In today’s blog, I am writing about some interesting information about the English language.
A Commonly Confused Pair
1 Affect vs Effect
- Affect=To influence (The weather affects my mood)
- Effect= Result (The medicine had a positive effect)
2 Who vs Whom
- Who=Subject (Who called you)
- Whom=Object (Whom did you call)
3 Than vs Then
- Than=Comparison (She is taller than me)
- Then=Time/order ( We ate, then watched a movie)
4 Your vs You’re
- Your=Possession (Your bag is here)
- You’re= You are (You’re amazing)
5 Its vs It’s
- Its=belonging to (The cat licked its paw0
- It’s= It is (it’s raining today)
6 There vs Their vs They’re
- There=Place (We went there yesterday)
- Their=Ownership (Their car is new)
- They’re= They are (They’re my classmates)
7 Lose vs Loose
- Lose=Misplace or fail (Don’t lose your keys)
- Loose= Not tight (My shirt is too loose)
8 Accept vs Except
- Accept=To receive (I accept your apology)
- Except=Not including ( Everyone came except Rita)
9 Complement vs Compliment
- Complement=Completes 9The scarf complements your outfit)
- Compliment= Praise (She gave me a nice compliment)
10 Advice vs Advise
- Advice=Noun (He gave me good advice)
- Advise= Verb (I advise you to take rest)
11 Stationary vs Stationery
- Stationary=Not moving (The car remained stationary)
- Stationery=Office supplies ( I bought new stationery)
12 Farther vs Further
- Farther=Physical distance (He ran farther than me)
- Further=Figurative ( Let’s discuss this further)
13 Principal vs Principle
- Principal= Head of a school (The principal spoke at the event)
- Principle= Rule or belief (Honest is an important principle)
14 Lay vs Lie
- Lay=To put something down (Lay the book on the table)
- Lie=To rest (I need to lie down)
15 Borrow vs Lend
- Borrow=Take from someone (Can I borrow your pen?)
- Lend= Give to someone (I will lend you my pen)
B Some Important Idioms
1 A hard nut to crack– A difficult problem or person to deal with.
2 All in good time– At the right moment, not rushed.
3 Backseat Driver– Someone who gives unwanted advice.
4 Bite the hand that feeds you– Harm someone who helps you.
5 Break the bank– Use up all your money.
6 Carry a tune– sing or hum accurately.
7 Come hell or high water– No matter the obstacles.
8 Cut your losses– Stop a failing endeavor to avoid more loss.
9 Don’t beat around the bush– Speak directly, don’t avoid
10 Drop in the ocean– A very small amount compared to what’s needed.
11 Face value– Accept something as it appears.
12 Get your back up– Become angry or defensive.
13 Go the distance– Complete a task or endure to the end.
14 Have a ball– Enjoy yourself greatly.
15 In the pipeline– Being planned or developed.
16 Jump to conclusions– Make a hasty judgment.
17 Keep your cool– Stay calm under pressure.
18 Let your guard down– Relax your defenses.
19 Like a broken record– Repeating the same thing annoyingly.
20 Make a splash– Attract a lot of attention.
21 No strings attached– Without conditions or obligations.
22 On the nose– Exactly right or accurate.
23 Play it safe– Avoid risks.
24 Put the screws on– Pressure someone to act.
25 Run of the mill– Ordinary or average.
26 See red- Become very angry.
27 Take the heat– Handle criticism or pressure.
28 The bigger fish to fry– More important matters to address.
29 Throw a curveball– introduce an unexpected challenge.
30 Under the table– Done secretly or illegally.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
27th October 2025