Tip 49: Rather....than" or Rather...than to"

"rather...than" versus "rather...than to...."
Eg He would rather swim than jog.
Eg He would prefer to swim than to jog.

Tip 48: You and I or You and Me

"you and me"
Mum told you and me a secret. (You and me - object)
This a secret between you and me. (This is an exception)

"you and I"
You and I should talk openly. (You and I - subject)
You and I are best of friends. (You and I -subject)

Tip 47: Plural words with no "s"

Plural of these words remain the same, with no "s" added:
Furniture
Luggage
Salmon
Fish
Deer
Sheep

No singular or plural forms for these words:
Barracks
Scissors
Trousers
Shears
Tongs
Oats
Measles
Tweezers
Mumps

Tip 46: Synthesis

Kim was very insistent. She finally got her way.

Due to ______________________________________________________________________

CORRECT: Due to her insistence, Kim finally got her way.

WRONG: Due to the fact that Kim was very insistent, she finally got her way.

Tip 45: Whose, Whom, Who

Whose, whom, and who - use them correctly.

1. John whose mother is a principal, topped the class in the exam.
2. John, who has a principal mother, topped the class in the exam.

3. John whom we met yesterday topped the class in the exam.

Tip 44: STARTLING

This word is special. It remains a word when a letter is removed at each of the 8 steps.

STARTLING

Step 1: Remove L --> STARTING
Step 2: Remove T --> STARING
Step 3: Remove A --> STRING
Step 4: Remove R --> STING
Step 5: Remove T -->  SING
Step 6: Remove G -->  SIN
Step 7: Remove S -->  IN
Step 8: Remove N -->  I

What a startling word!

Tip 43: Unless versus Until

"Unless" and "if" have a different effect on the meanings of words.
Eg: She cannot go to the party unless she finishes her homework.
Eg She cannot go to the party if she cannot finish her homework.

"Unless" and "until" have the same effect on the meanings of words.
Eg: She cannot go to the party unless she finishes her homework.
Eg She cannot go to the party until she finishes her homework.

Tip 42: Silent Letters

We know that words are not always pronounced according to the way they are spelt. In many cases, this has to do with silent letters.

See if you have been saying these words correctly.

Silent "b"
bomb, climb, crumb, dumb, lamb, limb, numb, plumber, thumb, tomb, womb, debt, doubt, subtle, succumb, aplomb.

Silent "g"
gnat, design, sign, assign, reign, resign, gnarl, consign, align, gnash, gnaw, feign, cologne, benign, foreign, campaign, champagne

Silent "k"
knew, knack, kneel, knot, knowledge, knead, know, knit, knock, knife, knee.

Silent "w"
wrath, wrap, wrist, wrinkle, wring, wrench, write, wry, wreak, whole, two, whom, whose, playwright, wrestle, wreath, wrap, wrapper, sword, who

Silent "s"
fascinate, science, scent, descent, ascent, muscle, scene, obscene, conscience, isosceles, disciple, conscious, miscellaneous, scissors

Silent "h"
whack, whiff, while, whip, whine, whet, what, whim, wheel, whale, wheeze, wheat, whisk, whiskers, whirl, why, wharf, which, whisper, white

Silent "u"
baguette, biscuit, circuit, guitar, built, guinea pig, guide, guess, guise, queue

Silent "n"
condemn, solemn, autumn, column, hymn

Silent "t"
tsunami, often, soften, jostle, apostle, rustle, christen, bristle, wrestle, nestle, castle, whistle, bustle, moisten, listen, glisten, mortgage, hustle

Silent "p"
psychology

Silent "es"
shoppes