Wrong in english 7 pps

DIRECT SPEECH considered acceptable forms. My tastes are DIFFERENT FROM yours. My tastes are DIFFERENT TO yours. Conservative users would, however, much prefer the preposition 'from' and this is widely used in formal contexts. 'Different than' is acceptable in American English but is not yet fully acceptable in British English. difficult (not differcult, not difficalt) dilapidated (not delapidated) dilemma This word is often used loosely to mean 'a problem'. Strictly speaking it means a difficult choice between two possibilities. dinghy or dingy? A DINGHY is a boat (plural - dinghies). See PLURALS (iii). DINGY means dull and drab. dingo (singular) dingoes or dingos (plural) dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room) din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears) See ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii). diphtheria (not diptheria as it is often mispronounced) diphthong (not dipthong as it is often mispronounced) direct speech See INVERTED COMMAS. 69 DISAGREEABLE disagreeable dis + agree + able disappear dis + appear disappearance (not -ence) disappoint dis + appoint disapprove dis + approve disassociate or dissociate? Both are correct, but the second is more widely used and approved. disaster disastrous (not disasterous, as it is often mispronounced) disc or disk? Use 'disc' except when referring to computer disks. disciple (not disiple) discipline discover or invent? You DISCOVER something that has been there all the time unknown to you (e.g. a star). You INVENT something if you create it for the first time (e.g. a time machine). discreet or discrete? You are DISCREET if you can keep secrets and behave diplomatically. Subject areas are DISCRETE if they are quite separate and unrelated. 70 DISINTERESTED OR UNINTERESTED? discrepancy (singular) discrepancies (plural) discribe Wrong spelling. See DESCRIBE. discribtion Wrong spelling. See DESCRIPTION. discription Wrong spelling. See DESCRIPTION. discuss discussed, discussing discussion disease diseased See DECEASED OR DISEASED?. dishevelled disintegrate (not disintergrate) disinterested or uninterested? Careful users would wish to preserve a distinction in meaning between these two words. Use the word DISINTERESTED to mean 'impartial, unselfish, acting for the good of others and not for yourself. My motives are entirely DISINTERESTED; it is justice I am seeking. Use UNINTERESTED to mean 'bored'. His teachers say he is reluctant to participate and is clearly UNINTERESTED in any activities the school has to offer. Originally, DISINTERESTED was used in this sense (= having no interest in, apathetic), and it is interesting that this meaning is being revived in popular speech. 71 t DISIPLE Avoid this use in formal contexts, however, for it is widely perceived as being incorrect. disiple Wrong spelling. See DISCIPLE. disk See DISC OR DISK?. displace or misplace? To displace is to move someone or something from its usual place: a DISPLACED hip; a DISPLACED person To misplace something is to put it in the wrong place (and possibly forget where it is): a MISPLACED apostrophe; MISPLACED kindness dissappear Wrong spelling. See DISAPPEAR. dissappoint Wrong spelling. See DISAPPOINT. dissapprove Wrong spelling. See DISAPPROVE. dissatisfied (dis + satisfied) dissociate See DISASSOCIATE OR DISSOCIATE?. distroy Wrong spelling. See DESTROY. divers or diverse The first is rarely used nowadays except jokingly or in mistake for the second. DIVERS means 'several', 'of varying types': DIVERS reference books. DIVERSE means 'very different': DIVERSE opinions, 72 DOUBLE NEGATIVES DIVERSE interests. does or dose? DOES he take sugar? He DOES, (pronounced 'duz') Take a DOSE of cough mixture every three hours. doesn't (not does'nt) See CONTRACTIONS. domino (singular) dominoes (plural) See PLURALS (iv). don't (not do'nt) See CONTRACTIONS. dose See DOES OR DOSE?. double meaning See AMBIGUITY. double negatives The effect of two negatives is to cancel each other out. This is sometimes done deliberately and can be effective: I am not ungenerous. (=1 am very generous.) He is not unintelligent. (= He is quite intelligent.) Frequently, however, it is not intentional and the writer ends up saying the opposite of what is meant: I haven't had no tea. (=1 have had tea.) You don't know nothing. (= You know something.) Be particularly careful with 'barely', 'scarcely', 'hardly'. These have a negative force. I wasn't SCARCELY awake when you rang. (=1 was very awake.) Be careful too with constructions like this: 73 DOUBLING RULE I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't come. Say either: I wouldn't be surprised if he came, or: I would be surprised if he didn't come. Sometimes writers put so many negatives in a sentence that the meaning becomes too complicated to unravel: Mr Brown denied vehemently that it was unlikely that no one would come to the concert. Does Mr Brown think that the concert will be popular or not? Rewrite as either: Mr Brown was certain the concert would be well attended. Or: Mr Brown feared that no one would come to the concert. doubling rule See ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (iv). doubt (not dout) The word is derived from the Latin word dubitare, to doubt. It may help you to remember that the silent b is there. Down's syndrome (not Downe's) downstairs (one word) draft or draught? A DRAFT is a first or subsequent attempt at a piece of written work before it is finished. A DRAUGHT is a current of cool air in a room. 74 . drab. dingo (singular) dingoes or dingos (plural) dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room) din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears) See ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii). diphtheria (not . offer. Originally, DISINTERESTED was used in this sense (= having no interest in, apathetic), and it is interesting that this meaning is being revived in popular speech. 71 t DISIPLE Avoid . unrelated. 70 DISINTERESTED OR UNINTERESTED? discrepancy (singular) discrepancies (plural) discribe Wrong spelling. See DESCRIBE. discribtion Wrong spelling. See DESCRIPTION. discription Wrong