Confusing Words in English

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.

Confusing Words: Chose (verb) and Choose (verb)
Meaning: pick out (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives.
Chose vs Choose Clarification: Choose and chose are two different tenses of the same verb.

Chose vs Choose – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Do not confuse yourself! It is so simple to remember the usage of these words. Chose and choose are just one-letter apart. There is a very slight difference between them, in terms of definition and pronunciation as well. Let us find out the differences between them. I will define these terms one by one.

Choose

Choose is pronounced as ‘chooz’. It is used as a verb within a sentence, which is the simple present tense.

As a verb, choose means to select, to take or to pick out someone or something from two or more things or options.

1. I have to choose a perfect outfit for tomorrow’s party.

2. Every time, my friend asks me to choose something to eat from her own bakery.

3. Words are powerful. They can create or they can destroy. So choose your word wisely. (Unknown)

Chose

Chose is pronounced as ‘choz’. It is also used as a verb within a sentence but it acts as the simple past tense of the verb ‘choose’. In this case, chose can be used to refer an action of picking out someone or something but this action should be happened in the past.

1. They chose chocolates as their main ingredient.

2. Out of 10 members, the company chose only one person as its senior employee.

3. I chose HBS for two reasons. First, it provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my life and career thus far, and where I would like to go in the future. (Harvard Business School)

Check Out: The Difference Between Council and Counsel.

Chosen as a Past Participle Form

The irregular verb ‘choose’ has a past participle form, that is ‘chosen’. It can also be used as the past perfect tense.

1. I had chosen a large teddy bear for Liza to surprise her on her birthday.

2. His chosen field is much better than yours.

What Did You Learn?

Choose and chose are two different tenses of the same verb. Choose is the simple present tense and can be used as the future tense as well. It means to select someone or something from two or more things or options. Chose, on the other hand, is the simple past tense of the verb choose.

Confusing Words: Complement (verb) and Compliment (noun/verb)
Meaning:
Complement (a thing that contributes extra features to something else in such a way as to improve or emphasize its quality.)
Compliment (a polite expression of praise or admiration.)
Complement vs Compliment Clarification: Complement and compliment are homophones having same pronunciation but different meanings and functions.

Complement vs Compliment – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Homophones create confusion among writers and speakers. Even, I got stuck many times whenever I had to choose a particular word from a set of homophones. Today, I am coming up with two such words that sound same. This is the reason for the confusion between them. The case is complement vs. compliment.

As you can see that complement and compliment are just one-letter apart. These words are called homophones. It means that they are different in terms of meaning but are similar in terms of pronunciation.

Be careful with word choice. It is very important to keep complement and compliment apart as these words are not interchangeable. Let’s take a look upon their definitions.

Check Out: The Difference Between Amoral and Immoral.

Complement

Complement is used as a noun or a verb within a sentence. As a noun, it is used to refer something that contributes to make something else perfect or in a better condition.

As a verb, to complement means to enhance or to contribute something to something else to make its quality perfect.

1. Your tie will be a perfect complement to my outfit; so please, pass it to me. (noun)

2. Virtue is the perfect good, which is the complement of a happy life; the only immortal thing that belongs to mortality. (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (noun)

3. The choice of books that you buy, complements your nature and personality. (verb)

4. $47M Fort Worth hotel will be built to complement New Arena. (Construction Equipment Guide) (verb)

Compliment

Compliment is used as a noun or a verb within a sentence. As a noun, it is used to refer a praising expression or a remark to show respect or admiration.

1. When I reached the hall, everyone gave me beautiful compliments that made my day.

2. There never was a woman who did not prefer an oblique compliment to a straight truth – if the latter were unflattering. (Minna Antrim)

As a verb, to compliment means to praise or to give a respectable remark to someone or something.

1. He wanted you to compliment him on his performance.

2. “Tonight I have to compliment the entire squad, as they played a fine second half and managed to come back despite going a goal down. (Euro Sport)

What Did You Learn?

Complement and compliment are homophones having same pronunciation but different meanings and functions.

Complement is something that refines or improves something else.
Compliment, on the other hand, is a remark or an expression of admiration.