When to use Flashcards
When to use?
agree with X agree to X agree upon
I agree with Joey on this issue
Agree with another person
- I agree to your proposal*
- A course of action was agreed upon.*
Agree to or agree upon something innaminate
When to use?
Whether X IF
Whether to vote or not.
Whether is correct when a sentence describes alternatives.
If he were to participate, he would…
If is correct when a sentence describes hipothetical situations.
Never use Whether… Then.
When to use?
rather than
I would prefer nonfat milk rather than cream in my coffee.
Use rather than to express a preference.
When to use?
so _ as to
Her debts are so extreme as to threaten her company
Use “SO [adjective] as to [verb]” as a comparator.
wrong: He exercises everyday so as to build stamina.
Do not use it to substitute for “in order to”
What is wrong?
He exercises everyday so as to build stamina.
He exercises everyday in order to build stamina.
Never use so as to to substitute in order to.
- Her debts are so extreme as to threaten her company*
- Use “SO [adjective] as to [verb]” as a comparator*
When to use?
rather than X instead
I went instead of Jack.
Instead does not have an element of choice in it, merely an element of replacement.
He is a week men rather than a timid man.
Rather than goes with an element of choice, or preference.
When to use?
which X that
which is not restricitve. Use which in case of adding further information.
Musicians of the 17th century often enjoyed baroque style music, which was prominent during the time primarily because of the works of J.S. Bach.
which is describing the “baroque style music” in general, not restricting the scope of what you are talking about.
…music, that was prominent primarily because of the works of J.S. Bach during the time.
that is restricitve. Here it implies that there are many kinds of barroque style music and that we are talking about the kind that “during the time was promenint”.
This use is ackward because we are just adding further information, not restricting.
When to use?
compare to X compare with
life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to a battle; Congress may be compared with the British Parliament. Paris has been compared to ancient Athens; it may be compared with modern London.
To compare to is to point out or imply resemblances between objects regarded as essentially of a different order;
to compare with is mainly to point out differences between objects regarded as essentially of the same order.
