For many of us who don’t use English Language as our mother tongue, making mistakes is inevitable. However, it is important to always look up words in the dictionary before using them. Many new words are added to the dictionaries every year while some are dropped. Learn to always look up words in the dictionary before using them. In this article, I share with you five of these words, which I believe, you’ve probably been using inaccurately.
- Robust: The word ‘robust’ does not mean big or fat. It means vigorous or strong, e.g.
- After taking karate lessons, I became so robust that I could break a plank with my fist.
- David is such a robust young man.
- Bogus: This word does not have any meaning that has to do with big or oversize. It means fake, e.g.
- I don’t spend bogus money.
- The guy like flattering girls with bogus dollars.
- Plumpy: There is no such word as ‘plumpy’ in English. It is correctly spelt as “plump”. This means to have a full and rounded shape, e.g.
- Mary is plump.
- She took the plump cucumber.
- Duplicity: Duplicity does not mean to duplicate. It means double-dealing or intentional deceptiveness, e.g.
- He exposed the spy’s duplicity.
- The police were accused of duplicity in the case.
- Borrow: This word means to collect something from someone with a promise to return it. It used for the receiver not the giver. The right word for the giver is “lend” or “loan”, e.g.
- MARY: Please, lend me your pen.
- RICHARD: I’m sorry, I can’t. You’re yet to return the one you borrowed yesterday.
My Advice:
If English is not your source language, always update your knowledge of every word you know before using them in order to avoid any grammatical blunder.