📄 Verbal Ability
Verbal Ability.
This lesson strengthens verbal ability through foundational concepts in usage, comprehension, and exam-focused language skills.
WORDS OFTE N CONFUSED
Words that are similar in form or sound, but different in meaning. A list of such words liable to be confused is given below.
Accept: to receive with favour I accept your offer Except: to omit or exclude If you except the last term I shall accept the contract.
Alter: a place for offering The pibus old man bowed before the altar Altar: To change Nothing can alter my decision.
Avocation: a subordinate occupation, usually one pursued for pleasure and Pastime rather than for gain His vocation is photography Vocation: chief occupation His vocation is banking and his avocation is painting.
Womanly: befitting a woman Modesty is a womanly virtue Womanish: like woman (used contemptuously) It was womanish on his part to shed tears.
Verbal: oral; not written I cannot carry out your verbal orders Verbose : containing more words than are wanted. He writes in a verbose style.
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This lesson strengthens verbal ability through foundational concepts in usage, comprehension, and exam-focused language skills.
WORDS OFTE N CONFUSED
Words that are similar in form or sound, but different in meaning. A list of such words liable to be confused is given below.
Accept: to receive with favour I accept your offer Except: to omit or exclude If you except the last term I shall accept the contract.
Alter: a place for offering The pibus old man bowed before the altar Altar: To change Nothing can alter my decision.
Avocation: a subordinate occupation, usually one pursued for pleasure and Pastime rather than for gain His vocation is photography Vocation: chief occupation His vocation is banking and his avocation is painting.
Womanly: befitting a woman Modesty is a womanly virtue Womanish: like woman (used contemptuously) It was womanish on his part to shed tears.
Verbal: oral; not written I cannot carry out your verbal orders Verbose : containing more words than are wanted. He writes in a verbose style.
Temporary: that which lasts only for a short period This post is purely temporary Temporal: earthly; opposed to spiritual I do not care for temporal interests.
Conscious: aware She is conscious of her faults
Conscientious: obedient to conscience, scrupulous He is a conscientious worker and always does his duty.
Divers: several; sundry Divers men tried to solve the problems Diverse: Marked different or unlike Their views were diverse, as diverse as the East and West.
Beneficial: advantageous Fresh air and the good food are beneficial to the health. Beneficent: doing good; kind A beneficent king wins the hearts of his subjects.
Childish: is used in a bad sense and suggests such as silliness, foolishness and weakness. Your talk is becoming childish Child – like: is used in a good sense and suggests such as innocence, simplicity and trustfulness Her child- like innocence appealed to all.
Calender: The calender has gone out of order Roller machine for pressing and smoothing cloth or paper Calendar: Please consult the calendar and tell me on what day Deepawali falls: List of days, week’s months, of a particular year.
Eminent: He is an eminent scholar of Sanskrit. Of great repute Imminent: there is an danger of the war breaking out. Events, specially dangers, likely to come or happen soon.
Formally: The proposal has not yet been made. In accordance with rules, customs conventions Formerly: Dr. Bhandari was formely a professor of electrical engineering. Previously
Honorary: Sri Govind Prasad is working as an Secretary of the Indian Chamber of Commerce
Holding office without remuneration Honorable: He retired after rendering service to the nation for 30 years. Worthy of respect
Loose: The dg is too dangerous to be left free, not held Lose: he like wearing loose trouser. Not closing fitting
Momentary : Many decisions taken in life are of only importance Lasting for a moment, short lived Momentous: The chairman said that at the next meeting some mimentous decisions would be taken and so he would like all members to be present
Stationery: The office manager occasionally carries out a physical verification of stationery items in s tock
Articles use in connection with writing Stationary: The sun is stationary body and the earth evolves round it Not moving fixed
Verbal: He sent me a verbal message that he will reach the office half an hour before the meeting. Spoken, not written Verb ose: a verbose style leads to vagueness in communication. Using more words than necessary
Zealous: For rural development we need an army of Zealous workers. Full of enthusiasm Jealous: He is jealous of his colleague’s promotion. Full of envy.
Underline the correct word out of those in
brackets:
His paintings show that he is a great (artist, artisan).
Our teacher does not believe in (corporal, corporeal)
punishment. He disliked his (childish, child like) habits.
Would you mind just (checking, chequing) these figures for me?
I’d like (complement, compliment ) you on your excellent taste in clothes.
They have written a very (practical, practicable) grammar and
composition book. Cross -examination failed to (elicit, illicit) any useful
information.
All civilized nations now believe in the (human, humane) treatment of
prisoners. He is an (eminent, imminent) scientist.
The smog (affects, effects) our lungs and has an unpleasant effect on
the skin. Try to (adopt, adapt) your language to the speech of
community.
The crops have suffered from the long (drought,
draught). A judge must be (uninterested,
disinterested) in a case.
He is honest (beside, besides) being hard working.
He is very (conscious, conscientious) worker and always does his duty.
I think it is very (particular, peculiar) for a young man to use perfumed stationery, stationary) for his letter
Summary Cheat Sheet
- Verbal ability improves through contextual word use.
- Distinguish commonly confused pairs by meaning and function.
- Verify grammar fit before finalizing word choice.
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