CHƯƠNG TỪ HAY DÙNG SAI (W rong w ords) Trong cách dùng thường ngày, có số' từ thường bị hiểu sai dãn đến dùng sai Ví dụ: “clien t” + nghĩa thức: thân chủ luật sư, người cần đên giúp đỡ hay lời khuyên luật sư + dùng sai: coi từ đồng nghĩa “c u s to m e r ” (khách hàng) “sales p r o s p e c t” (khách hàng tương lai) Nhiêu người cung mắc lỗi trên, không nghĩ đên việc kiểm tra lại V nghĩa Sau từ thường hay bị dùng sai E n ab le “e n a b le ”: l m c h o có k h ả n ă n g , l m c h o c ó t h ê T nên dùng có khả đưa Sai: Taxis had enable us to see all our relatives in this city Đúng: Taxis enable us to see all our relatives in this city (Xe tắc Xi cho phép (giúp) thăm thán thành phô này) Sai: This skill will make you to find a job on Wall Street Đúng: This skill will enable you to find a job on Wall Street (Kỹ khiến ban có th ể tìm việc thị trường tiền tệ Mỹ) Sai: The rope makes you to secure yourself when you climb the mountain Đúng: The rope enables you to secure yourself when you 194 climb the mountain (Dảy thừng có th ể giúp bạn có th ể tự cứu bạn leo núi) A dequate “a d e q u a t e ”: đủ + Khơng dùng theo nghĩa “phong phú”, “thừa thãi” cung cấp mức + Là tính từ, nên khơng thể hạn định từ bô nghĩa Đúng: The supply is not adequate to the demand (Sô cung cấp không đáp ứng sô cầu) Đúng: She had adequate training (Cơ có đủ giáo dục) Sai: The rooms were filled with more adequate modern conveniences than I had thought Đúng: The rooms were filled with more nearly adequate modern conveniences than I had thought (Các phòng trang bị đầy đủ tiện nghi nghĩ) Sai: One candle is adequate enough to light the room Đúng: One candle is adequate to light the room (Chỉ căy nến đủ làm phòng sáng lên) Vital “v it a l” ý nghĩa là: cần thiết cho tồn Do vậv không nên dùng với nghĩa “quan trọng” hay "đang khao khát cao độ” Chỉ nên dùng có liên quan đến đời sơng hav tồn Sai: Good health is vital to his success (Sai trừ p hi thành còng chăc chăn nêu có sức khoẻ tốt) 195 Đúng: Good health will contribute to his success (Sức khỏe tôt giúp thành công) Đúng: The heart performs a vital bodily function (Quả tim thực chức sơng thể) Đúng: The vital spark that would have brought the play to life was missing (Thiếu sính khí cần thiết đ ế làm cho tuồng sinh động) In v alu ab le - “in v a lu a b le ” tính từ, nên không thê hạn định bàng từ bô nghĩa Sai: That is an highly invaluable collection of stamps Đúng: That is an invaluable collection of stamps (Đo sưu tập tem vô giá) S a i : Y o u r h e l p IS m o r e i n v a l u a b l e t h a n m o n e y Đúng: Your help is of more invaluable than money (Sự giúp đỡ anh quý hcĩn tiên bạc) Sai: The picture will become more and more invaluable Đúng: The picture will become more and more valuable (Bức tranh cang ngày trơ nên có giá trị hơn) F a rc e “fa rc e ” có hai nghĩa + Nghĩa thứ (ít dùng): nhồi đầy (ví dụ đưa nhiểu dẫn chứng cho đoạn văn) + Nghĩa thứ hai: trò khơi hài, trò hề; kịch vui nhộn, thể kịch vui nhộn Tuy nhiên năm gần đâv, từ dùng chung chung với nghĩa như: “m o c k e ry ” (trò hể), “s h a m ” (giả vò), “h y p o c ris y ” (đạo đức giả) hay “em p tin ess"(sự 196 rỗng tuếch) Người dùng nên cẩn thận với nghĩa rộng Không nên dùng: He made a farce of life Đúng hơn: His portrayal of life was definitely wrong (Cách miêu tả đời rõ ràng sai) Không nên dùng: The talk was really a farce Đúng hơn: The talk was characterized by dishonesty (Cuộc họp mang tính chất khơng cơng bằng) O rp h a n “o r p h a n ” dùng để người mà cha mẹ Chỉ cần cha mẹ qua đòi đủ đê gọi người “o r p h a n ” O r p h a n mang chức tính từ, danh từ động từ Sai: She was not orphaned