View source for Grammar difference between

List of "difference between" certain words and grammatical forms and rules


page to do:

* lie v. lay
* please v. may
* can v. may

[[category:Grammar]]

== affect and effect ==
the difference between ''affect'' and ''effect''
* in general, 
** ''affect'' = a verb
** ''effect'' = a noun
* however, both words can be either a verb or a noun
** affect
*** verb = 
**** to impact or cause
**** to have emotionally impact
**** to pretend or fake 
*** noun = 
**** a psychological impact or result of a psychological condition 
***** as in "''patient affects of the condition are serious''"
**** the word "affectation" comes from the "affect" as a noun
** effect
*** noun = 
**** a result of, an outcome from
**** an impression of
**** materials gathered or to be used
***** as in "''the hunter's effects included his rifle, a sleeping bag, and a mess kit''"
**** the essence of, virtually, caused to be
***** "''Their coordinated play was in effect all it took to win"''
*** verb = to make happen
**** as in ''"The change in policies effected a new attitude''"

== although and though ==
the difference between ''although'' and ''though''
>> to do
* see: [https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/although-or-though Although or though ? - Grammar - Cambridge Dictionary]

== assume and presume ==
the difference between ''assume'' and ''presume''
* assume and presume both mean "to count on" or "to suppose"
* the difference between them is
** '''assume''' = to count on something known will continue to be so in the future; also a logical deduction based on something known
** '''presume''' = to count on something without any proof of it, or without investigating into it; also a logical or probably guess
* see: [https://askanydifference.com/difference-between-assume-and-presume/#:~:text=Comparison%20Table%20Between%20Assume%20and%20Presume%20%20,a%20situatio%20...%20%201%20more%20rows%20 askanydifference.com]

== auxiliary verb and modal verb ==
the difference between ''auxiliary verb'' and ''modal verb''
* auxiliary verbs = "helper verbs"
** i.e., they assist or "help" another verb in order to indicate that verb's tense, voice or mood
*** I am going tomorrow
**** "am" = auxiliary verb to indicate present continuous tense of "to go" (going)
*** Joanna had thought about it
**** "had" = auxiliary verb to indicate past perfect tense of "to think" (thought)
* modal verbs = indicate "modality", or possibility, ability, permission, duty, correctness or obligation
** I can go tomorrow
*** "can" = modal verb to indicate possibility of the infinitive "to go" (go)
** Joanna should think about it
*** "should" = modal verb to indicate correctness of the infinitive verb "to think" (think)
*note that 
**auxiliary verbs change according to inflection (conjugation)
***''I am going''
***''you are going''
**modal verbs do not change according to inflection (conjugation)
***''I should go''
***''You should go''
* see: https://pediaa.com/difference-between-modal-and-auxiliary-verbs

== but and however ==
the difference between ''but'' and ''however'':
* both words create a contrast
** ''but'' creates a contrast <u>and</u> combines two sentences
** ''however'' creates a contrast between <u>ideas</u> (created by a verb), not <u>sentence parts</u>
* but = coordinating conjunction
** it combines independent clauses (with a comma)
** (but can also be a preposition, but that's not for this entry)
* however = conjunctive adverb
** it is an adverb because it modifies a predicate (verb + additional info)
** it compares clauses, sentences or ideas
*** in this sense, however is synonymous with "nevertheless"

== censure and censor / censorship ==
the difference between ''censure'' and ''censor/censorship''
* '''censure''' = severe disapproval or rejection
* '''censor''' = an official who examines material to be published in order to "censor" or remove/suppress offensive content
* '''censorship''' = the act of official '''censoring''' of a publication or other form of speech

=="comma splice and "run-on sentence"
the difference between "''comma splice''" and "''run-on sentence''"
* comma splice =
** independent clauses combined by a comma and without a coordinating conjunction (i.e., "I ate, I slept" v. "I ate, and I slept")
* run-on sentence = 
** independent clauses combined without any punctuation (i.e., "I ate I slept" v. "I ate, and I slept")
** note that "then" is an adverb, so "I ate, then I slept" is technically incorrect
*** correct: "I ate, and then I slept" or "I ate then slept"

