Common English Blunders

“Complementary” vs. “Complimentary”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders, Versus

I often see these two adjectives confused.

Problem:
The adjectives “complementary” and “complimentary” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The adjective “complementary” means forms a complement, and a “complement” is something that completes.

The adjective “complimentary” means expressing or of the nature of a compliment, and a “compliment” is related to the word “comply” and is an expression of praise.

Therefore:

  • “John has complementary dishes.” — spelled with an “e” — means that John has dishes that complete or match one another;
  • “John has complimentary dishes.” — spelled with an “i” — means that John has dishes that he got as a gift.

A simple way to distinguish “complementary” from “complimentary” is to remember that “complementary” and “complete” both begin with “comple-“.

Solution:
Use “complementary” when you are talking about someone or something that completes someone or something else. Use “complimentary” when you are talking about praise or a gift.

“He did not call back yet.”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Tenses

I heard this yesterday on a radio show.

Problem:
The adverb does not match the tense of the verb.

Explanation:
The adverb “yet” means at the present time.

The expression “did not call” is in the past tense, so “yet” does not go with “did not call” (or any other expression in the past tense).

In other words, it makes no sense to say, “He did not call back at the present time.”

To fix this, one must change the expression to the present tense.

Solution:
“He has not called back yet.”

“Avalanche” vs. “Landslide”

Common English Blunders, Nouns, Versus

I often hear these words treated as if they were interchangeable.

Problem:
The nouns “avalanche” and “landslide” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The noun “avalanche” means a large mass of snow, rocks, or debris suddenly detaching from a mountainside and then falling or sliding down.

The noun “landslide” means a mountainside falling or sliding down.

Winter sports enthusiasts have to watch out for avalanches, whereas many people in California suffer from landslides.

“Avalanche” should make one think of individual items coming down a mountainside. “Landslide” should make one think of the entire mountainside coming down.

If one were on a mountain during an avalanche, one might be able to stay put with little or no damage. If one were on a mountain during a landslide, one definitely would move with the mountainside.

Solution:
Use “avalanche” when referring to something coming down a mountainside. Use “landslide” when referring to the entire mountainside detaching and coming down.