Found 126 articles starting with B:
bachelor noun |
Back to Our Robin Cook Examples So why are the examples at the beginning of this chapter incorrect?Here are the examples from the best-selling Toxin: 1. Kelly regarded Tracy in an attempt to interpret her comment. Kelly couldn’t qui... |
Backup and Back up? What’s the Difference? We all use the word Backup. Or is it Back Up? ... |
Bad ordinarily acts as an adjective, badly as an adverb |
A small sign with a picture, name, or message on it that you pin to your clothes.A mammal with a gray body and a black and white head that lives in a burrow and comes out at night to eat.To keep asking someon... |
Introduction Language is a dynamic and nuanced tool for communication. Among the myriad of words that convey similar meanings, "baffle" and "puzzle" often find themselves at the center of confusion due to their overlapping definitions. Ho... |
A usually flexible container for carrying things.Travelers’ suitcases, bags, and trunks.... |
Origins and Cultural Significance: Bagels, with their origins tracing back to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, hold a deep cultural significance. They symbolize tradition, Jewish identity, and are often associated with New York City's bu... |
Hanging in loose folds, as in baggy shorts.A musical instrument.... |
Bait vs. Bate: Do You Know the Difference? You know the expression, “…with bated/baited breath…” What do you think? Is it spelled "bai... |
A white powder used in baking to make dough or batter rise.A white powder used to make dough rise or to make an upset stomach.... |
balance noun and verb |
The English language is rich and diverse, often presenting words that sound similar but have fundamentally different meanings. Two such words are bald and bold. At first glance, these words may seem to share a pho... |
Bale vs. Bail: Navigating Homophones in Language Homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings, can sometimes cause confusion. "Bale" and "bail" are examples of such homophones. This article aims to clari... |
The English language is rich and diverse, with many words that sound similar but have completely different meanings. "Ball" and "bawl" are two such words that are often confused due to their similar pronunciation,... |
balloon noun and verb |
Barmy and balmy sound exactly alike, and with the exception of one word (r in barmy and l in balmy) their spellings are very much similar too. The meanings of both the words however... |
banal - adjective |
barbecue noun and verb |
People love "barbecue time", as they usually associate it with a free day spent with friends, chatting and feeling good outdoors. But taking a closer look at its name, this word started to create confusion within the last years.You might have... |
Introduction The terms 'barber' and 'hairdresser' are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, leading to some confusion regarding their specific meanings and roles within the hair care industry. While both professions involve... |
The English language is full of homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. "Bare" and "bear" are two such words that are often confused due to their similar pronunciation, but they have dis... |
bargain noun and verb |
Introduction English is a language renowned for its intricate vocabulary, occasionally causing confusion due to words that sound similar but have distinct meanings. 'Base' and 'baseball' are two such words that are occasionally interchang... |
Even though they are correctly pronounced differently, the fact that “base” and “bass” have quite similar spellings often determines some English users to pronounce them almost identically and, consequently, to confound them and use them one instead ... |
basic adjective and noun (basics)Example: Sugar is the basic ingredient. adjective... |
basically adverb |
'Basket' 'Basket' is a noun that refers to a container or receptacle made of various materials, such as woven wicker, plastic, or metal, designed for holding, carrying, or storing items. Baskets come in various shapes and sizes, and their... |
'Bath''Bath' is primarily used as a noun and refers to the act of immersing oneself or someone else in water for the purpose of cleaning, relaxation, or personal hygiene. It can also refer to the container or room where this activity take... |
Bathe vs. Bath: Navigating Linguistic Waters Within the realm of personal hygiene and relaxation, the terms "bathe" and "bath" are often used interchangeably, but they carry distinct meanings and applications. This article aims to clarify... |
'Bathing Suit' 'Bathing suit' is a compound noun that describes a type of clothing specifically designed for activities involving water, such as swimming or sunbathing. It is also commonly referred to as a 'swimsuit' or 'swimming costume.... |
The English language is rich with words that often carry nuanced meanings, and two such words that often lead to confusion are "bathroom" and "rest room." Though they are often used interchangeably, they have dist... |
The Word 'Batter' The word 'batter' is a versatile term that can function as both a noun and a verb, with different meanings in each context. As a Noun: 1. In culinary contexts, 'batter' refers to a mixture used in coo... |