== few & "a few" ==
the difference between ''few'' & ''a few''
* ''few'' 
** a determiner (adjective) indicating a small amount or quantity
** it modifies a noun, as in "few people know the truth"
* ''a few''
** "a" = article, and "few" = adjective
** a is an article that modifies "people" 
** few is a determiner that modifies people
** however, by adding the article "a" we create a new meaning
* "a few" indicates "some" or "more than one"
** thus emphasizes that the quantity is larger than one
* "few" indicates a small quantity or absence of much
** thus emphasizes that the number or quantity small
* examples
** "I have few ideas about that" v. "I have a few ideas about that"
** few = negative, I don't know much
** a few = positive, I know  some things

== finite and non-finite verb ==
the difference between a ''finite'' and a ''non-finite'' verb is:

* finite verbs have subjects
** in other words, they are "finite," as in "limited to" a subject
*** and thus must match the subject
* non-finite verbs do not have subjects
** in other words, they are not bound or limited to a subject
** as such, they do not mark the action (predicate) of an actor (subject) 
** instead, they indicate an action or existence but as a noun or adjective and not as a direct subject-verb combination
* non-finite forms include:
** present participle adjective (-ing)
** present participle noun, or "gerund" (-ing)
** past participle adjective (-ed)
** infinitive ("to" forms of verbs, such as "to do")

== Enquiry and Inquiry ==
the difference between ''enquiry'' and ''inquiry'':

* modern American English generally uses ''inquiry'' as opposed to ''enquiry'' 
** both are okay
* English English generally uses 
** ''enquiry'' as a noun
*** ''The enquiry revealed no motive''
** ''inquiry'' as a verb
*** ''The board inquired as to the motive''

== like and as ==
the difference between ''like'' and ''as'': 
* as = conjunction 
** to a degree: ''high as a kite''
** comparison: ''one'' ''as big as the other'' 
** having or being the person or type: ''working as a cashier, as your friend...''
** simultaneously: ''walking as he texted''
** since, the reason for: ''The test is over as we ran out of time''
** even, though: ''Nice as he seems, he's really a jerk''
* like = preposition or adverb
** similar to, in the same way: ''working like a madman, a car like yours''
** taking on the characteristics of (adverb): ''acting like a child''
** for example: ''it's a place'' ''like home''
* not to be confused with "like" as a verb, as in "I like cookies"
** << note the use of "as" here
* examples of the difference between as and like:
**''He flew '''like''' a bird''  v. ''He flew '''as''' a bird''
** ''She lives '''like''' a millionaire'' v. ''She lives '''as''' millionaires do''
** ''That car is '''as''' fast as a Ferrari but rides '''like''' a bus''
* see: 
** [https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-like-and-as.html#:~:text=The%20difference%20between%20like%20and%20as%20is%20presented,used%20to%20refer%20to%20%E2%80%98in%20the%20same%20manner%E2%80%99 Difference Between Like and As]
** [https://www.grammarly.com/blog/like-vs-as/ Like vs. As–Simple Rules to Know]

== like and "such as" ==
the difference between ''like'' and "''such as"'': 
* like = preposition or adverb
** "like" details listed above under "difference between like and as"
* such as = preposition (adjective or adverb modifier)
** as an example of: ''a good idea, such as yours''
** an instance of: ''Tropical mountain coffee such as Ugandan beans are hard to find''
* the difference between "like" and "such as"
** ''like'' compares or gives examples of things with similar characteristics
** ''such as'' compares <u>specific</u> things, usually as an example of
* examples of the difference between like and such as:
** ''I vacation at places '''like''' Verbier with lots of mountains and snow''
** ''I vacation at places with lots of mountains and snow, like Verbier''
* "like" and "such as" may seem interchangeable when providing an example
** but the key difference is that
*** ''like'' is used for "non-inclusive" examples,
**** i.e., something of a similar characteristic or category
**** ''The student dreams of a professional career like medicine'' 
***** << could be any career that is similar to medicine
*** ''such as'' is used for "inclusive" examples,
*** The student dreams of a professional career such as medicine
**** << the student's list of careers includes medicine
* see:
** [https://proofed.com/writing-tips/word-choice-like-vs-such-as/ Word Choice: Like vs. Such As | Proofed's Writing Tips]

