DO English 24/08

Upgrade Your Vocabulary

Stop using simple words, use these advanced ones instead.

1. Happy

• Basic: Glad

• Intermediate: Joyful

• Advanced: Euphoric

2. Sad

• Basic: Unhappy

• Intermediate: Mournful

• Advanced: Despondent

3. Smart

• Basic: Clever

• Intermediate: Intelligent

• Advanced: Astute

4. Angry

• Basic: Mad

• Intermediate: Irritated

• Advanced: Incensed

5. Scared

• Basic: Afraid

• Intermediate: Frightened

• Advanced: Petrified

Longest English words

The English language has some impressively long words, many of which are technical or scientific. Here are some of the longest words in English:

1. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (45 letters)

• Definition: A lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silicate or quartz dust.

• Context: This word is often cited as one of the longest words in English, but it's largely considered a technical term and not commonly used in everyday language.

2. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (36 letters)

• Definition: Ironically, it’s the fear of long words.

• Context: This word is sometimes used humorously because of its ironic meaning.

3. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (34 letters)

• Definition: A fanciful word meaning "extraordinarily good," popularized by the movie Mary Poppins.

• Context: While it’s not a real word by strict linguistic standards, it’s well-known in pop culture.

4. Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (30 letters)

• Definition: A medical condition that mimics the symptoms of pseudohypoparathyroidism.

• Context: Another technical term used in the medical field.

5. Floccinaucinihilipilification (29 letters)

• Definition: The act of describing something as unimportant or worthless.

• Context: It’s more of a curiosity in the English language, known for being one of the longest non-technical words.

6. Antidisestablishmentarianism (28 letters)

• Definition: A political position opposing the disestablishment of a state church.

• Context: Often cited as one of the longest non-coined words in English.

7. Incomprehensibilities (21 letters)

• Definition: Things that are impossible to understand or comprehend.

• Context: This word is more likely to be seen in literature or discussions. It is the word on the list that is closed to being ‘normal’.

These words are more fun to know than practical to use, but they offer interesting insight into the flexibility and creativity of the English language!

Grammar Puzzle

Below is a short paragraph with five grammatical errors. Can you find and correct them all? Answers are at the end.

Paragraph:

When she was arrive at the park, she notice that the gates were locked. "Where is all the people?" she asked. The park has supposed to be open at 9am, but it was already 9:30am. She didn't know if she should wait or leave and come back later. After waiting for a few minutes, she decide to call her friend to ask for advice.

Instructions:

• Identify the five errors in the paragraph.

• Correct them in a list format.

Answer Key:

1. Error: "was arrive"
   Correction: "arrived"
   Explanation: Use the past simple tense to match the context.

2. Error: "notice"
   Correction: "noticed"
   Explanation: Use the past simple tense for a completed action in the past.

3. Error: "Where is all the people?"
   Correction: "Where are all the people?"
   Explanation: The subject "people" is plural, so the verb should be "are."

4. Error: "The park has supposed to be open at 9 am, but it was already 9:30."
   Correction: "The park was supposed to open at 9 am, but it was already 9:30."

5. Error: "decide"
   Correction: "decided"
   Explanation: Use the past simple tense to match the past context of the story.