The English language is a rich tapestry of words, each with its own unique meaning and purpose. Among these words, "be" and "bee" stand out as homophones, causing confusion due to their similar pronunciation. Howe... |
'Beach''Beach' is a noun and refers to a shore or a stretch of land along the edge of an ocean, sea, lake, or river. It is typically covered with sand, pebbles, or other natural materials and is a popular destination for swimming, sunbath... |
The terms 'beach' and 'coast' are frequently used in discussions about geographical features, particularly in relation to bodies of water. Although these words are often used interchangeably in casual conversation, they possess distinct meanings t... |
'Beam' The word 'beam' primarily functions as a noun and a verb, each with its own set of meanings: 1. Noun - A Long, Horizontal Support As a noun, 'beam' refers to a long, sturdy piece of timber or meta... |
They may be pronounced just the same, but “bear” and “bare” can definitely not be confused in an expression. They represent completely different things and should never be misspelled.Both words have double functions, both working as verbs and... |
Understanding the English language involves recognizing nuances in words that may sound similar but have distinct meanings. Two such words are bearing and baring. Despite their phonetic similarities, these terms d... |
beautiful adjective |
The English language is rich with nuances that enable speakers to express a wide range of emotions and observations. Two adjectives that often appear in conversations about aesthetics, feelings, or impressions are 'beautiful' and 'adorable'. While... |
because subordinating conjunction |
See as, because, since, for |
become verb |
The terms 'Bedpost' and 'Bed Post' may seem similar at first glance, as they both refer to components of a bed. However, the subtle differences in their usage, meaning, and context warrant a deeper exploration. Th... |
before preposition, subordinating conjunction, and adverb |
beggar noun and verb |
beginning noun, adjective, and verb (present participle of the verb begin)Example: In the ... |
Behavior/Behaviour is one of many words that are spelled differently in American English and UK English. It is part of a pattern that extends across the majority of words with the same ending, such as color/colour, harbor/harbour... |
being noun and verb (present participle of the verb to be |
belie - verb |
belief noun |
believable adjective |
believe verb |
How often do you find yourself wondering whether you should spell "below" or "bellow" while writing something? If you have seen this word spelled in both forms, chances are you got confused and you are not sure anymore about which one is correct.... |
bemoan - verb |
beneficial adjective |
benefit noun and verb |
benefited verb (past tense and past participle of the verb benefit)Also spelled benefitted.Example: The slush fun... |
The basic rule when building the past-tense form of a regular verb is to add "-ed". A special rule, anyway, is used when we're talking about a monosyllabic verb that ends in this pattern: consonant-vowel-consonant. In this specific case, doubling the... |
People feel that the English language is tricky and confusing, but it doesn't necessarily need to be. There are many words in the English dictionary that have the same pronunciation but different spellings. We refer to them as homophones. They’re t... |
beset - verb |
Beside Beside is a preposition of place. It means ‘next to’. The word has originated from the old English adverb ‘be sidan’ ... |
As prepositions, these two are commonly interchanged, but their meanings do differ, according to traditionalists.Besides means “other than” or “in addition to” while ... |
between preposition |
Biannual and biennial are treated as if they are interchangeable or they mean the same. Some people who know the difference but still get confuse about wh... |
bicycle noun |
Bid Firstly, let us explore the word "bid." As a verb, "bid" typically refers to making an offer, especially in an auction or competitive situation. It implies an act of suggesting a price for an item or a service. Example usag... |
bight noun (a loop in a rope, or a curve in a coastline)Not bite |
bilateral - adjective |
Bind – to bind is to fasten objects together tightly. For example, glue is a binding material that binds paper with another surface, water binds the flour, a common... |
Gerund – or present participle – forms of verbs can easily become confusing while adding the suffix “-ing”. Some word structures require to drop the last vowel before adding the suffix, whereas others don’t. This dilemma also occurs for the verb “... |
biscuit noun |
bite verb and noun |
Introduction The terms 'Black' and 'African American' are often used interchangeably in everyday conversations. However, they carry distinct meanings and connotations that are crucial for understanding identity, culture, and history. This... |
blaspheme - verb |
