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Language Tips: Commonly Misused Phrases That Will Make You Sound Unprofessional


Source: Work and Money

Do you want to keep on improving your English speaking skills? (영어 말하기 스킬을 늘리고 싶나요?) Check out this article by Work and Money to know some commonly misused phrases.  (이 비디오를 보세요.)


1. “For all intensive purposes” versus “For all intents and purposes”

Intensive indicates that something is powerful and focused. If you’re discussing an intensive purpose, you’re simply indicating one focused purpose, or perhaps a few very focused purposes. The more common phrases, for all intents and purposes, indicates that something is coming from more or less all important angles or opinions. So for all intents and purposes, all intensive purposes is a usually the wrong thing to say.

2. “I could care less” versus “I couldn’t care less”

This is an extremely commonly misused phrase. While most people love to throw out that they “could care less” in an attempt to show how little they care about an issue, they’re actually communicating the opposite of the usual phrase’s intention. When you stop to think about what you’re saying, “could care less” means you not only care, but you care enough that you would have the ability to care less if you wanted to. If you’re trying to convey apathy, saying “I couldn’t care less” is much more accurate.


3. “One in the same” versus “One and the same”

When you and a friend are discussing two different instances that you realize happened with the same person, you’re discussing one and the same person. It’s hard to determine what one in the same thing might mean, since “one” is a noun yet “the same” isn’t exactly a specific location for that noun to go.



To read the full article, please click here. 

Source: Work and Money


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