MEPX
Chapter 4 of 10All chapters

Chapter 4 of 10

Who is doing what

Pairs that reverse meaning.

Imply and infer

The speaker or writer implies; the listener or reader infers. Swapping them attributes the action to the wrong person, which changes the claim.

  • Lend and borrow work the same way: you lend to someone, you borrow from them.
  • Teach and learn: a teacher teaches, a student learns.

Bring and take

Bring is towards the speaker, take is away. It seems trivial until an instruction depends on where the speaker is standing.