Many of my adult literacy and GED students ask me when to use certain words. Some of them are native foreign language speakers; some are just puzzled about when to use a particular synonym. I’ll give you several examples over the next few months and YOU can help me come up with reasons why one word is better than another in a particular situation. I could go to a dictionary or thesaurus, but I’d rather hear from you, particularly because I think that, over time, usage may have changed 😉.
I’ll start this month with a word that Mary Pat recently used: terrace. What is the difference among these words: terrace, patio, porch, veranda, and lanai. I’ve read that lanai is Hawaiian for “porch.” Or should it be patio? One or more of these is supposed to have a roof of some kind, right? Some are enclosed; others are not? Feel free to add other similar words to the discussion!