 Assalamu alaikum, welcome to virtual university. The title of today's lesson is word choice and this lesson is going to be in two parts. In the first part you shall learn about the use and choice of words and expressions and in the second part you shall look at a number of words that are often mistaken for one another because they are homonyms that is they are words that are pronounced the same or almost the same but are spelled differently and are different in meaning. To be a good writer you must learn to use words and expressions that are suitable to the subject to the occasion and also for the audience you are writing for. Even the most casual of English students of English they soon become aware of the fact that there are several different speech levels. Some words are unmistakably bookish or literary, some are informal or colloquial and you will notice that every trade and profession also has its own technical jargon. Then there are words that are used only for humorous effect and there are words that are never used in polite situations. So you realize that there is a great variety of situations and an equally great variety of words to go with them. Now not all writing problems involve grammar, a sentence may be grammatically correct yet fail to communicate effectively because the words that the writer has chosen are not appropriate. The student of writing must take an interest in words, slang, cliches and wordiness are three enemies of clear communication. Now slang expressions no doubt are very lively and they add color to our everyday speech but it is generally out of place in formal writing. Most slang terms are often vague substitutes for more exact words. No writers avoid weakening their writing with slang. Slang is a living language no doubt because new slang expressions and words keep coming in and keep going out as well and as new words and expressions are coined almost daily and most of these die out equally quickly. Students especially young children are very fond of using slang they coined these words but let me repeat that they are not appropriate in formal writing. Listen to this sentence I actually heard a student of mine say this when my mother saw me zonked out on the sofa she lost it very funny when my mother saw me zonked out on the sofa she lost it. Now of course you understand what is the meaning the student meant that when his mother saw him stretched out on the sofa she lost her temper or she lost she became angry and the sentence can be revised and written in proper English. It could be when my mother saw me sleeping on the sofa she became angry fine. Slang by its nature is informal and it is commonly used in talk amongst friends, colleagues but it is not suitable for good writing or even for formal occasions. For instance if you are in an interview you go for an interview it would be better for you if you did not use slang words because maybe it is your colleagues understand the slang that you are using but the persons who are interviewing you they might be old fashioned and they might not understand the terminology the terms that you are using. Then there is something else about slang that it is typical sometimes it is typical of one class of persons such as you may have prisoners a prison slang you may have excuse me. Army slang and as I said earlier slang may be appropriate in casual conversation but it is not appropriate in formal writing. Now this is not realized by foreign learners of English that slang is used by limited social groups slang in the USA is quite different from the slang that is in the UK used in the UK in Australia and other English speaking countries. And foreign learners of English should be very careful for instance slang expressions of the 1960s they sound out of date or are meaningless today use slang only when you have a specific purpose in mind such as being humorous. Now we shall do an exercise I shall show you some sentences and you change first you spot the slang expression and then you change the expression by using more effective language. Take the first sentence all the viewers trashed the new Tom Cruise film all the viewers trashed the new Tom Cruise film now I do not have to tell you which is the slang expression you I am sure have spotted it easily you can rewrite this in effective in a better way and that could be all the viewers condemned the new Tom Cruise film take another sentence I was really cheesed off when Rizwan called me a liar a very common expression cheesed off you can write this you can revise this and make it I was really angry when Rizwan called me a liar another sentence working in the library has been a real drag a real drag. Now you can correct this you can say that working in the library has been boring working in the library has been boring those were slang expressions now we shall look at cliches that is the second type of expression that are very common in writing and even in spoken speech now cliches are expressions that were lively and interesting a long time ago with the passage of time these expressions have been used so often and they have been used so much that they have become predictable and thus they are dull and boring and good writers try to avoid using cliches in their writing you should when you are writing try to use fresh expressions and I shall show you some examples of cliches we have all come across expressions like after all is said and done a long felt need avoid like the plague bored to tears better half which means the wife or the husband bolt from the blue expression like busy as a bee cold as ice cool as a cucumber in this day and age clear as crystal then you have expressions like light as a feather well you can use another word you can have another comparison but it need not be a feather it could be something else make ends meet pretty as a picture red as a rose well you can say red as a tomato I know the word the tomato is not so romantic as the rose but you can compare it with something else that is red sick and tired that is another cliche tried and true time and again these are all cliches and see wherever it is possible try to use another expression now we shall look at some sentences and I would like you to pick out the cliche that is used in these expressions number one the boys in my class were down in the dumps because they were fighting a losing battle with their discrete maths course a long sentence but there are cliches in it down in the dumps fighting a losing battle these are expressions that have been used in other contexts and