Select as an adjective

select (adjective) = 1. (of a group of people or things) carefully chosen from a larger number as being the best or most valuable; 2. (of a place or group of people) only used by or consisting of a wealthy or sophisticated elite; exclusive. Renz is studying in a select school at Kakkanad. A select club of the upper class. The programme was conducted for a small and highly select audience. He only drinks select wines. They are living in a select area of London. select (verb) =…

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Purist or Puritan?

Purist = a person who insists on absolute adherence to traditional rules or structures, especially in language or style. stickler, traditionalist. Most purists are fans of traditions and traditional rules. To be a purist is to be a kind of a perfectionist. If you are a language purist, it upsets you to hear someone using bad grammar. A baking purist might feel that cookies made without a certain brand of chocolate chips are vastly inferior. Puritan = person who is strict in morals and religion,…

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Misogamist, misogynist, misandrist?

Misogamist = Hater of marriage [mis-uh–gam-ist] Misogynist = A person who dislikes or hates women [mi-soj–uh-nist] Misandrist = A person who dislikes or hates men [mis-an-drist]   Connected words: Misogamy = dislike or aversion to marriage [mi-sog–uh-mee] Misogyny = dislike or hatred for women [mi-soj–uh-nee] Misandry = dislike or hatred for men [mis-an-dree]   Similarly, Feminism = movement for recognition of the claims of women for rights ( legal, political, etc.) equal to those possessed by men. Sexism = prejudice or discrimination typically against women, on the basis of sex.  …

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Miss, Ms, Mrs, Missis/Missus?

Miss – title for an unmarried woman or girl who has no other title. Miss Reshma Ms – is used for a married or unmarried woman (OR in other words, it is the feminine gender of Mr.) ‘Mr’ doesn’t indicate whether one is married or unmarried. There are women who prefer to be known as individuals in their own capacities as women instead of being known as the wives of their husbands. And in certain cases, we do not know whether they are married or…

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Assume vs. Presume

Assume = suppose to be the case WITHOUT PROOF We can’t assume the suspects to be guilty. I’m assuming everyone here has a pen to write with. Presume = suppose something is the case on the BASIS OF PROBABILITY. I presume they are not coming since they haven’t replied to the invitation. I presume he is Dr Rajiv Zachariah, the cardiologist because there’s a stethoscope hanging around his neck.

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Use of I and me

Neethu loves you more than I. Here Neethu and I love you. But she loves you more than I love you. There are two subjects here – Neethu and I. Neethu loves you more than me. Here Neethu loves you and she loves me too. Of the two people (i.e., you and me) she loves you more than she loves me. Here there is only one subject – Neethu. Thus both sentences are correct.

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Appears past, but indicates present

These sentences relate to unlikely or unreal situations. We simply imagine or sympathise ourselves if the situations would be better or otherwise than what they are. If I were you, I wouldn’t buy this coat. If I were you, I wouldn’t tolerate his arrogance. (This is a present situation and I’m not in your place) In the above two sentences, you MUST use ‘If I were you’ invariably. (NOT ‘If I was you’) probably because, on account of frequent repetition, it has become a set…

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Caretaker or caregiver?

Caretaker = A person employed to look after a building or animals; janitor, warden, watchman. He works as a college caretaker. Two lions escaped from their cage and killed their caretaker. Caregiver = someone who takes care of a person who is young, old, sick or differently abled. Some caregivers are family members. Others are paid. When she got sick her husband became her caregiver. She has become a caregiver for her mother and father. Since I am away on my official duties very often…

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Perceptual, perceptive & perceptible

Perceptual = relating to the ability to interpret or become aware of something through senses. A patient with perceptual problems. Perceptual skills are particularly important in sports. Perceptive = Having or showing an unusually good ability to notice and understand. A perceptive woman. perceptive comments. He is so perceptive when it comes to other people’s feelings. Perceptible = Noticeable, perceivable. Perceptible improvement in working standards. A perceptible decline in public confidence. A perceptible change in his behaviour.

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Faculty vs. faculties

Faculty = Power of mind or physical or natural ability to hear, see, think, move, etc. (in this case plural ‘faculties’ is possible as the case may be) Prof. Thomas has a great faculty for learning languages. Even at the age of 90 he still had all his faculties. The mental faculties. BUT never use faculties in the following cases. A) Faculty = The whole teaching staff of a University or department such as the Faculty of Law/Science. The principal convened the meeting of the faculty (…

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