What is a recipe and what is a receipt? The two words have different meanings, but it was not always so.
A recipe is something you use in the kitchen. It is a list of ingredients and instructions on how to prepare a dish or make a cake, for example.
When you pay for something you usually get a receipt, a proof of a transaction. Money has been received.
Originally these two words had the same meaning, coming from the Latin word recipere, to receive or take. In 14th century English both words referred to medicine, not to food. A prescription for a medicine usually started with the word recipe, meaning take.
Perhaps you need a prescription for this
There is not really much difference between preparing medicine and preparing food – in both cases it is a matter of preparing ingredients – so in the 18th century recipe began to be used also in the kitchen.
Recipe can also be used metaforically in expressions such as a recipe for disaster or a recipe for success.
In modern language, prescription is used to refer to medicine. The doctor prescribes what medicine you should take.
Then, when you have paid the doctor, he may write out a receipt.
Enquire and inquire both mean to ask or seek information about something. The corresponding nouns are enquiry and inquiry.
Basically there is no big difference in meaning between these words. It can be generally said that inquire is the common form in the USA and enquire in Britain.
The man enquired about renting a sunshade
However, there are writers – particularly in Britain – who make a slight distinction between the two forms of the word. They use enquire simply as a synonym of ask in a general sense. Inquire is used with the meaning of making a formal investigation.
My boss enquired about the passing away of our dog.
The police are making inquiries to find the owner of the abandoned car.
If you write American English, you could use inquire, but otherwise you need not worry about which form is correct. As always, choose one form and be consistent throughout your text!
Most writers either use these two words indiscriminately or simply choose cooperation without even reflecting on the alternative collaboration.
The main difference between the two words is that collaboration involves people working together towards a shared goal, while cooperation implies somebody working to support somebody else’s goal.
Collaborating towards a common goal
As a copyeditor, I work with the author of a text. The author wants me to make sure the manuscript is in fluent English without any linguistic or factual errors. (You can read here about how I work.) The author may ask for comments on a certain passage and I may want clarification of what the author intends. I can suggest an alternative formulation. Our shared objective is an article that deals with an interesting topic, has perfect language and format and is of such a quality altogether that it can be accepted for publication. That is collaboration. Collaboration is teamwork requiring mutual respect, trust and adaptability.
In my job as a copyeditor I may come across a word that is totally unknown to me. I can then call an expert to ask about that word. For example, I once called the coast guard to ask what word they used in a certain context. Thanks to their cooperation I could achieve my goal – to use that word correctly.
Should you have a hyphen or not? The answer is here.
Perhaps some writers hesitate to use the word collaboration since it has a less agreeable connotation. A collaborator is someone who helps an enemy that has occupied their country in a war.
The endings -ic and -ical may cause confusion. They both have the meaning of related to or characterised by.
The ending -ic is more common. Here are some examples: academic anestethic athletic chaotic episodic linguistic melodic neurotic parodic patriotic poetic rhapsodic sympathetic synthetic
The adjective ending -ical is common with nouns ending in -ology. anthropological biological geological physiological theological
Nouns ending in -ic take the ending -ical as adjectives: clinical musical sceptical
There are adjectives that have different meanings when they end in -ic and -ical:
CLASSIC is used to denote a standard, the highest quality or having lasting worth: Over 200 classic motorcycles are on display at the motor show. She wore a casual but classic outfit.
The Fiat Cinquecento is a classic car.
The Classics refers to the literature of ancient Greece or Rome: I’ve always wanted to read the Classics but I never seem to have time.
CLASSICAL refers to the culture of ancient Greece or Rome or to European music from the 18th and 19th centuries: In Italy a classical education is considered valuable also in business. Beethoven was arguably the greatest composer in the transition between classical and romantic music.
Classical can also refer to established principles in, e.g. physics: Classical mechanics is based on Newton’s general principles.
ECONOMIC refers to economy: Economic growth had never been stronger.
ECONOMICAL means being efficient or careful about spending money: Modern cars are much more economical.
(You can read about the difference between economy and economicshere.)
ELECTRIC refers to machines or instruments powered by electricity: Electric cars are becoming very popular in Norway.
ELECTRICAL means related to electricity: He is an electrical engineer. The fire was started by some electrical fault.
HISTORIC To denote something important in history we use historic: This was a historic moment for our country. You must visit the town’s historic houses and gardens.
HISTORICAL Historical means related to or having to do with history or past events: In my youth I liked to read historical novels.
Adjectives ending in -ic and -ical have the adverbial form -ically (but the word public takes the form publicly).
Many writers find it difficult to distinguish between beside and besides.
BESIDE
Beside is a preposition meaning next to, by the side of. Can I sit beside you? I can never teach my dog to walk calmly beside me.