I would advise you to try to break away from such writing you can rewrite this sentence in this way the boys in my class were depressed because they were not doing well in their discrete maths course simple straightforward English you do not have to use words like down in the dumps and fighting a losing battle what you have to say say it in simple words and it will be very effective take another sentence she speaks loud enough to wake the dead she speaks loud enough to wake the dead now this is this sentence could be rewritten as she speaks extremely loud and that is it you do not have to wake the dead number three take another sentence the children in the nursery class have been busy as bees all day but they still seem fresh as daisies tried cliches cliches that have lost their freshness words expressions that have lost their freshness and this could be rewritten as the children in the nursery have been active all day but they still seem energetic now the third type of expressions that should be avoided by all writers is wordiness that means that you use too many words unnecessary words to say something that could be said in a few words and some people think that it is a way of showing off their knowledge of the language they think that by using big words difficult words they are creating an impression actually this this can be quite annoying for the reader and even for the listener now I will show you a few examples and you notice that for each of the wordy expressions you can replace it by one or two words it is a small list otherwise there is a very long list and if you pick up any good grammar book or vocabulary book you will notice pages and pages of these expressions the expression a large number of you have a simple word many you can use the word many you do not have to say a large now sometimes fine yes but try to use simple words a single word at an earlier point in time these expressions are very common in writing you can say before instead of saying at an earlier point in time say before at this point in time that is a single word for it and that word is now and the expression due to the fact that it is so common in writing due to the fact that and this can be substituted by the word because during the time that that again is a very wordy expression and all you have to do is substitute the word while because that is that is what this expression means each and every day means daily it is the same meaning daily maybe you may use each and every day for the sake of emphasis but too much use of such words can be quite boring few in number that is another expression another wordy expression and you can use the word few just simply few because few when you say even you use the word few you mean number less in number so use the word few green in color why they have to use the word color when you are already using the word green green is a color so just use the word green you do not have to say green in color in order to this can be substituted with the word to there is another one that is very common and that is in my own opinion in my own opinion opinion is your is your thought is your idea what you think so you do not have to say in my own opinion you just say I think and another expression in the event that in the event that something happens you can use substitute the word if again there is another expression in the near future well maybe if you are comparing in the near future and in the distant future but if you just say soon because the word soon means in the coming days ahead the expression made the decision to it means decided just say decided we decided on a count off again you can substitute the word because postponed until later you can just use the word postponed you do not have to say until later small in size small just use the word small all right now we shall do an exercise and you notice and decide for yourself which of these communicates well which sentence communicates well take the first one due to the fact that the printer ran out of the toner they went to the local store for the purpose of buying some look at the other one because the printer ran out of the toner they went to a local store to buy some which one is better decidedly it is the second one all right another one at this point in time we have not yet scheduled the date of the next meeting at this point in time this can be a better version could be we have not yet scheduled the next meeting or we have not decided on the next meeting take another one in my opinion I think the quota system in jobs is totally unfair and uncalled for the other version is I think the job quotas are unfair you said the same thing but in in a way that is more clear now to help you develop your skill in choosing words effectively we will do a short exercise see if you can identify errors of cliches or wordiness in the following sentences and if you feel like you can rewrite the sentence number one my neighbors conversation is too gross for me my neighbors conversation is too gross for me you can rewrite it as my neighbors conversation is disgusting because gross means bulk take the next one the audience was bored to tears by the lecture there is no need to have the word bored to tears you can just say the audience was bored by the lecture that sentence owing to the fact that buses are on strike no one arrived on time you can say because of the bus strike no one arrived on time listen to this one the boys are pulling your leg when they say they can't be at your party don't listen to their teasing they won't miss your party for the world notice the slang right you can say that in a better way the boys are joking when they say they can't be at your party don't listen to their teasing they really want to go to your party they wouldn't miss your party for the world very common all young people say that there's nothing wrong with it but a better way would be that they really want to go to your party take this one you can't believe what my neighbor says he's a gas bag during the time I've known him I've heard him tell many lies a gas bag actually what is meant is that my neighbor you can't believe what my neighbor says he's always exaggerating right during the time since instead of using the word at the phrase during the time use substitute it with the word since since I've known him I've heard him tell many lies right take this one she was as happy as a lark when she learned that she'd got an A on her term paper but her happiness didn't last long due to the fact that there had been a complete mistake there