Singapore usage
Singapore and Commonwealth forms and expressions that may differ from other varieties of English.
13 guides
- Reply / Answer / Revert Singapore usage Reply normally takes to before the person or message; answer normally takes its object directly. Revert meaning reply is familiar in Singapore workplaces, but reply is clearer for an international audience. Open guide
- Practice / Practise Singapore usage In British-style spelling, practice is the noun and practise is the verb. American English uses practice for both. Open guide
- Licence / License Singapore usage In British-style spelling, licence is the noun and license is the verb. American English uses license for both. Open guide
- Programme / Program Singapore usage British-style writing commonly uses programme for organised initiatives and program for computing. American English uses program for both. Open guide
- Dependent / Dependant Singapore usage Dependent is the adjective. In British-style spelling, dependant is the noun for a person who relies on another. Open guide
- Fill in / Fill out / Fill up Singapore usage Fill in or fill out a form; fill up a container or space. In formal Singapore and British-style instructions, fill in or complete the form is clearest. Open guide
- Person or officer in charge / In charge / Officer-in-charge Singapore usage Use person in charge or officer in charge for the responsible person, and in charge after a linking verb. Do not use the in-charge or project in-charge as a standalone noun. Open guide
- Open (adjective) / Opened (verb) Singapore usage Use open as the adjective for a current state or operating hours. Use opened for the completed action of opening something. Open guide
- In hindsight / With hindsight / On hindsight Singapore usage Use in hindsight or with hindsight. Avoid on hindsight in formal Singapore workplace writing. Open guide
- Irrespective of / Regardless of / regardless / Irrespectively / Irregardless Singapore usage Use irrespective of or regardless of. Avoid irrespectively and irregardless in formal Singapore workplace writing. Open guide
- Do the needful / Take the necessary action / state the action Singapore usage Do the needful is established regional English, not simply bad grammar. In formal or cross-agency writing, state the required action when the recipient might otherwise have to infer what 'needful' means. Open guide
- Prepone / Bring forward / move earlier Singapore usage Prepone is established regional English rather than a made-up error. Bring forward or move to an earlier date is clearer for a broad audience. Open guide
- Turn off / switch off / Off Singapore usage In standard formal English, off is normally an adjective, adverb or preposition rather than the ordinary transitive verb for stopping a device. Use turn off or switch off. Open guide
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