There are many words in English which mean more or less the same. However, some of
them are used in formal written language whereas some are used in less formal writings
and also in informal speech. Here are some examples:
Formal - Informal
deliver - give
decline - refuse
cease - stop
conceal - hide
perform - do
fetch - bring
i) She was 'delivered' of a healthy baby.
ii) He 'gave' a nod to show his agreement.
Certain words in English are used together. For example, we say a 'tall' man, NOT a 'high' man. In the same way, a 'handsome' young man, but a 'beautiful' lady and a 'pretty' girl.
So we should be careful about using certain words which are often confused and misused.
The words 'say' and 'tell' are similar in meaning, but they are not used in the same
way.
We usually 'say' something, but 'tell' somebody something.
eg: i) Abhinav said that he knew my phone number.
ii) Bablu told his mother that she was wrong.
Big/ large/ great:
'Large' is more formal than 'big'.
Great often suggests quality, not size, as:
Big - house, car, problem, difference
Large - arc, part, family, home
Great - majority, leader, pleasure, surprise
Event/ incident/ happening:
All these words describe something that happens.
Event = something important or interesting.
eg: I still remember the memorable events of my college days.
Incident = something, not very important.
eg: The film 'The Train' is based on a real life incident.
Happening = something unusual or strange.
eg: Do you know about the strange happenings in the town these days?
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