This is probably another common mistake people always make. I always thought Maybe is either a broken English word, or a slang. To my surprise, Maybe is really an English word! So what is the difference? Can both be used to represent the same meaning?
Maybe is an adverb. It is often used to represent a suggestion of fact, status or decision; its elaborating a possibility. Example, Maybe She will come back someday.
May Be is an auxilary verb. It is used to state a possible outcome in the future on a particular subject. Example, The skills of making money online may be packaged as a course in future.
Hope this helps to clarify certain doubts you have over the use of these words.
On a similar note. May Be and Might Be are not just simply different tenses. May Be is used to emphasize a strong possible outcome than Might Be.
Showing posts with label adverb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adverb. Show all posts
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Monday, 26 September 2011
Beside And Besides
Are there a difference between Beside and Besides? Many would have easily thought that one of them is singular, and the other is pural. In fact, this is not the case.
Beside is a preposition. It refers to at a side or next to a subject, and this usually refers to a physical aspect. For example, You are sitting beside me.
Besides is also a preposition and sometimes an adverb, but it has a totally different meaning. It refers to in addition to, furthermore, and apart from. For example, Besides donating to the charity, he has also helped in the fund raising campaign.
Hopefully, this simple and concise explanation can help those who have been making this mistake. In certain cases where the wrong usage of these words can be humorous and totally changed the meaning of the the sentences.
Example: Who is sitting, besides you in the meeting?
I am sure the writer of this sentence wants to ask who is physically sat beside you in the meeting. But what the above sentence really meant is other than you, who is physically sitting in the meeting. Does it mean the rest of the members of the meeting were standing?
Do you have any other examples of such words that are often misinterpreted as singular and pural?
Beside is a preposition. It refers to at a side or next to a subject, and this usually refers to a physical aspect. For example, You are sitting beside me.
Besides is also a preposition and sometimes an adverb, but it has a totally different meaning. It refers to in addition to, furthermore, and apart from. For example, Besides donating to the charity, he has also helped in the fund raising campaign.
Hopefully, this simple and concise explanation can help those who have been making this mistake. In certain cases where the wrong usage of these words can be humorous and totally changed the meaning of the the sentences.
Example: Who is sitting, besides you in the meeting?
I am sure the writer of this sentence wants to ask who is physically sat beside you in the meeting. But what the above sentence really meant is other than you, who is physically sitting in the meeting. Does it mean the rest of the members of the meeting were standing?
Do you have any other examples of such words that are often misinterpreted as singular and pural?
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