Apex Translations

👉 The word "penultimate" means second to last, usually on a list of items or in a series of books. That's because "ultimate" actually means the last item, not necessarily the best one.

Over time, however, people started to use "ultimate" to mean the best or most exciting thing around. While that shift became so common that it's now accepted, it also means that people began to use "penultimate" to mean extra-awesome — which isn't correct at all. The prefix pen- means "almost," so using "penultimate" to mean "really great" doesn't even make sense. Alas, the road to changing definitions never did run smoothly.

Many people say "salty food" when they mean savory food 🍕

👉 Savory foods have a a spicy or salty flavor, without being sweet - lasagne, stew, salmon, hamburger, French fries..

👉 Salty is used to describe food that tastes too much of salt. It is usually used as a negative description.
This popcorn is very salty; it makes my lips burn.

👉 Bitter describes a strong and sometimes unpleasant flavor that is the opposite of sweet.
Coffee, very dark chocolate, beer and citrus peel are all bitter.


👉 Tart describes a sharp and acidic taste. Sour can also be used, but it often has a negative meaning.
Lemon, white wine, Greek yogurt, pickles and some raspberries are all tart foods.


👉 Smoky describes foods that taste of smoked wood.
Bacon, whisky, and lox/smoked salmon are all smoky foods.


👉 Rancid describes the taste of food that has a strong or unpleasant smell or taste because it is no longer fresh.
How old is this milk? It smells rancid.


👉 Spicy is the taste that makes one's mouth burn from strong chilies.
Hot can be used to describe spicy food or food that has a very high temperature.
This curry is HOT!
Do you mean spicy-hot or temperature-hot?

Writing numbers part 4

When it comes to money, numbers follow their own set of rules. Money amounts are usually written as numerals, but can be written out when the amount is vague or rounded up — "it cost two or three dollars."

The most important guidelines to keep in mind are:
▪ Currency symbols should be placed before the number, with no spaces.
Example: She earned $2,750 for that project.
▪ Thousands should be separated by commas.
Example: Marcy inherited $35,000 from her late uncle.
▪ Decimals should be separated by periods.
Example: Seamus only spent $149.99 on that new smart TV.
▪ When you reach large numbers in the millions and billions, write out the full word (instead of all those zeros).
Example: That new company earned $10 million in 2018.
▪ Do not write out the currency if you've already indicated an amount with a currency symbol.
Example: I have $895 left in my checking account. (It would be redundant to say "$895 dollars")

Have you ever accidentally stuck your finger in an electrical outlet and gotten electrocuted? Chances are that you probably actually just got "shocked." The word "electrocute" means to kill or severely injure someone with an electric shock. ⚡️

When You Can Use Ain't❓

You ain't just going to pull out the word ain't for your writing project. That would definitely get red marks on your paper. So, when can you use ain't? Typically, ain't is used in informal spoken English. While that is the general rule, it can also be used in dialogue or to add a specific tone to a novel. It's also found in informal works such as songs, movies, and poetry.

The word ain't shouldn't be used in business, scholarly, or formal writing. Make sure to really think about it before adding it to any type of professional work.

How to Use Ain't ❓
Now that you know the when, it's time to look at the how. Ain't is always used as a negative sentence and can mean:
Am not
Is not
Has not
Have not

▪ It ain't as bad as you think.
▪ It is not as bad as you think.
▪ He ain't shown up in days.
▪ He has not shown up in days.
▪ She ain't gone to school
▪ She has not gone to school

Some English dialects also use ain't for the verb do. This might look like:
▪ He ain't got a bike.
▪ He does not have a bike.

When it comes to controversial words, ain't takes the cake. Ain't is actually a real word. However, it is one many wordsmiths might frown upon. In the world of linguistics, ain't is what is known as a slang contraction. So, it's a contraction that is used in conversational, spoken English, but it's one that might get you a few negative looks from your English teacher.

"Luxuriant" sounds like "luxurious," but it's not quite the same. "Luxuriant" means “abundant." Something does not necessarily have to be expensive, plush or decadent in order to be luxuriant, but that is the case with things that are luxurious. You can have a luxuriant lawn that's lush with green grass. You won't find that luxuriant lawn to be luxurious if you're the one in charge of all the mowing, fertilizing and weeding. ☀

Writing numbers part 3

Use Numbers for the Full Date

When writing out the full date, you can use numbers for the month, da,y and year. Or, you can opt to spell out the month, with numbers for the day and year.
▪ Join our spooky Halloween party: 10/31/2018.
▪ The play is on March 23, 2010.

