Confusing Adjectives
- Article graphics | Credit Begin English
Correct Uses of Commonly Confused Adjectives
There are a number of words in English that appear substitutable but are distinct in meaning.
Non-native speakers, as well as most native speakers, confusedly use a number of such words and inadvertently commit errors in grammatical constructions.
In this study we'll be exploring such words; and whilst doing so, stating their correct uses.
Elder versus Older
Let's take a close look at sentences 1 and 2:
- He is elder than I.
- The older of the two sisters is kind.
In these sentences, the words elder and older have been used incorrectly.
Some of us unknowingly assume both words are substitutable; when in reality, they are actually different in meaning.
Looking individually at their meanings:
The word older refers to old age and can be used for persons as well as things.
On the other hand, elder, refers to ONLY PERSONS and is strictly used only for people of the same blood relation such as family members.
Thus, in the first sentence, where no relationship is mentioned, instead of elder, older MUST be used.
In the second sentence, where blood relationship is specifically mentioned, we must use elder NOT older.
Note also that while elder is always followed by of, older is always followed by than.
So the correct versions of the sentences are:
- She is older than I.
- The elder of the two sisters is kinder.
Few, A few, and The few
These three adjectives are often wrongly used. Let’s consider the sentence below:
- Sorry, I can’t make the delivery today as I have a few products in the warehouse.
This sentence is wrong but first let's look at the meaning of these words.
Few
Few means not many or scarcely any; it is almost a negative sense. For Example:
- Few persons can own a private jet.
This means no one can own a private jet
A Few
A few has a positive meaning; it is equivalent and synonymous to some. For Example:
- A few persons can own a private jet.
This means there are some who can own a private jet
The Few
The few means: that which has been mentioned earlier. It refers to something already mentioned. For Example:
- I gave him the few materials I had.
It means all those materials that I had.
Now, it’s all clear what’s wrong with the 3a) sentence above; the correct word in that context of the sentence is few not a few.
- Sorry, I can’t make the delivery today as I have few products in the warehouse.
Little, A little, and The little
The same thing is true with these three adjectives. However, while few, a few and the few are used to indicate numbers, the terms little, a little and the little are used to indicate quantity.
Observe their uses below:
Little means scarcely any.
For example: - He has little knowledge in programming language.
This means he has no knowledge at all.
A little means some.
For example: - He has a little knowledge in programming language.
This means he has some knowledge.
The little means the whole amount that is there.
For example: - I might have lost the little knowledge I had in programming language.
This means all the knowledge that I had.
Important Hint! Bear in mind that sometimes the adverbs just and only can be used before a few and a little, but not before few and little. For example:
- There are only a few touches left and we are done. (Not only few touches …)
Less versus Fewer
Consider the sentence below:
- There are no less than twelve mangoes in the basket.
This sentence might sound correct to most people but the construction is actually erroneous.
The adjective, less, refers to quantity while twelve numerally indicate a number.
When we refer to numbers—as in the case here—we use fewer, NOT less.
So the correct construction for the sentence is shown in 4b).
- There are no fewer than twelve mangoes in the basket.
Remember! - Fewer refers to numerical values and can be used when we want to indicate value in number.
- Less refers to quantity and can be used for non–countable quantities. For example: “There is less milk in this can.” (NOT ‘fewer’)
Some versus Any
Consider the sentence below:
- Is there some water in the jar?
Some of us would probably guess this sentence is wrong. Hey, you know what, your guess is right!
Some is usually used in affirmative sentences while any is used in negative and interrogative sentences.
Now we know what caused the error in the sentence above. Here is the correct version:
- Is there any water in the jar?
Note that any can be used after if or an expression of doubt in affirmative sentences. For example:
- If you need any help, I’m just one call away.
Some can be used in questions which are offers/requests or where the expected answer is yes, as shown in 7 & 8.
- Will you have some coffee? (offer)
- Could you lend me some money? (request)
Much, Many, and Many a
Consider the following sentences:
- Much people come to see the movie.
- Many work is yet to be done.
- Many a girls were dancing.
While much refers to quantity and many refers to number, always remember that many a is singular and always takes a singular noun and verb. So, the corrections for the above sentences are:
- Many people come to see the movie.
- Much work is yet to be done.
- Many a girl was dancing.
Oral versus Verbal
Consider the next sentence:
- There are a few oral differences in two books.
In this sentence, oral has been wrongly used instead of verbal.
Interestingly, this mistake could be avoided once we understood the difference between these two words.
