What’s bottom-line
Bottom line(1) = The last figure on a financial profit and loss statement or on a bill.
- What is the bottom line? How much do I owe you? Don’t tell me all those figures. Just tell me the bottom-line.
- What is the bottom line for this quarter?
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Bottom line(2) = the final result, outcome, decision or the most important point.
- The bottom line is that the chairman wants to dictate all of the Board’s decisions.
- The bottom line ,however, is that he has escaped.
- The bottom line is that the new policy is going to affect the profitability of the company.
- How’ll the rise in interest rates affect our bottom line?
- The bottom line is that the majority of the children are physically unfit.(basic fact)
Somebody’s bottom line(3) = The lowest amount of money that someone is willing to give or receive in payment for something.
- His bottom line on this job as a programme developer is rupees twelve lakh . He says he can’t do it for less.
- She demands two crore rupees as the bottom line for her property.
Vindicate vs Vindictive
Vindicate = (verb) justify, substantiate, confirm.
- Vindicate a claim.
- Vindicate one’s title to a claim.
- Vindicate the veracity of one’s judgement.
- Events have vindicated his judgement/action.
- These discoveries vindicate his theories.
- (2) To clear of accusation ,blame or doubt with supporting argument/proof.
- He will be completely vindicated by the evidence.
- He felt vindicated when the truth became known.
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Vindictive = (adjective) unforgiving ,vengeful, disposed to seek revenge.
- He’s a vindictive man.
- Her mother-in-law is a vindictive woman who burned all her clothes.
- ‘ Why are you so vindictive towards me’ she said.
- The vindictiveness of the two brothers caused them to constantly fight.
- She thinks I’m very crazy and vindictive.
Able vs Capable
Able = Having the power , means or opportunity to do something.
- Will you be able to come?
- They need to be able to irrigate without relying solely on rain water.
- He has informed his ability to attend the meeting.
Capable = Having the ability or fitness or quality necessary to do or achieve a SPECIFIED thing.
- Show your teacher what you are capable of.
- He is quite capable of taking care of himself.
- Only the democratic party is capable of running the administration.
- Automation gives us the capability to do certain jobs quickly and well.
- A very capable doctor/nurse/teacher.
- I think your plan is capable being improved.
- We have to further improve our nuclear capability considering the local situations.
‘I could eat a horse’ vs. ‘I could have eaten a horse’
I could eat a horse: This is an idiomatic expression. You must use ‘COULD’ (NOT can) when you don’t really mean what you say. We don’t mean that one will eat a horse, it is an exaggerated statement. The following situations relate to ‘NOW’ (i.e. present situations)
- I could eat a horse! (i.e. I am so hungry and I feel like eating a very large amount of food.) -(present)
- He is so angry with her. He could kill her! ( i.e. present)
- He could beat me! (i.e. He has lost his temper so anything may happen unpredictably)
- The MD is in a very angry mood. You had better not put up the request now. He could shout at you!
- He is so tired. He could sleep for a week!
Past situations
When we want to convert the above examples into the past the following structural changes will take place:
(Could have + past participle of the verb)
- I could have eaten a horse! (i.e. I was terribly hungry, maybe after a tiresome trekking)
- He was so angry with her. He could have killed her! (past – actually he felt like doing anything like killing her, but he didn’t do so)
- He could have beaten me! (i.e. he was in such an angry mood)
- The MD could have shouted at me! He was in a very bad temper.
- He was so tired. He could have slept for a week! (Maybe after a long trip – a past situation)
Confess somebody vs Confess to somebody
Confess somebody = (of a priest) listen to somebody doing this.
- The priest confessed the criminal.
Confess to somebody= tell a priest what you have done so that you can be forgiven OR admit something to somebody.
- The criminal confessed to the priest that he had stolen the gold ornaments.
Related usages :
- She confessed to her mother that she had told a lie. (i.e admitted that…..)
- He has confessed to the priest that he murdered the neighbour.
- I must confess that the house extension is costing a lot more than I expected.
- It was all very confusing, I must confess.
- The priest is ready to hear confession in English.
- The accused made full confession during police interrogation.
Confessional : private place (stall) in a church where a priest sits to hear confessions.
