Some of us are irritated when a grocery checker asks “Do you want any help out with that at all?” “At all” is traditionally used in negative contexts: “Can’t you give me any help at all?” The current pattern of using the phrase in positive offers of help unintentionally suggests aid reluctantly given or minimal in extent. As a way of making yourself sound less polite than you intend, it ranks right up there with “no problem” instead of “you’re welcome.”

With Benefit

Some people seem to think that “adoptive” is just a more fancy word than “adopted” and write about “the adoptive child.” But the two words have different meanings. Parents who do the adopting are adoptive, children are adopted.
Don’t call people adopting children “adaptive,” though. Adaptive parents would be parents that could adapt themselves to changing circumstances.
When a city, club, or other organization adopts you, it also is adoptive.

With Benefit


The company will not accept to buy new machines 
The company will not agree to buy new machines
 You accept someone's advice, opinion, or suggestion BUT you agree
say you are willing) to do something. Compare: 'I accepted her
.'suggestion and agreed to see the doctor that evening

The driver did not accept me to get on the bus
The driver did not allow me to get on the bus
We can't accept a motorway to be built through our town
We can't allow a motorway to be built through our town
You allow/permit someone to do something, or let them do it: 'Many
parents do not allow/permit their children to watch violent films.' 'Many
.'parents do not let their children watch violent films


With Benefit


 It's a pity that you were absent from the training session
It's a pity that you missed the training session
It's a pity that you weren't at the training session
 be absent = not be present at something that you are officially supposed
.'to attend: 'Her teacher wanted to know why she'd been absent
miss = not be present at something: 'She's missed a lot of
classes this term because of illness.' 'I wouldn't miss Sandro's party for
(.the world!' (= I really want to go to it
be at = be present at something: 'John won't be at the meeting. He's had
.'to fly to Rome on business

With Benefit


To accomplish world unity, we need peace
 To achieve world unity, we need peace 
A balanced diet is accomplished by eating many different kinds of food
 A balanced diet is achieved by eating many different kinds of food
When you accomplish something, you manage to do it or complete it especially something that gives you satisfaction: 'She felt that she could
'.accomplish more through journalism.' 'During his five years as President he accomplished very little
When you achieve something, you manage to do or obtain what you have planned to do or obtain, especially after a lot of effort: 'The
'.company intends to achieve all these goals within the next five years
'By the age of twenty, she had already achieved her ambition'
.'Note that achieve is also used to mean 'accomplish': 'By the end of the course, you will feel that you've really achieved something

With Benefit


We also have to take into account that the schools are overcrowded 
We also have to take into account the fact that the schools are overcrowded
 take into account + the fact + that-clause: 'They should take into account the fact that these archaeological treasures are extremely valuable

With Benefit

The other ingredients are then added into the mixture

The other ingredients are then added to the mixture

add sth to sth (NOT into): 'They are demanding that a new clause be added to the contract which will give them a share of the profits.' 'When a prefix is added to a word, you make a new word

With Benefit

I asked my lawyer for her advise 
I asked my lawyer for her advice 
Nowadays many doctors advise to live in the countryside 
Nowadays many doctors advise living in the countrysideNowadays many doctors advise people to live in the countryside.
'advise somebody to do sth: 'I advised her to see a lawyer
.'advise doing sth (NOT to do): 'I would advise leaving very early. Then you'll miss all the traffic

With Benefit

.Finally we got really worried and alarmed the local police
.Finally we got really worried and alerted the local police
alarm = make someone feel worried about a possible danger: 'We don't wish to alarm people unnecessarily, but it would
'.be wise to avoid drinking the tap water here
alert = inform someone of possible danger so that they can be ready to
.'deal with it: 'When the pilot realized that one engine had failed, he alerted air traffic control

With Benefit

After a week we're going to Italy
 In a week's time we're going to Italy  
I hope that I'll still be healthy after ten years
 I hope that I'll still be healthy in ten years' time
When you mention a time in the future that is measured from 'now' (the moment of speaking), use in a month's time, in three weeks' time, etc
.'o(or just in a month, in three weeks): 'She'll be back again in a couple of weeks'time 

I promised to meet Hitomi at the exhibition a week after
  I promised to meet Hitomi at the exhibition a week later
I returned to Germany after two years' time
I returned to Germany two years later
When you mention a time in the past that is measured from an earlier time in the past, use a month later, three months later, etc: 'Six
.'months later they got married

After 1961 the consumption of cheese has increased each year  
Since 1961 the consumption of cheese has increased each year
 To refer to a period of time that begins in the past and continues up to
'now' (the moment of speaking), use since (NOT after): 'I've been
.'standing here waiting for you since half past three.' 'She hasn't been to see us since she got married

My first aim is to get a master's degree. After I would like to go and work in Canada  
My first aim is to get a master's degree. Afterwards, I would like to go and work in Canada
A police car arrived within minute s and soon after an ambulancecame
  A police car arrived within minutes and soon afterwards an ambulance came
 After is used instead of afterwards only in informal styles, usually in phrases such as 'soon after', 'not long after' or 'just after'. Careful users
:generally prefer afterwards, especially at the beginning of a sentence
'Shortly afterwards it was announced that the bank had collapsed'
 In American English after is often used instead of afterwards

With Benefit

The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid to miss the plane The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid of missing the planebe afraid to do sth = be unwilling to do something because you are
frightened about what may happen: 'She was afraid to eat it in case it
.'was poisonous.' 'Don't be afraid to ask for help
be afraid of doing sth = be worried or anxious about something which might happen: 'Most criminals are afraid of being caught.' 'He says that he is afraid of losing his job

With Benefit