- The word, oral, means what is spoken through mouth but verbal is not the same thing.
- The meaning of verbal has to do with words of the expression, which can be oral or written.
And now, the correction for the sentence is shown in 11b).
- There are a few verbal differences in two books.
→Not oral because using oral here will be wrong as we are talking about the content—words— of the book, not spoken statements.
Mutual versus Common
At some point we might have wrongly used the word mutual in sentences such as the following:
- Gretchen is our mutual friend.
- Me and Gretchen are mutual friends.
Using mutual to describe friendship is a misnomer.
Despite Facebook using this term to group a list of interrelated friends, it contravenes the strict rules of Standard Written English. Mutual being used in this context is wrong as it means reciprocal.
Mutual is often used for abstract things which are interchangeable such as:
- Husband and wife express mutual love for one another.
→In this case, it is correctly used because love is a feeling that is interchangeable.
- Husband and wife express mutual love for one another.
Further versus Farther
Consider the following sentences:
- He walked further than 250 kilometers.
- The secretary could not offer him farther assistance.
You will concur that these sentences sound strange. Well, that’s because the words further and farther have been used in the wrong places.
Now, we must swap both words from both sentences to convey the correct expressions. This is because, the word farther means more distant; while further means additional.
Nearest versus Next
Consider the sentence in 15:
- Bruce Walker is the nearest performer.
The strangeness of this sentence to the ear will tickle your instincts that something is not right with it.
Again, the word nearest has been wrongly used instead of next. This is because nearest indicates distance, and next refers to position or order.
Later versus Latter
Most of us tend to confuse the meanings of these two words and wrongly use each in place of the other.
Looking at the sense of the words, later refers to time, while latter refers to order and means the second of the two things that have been mentioned.
Practical Examples:
- She submitted later than him.
It will be wrong to use latter here, because the reference here is distance in time.
- The latter episodes of the series are more forceful.
It will be wrong to use later here, because the reference here is the immediate set of series mentioned in terms of order.
- The forklift and the conveyor need services. The latter is completely bad.
It will be wrong to use later here, because the reference here is the second object mentioned in terms of order.
Last versus Latest
Last is the opposite of first, and it’s used when referring to the most recent of a series of more than two things. It also implies it is the last of the series and after it, it is finished—nothing else will follow.
Latest is the opposite of earliest it means that it is the last to date, which means there could be more to follow.
Practical Examples:
- Jim and I saw four movies this weekend. The last one was about a family reunion.
NOT ‘the latest one’.
- Candace, Lola and Winifred were the candidates for the audition, but the last one has been evicted.
NOT ‘the latest one’.
- What is the latest trends in fashion design?
It means new trends will follow.
- What is the latest update on the missing plane saga?
It means more updates will come up during the course of investigations.
Each versus Every
The word each is used when referring to entities one by one from a group of two or more entities. Every is usually used when referring to more than two entities, taken as a group.
We specifically use each when the number in the group is definite, and every when the number is indefinite.
Practical Examples:
- There were four applicants and each applicant was equally qualified for the job.
- There are seven mangoes in the basket and each mango is marked with red marker.
- He visits the dentist every three months.
- My refrigerator defrosts every 18 hours.
Important Hint Note that we don’t use every for two. Each is more specific while every is more emphatic. Also important to note is that, each and every are never used with countable nouns.
Small and Big versus Young and Old
Small and big are usually used in reference to size; while young and old are used when referring to age.
Practical Examples:
- John is one year and three months older than his sister, Mary. (comparing ages)
- The brown box is bigger than the yellow box. (comparing sizes)
- Mary is a year and three months younger than his brother, John. (comparing ages)
- The yellow box is smaller than the brown box. (comparing sizes)
High versus Tall
Here are two adjectives that are often used in a wrong way. However, while both words refer to height, their context is different.
High refers to trees, buildings or mountains. Tall is generally used with people.
Practical Examples:
- My elder brother is six feet tall. (Not “high”)
- I haven’t seen a building as high as Mount Everest. (Not “tall”)
Beautiful versus Handsome
Beautiful is generally used for women. Handsome, on the other hand, is used for men.
We say a man is handsome or good–looking, we don’t say a man is beautiful.
Injured versus Wounded
These two words often confuse non–native speakers as well as most native speakers. Here is the correct usage for both words.
Injured is specifically used when a person encounters an accident or was involved in a fight. Wounds are caused in wars or battles.
So, wounded is used for persons or casualties involved in wars or battles.