 bitching 2 and so on 3 as 4 wasting 5 on 6 visualizing 7 ideal 8 far / much 9 closer 10 about 11 they do 12 figured / worked 13 lies 14 paying / to pay 15 to 16 other 17 tune 18 on 19 yet 20 into 21 make 22 walk 23 chances / odds 24 minimal 25 keep / prevent 26 time 27 sights 28 aware / mindful 29 Count 30 ride
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