Some words that are commonly considered to
be interchangeable, but actually have very different, often opposite, meanings.
Employing the wrong word in a given situation, such as overlooking an important
piece of paperwork as opposed to overseeing it, could have disastrous
consequences in the workplace.
Other
mistakes can be less serious, but can still result in confusion. For example,
following an interview for a promotion at which the candidate believed they had
performed very well, imagine their reaction to receiving a notification that
they’d been ‘excepted’ for the position. Assuming that the employee was
familiar with the correct use of the English language, they would instantly
wonder what they’d done wrong. Was it something they said? What had someone
taken exception to? And how would this affect their career in their current position,
since they’d missed out on the promotion for some mysterious, but clearly very
important, reason? The candidate’s reaction would of course be very different
if they received notice that they’d been ‘accepted’ for the job, prompting
congratulations from their fellow employees and celebrations with friends and
family.
Altogether and all together are also often confused. Altogether
means completely or entirely, whereas all together relates to a group, as in
‘I’d like to have the sales people all together in the boardroom for an
announcement’. If you wish to inform your employees that something is entirely
false, you would state that ‘the rumors about impending office closures are
altogether untrue’ or that ‘the situation next month could be altogether different’,
for example. Some time and sometime are also frequently used incorrectly. If
your coworker has assisted you in the completion of an important project, you
might tell them ‘thanks a lot. I hope I’ll be able to help you out in return
sometime.’ However, some time is specific, as in when you reassure your friend
who is preparing for an interview, ‘don’t worry, you still have some time to
get ready.’
Serious errors appear in important corporate and government
communications on a regular basis and can be found on so many company websites.
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