Hopefully,* the tips you read on The Vocabulary Builder’s Blog give you not only a good understanding of what words mean, but also the knowledge of how to use them correctly. Unfortunately, many words are similar in appearance, sound, and usage, and can be easily confused. In fact, we’ll bet that there are several words you’ve been using confidently for years, unaware that the correct English usage of those words isn’t exactly what you think it is. It’s understandable to follow popular language trends and speak like those around you, but it’s important to know when you’re speaking less than precisely. To help you with this problem, we’ve identified five commonly misused word pairs, and explained the nuances that you need to know to be able to communicate with the utmost clarity.
fewer vs. less
Both of these words describe a diminished quantity of something (often in comparison to something else). In general, you should use fewer when you’re talking about things you can count, but less when you’re referring to an “uncountable” object. Here’s an example:
After the severe winter storms, there’s much less sand on the beach this year.
If a beach is too rocky, fewer people go there on the weekends.
In this case, “sand” is a collective noun, where it’s considered as a whole (i.e. the entire beach).
poisonous vs. venomous
Venom is a toxic liquid that some creatures inject into enemies or prey by biting or stinging, so venomous really just means “producing venom.” Poison is also toxic, but it doesn’t have to be injected to harm you. Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) is a poisonous mushroom, South American rocket frogs are poisonous because of a toxic secretion on their skin, and the sap of poison ivy causes itchy rashes.
nauseous vs. nauseated
Traditionally, the word nauseous has had the definition “causing or creating nausea” and nauseated has meant “suffering from nausea.” Nausea itself is the uneasy sick-making feeling you might get if you’re feeling dizzy or unwell. Therefore, you might be nauseated after going on the nauseous carnival ride called the “Tilt-a-Whirl.” The word nauseating can be used instead of nauseous, but more often is used to mean “causing a feeling of disgust or revulsion.”
continuous vs. continual
Although both of these words mean “ongoing,” the difference between the two words can be determined by thinking about whether or not there are any breaks in whatever it is that’s ongoing. For example, an alarm may make a continuous shrill sound until someone shuts it off, but there is no break in the sound up to that point. By contrast, a child may continually ask questions of her father; this doesn’t mean that she never stops talking, but rather that she is constantly asking questions – perhaps one a minute, or every ten minutes, but in a continual fashion over the course of the day.
fortunate vs. fortuitous
If you’ve come across The Vocabulary Builder’s Blog through a fortuitous click of the mouse, then you’re fortunate to have discovered a good resource for English vocabulary study. Random chance – not necessarily good luck or even bad luck – results in fortuitous happenings. If you have good luck, then you’re fortunate, or lucky.
* While “hopefully” is now commonly used to mean “in a hopeful manner,” it really means “it is hoped that …” – and we’ll talk about the difference in the next post.