in the war Her father died but her mother was still living Đúng: She was orphaned in the war Her father died but her other was still living (Cô mồ côi chiến tranh Bô chết mẹ sông) U n iq u e “u n i q u e ”: nhất, độc thuộc loại Khơng nên dùng với nghĩa “unusual” (khác thường), “s t r a n g e ” (lạ lùng), “o d d ” (kỳ quặc) “U n iq u e ” khơng có từ bố nghĩa Sai: This bird is an unique winter visitor to Britain (Sai trừ chimg m inh khơng có chim mía) Đúng: This bird is an unusual winter visitor to Britain (Con chim ỉà vị khách lạ thường đến nước Anh vào mùa đông) 197 Sai: Special difficulties only unique to blind people Đúng: Special difficulties unique to blind people (Những khó khăn đặc biệt riêng người mù) Sai: At school, she was always the unique one out (Sai trừ có thé chimg m inh khơng có cảm thấy cô ấy) Đúng: At school, she was always the odd one out (ơ trường cô tháy m ình lạc lõng) Alibi “a lib i”: chứng ngoại phạm, tức biện hộ ràng ỏ nơi khác vào thời gian xảy tội ác Trước nhiều người dã dùng lầm đồng nghĩa VỚI “lời bào chữa yêu ớt” hay “lời xin lỗi nhẹ” Tuy nhiên nên dùng vói nghĩa liên quan đến pháp luật Sai: There's no alibi for such behaviour Đúng: There's no excuse for such behaviour (Khơng có ỈƯI bào chữa cho cách ứng xử cả) Sai: I made my alibi (to the host) and left earlv Đúng: I made my apologies (to the host) and left early (Tôi tạ lỗi (chủ nhà) sớm) Đúng: There's something fishy about his alibi (Chứng ngoại phạm thật đáng n g ) D ilem m a “dilem m a": tình trạng tiến thối lưỡng nan (là tình người ta chọn hai giải pháp, mà cách khơng làm hài lòng, khơng thẻ chấp nhận gây khó chịu, phiến tối) Từ khòng đóng nghĩa với “p e rp le x in g s i tu a t i o n ”(tình phức tạp / rắc rối) 198 Sai: You'll have to mend that leak or it will cause dilemas later Đúng: You'll have to mend that leak or it will cause problems later (Bạn anh phải sửa chỗ dột đi, khơng gây nhiều ván đề sau này) Sai: I was in a dilemma where to go that weekend Đúng: I faced a problem about where to go that weekend (Tôi gặp tinh đâu vào kỳ nghi cuối tuần đó) Đúng: I was placed in a dilemma: went on business with director or lost the job (Tôi bị đặt ưào tinh th ế tiến thối lưỡìig nan: công tác giám đốc m ất việc) 10 Fix Đây từ có nhiều nghĩa + nghĩa dùng nhiều nhất: làm cho dính chặt lại Ví dụ: The brad was fixed to the chair (Đinh đưực đóng cổ định vào ghế) + nghĩa khác: tập trung, dồn (sự ý, tình thương yêu ) I fixed my eves on that stranger (Tôi dồn ý vào người lạ mặt) định, ấn định He fixed a date for a meeting (Ông ấn định ngày cho họp) Trong cách dùng thông tục, danh từ mang nghĩa "tình thè khó khăn" hay động từ "đồng lỗ hay thơng qua cách bâi họp pháp" 199 Thông tục: When we didn’t have any money, we were really in a fix Chính xác: When we didn't have any money, we were really in a predicament (Khi chúng tơi khơng có tiến, chúng tơi thật lám vào tinh trạng khó khăn) Thơng tục: Mr Bill fix on medicine Chính xác: Mr Bill practises medicine illegally (Óng Bill hành nghề y bất hợp pháp) 11 Plus “p lu s ”: thêm vào, vói; khơng nên dùng đồng nghĩa VĨI liên từ “a n d ” (và) Sai: I shall go plus you stay here Đúng: I shall go and vou'll stay here (Tôi anh lại đày) Sai: I plus Mary are all good friends Đúng: I and Mary are all good friends (Tôi Mary bạn tốt nhau) Sai: Her daughter plus her son are naughty Đúng: Her daughter and her son are naughty (Con gái trai bà ta hư) Đúng: plus (3 cộng với 4) 12 Mutual “M u tu a l” ý nghĩa có có lại với “có thê hoán đổi cho ý nghĩa khác: chung hai người hav nhiểu người Khơng thức: I went out with a mutual friend of ours Chính thức: I