Confessor : priest who has authority to hear confessions.
May be vs Maybe
May be = In the phrase ‘MAY BE’ , ‘may’ is a modal verb and ‘be’ is a main verb or auxiliary verb. Here, MAY and BE are two separate words whereas ‘MAYBE’ is one word.
- There may be a train at 10.00 a.m.
- He may be waiting for us.
- The Prime Minister may be addressing the people tomorrow through the media.
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Maybe is an adverb and it means the same as ‘perhaps‘. It is written as one word.
- Maybe she should consult a doctor.
- Maybe he thought foolishly she would give him all the happiness in life and continued his courtship despite his parents’ advice.
- Maybe he didn’t know that he was being trapped by her with proof and a case of molestation was being fabricated against him.
- Maybe my wife didn’t like it.
- Maybe they didn’t know you are a relation of mine.
- Maybe you received a wrong piece of information.
- Maybe he thought we were fools because we wouldn’t like to argue with him.
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Note:- Usually ‘Maybe’ is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Grammar tips – Have something vs Do have something
Here the distinction between two usages is clarified. First situation deals with the position at the moment or now and Second position deals with reference to the general position.
- I haven’t any money. ( by this you mean to say that you have no money right now. Example, you are meeting a friend of yours on the way, and he is in need of some money now.)
- I don’t have any money. (This doesn’t mean a period ‘right now’. Example, he likes to buy a car, but his financial position is not favourable to satisfy his desire)
- Have you any brothers or sisters? (correct)
- Do you have any brothers or sisters? (incorrect)
- Have you indigestion? ( maybe , this is asked by a doctor with specific reference to the present time (now), not as a general case.
- Do you have indigestion? ( a doctor may require this type of clarification whether generally you suffer from indigestion, not just related to the present position.)
- Have you much homework to do? ( means right now or presently)
- Do you have much homework to do? (means not today, but generally)
- He hasn’t any secretary. ( right now he hasn’t any secretary, maybe he might have had a secretary earlier)
- He doesn’t have a secretary. (He has no secretary either in the past or at present to assist him)
Note:- but , in the past tense the distinction is not so definite or so important.
Thus:
- I hadn’t enough money to pay the bill. OR – I didn’t have enough money to pay the bill.
- Had you any difficulty in finding the house? OR – Did you have any difficulty in finding the house?
Antics vs Antique
Antics = Foolish or amusing behaviour e.g by a clown at circus etc.( when you pronounce this word give stress at the first syllable.)
- In the movie the comedian displays his antics and mannerisms.
- Their physical antics and comic duets made the audience laugh.
- She had little patience for his antics and stupidity.
- The antics of our own political parties.
- The clown’s antics made the children laugh.
Antique = Belonging to the past e.g a piece of furniture , a work of art etc. ( Here you give stress at the second syllable)
- She loves collecting antiques (noun)
- I can’t give away my grandfather’s walking stick. It’s an invaluable antique for me! (noun)
- Antique shop = ( a shop where antiques are sold. (adjective)
- An antique clock. (adjective)
- Statues of antique gods. (adjective)
Marital vs Martial
Marital = relating to marriage or the relations between a married couple.
- She wanted to talk about their marital problems.
- Marital bliss is the share and care the couple give between them.
- Strict marital fidelity is essential for a happy married life.
- Extra-marital relations may spoil the joyful atmosphere in the family.
Martial = relating to fighting , war, army.
- Freedom of press was curtailed to a great extent during martial regime.
- Martial law.
- A court martial stripped him of his military rank.
- The recruits drilled while singing martial songs.
- Polonius sent his son to Paris for learning martial arts.
Complicity vs. Complexity
Complicity = involvement in a crime or some activity that is wrong.
- Police suspected his complicity in Billa’s escape.
- The police are investigating the extent of the manager’s complicity in the fraud.
- They are accused of complicity in the murder case.
- His complicity in the bank robbery is the centre point of police investigation.
Complexity = the state of being complex or complicated.
- His dismissal is an issue of great complexity.
- The complexities of starting an exporting business.
- Don’t get involved in the project without examining the probable complexities that might be remaining hidden.
- The position becomes more complex where an investigation is underway.