Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 154 views

    Adjectives Ending in Ic Vs Ical

    Uploaded by

    indreraluca
    This document summarizes the differences between common adjective pairs ending in "-ic" and "-ical" in English. It provides seven pairs and explains the nuanced differences in their meanings and typical uses. For example, it states that "historic" refers to unique or important events in history, while "historical" refers more broadly to history in general. It also distinguishes between "economic" referring to financial activities and "economical" meaning good value or inexpensive. The document aims to clarify the precise meanings and appropriate contexts for using these similar-sounding adjective forms.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Adjectives Ending in Ic Vs Ical

    Uploaded by

    indreraluca
    154 views2 pages
    This document summarizes the differences between common adjective pairs ending in "-ic" and "-ical" in English. It provides seven pairs and explains the nuanced differences in their meanings and typical uses. For example, it states that "historic" refers to unique or important events in history, while "historical" refers more broadly to history in general. It also distinguishes between "economic" referring to financial activities and "economical" meaning good value or inexpensive. The document aims to clarify the precise meanings and appropriate contexts for using these similar-sounding adjective forms.

    Original Description:

    adjectives ending in -ic vs -ical

    Original Title

    Adjectives Ending in Ic vs Ical

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document summarizes the differences between common adjective pairs ending in "-ic" and "-ical" in English. It provides seven pairs and explains the nuanced differences in their meanings and typical uses. For example, it states that "historic" refers to unique or important events in history, while "historical" refers more broadly to history in general. It also distinguishes between "economic" referring to financial activities and "economical" meaning good value or inexpensive. The document aims to clarify the precise meanings and appropriate contexts for using these similar-sounding adjective forms.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    154 views2 pages

    Adjectives Ending in Ic Vs Ical

    Uploaded by

    indreraluca
    This document summarizes the differences between common adjective pairs ending in "-ic" and "-ical" in English. It provides seven pairs and explains the nuanced differences in their meanings and typical uses. For example, it states that "historic" refers to unique or important events in history, while "historical" refers more broadly to history in general. It also distinguishes between "economic" referring to financial activities and "economical" meaning good value or inexpensive. The document aims to clarify the precise meanings and appropriate contexts for using these similar-sounding adjective forms.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    ADJECTIVES ending in -ic / -ical

    English has a number of parallel adjectives with -ic and ical endings. They are similar in their forms
    and origins but somewhat different in their meanings and uses. Here are some pairs with their
    differences.
    1. historic/historical:
    Historic means unique, important in history, famous, something that happened for the first time. It also
    implies that the event itself made history:
    The first trip to the moon was a historic event.
    Historical usually refers to history in general; it means that the event was part of a long story about
    the past:
    "War and Peace" is a historical novel (a novel based on real events in history).
    Napoleon's historical importance is enormous (his importance in the history of Europe).
    2. economic/economical:
    Economic refers to the area of financial activities:
    Spending by consumers is one indicator of economic stability.
    Economical means good value, inexpensive, not wasteful:
    Buying a kilo of oranges is usually more economical than paying the price for each orange.
    3. comic/comical:
    Comic refers to comedy or humor in phrases like comic book, comic strip (newspaper cartoon),
    or comic actor. It can describe a type, like something or someone that makes you laugh, as in a
    comedy; it's intended to make you laugh.
    He was often described as a brilliant comic actor, but Alec Guinness actually played many serious
    roles, too.
    Comical (somewhat formal in use) means humorous, funny, amusing; something that makes you want
    to laugh because it strikes you as funny or silly at the moment, not necessarily because it was
    intended to.
    The dog had a comical face.
    The lawyer's outrageous defense of his client was so far-fetched that it was comical.
    4. classic/classical:
    Classic means memorable, an outstanding model or example of a class. The representation is good
    all by itself, and does not have distracting or trendy features:
    The Ford Model T is a classic car.
    Classical refers to a historically important form in music, art, or architecture based on ancient Roman
    or Greek models:

    Beethoven composed symphonies in the classical period.


    5. electric/electrical:
    Electric means operated by electricity (and is sometimes used interchangeably with electrical).
    My grandmother didn't have an electric washing machine; the one she had was operated manually.
    Electric also means very vibrant, giving a pleasant shock:
    The actor's performance was electric.
    Electrical (used less often) refers to a circuit of electricity:
    The storm damaged the electrical connection to my computer.
    6. politic/political:
    Politic means tactful, shrewd, clever; acting in one's own interest in an group or community:
    Leaving the business was the only politic thing he could do after his mistake.
    Political refers to the politics of running a government:
    There are two major political parties in the United States.
    7. problematic/problematical:
    Problematic is preferred more than problematical although they are both used in the same way with
    the same meaning of puzzling, difficult to solve, uncertain:
    The scientist's interpretation of the research data was problematic.

    You might also like