It felt safe walking beside grandpa
Beside can also mean in comparison with. I feel stupid beside you.
Beside is used in a couple of sayings: That’s beside the point. (That is not related to what we are talking about.) He was completely beside himself with joy. (He had very strong feelings of joy.)
BESIDES
Besides is a preposition meaning in addition to, apart from. What’s your favourite food besides pizza? Who was there besides you and your girlfriend? Besides being a language teacher she is also a talented piano player.
Besides can also be a linking adverb giving additional information. Sorry I can’t stay longer. It’s a long way home and, besides, I have to get up early tomorrow.
Writers are sometimes not sure about when to write it’s or its.
IT’S An apostrophe means that a letter has been left out (sometimes more than one letter). It’s is the abbreviated form of it is (or sometimes it has).
It’s hard to believe that he is 14 years old (It is hard to believe…). The book is very thick, but it’s really interesting (it is really interesting). It’s been a long day (It has been a long day). It’s got to be true (It has got to be true).
ITS Its is the possessive form of the pronoun it.
Stockholm is known for its many islands. The cat was licking its paw.
The cat was licking its paw
The simple rule is this: If you can say it is or it has, then the form with an apostrophe, it’s, is correct.
It’s frightening when the bear opens its massive jaws
The abbreviated form it’s should not be used in formal language – there you should write it is.
What is true about it’s and its also applies to you’re and your, they’re and their or who’s and whose.
Affect and effect are two words that easily get mixed up
AFFECT
Affect is mainly used as a verb. It means have an impact on, have an effect on. The bad weather affected our plans for the evening. The old man was visibly affected by the girl’s kind words. How will the strike affect your job?
Affect can also have the meaning pretend to be or have.
I don’t like how he affects a British accent.
The bad weather affected our plans for the evening
EFFECT
Effect is a noun. It denotesthe result of an action oran impression. The effect of his words was immediate. I liked the sound effects in the film. The law is still in effect.
To sum up, most often affect is a verb and effect is a noun.
That said, you may – on rare occasions – find affect used as a noun. Then it means something that acts on something else, usually in psychological jargon.
And effect can be used as a verb meaning to produce, bring about something new, often in phrases like ”to effect a change”
Have you ever thought about the difference between effective and efficient?
EFFECTIVE
Use effective when you want to say that something gives the result that was intended. Effective tells us whether something has been done, not how it was done. The focus is on the result.
Those pills are really effective – my headache disappeared in less than twenty minutes. The manager’s speech was short but remarkably effective.
Being effective can also mean officially start.
The new regulation is effective from 1 October.
EFFICIENT
Use efficient to say that somebody or something works well without wasting time, money or energy. Efficient tells us how something was achieved. The focus is on the process, on minimising cost or waste.
We are installing a much more efficient cooling system. She is a very efficient salesperson.
To sum up, effective is goal-oriented and focuses on the ability to produce a wanted result; efficient focuses on how little was wasted to produce the result. Or, to quote Peter Drucker, being effective means doing the right things, being efficient means doing things right.
An efficient company will do things at a lower cost (with higher profit), but it must also meet the customers’ requirements by being effective.
The corresponding nouns are effectiveness and efficiency.
If you have seven minutes to spare, here is a video explaining the difference between effective and efficient. And here you can read about affect and effect.
Continual and continuous (and the adverbs continually and continuously) come from the verb continue but there is a difference between them.
CONTINUOUS
Continuous means that something is going on without interruption, non-stop. The continuous humming from the fridge made me crazy. (A continual humming would be worrying: Why does it stop, start again, stop, then start again …?)
CONTINUAL
Continual implies that something often happens with intervals, comes and goes. Being a typical teenager she had continual quarrels with her parents about homecoming rules. (Both she and her parents should be happy that the quarrels were not continuous.)
As with many other word pairs you may find that some writers don’t make a distinction between these two words. As a good English writer you know the difference, of course.
The two words later and latter look similar but there is an important difference that you should know.
LATER
Later modifies a verb, which is why we language nerds call it an adverb. It refers to something happening after a certain time. Let’s go to the cinema and then we can go to the pub later. Their best known product was introduced much later.
Later is also an adjective; it modifies a noun: I prefer his later work, especially the large paintings. Can we discuss this at a later date?
There are a few collocations with later: Sooner or later they will succeed. See you later! Later on in the film, they get married.
LATTER
Latter usually refers to the second of two persons or things. We can talk about the former and the latter. I have listened a lot to I’m Your Man and Tower of Song and I must say I prefer the latter. Would you like red or white wine? – The latter, please.
Latter can also refer to something being nearer the end. The company went global in the latter part of the 1990s. The full name of the Mormon Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
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