Blatant vs. Flagrant: Navigating Expressions of Obviousness When describing actions or situations that are conspicuously obvious and often objectionable, the terms "blatant" and "flagrant" come into play. This article aims to clarify the ... |
Only Blockquote Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and sc... |
Blond vs. Blonde: A Linguistic Exploration In the realm of English language, subtle nuances often distinguish between seemingly similar terms, and one such case is the distinction between "blond" and "blonde." While both words essentially denote a fair-haired individual, their usage and co... |
board noun and verb |
Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled. The words board, bored sound the same ... |
boorish - adjective |
bored adjective and verb (past tense and past participle of the verb bore)Example: She is ... |
In English, prepositions such as "at" and "in" are used to convey different types of information about time and place. When referring to a person's birthplace, "born at" and "born in" are two common expressions used to convey information about the sp... |
An African-born ... |
borrow verb |
Both Bosporus and Bosphorus are acceptable spellings for the narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey.... |
bottle noun, verb, and phrasal verb (bottle up)Example: Give the baby her bottle. ... |
bottom noun, verb, and adjective |
bough noun |
bought verb (past tense and past participle of the verb buy)Grammar.com’s section on Problem Words discusses bought and brought. ... |
boundariesnoun (plural of the noun boundary)Example: The land seemed to have no boundaries.... |
boundary noun |
Punctuation is the basic element of English grammar and without it a sentence is not only incomplete but als... |
... |
brake noun and verb |
English language is filled with difficult and puzzling type of words. One of the type of words is homophones that are pronounced the same way but mean and spell differently. The words we are discussing today are one of the common pairs of homophones;... |
A device to slow down or stop a vehicle.To slow down or stop by using a brake.To damage something so that it's in pieces or no longer works.A rest from working or studying.To stop, as in... |
breadthnoun |
breathnoun |
Language is a powerful tool that allows us to express a myriad of thoughts, emotions, and actions. In the realm of English, subtle distinctions between words can drastically alter the meaning of a sentence. Two such words, often confused due to th... |
The air that you take into your lungs and breathe out again.If you are out of breath, you have difficulty breathing.When you say something under your breath, you say it very quietly.To take air in ... |
Breathe (pronounced with a long “e”) is a verb, and breath (short “e”) is a noun |
breatheverb |
brilliantadjective |
Introduction The English language is rich with nuances and subtle differences, particularly when it comes to verbs that express movement or transfer. Among these, the verbs "bring" and "take" often cause confusion for learners and even n... |
Note: You’ll find an in-depth discussion in the Common Grammatical Mistakes section of Grammar.com. Click here for the beginning of that discussion.... |
British Approach to Group Nouns As an interesting aside, the British always use plural verbs with collective nouns. On May 15, 2001, I was watching a BBC-produced documentary about a blues musician who made a comeback. Describing the musician’s band, the narrator said: ... |
She sat on the c... |
broccolinoun |
If you look up “brooch” and “broach” on google translate, you’ll most probably get the same result, as if they would mean the same. It’s not the first error of this kind that appears this way, and this is a good reason why you should first check your... |
broughtverb (past tense and past participle of the verb bring)Note: For a discussion of the differences between bring... |
Brought is the past tense and past participle of bring, and bought is the past tense an... |
Introduction The terms browsing and surfing are often used interchangeably in the context of the internet. However, they carry distinct connotations and nuances that reflect different approaches to explor... |
In this section, we have provided short discussions of 406 words. In each, we define the word and then provide an example of its use by top writers in literature or the media.This list will especially help young people studying for college-en... |
buildingnoun and verb (present participle of the verb build)Example: The building... |
bulletin noun |
bureaunoun (capitalize when naming a specific agency, as in "Federal Bureau of Investigation")Example: The police officer was investigated by the ... |
burialnoun |
buriedverb (past tense and past participle of the verb bury)Example: The general was ... |
buryverb |
Bus vs. Buss"Bus" is one of the first English words people learn, in the "means of transport" chapter, from the... |
bushesnoun (plural of the noun bush), verb (present tense, third-person singular of the verb bush), and ... |
businessnoun |
Don’t hesitate to start a sentence with But. It’s a coordinating conjunction, and great writers have been starting sentences with conjunctions for hun... |
bytenoun |
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