Complimentary and Complementary
Hello again,
I made a mistake in yesterday’s exercise. Luckily, it’s a mistake you can learn from.
There are two different words, complimentary and complementary.
One comes from compliment – “saying nice things”.
He complimented her on her presentation.
Many people paid him compliments.
She was very complimentary about his work.
One comes from complement – “goes well together”.
This new system complements the existing system, it doesn’t replace it.
The jewellery complemented her dress beautifully.
We make a great team. Our skills complement each other perfectly.
So which form is better to use to mean a *free* drink?
In American English, the answer is clear. It’s a complimentary drink.
In British English, I’ve seen both forms used. Look, for example, at this Web page from a language school in Oxford.
However, I think I was wrong to write ‘complementary drink’. The expression certainly started in the United States and I think that we should use the US form. I’ve checked up in the new Macmillan online dictionary and it says the correct term is ‘complimentary drink’.
I hope you found that useful.
Pearson
Tags: Complement, Compliment, Complimentary Drink, Compliments, exercise, Existing System, Expression, Hello, Jewellery, Language School, Macmillan, Mistake, Nice Things, Online Dictionary, Oxford, pearson, Two Different Words, Uk Index, United States, Web Page
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i need actually only vocabulary for business please because i need it urgently please
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The last one I received, writing a letter of complaint comes with an interesting exercise on which students should type the words. Besides being a grammar exercise it is also a memory game. I would like to know what software I can use to make this type of exercises to any-level students. Thanks in advance
Liliana
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please my teacher comment on this paragragh.
aziz_galis123@yahoo.com
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equipment or equipments
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i have seen both forms in use
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Dear Teacher
This is a wonderful lesson”compli.. vs comple..”
Many of us need a very short dictionery of common words say 1000 words for everyday use.
May I request you for a help.
My best regards.
K.paul
Kolkata
India
Please give plural of MASTER
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i dont know , what exercise i can do to improve this.
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