went out with a friend of ours 200 ('Tôi chơi VỚI người bạn chúng ta) * Chú ý: Trong câu trên, ta dùng “com m on” thay cho “m u tu a l” ý nghĩa khác “com m on” mang nghĩa chia sẻ bởi, làm có ảnh hưởng đến hai hay nhiều người đa số nhóm, cộng đồng Khơng thức: They are muturally clever Chính thức: They are equally clever (Chúng thơng minh nhau) Chính thức: We are mutual enemies (Chúng kẻ thù cua nhau) 13 Average Cách dùng xác nói tình liên quan đến tính tốn tốn học Ví dụ: The average of 4, and is (Trung binh 4, 6) Each of us eats nine kilos of rice per month on average (Trung bình ăn kg gạo tháng) Không dùng: She gave the average speech of thanks to the chairman Đúng hơn: She gave the customary speech of thanks to the chairman (Bà ta đọc diễn văn cám ơn ông chủ tịch theo thông lệ) Không dùng: The average classical music sends me to sleep Đúng hơn: Most classical music sends me to sleep (Hầu hết nhạc cô điển làm cho buồn ngủ) Không dùng: This year, the weather is just average Đúng hơn: This year, the weather is just normal 201 (Thơi tiết năm binh thường) 14 E sse n tia l “e s s e n tia l”: thiết yếu, chủ yếu (tức cẩn thiết cho tồn khác) Không dùng “e s s e n tia l” thay cho “im p o r t a n t” (quan trọng), “h ig h ly d e s ir a b le ” (đáng ao ưóc) cách diễn đạt tương lai Sai: It is vitally essential to cancel the order immediately Đúng: It is vitally important to cancel the order immediately (Diều qucin trọng cùn phải hủy bỏ lệnh đó) Sai: They need more money now but, more essential, they need long-term help Đúng: They need more money now but more important, they need long-term help (Lúc họ cần thêm tiền, điều quan trọng họ cần giúp đỡ lâu dài) Đúng: Laughter was essential to this business (Tiếng cười thiết yếu đơíi với cơng việc này) Đúng: Food and water are essential to our lives (Lương thực nước uống thiết yếu VỚI sóng chúng ta) * C hú ý: “E s s e n tia l” tính từ tuyệt đối Do khơng thể có bổ ngủ, cụ thể: khơng thể dùng “m o re e s s e n tia T (thiết yếu hơn) 15 Im p e a c h “im p e a c h ”: buộc tội, kêt tội (đưa xét xư với mụ đích bãi chức người thấy có tội); không cung nghĩa với “bãi chức” 202 Đúng: He was impeached of having CIA connections (Ong ta bị buộc tội có quan hệ với CIA) Đúng: They impeach her of theft (Họ kết tội cô ta ăn cắp) Đúng: We had enough evidence to impeach him vears ago (Chúng có đủ chứng đẽ kết tội nhiểu năm trước đây) 16 P er “p e r ” nên dùng thành ngữ tiêu chuẩn công việc: “p ercen t” (phần trăm), “p e r d a y ” (hàng ngày), “p e r annual” (hàng năm) Không nên dùng “p e r ” đồng nghĩa với “in a c c o rd a n e w ith ” (theo, phù hợp với) Sai: Soldiers are trained as per commander's instructions without question Đúng: Soldiers are trained to obey commander’s instructions without question (Binh lính huấn luyện đê tuân theo lệnh cứa huy mà không bàn cãi) Sai: Everything went as per plan Đúng: Everything went according to plan (Mọi việc diễn theo kê hoạch) Đúng: She earns 60 dollars per day (Cô ây kiếm 60 đô la ngày) Đúng: The amount of fuel used per unit distance (Một lượng xăng dừng cho đơn vị khoảng cach) 17 A lte r n a tiv e danh từ “a lte r n a tiv e ”: lựa chọn sô hai khả 203 W: W: W: W: F.B.I —» FBI W: I.M.F u s —» US R U.N.I.C.E.F —» UNICEF R I.F.A.D — IFAD 10 R Exercise 10 course W: course? R R W: is? —> is! W: hat? —►hat Exercise 11 was? [sic] ; and is Nancv Exercise 12 John’s Please, God he shouted, Saturday crying W: crying? W: noise? —♦ noise I R R 10 R —tested negatively "Workers of the world Rev Jones 7’s 10 recall John ,she asked “I know”, Grandfather’s Chương 11 E xercise 1 I —+ me I —*■me who —►whom she —>her 