had been a mistake in the compiling of the result now again cliches happy as a lark you can just use the word she was happy when she learned that she had got an A on her term paper but her happiness didn't last long because there had been a mistake in the compiling of the result you don't have to say it didn't last long due to the fact that wordiness that sentence suffers from wordiness right now that was the first part of today's lesson and we talked about very common mistakes that writers make the use of slang the use of cliches and wordiness using too many words to say something that can be said in a straightforward manner now we shall look at the second half which consists of homonyms these are pairs of words that are frequently confused with one another because they sound alike sometimes they are spelled in the same way and people mistake one for the other and they are commonly confused the first one it's ITS and IT apostrophe S a very common mistake students are may be they are not very clear about it ITS this is the possessive form of the word it and IT apostrophe S is a contraction a contraction of it is instead of writing it as two words IT and IS the word is contracted the second I is taken out and instead an apostrophe is inserted look at this example when she saw my dress she said it's an unusual one but I like its color notice it's the first it's is with an apostrophe S it's an unusual one but I like it's color number two now these are very common words some of you might say oh well we are familiar with this but when you are writing students often confuse the one for the other there and there T H E R E there it has two meanings one it means in that place there it is there over there and it is used with IS or WAS or and other forms of the verb to be the other word is there T H E I R which means belonging to them them and that there is a third one over here there are three forms of this word their T H E R E their spelled T H E I R and there is the third one which is they their T H E Y apostrophe R E which is a contraction of two words they are now look at these sentences the teacher told the students that there was no excuse for their failing in the test they are going to sit for another test the first their T H E R E the second excuse for their T H E I R and the third one is a contraction of the word they are they are going to sit for another test the second example their belongings were scattered over there on the hillside tomorrow there will be an inquiry in the accident right now except for the first one the first is T H E I R the other two there are T H E R E meaning over there in that place now there is another pair another pair of words that are frequently confused and these words are your Y O U R your meaning belonging to you and the other one your which is a contraction of the words you are the A is removed and you have the apostrophe and R E listen to the example if you are going out in this heat take your umbrella for protection now the first your is Y O U apostrophe R a contraction of the word if you are if you are going out in this heat take your umbrella meaning the umbrella belonging to you for protection another example do you think your family will be upset when they learn your migrating to Canada the first one is your belonging to you do you think the family your family belonging to you will be upset when they learn you are second one is a contraction now the fourth set of words that are that are confused are the words past P A double S E D past and the word past students do not know when to use which one now the word past P A double S E D past means past is the past tense of the of past it means handed to when you pass something to somebody he passed me the ball number two went by he went past the rose bush and number three it also means to be completely successful or to complete something successfully he passed the exams and the word past P A S T it means time before the present right take this example as Sahaja the leap walk pasts the fire he passed his hands over it the first one is went by meaning went by and the second one is he passed his hands over it right let us look at the next pair and these are the words whose W H O S E meaning belonging to whom and the other one is whose H W H O apostrophe S which is a contraction of the word who is or who has right example the headmaster yelled who is responsible for the destruction of the painting whose fault is it the first whose is W H O apostrophe S who is responsible for the destruction of the painting the second one is whose W H O S E the next one is weather and weather one always remember the one with a there is the letter a in the first one weather which means conditions outside rain when temperature etcetera and the other weather is another word meaning if example to illustrate the weather won't spoil our holidays whether it rains or not our days will be passed our days will be spent fishing and boating the first one is weather with an e a with an a and the second one is weather with an H right the next very common commonly confused words are already two words a double L all and ready these are two different words and it means to be completely prepared the second one is one word already a L R E A D Y right and that is an adverb which means previously or before or prior to some specified time example they were all ready for the work to begin they were all ready meaning that they were completely prepared for the work to begin second sentence we were surprised to find the woman already there when we arrived right the next pair of words are all together and all together again all together is one word a L T O G E T H E R which means meaning wholly or thoroughly it is one word and it is an adverb the other one all together are two words all and together meaning simultaneously or at once all at once example the customers were all together satisfied and here you would use the word all together which is one word meaning thoroughly satisfied and the other one they were all together in the waiting room by 8 o clock all together the next one is now these are not homonyms it is the word angry and I have included this because sometimes people do not know how to use the word angry you can be angry about something you can be angry with some somebody and you can be angry act not homonyms but it is the word angry being used with different prepositions and it takes on a different meaning you are we are angry about occasions about situations or with situations you are angry with people you are