Words From the Same Family - Convenient V Conveniently V Convenience

Convenient (adj) - suitable for ones purpose/need

• Our neighbourhood mall's convenient operating hours made it extremely popular among the residents.
• It's so convenient that we live within walking distance from the office.
• What time would be convenient for me to call you tomorrow?

Conveniently (adverb) 

• I was delighted to learn that the train station was conveniently located near my hotel.

Convenience (noun) - being easy.

• We just love the convenience of living near the mall and office.
• Just for convenience, I am going to stay with my friend while I am in Singapore next month.

Homonyms - Wave (As a Verb and Noun)

1. (verb) - to move your had from side to side.

• Despite waving several times at the waiter, he didn't seem to notice us.
• I noticed Richard has the habit of waving his hands around a lot when he is talking. 

2. (noun) - water.

• Rachael loves listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
• The surfers are clearly enjoying riding the big waves at the beach.

3. (noun) - large number.

• Hong Kong has been hit by a wave of protests over the past few months. 
• A new wave of job losses is expected in certain industries next year.

Confusing and Misused Words - Past v Pass

Past (preposition, adverb) - position

• We live on Brighton Road, just past the supermarket.
• Was that James who just cycled past us in that bright orange cap? 
• Sally was so distracted on her phone that she walked right past us without noticing us.

Pass (verb) - to go past.

• I passed John in the hallway this morning.
• If you pass a supermarket today, please get some milk.
• Please step aside and let other people pass.
• Don't buy food that have passed their expiry date.

Homonyms - Pitch (As a Noun and Verb)

1. (noun) - sports field.

• The football star was immediately rushed to hospital when he suddenly collapsed on the pitch yesterday. 

2. (noun) - level or degree.

• If you attempt (= try) to teach English to children of different ages in the same class, it will be very difficult to get the pitch (= level of understanding) right.

3. (noun) - a speech used to try and persuade someone to buy or do sth.

• I wasn't aware Brazil made a pitch to host the Olympics till a friend told me about it.
• His sales pitch about the product's quality and reliability wasn't very convincing.

4. (verb) - to persuade.

• Pitching for funds can be a huge challenge during an economic slowdown.
• John pitched his idea to his boss over lunch and was delighted that his boss liked it. 

5. (verb) - to raise.

• It started raining shortly after we pitched our tent. Fortunately, we picked a sheltered spot. 

Skip the “Let’s Do Lunch” Cliche in Your Emails - “Shark Tank” Star and Investor Kevin O’Leary

I like that Kevin emphasised the importance of keeping your emails short, specific and catchy. Naturally, it's also just as important to be polite and clear when asking for advice. Remember, people want to know exactly why you are asking to meet with them. So, best to be clear about your intentions in your emails or risk having them sent to junk mail.


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/21/kevin-oleary-mistakes-people-make-writing-emails-what-to-do-instead.html

Similes with As - As Innocent as a Lamb/Child

Meaning - inexperienced, gullible.

• This is her first job right out of college. She is as innocent as a lamb/child.
• She looks as innocent as a lamb/child in that outfit. It's no wonder everyone thought she was an intern!
• Tim was as innocent as a lamb/child when he was a teen. But all that changed when he went to college. 

Homonyms - Plot (As a Noun and Verb)

1. (noun) - story

• The movie has a very simple but exciting plot.
• The plots of all his books are very similar to each other.

2. (noun) - plan

• Randy's plot to run away with his girlfriend was recently discovered by his parents. 
• The police have foiled (= prevented) a plot to rob the bank.

3. (noun) - ground

• We were surprised to see so many plots of land near our neighbourhood for sale. 

4. (verb) - plan

• John is plotting a surprise party for his son's 18th birthday.
• We were shocked to hear about William plotting to steal his company's money.