390 IMF they —> them we —> us her —* she him —"he he —►him E xercise us —>we whomever —►whoever them —* they her —» she me —> I her —►she him —* he him —>he them —>they 10 him —*• he E xercise I —» me we —> us she —* her he —» him she —> her who —* whom 7.she —» her he —*• him he —» him 10 she —*■her E xercise We-* Ours who —►whom them —> their their—♦ them them —> their me —►mine him —»he I—+ me I—> me 10 ours—*’ us E xercise W: he him R W: I me W: who whom W: she her w who whom W: I me W: I me R 10 R E xercise vou —»your you—►your; you—» your him—►his him —►his; him —>his 391 whom—♦ Whose them —>their them —* theirs whom—* whose us—♦ our 10 me-* my Exercise mvself yourself herself himself myself themselves himself myself themselves 10 himself Chương 12 E xercise 1 Anv and different into one as individual (person) E xercise R W: end — R W: of opinion—♦ R for people a lapse of back again 10 shape, or form W: period —►0 R W: woman—* R 10 W: different —* c Exercise The consensus is this is the best movie in town We combine business with pleasure 392 Each individual /person must have a sense of civic responsibility The story, as for seen, made him terrified All five men are hard workers I don't want to refer to him I often eat five kinds of fruits The Coffee is too hot to drink He and his sister are equally well 10 Don't let me repeat your indecent proposal! Chương 13 E xercise 1 verv important more nearly circular less nearly parallel contributed to important to E xercise more —» more —♦ better —» superior most —*• very prettiest —» prettier more nearlv invaluable less nearly square as full as is important 10 more nearly adequate any girl— less nearly adequate 10 than Jerk bought me than she bought Jerk E x e rc is e I love m u m more than dad loves mum 393 I love mum more than I love dad Rose gave me more presents than she gave Susan Rose gave me more presents than Susan gave me He loves his monev more than he loves his family He loves his money more than his family loves I talk with Jim more often than I talk with Jack I talk with Jim more often than Jack did They bought me more jewelry than they bought him They bought me more jewelry than he bought me We gave him more money than we gave Max We gave him more money than Max gave him Mum cooks my brother more food than she cooks me Mum cooks my brother more food than I cook him They borrowed the library more books than they borrowed us They borrowed the library more books than we borrowed Chương 14 E xercise 1 a bad rainy dav a big square wooden table dirty, untidy and disheveled fat small white goat frankly, sincerely and meditatively a pink leather coat a small lovely girl a golden beautiful ring a n e w b l a c k s k ir t 10 a big cottony colourful cushion 394 E xercise didn’t seldom meet —* seldom met withered and dry —>dry and withered have not —» have small thin —►thin small I like the third picture the boy was born smiled only with a laugh, she asked can’t —►can 10 I was having Chương 16 E xercise 1 Which accommodation environment Government really E xercise disapointedly —* disappointedly runing —» running harmfull —» harmful differrent —* different realy —* really E xercise writting — writing realy —» really wonderful comfortable disappointed cannot 10 because centrer —►centre writen —* written canceled —> cancelled hopefull —» hopeful 10 Wich —» Which beautifull —> beautiful wonderfull —» wonderful 395 vvich —* which pasage —►passage confortable —* comfortable advertisment —* advertisement acommodations —» accommodations Chươngl7 E xercise 1 Y N- had been kidnap N - are to be the second Y