Please note that it is not correct to use ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd) with full dates. It would be incorrect to state "March 23rd, 2010." There are special rules for writing the date in military format.

Use Numbers for Percentages

When writing percentages, use numbers paired with the % sign.
▪ According to the latest survey, 52% of teachers live in the city.
▪ It's good to know that only 7% of Americans say they are unhappy.
The word percent should generally only be used when spelling out percentages in words, which you would only do at the start of a sentence.

Use Numbers for Decimals

Decimals should be written as numerals.
▪ There were 3.73 inches of rain last month.
▪ The mountain accumulated 8.98 inches of snow today.
It is best to avoid beginning a sentence with a decimal, as these types of numbers would be awkward to read if you had to spell them out. Often, you can reword what you want to say by putting the phrase "A total of" in front of the decimal as a way to keep from starting the sentence with a decimal.

Someone might say, "I'm not going to watch the game. I'm totally disinterested." They probably mean they don't like soccer, but what they're actually saying is totally different.

"Uninterested" is the word that means you find something boring.
"Disinterested" means you don't have any stake in the outcome because you're not invested in it.

👉 Now, if your friend meant they weren't going to be betting or gambling on the game, then "disinterested" would be the correct term to use. There's a small but important distinction between disinterested and uninterested.

"Further" vs. "Farther": Is There a Difference❓

Farther refers to the actual distances between objects
"The red car is farther away than the blue car."

Further refers to figurative distances or something that is additional or more
"Further research is necessary."

If you can't replace further with additional or more in a sentence, you are probably using it incorrectly.

So, remember, farther is used for measurable distances, but you can use further in almost all other situations.

But, since the words have become so interchangeable, if there is some confusion on whether you are referencing a physical or figurative distance, it is now considered fine to use either word. 👍

Writing numbers part 2

These rules for using numerals all assume that the number isn't positioned at the very beginning of a sentence or question.

Use Numerals in Headings and Titles

When you include a number in a heading or a title, it's better to use a numeral rather than spelling out a word. That's why you'll see Top 10 in the title of listicle articles rather than Top Ten. This rule is true even when the number is the first word of the title.
▪ 15 Best Restaurants in San Francisco
▪ Top 6 Must-Remember Rules

Use Numerals for Numbers 10 and Above
When you include numbers 10 or higher in sentences, those should be expressed as numerals, unless they are at the very beginning of the sentence.
I am planning to take a Caribbean cruise with 10 of my closest friends.
She's bought about 12 pairs of shoes and 16 dresses in the last three months.

Use Numbers for Mixed Fractions

While fractions are ordinarily spelled out, there is an exception to this rule for mixed fractions. A mixed fraction combines a whole number and a fraction. These require numerals unless positioned at the beginning of a sentence.
▪ The recipe calls for 2½ cups of nuts.
▪ Our class art project calls for 1¼ cups of glitter.

Use Numbers for Days of the Month

Dates should be expressed using numbers. There are a few special rules for properly writing dates. When writing just the day of the month, you can use a cardinal (4) or ordinal (4th) number. Both are correct.
▪ Are you coming to the game on May 21st?
▪ Her birthday is October 2.

💡 You're probably not totally wrong about what "decimate" means, but the common error people tend to make with this word is a matter of degrees. The term does mean to destroy or eliminate something — but not completely. As the prefix deci- suggests, it actually means to reduce something by only one-tenth. If you want to reduce something much more, use a different word or phrase, such as "nearly wiped out" or "destroyed".

Spell Numbers Under 10

When writing numbers under 10 in a sentence, they should be spelled out. This is true regardless of where they fall in a sentence.
▪ Martin has two younger sisters and five older brothers.
▪ Mary read four new books last week and seven newspaper articles.

Whenever there are numbers at the beginning of a sentence, those numbers should be written out.
▪ Sixty children came to the class trip last year, but this year there were 80.
▪ Twelve credit hours is considered a full-time course load in college.

Hyphenate Spelled-Out Compound Numbers

When compound numbers are spelled out, such as when they are at the beginning of a sentence, they should always be hyphenated.
▪ Fifty-two miles were all she had left on her journey to Scotland.
▪ Forty-nine percent of teachers live in the city.

Hyphenate Spelled-Out Fractions

Fractions at the beginning of a sentence must be spelled out. Within a sentence, they can be expressed as numerals or words. When spelled out, they should be hyphenated.
▪ One-third of the group comes from China.
▪ She filled her gas tank with two-thirds of a gallon.