Common Problems in English Usage

accident vs. incident

Accident is used to describe things that happen unintentionally, in other words, accidentally. A typical example is a traffic accident--the driver does not intend to cause an accident. Crimes cannot be described as accidents because they are intended by the criminal; in the case of a robbery, for example, the robber intends to steal something; he or she does not accidentally steal it. Incident has a wider meaning and can be used both for accidents and for intentional actions such as crimes.

after all in contrast to in the end

When after all is followed by a noun phrase, in phrases such as after all my hard work or after all the hours of waiting"), its meaning is quite similar to in the end. Both phrases can be used to tell about the last event in a series of events, as shown in the two example paragraphs below.

My printer ran out of ink while I was printing out my paper for class. I went to the discount store near my house, but they didn't have ink for my printer. Then I tried the computer store, but I got there too late; it was already closed. I tried calling my friend to see if I could print the paper at her house, but she was not home. In the end, I brought the paper to the school on floppy disk and printed it out in the Media Network Center.
My printer ran out of ink while I was printing out my paper for class. I went to the discount store near my house, but they didn't have ink for my printer. Then I tried the computer store, but I got there too late; it was already closed. I tried calling my friend to see if I could print the paper at her house, but she was not home. After all that running around, I brought the paper to the school on floppy disk and printed it out in the Media Network Center.
Although the phrase after all that running around sounds fine, the phrase after all by itself would sound very strange in the paragraph above. That it because after all has its own special meaning. The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives these definitions of after all:
  1. Used to say that something is true or is a fact, in spite of another fact or situation: "He wrote to say that he wouldn't give me that job after all."

  2. Used to say that something else should be remembered or considered, because it helps to explain why something else is true or a fact: "I don't know why you're so concerned, it isn't your problem after all."

In the end does not have these special meanings.

Here are a few more examples of this special use of after all.

and in contrast to or

A common mistake by Japanese students learning English is to use or in sentences where native speakers would use and. Here are some examples from student papers:

  1. The sound of the waves or the soft breeze from the sea made me feel good.

  2. I plan to go to Kyoto to see some of the old temples or shrines.

  3. In Japan, there are many holidays or festivals throughout the year.

In all of these sentences, the use of or sounds kind of strange. That is because or is usually used in the following ways:

To indicate either-or choices:
For my vacation, I'll probably go somewhere warm like Spain or Hawaii.

When we don't need to be precise because either alternative would be acceptable:
Let's have fruit for dessert tonight. Could you pick up some apples or oranges when you go to the store?

To define a term:
Rock decay or weathering is the result of reactions between elements in the atmosphere and the rock's constituents.
In negative sentences:
I don't like skiing or snowmobiling.

Sentence (1) above sounds strange because it sounds as "the waves" and "the soft breezes" represent an either-or choice; that is, it sounds as if the writer does not know exactly what made him feel good.

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