N- had been stolen N-has been worrying N- were sixth N- have been elected Y 10 N- has come E xercise In some countries, for instance, women are paid less than men for the same work Two people maybe working side by side in a factory and doing the same work, but one maybe doing it twice as fast as the others But it is not always possible to this, so it is sometimes useful to pay workers at different rates, which take differences in skill into account This usually means that the younger and therefore less experienced worked gets less than the older and more e x p e r i e n c e d o n e which s e e m s r e a s o n a b l e e n o u g h It seems quite clearly unjust to pay two people different amounts money for doing the same work The fact is that the problem of paying workers according to their family needs cannot be solved simply by giving the men and the women less The answer is to pay both alike and leave It to state to see 396 that justice is done by means of taxation and allowances George had worked for the a bank of Ruritama for ten years and was still only a clerk He was not satisfied with his position and wanted to find something better, so he prepared a letter about himself 10 The headmaster of a school in Washington wanted a gardener E xercise Some people like coffee, but some like tea She loves him therefore, she wants to meet him David, my son, is a pretty boy She often stays at home because she doesn’t like going out alone It’s fine today, so we are going to picnic Although he had onlv entered the contest for fun he won first prize He is not only read the book but also remembers what he read She is both joy and worriment of her mother Commercial College is a good university, in which my brother is studying 10 Max passed the exam because he studied hard Exercise Những câu có tính chất gợi ý Có thê có cách viết khác He opened the letter, read and shouted They must inquire further into the scandal but couldn't f i n d t h e cause o f p r o b l e m T h e r e f o r e , t h e y g a v e u p a n d return their country Many workers, after they their works all morning, work all afternoon, and they work all night, are exhausted 397 She chose a hard work, then dropped because It was so tired People shouldn’t smoke cigarette as It contains no vitamins and is bad for your health Not doing homework but talking so much in class, he was expelled from school Peter is a pretty boy with big black eyes and fair complexion The flood which ruined the crops, destroyed several houses and villages was a real disaster I was surprised to hear th at Jane was going shopping because he was tired and didn’t go to work 10 I often feel not comfortable because I lost my work and depend on my son E xercise FRAG SENT SENT FRAG FRAG SENT FRAG SENT SENT 10 FRAG E xercise Mrs Thomson told her mother that she (Mrs Thomson) have to go to work They like these shoes because they(shoes) are very beautiful They w e r e t i r e d , b o r e d , a n d d i s a p p o i n t i n g When Peter and Linda were finally alone, they told about their situations My father told Mr Mark that he (my father) should leave Susan, my sister, is teaching for a high school Let’s listen to the Euro where one is studied 398 I prefer to work on it alone This car is beautiful, luxurious, and expensive 10 The boy told his friend that the friend must be on school that afternoon E xercise He opened the gate, entered and looked round the garden We like plaving tennis, reading magazine and watching TV Miss White, my sister, is very jovial As the plane reeled, we realized the pilot lost control of the plane He arranged