Confusing Words: Verb
Meaning: to be unable to do otherwise than
Clarification: Cannot is more preferable term than can not.

Cannot vs Can Not – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

First of all, I will define the term ‘can’.

Definition of Can:

Can is used as an auxiliary verb within sentences. It is used when you are speaking about ability ( physical or mental ability) to do something.

Check Out: The Difference Between Can and May.

Is the correct term cannot or can not?

Now, coming towards our discussion. Cannot and can not are both acceptable spellings. However, if we check out the preferences, we will come to know that cannot is much more usual term that is widely accepted as the contraction of two words ‘can’ and ‘not’.

Cannot is more acceptable term than can not

Cannot = Contraction of Can and Not

Cannot

Cannot is used as an auxiliary verb within sentences, which is a contraction of the words can and not. It is used to express the inability or incapacity to do something. In short, cannot is the negative of can.

1. You cannot do the next work until you finish your homework.

2. Doctor said that you cannot eat heavy food for three days.

3. If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. (John F. Kennedy)

4. Defence group Cobham takes huge writedown and warns it cannot forecast 2017 performance. (Telegraph. Co. uk)

Note: You can also shorten the term cannot as can’t. For instance, I can’t sing right now.

Use of Can Not

Since, cannot is much more common and acceptable contraction of can and not. However, you can use can not together as two separate words within a sentence. In this case, can and not should express two separate constructions. For example,

• You can not only cry, but also share your problems with me.

• “Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change – it can not only move us, it make us move.” (Ossie Davis)

In the above sentences, you can see that not is making another construction such as ‘not only’.

What Did You Learn?

Cannot is more preferable term than can not. Cannot is a contraction of two words can and not, which is used to express the inability or incapacity to do something. Its abbreviated term is can’t. However, you can use can not when can and not express two separate constructions within a sentence.

Confusing Words: Course (noun/verb) and Coarse (adjective)
Meaning:
Course (the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river.)
Coarse (rough or harsh in texture.)
Course vs Coarse Clarification: Course and coarse are homophones that cannot be interchangeable.

Course vs Coarse – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

There is just one-letter difference between course and coarse. As I said above that course and coarse are homophones. It means that they sound same but they are different in terms of meaning, function and spelling. So, it is very important to keep them apart because they are not interchangeable, let us define these terms one by one.

Course

Course can be used as a noun or a verb within a sentence. It is used to refer a schedule of study in a particular subject; the path or route for vehicles or water; a dish or a menu item.

As a verb, it means to flow (of something, especially liquid) quickly.

1. At yesterday’s dinner, I was anxiously waiting for the main course. (noun)

2. The course of the water coming from the nearest dam can be harmful for the crops. (noun)

3. I have started a new course that is related to literature. (noun)

4. I felt sorry when I saw her tears coursing down her cheeks. (verb)

Coarse

Coarse is used as an adjective within a sentence. It is used to refer a texture which is not smooth and is rough, hairy, scratchy or harsh.

1. You must do a home remedy to make your coarse skin soft and smooth.

2. I feel good when I walk on the coarse sand of beach.

Coarse can be used figuratively. In this way, it is used to refer a very rude and ill-mannered person or his/her speech.

1. Our head is too coarse in his speech that forces me to leave the job.

2. Only very coarse persons wanted wars. (Pearl S. Buck)

Check Out: The Difference Between Advise and Advice.

What Did You Learn?

Course and coarse are homophones that cannot be interchangeable. They are totally different in terms of meaning and function. So, it is important to keep them apart. Course is used as a verb or a noun. It has a variety of meanings. The most common is the flow of something quickly. Coarse, on the other hand, is used as an adjective. It means rough or scratchy.

Confusing Words: Coma (noun) and Comma (noun)
Meaning:
Coma (a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness, caused especially by severe injury or illness.)
Comma (a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or separating items in a list.)
Coma vs Comma Clarification: Coma and comma are two different words with different meanings and functions

Coma vs Comma – What is the Difference, Definition & meaning?

Coma and comma are just one-letter apart. Though, they are very close in terms of pronunciation but these words are not interchangeable. Their meanings are totally different from each other.
Let me define these terms one by one. In this way, you will come to know about their functions as well.

Coma

Coma is used as a noun within a sentence. It is used to refer a person’s state of unconsciousness who is not able to wake up. This state is caused by a severe damage or injury to the brain.

1. The doctors said that she went into a coma just after the dangerous accident.

2. The touching moment a 21-month-old boy fighting bacterial meningitis smiles for the first time since coming out a two-week coma was caught on camera. (Mirror)

Coma can also be used to refer a state of a person who is in extreme sleepiness or laziness.
For example,

1. After the whole day of project preparation, I feel like I was in a coma.

2. Beijing coma took me 10 years to finish. (Ma Jian)

Comma

Comma is used as a noun within a sentence. It is, in fact, a punctuation mark, used for a pause or an interval within a sentence. Commas are very important for a strong sentence structure but you have to be careful enough in using them. Too many of commas in a sentence can create confusion among readers.
Read the example below to check the use of the word ‘comma’.

1. If you want to make a list of your items within a sentence, use commas to separate each item.

Now, read the following sentences to see the use of comma (,) grammatically correct.