== since & because and "because of" and "due to" ==
the difference between ''since'' and ''because'' and "''because of''" and "''due to''"
* ''since'' & ''because'' = the same (synonymous)
** both are subordinating conjunctions (i.e., they combine a dependent or subordinate with an independent clause)
* ''because of'' is a preposition that modifies a verb (therefore creates an adverbial prepositional phrase)
* ''due to'' is a preposition that modifies a noun (which creates a modifying (like an adjective) phrase
* all of these words indicate causality (cause or effect)
** ''since''& ''because'' usually indicate cause
** ''because of'' and ''due to'' indicate either cause or effect
** = "for the reason" 
** ''since'' and ''because'' are synonyms
** = subordinating conjunction
* ''due to''
** = "caused by" or "ascribable to", or "owed to"
** = adjective
** ''due to'' describes something or someone that caused something
*** as in, "Due to Steve's forgetfulness, he missed the appointment"
**** "forgetfulness" is a noun, and it is modified by "due to"
* ''due to'' is not synonymous with ''because of''
, "because of", "in that", "owing to"
>> to fix !!! 
* see 
** https://www.dailywritingtips.com/because-of-and-due-to/

== which & where ==
the difference between ''which'' and ''where''
* "which" is a "relative pronouns"
** relative pronouns add information to a clause
** "which" indicates a specific reference to a prior-stated noun
*** ''the town in which I grew up''
**** note the use of the preposition "in"

* "where" is an adverb or a conjunction
** "where" indicates a general reference to the location of an action, event or thing
*** the town where I grew up
**** note absence of a preposition
* we would not say:
** ''the town which I grew up''
*** instead would be either
**** ''the town which I grew up in'' 
**** ''the town in which I grew up''
** ''the town in where I grew up''

* ''confusion arises in informal English in which "which" and "where" are used interchangeably''
* ''confusion arises in informal English where "which" and "where" are used interchangeably''

== who & whom, whose ==
the difference between ''who'' and ''whom''

* who and whom are both pronouns
** i.e., they refer to another noun (in reference to a person or persons)
* who is the objective case
* whom is the subjective case

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Who:
Subjective Case
(subject-verb in bold)
!Whom:
Objective Case
(recipient of an action)
|-
|'''Who is''' on first?
|You refer to '''whom'''?
<small>(whom is the object of preposition "to")</small>
|-
|I don't know '''who is''' going
|Under '''whom''' do you work? 
<small>(whom is the object of preposition "under")</small>
|-
|Give it to someone '''who needs''' it most
|Give it to '''whom'''?
<small>(whom is the object of preposition "to")</small>
|-
|The man '''who said''' yes is nice
|He's the man '''whom''' I apologized to. 
<small>(whom is the object of preposition "to")</small>
|}

* general rule to use to distinguish between "who" and "whom"
** replace the who/whom with "he/she" or "him/her" 
*** and if the he/she works, then it is correct to use "who"
*** if the "him/her" works, then it is correct to use "whom"
** ex.
*** Who/whom said it is fun? 
**** '''''She''' said it is fun''  < correct
**** '''''Her''' said it is fun'' < wrong
**** so it is "'''Who''' said it is fun?"
*** I know who/whom to avoid
**** I know '''she''' to avoid 
***** (= ''I know to avoid '''she)''' << wrong''
**** I know '''her''' to avoid 
***** ''(= I know to avoid her'') << correct
**** so it is "I know '''whom''' to avoid"

== your and yours ==
the difference between ''your'' and ''yours''
* your = 2nd person possessive adjective
** ''it's your hat''
* yours = 2nd person possessive pronoun
** ''the hat is yours''
* "yours" completes the predicate (verb phrase)
** ''is yours''
* your describes ownership as an adjective