his book, pen and the private property on the drawer Anna opened the album, looked and cried We decided to fishing, racing and plaving My father opened the pot, ladled out soup and ate He saw the clown, laughed and climbed to the stage 10 As the train crashed into a barbed wire, it ran off the rail E xercise shan’t —+ shall not Every—*’ Almost every and —> but suddenly someone —» someone suddenly can’t —►cannot Like all —* like most of but -» Everv —» Almost every everybody —» persons 10 won’t—►will not Chương 18 E x e rc is e 1 I —+ He - he 399 you were —* I was I—* he ; you—* me you —* if I ; I —» he; you —» me I—►sh e ; I —►sh e ; you —» me 7.1—* he you— I I—►she 10 I—» he Exercise last year —» previous year/the year before yesterday —*• the day before/the previous day tomorrow —» the next day/the following day —» the week before/ the previous week today—» that day here—>there tomorrow —♦ the next day/ the following day ago —> before this —> that 10 here —> there E xercise W: w a s —► had been 6.R W: hadn't told—» didn’t tell R R W: had been —» was R R W: boiled —> boils 10 W: were divorced — were divorcing Exercise She wanted to know what they were doing me—>0 told —>told me /us/ /her her —>0 requested —* requested me/him/her/us advised —» advised me/her/him/us/them 400 next month —* the following month these —♦ those now—►then 10 ordered —♦ ordered him/her/them Chương 19 E x e rc is e 1 the; a a / a ; the/the the; a the; a a ; the the ; a a ; the a ; The a; the 10 a; the E xercise a big the —»0 the -> the (1) ->0 the —>0 a luck the —>■0 An elephant 10 t h e (2)—» E xercise the dead the unemployed the sick the rich the blind The disabled the poor the young The old 10 the homeless E x e rc is e A the —0 the the 13 the 17 the 21 the the 10 the 14 the 18 22 the an 11.the 15 The 19 the E xercise an apple The church Chinese a pencil The professor The 12.the 16 the 20 a volleyball an umbrella the violin the cake 10 the capital Chương 20 E xercise 1 W: a skirt R also—» R Being that R I think that you cannot -> will not because E xercise but thm k —*■thinking ought —» should back —►0 doesn’t —►0 never was graduated E x ercise a clerk 402 R 10 but think —»thinking regards - regard because ■that ever-* want in - want to be in 10 a — M.D— Being as how — Because /As cannot -* will not —*0 contact -> meet none -* any etc —*vinegar, water seventyish — seventies try and come —* try to come 10 wanted out —►wanted to be out 403 N H À XUẤT BẢN H Ổ N G ĐỨC HÀ NỘI: A2, 261 Thuỵ Khuê, Q Tây Hồ * ĐT: 728.1360 TT Bản thảo & quyén: 0983.608 142 TP HỔ CH Í MINH: 111 Lê Thánh Tơn, Q * ĐT: 82 t.4534 Web: nxbhongduc.vn * Email: n x b h o n g d u c @ g m a i l c o m NHŨNG LỖI THƯỮNG GẶP TRONG TIẾNG ANH Thanh Huyền Chịu trách nhiệm xuất bản: Thạc sỹ HỒNG CHÍ DŨNG Biên tập: Ve bìa: Sửa ban in: MẠNH LINH NS MINH LAM BIENTAP.COM In 0 'khổ ,5x 20,5cm Tại Cóng ty c ổ phần in thươne m i HTC GPXB số: -2 0 /C X B /5 - 15/H Đ cáp ngày 14/ / 2CKJ~ In x o n g nộp lưu chiểu quý II nám 200X ... nhóm lỗi thường gập dùng dấu chấm cáu: 1 .Những lỗi VỚI dấu phẩy Những lỗi với dấu phẩy Những lỏi với dấu ngoặc kép Những lỗi vối dấu gạch nôi Những lỗi viết hoa Những lỗi VỚI dấu gạch ngang Những. .. (Kathleen đà gặp chồng cô vào ngày tháng 12, năm 20 03, M ill Valley, California) Sai: July 22 , 1959 was a momentous dav in his life Đúng: July 22 , 1959 was a momentous day in his life (Ngày 22 tháng... khác thường đôi với tháng Giêng) Sai: Extra for him he wore a tie 20 6 Đúng: Unusually for him, he wore a tie (Điều khác thường với đeo cà vạt) 22 .O w ing to - “o w in g to ”: do, tùy thuộc vào Lỗi