1. The tablet might also come with support for Samsung’s Air Command, a feature that lets you use the S Pen to select on-screen apps, digitally write on the display, and connect to Samsung Notes. (Laptop Mag)

2. The concept you have about me won’t change who I am, but it can change my concept about you. (Dr. House)

Check Out: What Is a Comma Splice?

What Did You Learn?

Coma and comma are two different words with different meanings and functions. So, it is very important to keep them apart and to be very careful with word choice. Coma and comma are both nouns but coma is a medical term whereas, comma is a punctuation mark that is very important for sentence making. Coma is used to refer a person’s state of unconsciousness.

Confusing Words: Comprise (verb) and Compose (verb)
Meaning:
Comprise (consist of; be made up of.)
Compose (write or create (a work of art, especially music or poetry).)
Comprise vs Compose Clarification: Comprise and compose have different meanings that are closely related to each other, maybe, because they both function as a verb within sentences.

Comprise vs Compose – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

English vocabulary often creates confusion among writers and speakers. So, we have to be very careful with word choice in order to make an error-free writing. Comprise vs. compose is one of the cases that has to be solved.

Comprise and compose are a few letters apart. They are very close in terms of their meanings. This is the reason for the confusion between them.

So, it is very important to keep them apart as, they are not interchangeable. Let us check out their definitions one by one.

Comprise

Comprise is used as a verb within a sentence. It means to contain or to consist of. For instance, ‘the web comprises ten categories’.

It means that something comprises the parts.

1. The book comprises three parts.

2. The Sultanate’s delegation, led by Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrzi, Minister of Tourism, comprises officials of the Ministry of Tourism and representatives of 38 tourism organisations and Oman Air. (Times of Oman)

Compose

Compose is used as a verb within a sentence. It means to form, create or to frame something as a whole. For instance, ‘ten categories compose the web.’

It means that the parts compose something.

1. Three parts compose the book.

2. Before I compose a piece, I walk around it several times, accompanied by myself. (Erik Satie)

Got the Difference?

It is clear from the above definitions that comprise and compose are two different words that cannot be interchangeable. Both of these words function as a verb within a sentence. However, to comprise means to contain whereas, to compose means to make or to frame.

Let us take the above (1) example, ‘the book comprises three parts.’ The example points out that the book (as a whole) consists of three (different) parts.

On the other hand, ‘three parts compose the book’ reveals that three (different) parts compose the (whole) book.

An Important Point

It is noted that some people are arguing on the phrase ‘is comprised of’, which is best to be avoided. The phrase ‘is comprised of’ is incorrect to be used within sentences. It does not make sense. For instance, ‘the book is comprised of three parts.’

However, you can use ‘is composed of’ instead of ‘is comprised of’. ‘Is composed of’ is an acceptable phrase and it does make sense within a sentence. For instance, the book ‘is composed of’ three parts.

What Did You Learn?

Comprise and compose have different meanings that are closely related to each other, maybe, because they both function as a verb within sentences. However, they cannot be interchangeable.

To comprise means to contain whereas, to compose means to make or to frame. Beside this, you should avoid using ‘is comprised of’, but you can use ‘is composed of’, which is an acceptable phrase.

Confusing Words: (phrases)
Meaning:
Compared to: (estimate, measure, or note the similarity or dissimilarity between.)
Compared with: (when compared.)
Compared to or Compared with Clarification: There is a slight difference between compared to and compared with.

Compared To or Compared With – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Writers should be perfect with word choice. Incorrect phrases or word choice can give a very bad impression and can ruin any writer’s writings. Today, I am coming up with two phrases that are often get confused. They are so closely related to each other but there is a slight difference between them. The case is compared to vs. compared with.

The beginning word of each of the above phrase is same, which is a verb. Firstly, I will define the word ‘compare’ then, I will talk about the phrases.

Definition of Compare: Compare is used as a verb within a sentence. It is used to measure or to note down the similarities or differences between two things or ideas. For example, ‘I cannot compare these two views….’

Now, coming towards the two phrases ‘compared to’ and ‘compared with’, to and with are prepositions that are connected to the past tense of compare (i.e. compared). Usually, people use both of these phrases interchangeably but you have to keep in mind that there is a slight difference between them. Let’s talk about them one by one.

Compared To

This particular phrase is used to point out the similarities between two different things or ideas.

1. Her writing is compared to the work of her best friend.

2. Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best. (Michael Johnson)

Compared With

This particular phrase is used to contrast or to point out the differences and/or similarities between two things or ideas.

For example,

3. He checked out a great loss in his business this year compared with a profit last year.

4. It is good to be compared with the best player (Pele). But my dad told me about Garrincha’s style as he moved forward, went up, attacked and dribbled. Garrincha’s style is more similar to Neymar’s. (Neymar)

Check Out: What Is An Analogy?

Got the Difference?

As you have read the above explanation, compared to and compared with are often used interchangeably by most of the people. However, there are few people who know that both of these phrases have a slight difference between them.

Just remember that compared with is used to contrast or to juxtapose two things or ideas. Compared to, on the other hand, is used to liken or to point out the similarities between two things or ideas.

Thus, in the above example, life is often compared to a marathon… It means that the writer is pointing out some similarities between ‘life’ and ‘marathon’.

On the other hand, in the third and fourth example, compared with is juxtaposing two ideas.

What Did You Learn?

There is a slight difference between compared to and compared with. Compared to is used to point out the similarities between two different things or ideas. On the other hand, compared with is used to contrast or to point out the differences and/or similarities between two things or ideas.