angry about occasions or situations and you are angry at things at animals for example you can say we were all angry about the increased taxes angry about the increased taxes you can say she was angry with Mr. Khan for supporting her rivals angry with she is angry with me these days and he showed his dissatisfaction by becoming angry at his dog for barking you are angry at things now there is another pair and again these are not homonyms but I have included them because sometimes students often not sometimes often do not know when to use which one and these are the three words liable apt and likely now liable and apt are sometimes used for likely something is apt if it is suited for or appropriate to do something else a person is apt if he has a tendency to do something or is ready to learn and liable means answerable for and it is often and often suggests an undesirable possibility likely means probably likely means probably listen to this example that was not an apt remark that was not an apt remark he is liable to arrest you would not say he is apt to arrest and you would not say or you can say he is likely to be arrested he is liable to arrest and the word likely it will very likely rain tomorrow and then we have the words accept and accept with the double C A double C E P T accept which means to receive willingly to agree to something and accept E X C E P T means to leave out or it also means but all the workers except the part timers voted for a 5 day week except meaning all the workers excluding leaving out the part timers and the second one the management accepted the proposals of the workers accepted agreed to the next pair of words is advice and advice the first one advice means suggestion or suggestions and advice means to give advice or suggestions to somebody right they advise their clients in such a way that they become dependent upon them for guidance right and here it is advice V I S E most astrologists or most astrologers advice is worthless astrologers advice the next pair is effect and effect effect with an A means to influence it is used as a verb effect to influence the other one is with an E effect again used as a verb and it means to cause to cause something and it is also used as a noun meaning result the heavy down pour last night and I will use these in an example the heavy down pour last night did not affect the success of the trip the rain had the effect of clearing the air of dust right the first one is with it with an A right which means to influence the heavy down pour did not influence the success of the trip the second one is effect meaning result the effect of the rain the result of the rain was that it cleared the air of dust right and we have got other examples as well now let us look at the next one the next words that are confused the group of words that are confused are desert desert and desert three variations two of them are spelled exactly the same way the third one is a double S has a double S the first meaning of desert is dry and sandy right sandy place and the other one is desert to leave behind the third is desert which is the final course of a meal the boys were lost in the thar desert the thar sandy place in southern Pakistan the other one the soldiers deserted the army meaning they left the army and the third one the hostess offered rice pudding as desert meaning as the final meal there is another pair of words very often confused by students and these words are dose and does dose is D O S E meaning a measured amount of medicine and the other one is does it is it is spelled D O E S and it is the present tense of the verb to do now listen to the example does a double dose of medicine cure an illness quickly does a double dose does D O E S E and dose D O S E the next pair is course and course one is spelled C O A R A C which means rough not refined and the other is course a unit of instruction you can take course in linguistics course is a part of a meal the last course and it is also used in words like it is used with off such as of course example the secretaries are required to take a course in handling telephone calls so that they do not treat even irritating customers in a course manner that was a long example take the next one which is shorter some of the boys on the computer course were very course in their manners the first one is course the computer course a unit of instruction and the second course is being rough not refined next are the words lead and lead right lead I am sorry it is the words lead and lead lead E A D is a metal and the other one is lead L E D which means influenced or persuaded to be influenced or persuaded it also means to be guided and it is also the past tense of the verb to lead example the lead based is dangerous for your health lead right L E A D the other one the other example is you must lead the child by the hand another example I lead the old woman by the hand last week and the words plain P L A I N and P L A N E again very often confused by students P L A I N means not fancy something that is plain nothing very fancable about it something that is obvious straight forward and it also means flat land the other word plain P L A N E plain of course there are other meanings but I will just confine ourselves to one meaning and that is the short form of the word aeroplane aeroplane is rather a big word and everybody uses the word plain these days P L A N E it was plain to see the plane had landed in the field the first one is P L A I N and the other one is P L A N E and another example the heat in the planes is unbearable and it is the word P L A I N S meaning flat land and we have got three versions of the word quiet quiet quiet and quit sometimes students just do not know how to differentiate one from the other quiet I E T means silent Q U I E T silent quiet means very and quit means to give up to stop doing something right. The last one is Wanda and Wanda Wanda with an A means to move with no definite of X course in mind or to be unclear in speech he is wandering in his speech the other one is Wanda which means to be amused I am sorry to be amazed and this Wanda is spelt with an O W O N D E R and it is used to introduce polite requests for inquiring and it is it also is used to show when you speculate or you ask yourself right now in today's lesson you learnt about selecting the right words and their importance in good writing you also learnt about words that are often confused with one another just because they sound similar so try to avoid such mistakes till next time Allah Hafiz.