Word Pairs that Sound the Same but are Different! (In English)
✨ MAYBE and MAY BE
Maybe, all one word, is like saying "perhaps" or "possibly" – usually at the beginning of a sentence.
Example: Maybe it will stop raining soon. (Mana tau kejap lagi hujan berhenti.)
May be, with a space, is when you use "may" (a modal verb) followed by "be" (a verb). It's usually followed by an adjective or a verb ending in -ing.
Example: He may be a genius. (Dia mungkin seorang genius.)
✨ SOMETHING and SOME THINGS
Some things (two words) simply means "a few things," like a list of items.
Example: I need some things to complete the task: A highlighter, a hammer and glue. (Saya perlukan beberapa barang untuk siapkan kerja ini: Penyerlah, tukul, dan gam.)
Something (one word) refers to "a thing" or "an item" that's not specified.
Example: There's something he's been hiding from us. (Dia menyembunyikan sesuatu dari kita.)
✨ EVERYDAY and EVERY DAY
Everyday (one word) is an adjective, describing something as "ordinary" or "common."
Example: Using everyday objects, basic scientific principles can be explained to young children. (Menggunakan barangan harian, prinsip asas sains boleh dijelaskan kepada kanak-kanak.)
Every day (two words) means "each day," used like an adverb to describe how often something happens.
Example: You should take a shower every day. (Kamu patut mandi setiap hari.)
✨ EVERYBODY and EVERY BODY
Everybody (one word) means "everyone."
Example: Everybody knows Alex. (Semua orang kenal Alex.)
Every body (two words) means "each body" – referring literally to individual bodies. (Think CSI shows!)
Example: Every body in the morgue was investigated by the FBI. (Setiap mayat di bilik mayat disiasat oleh FBI.)
✨ SOMETIMES and SOME TIME
Sometimes (one word) is an adverb of frequency, meaning "occasionally" or "now and then."
Some time (two words) refers to "a period of time," usually a significant amount.
Example: You should spend some time with your sister. She looks sad. (Kamu patut luangkan masa dengan adik kamu. Dia nampak sedih.)
Also! Sometime (one word, no "s") can mean "at an unspecified time" or "former."
Example: I'll return the book sometime. (Saya akan pulangkan buku itu bila-bila masa.)
Example: John, a sometime bartender at our bar, has returned and become the bar's manager. (John, bekas pelayan bar di bar kami, telah kembali dan menjadi pengurus.)
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