Grammar unit 11 of 12
Word choice, confusables and comparison
The 2014 report flagged poor word choice. One wrong word can change a claim's meaning.
In short. 'Affect' is usually a verb and 'effect' a noun. 'Economic' relates to the economy; 'economical' means thrifty. Use 'fewer' for countable nouns and 'less' for uncountable ones. Avoid double comparatives such as 'most biggest'. Say 'make efforts' and 'conduct research'.
Rules with examples
Learn the confusables: affect (verb) / effect (noun); principle / principal; economic (of the economy) / economical (thrifty); lose / loose; advice (noun) / advise (verb); compliment / complement.
✗ WrongThe economical crisis effected the poor, and the government gave advise.✓ RightThe economic crisis affected the poor, and the government gave advice.
No double comparatives or superlatives.
✗ Wrongthe most biggest problem; more better results✓ Rightthe biggest problem; better results
Countable vs uncountable: fewer (countable) / less (uncountable); many / much; number / amount.
✗ WrongLess people pay tax, so the amount of taxpayers is small.✓ RightFewer people pay tax, so the number of taxpayers is small.
Use the precise verb collocation: make efforts, pay attention, raise a question, conduct research, play a role.
✗ WrongThe government did efforts and gave attention to the issue.✓ RightThe government made efforts and paid attention to the issue.
Prefer the specific word to the vague one: 'severe', 'chronic', 'structural' instead of 'very big', 'a lot of', 'many things'.
✗ WrongPakistan has a lot of very big problems.✓ RightPakistan faces chronic fiscal and governance problems.
Word choice, confusables and comparison: exercises with answers
1. The floods had a devastating ___ on agriculture.
- affect
- effect
- affection
- effecting
Show answer
effect — Noun: effect.
2. Which is correct?
- Pakistan needs economical reforms.
- Pakistan needs economic reforms.
- Pakistan needs economics reforms.
- Pakistan needs economy reforms.
Show answer
Pakistan needs economic reforms. — Economic = relating to the economy.
3. ___ women than men are enrolled in universities in some provinces.
- Less
- Lesser
- Fewer
- Little
Show answer
Fewer — Countable: fewer.
4. Which is correct?
- This is the most important and most biggest issue.
- This is the most important issue.
- This is the more importanter issue.
- This is the importantest issue.
Show answer
This is the most important issue. — One superlative form.
5. Choose the correct collocation.
- do research
- make research
- conduct research
- perform a research
Show answer
conduct research — Conduct research (uncountable: no 'a').
Correct these sentences
1. Inflation has badly effected the middle class.
Show correction
✓ Inflation has badly affected the middle class.
2. The principle of the college advised that less students should be admitted.
Show correction
✓ The principal of the college advised that fewer students should be admitted.
3. The government did a lot of efforts but the results were more worse.
Show correction
✓ The government made many efforts, but the results were worse.
Studied in Week 11 alongside Module 11: Timed mocks.
Frequently asked questions
Is it 'economic crisis' or 'economical crisis'?
'Economic crisis'. 'Economical' means saving money.