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'Artful nuance' teaches students to master English
By: Tracey Wallace
Issue date: 2/20/09 Section: Features
Linguists will say if a word's meaning is understood, it wasn't used improperly. On the contrary, it is blasphemy to an English professor to hear the ever-so-popular response "good" in place for "well" when someone is asked how he or she is doing.
Even worse than losing points with an established grammar Nazi is mistakenly using one word for another and unintentionally offending the listener - possibly a future employer. All in all, the hideous truth is that people are judged for the words they use or don't use, and even more so perhaps, the way in which they use them. And in a time period so crucial to lifelong success, college students are notorious for ransacking advisers and professionals that lay claim to the secrets to success. Welcome then, Rod L. Evans
Hired-professional Evans works for the test preparation company Kaplan, preparing student for the SAT and TOEFL. Even better, his newest book is four times less expensive than the average price of any Kaplan program and will have readers using the English language the way it's suppose to be used.
"The Artful Nuance, A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language" will hit shelves Feb. 3., just in time to sort out the most commonly confused words before that big internship interview. But, just to be sure it's worth your money, try your hand at this.
Do you know the difference between "beside" and "besides?"
"Beside" is only a preposition, whereas "besides" can be a preposition, adverb or adjective. For example: "You are standing beside her," whereas, "No one besides you will be dressed in formal wear."
What about the difference, or even the real meaning, behind "E.G." and "I.E.?"
E.G. is an abbreviation for the Latin exempli grati meaning "for example," and I.E. is the Latin abbreviation for id est meaning "that is." So, in usage, it goes much like this: "Amanda has many interests, e.g., reading, writing and running," versus "John is a vegetarian, i.e., he doesn't eat meat."
Even worse than losing points with an established grammar Nazi is mistakenly using one word for another and unintentionally offending the listener - possibly a future employer. All in all, the hideous truth is that people are judged for the words they use or don't use, and even more so perhaps, the way in which they use them. And in a time period so crucial to lifelong success, college students are notorious for ransacking advisers and professionals that lay claim to the secrets to success. Welcome then, Rod L. Evans
Hired-professional Evans works for the test preparation company Kaplan, preparing student for the SAT and TOEFL. Even better, his newest book is four times less expensive than the average price of any Kaplan program and will have readers using the English language the way it's suppose to be used.
"The Artful Nuance, A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language" will hit shelves Feb. 3., just in time to sort out the most commonly confused words before that big internship interview. But, just to be sure it's worth your money, try your hand at this.
Do you know the difference between "beside" and "besides?"
"Beside" is only a preposition, whereas "besides" can be a preposition, adverb or adjective. For example: "You are standing beside her," whereas, "No one besides you will be dressed in formal wear."
What about the difference, or even the real meaning, behind "E.G." and "I.E.?"
E.G. is an abbreviation for the Latin exempli grati meaning "for example," and I.E. is the Latin abbreviation for id est meaning "that is." So, in usage, it goes much like this: "Amanda has many interests, e.g., reading, writing and running," versus "John is a vegetarian, i.e., he doesn't eat meat."
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