If you are to produce an authoritative submission, you must know the precise meaning of every word you use and be sure to use that word correctly.

To a large degree, the credibility of your company rests upon your grammatical diligence.

Here’s a quick list of words that regularly appear in bids, tenders and other forms of proposal . . . and that are also often mis-used in them.

These words have been drawn from the much larger list you will find in  ‘The Bid Writer’s Style & Grammar Guide’ (Part 4: Commonly Confused Words), and in my e-book, ‘Faulty Terms’ (which is dedicated specifically to this topic).

Ability / Capacity

Ability is a skill:  “He has great ability as a mechanical and electrical engineer.”

Capacity is the potential for something:  “His capacity for further learning in this field is limited.”

Adopt / Assume

To adopt is to take as one’s own:

“X Corporation adopted Y Corporation’s safety policies when it made the acquisition.”

Assume means (a) to take on at that moment in time, or (b) to suppose or take for granted:

“He assumed the stance of someone somewhat higher in office.”

“It’s less than ideal, but we’ll have to assume that’s what the client wants at this late stage.”

Alternately / Alternatively

Alternately means by turn:  A cyclist presses the pedals alternately to propel the machine.

Alternatively implies a choice: We can travel by air or, alternatively, by sea.

Alternatives are limited to two at a time. There cannot be three, four, or more alternatives.

Collaborate / Corroborate

To collaborate is to work together with towards a common goal:

“When we began to collaborate on this project, all tension dissolved.”

To corroborate is to use evidence to confirm an assumption or assertion:

“They said her account of the incident couldn’t be corroborated with that of the staff, but the truth of the matter is that the staff wouldn’t break ranks.”

Complimentary / Complementary

To compliment is to express a favorable observation; complimentary refers to being forthcoming with praise and compliments:

“To acknowledge the quality of the writing in our submission was a welcome compliment. Thank you.”

To complement , or to be complementary, refers to something which completes or enhances another thing:

“The material the two subject matter experts produced was complementary.”

Comprise / Compose / Constitute

Comprise:  The house comprises 10 rooms. (Do not write “is comprised of”. That is incorrect.)

Compose:  The party was composed of state managers and their BDMs.

Constitute:  Writing skills in themselves do not constitute a total education in strategic bid production.

Discreet / Discrete

Discreet means judicious in speech or conduct, especially with regard to privacy – either one’s own or others’. One can be discreet out of good grace, or for advantage:

“Your colleagues will respect you if you are discreet.”

Discrete means separate, distinct, apart from something else or the rest:

“That part of the factory’s plant performs discretely.”

Effective / Effectual

Something that is effective has generated a result:

“She’s an effective bid manager.”

Something effectual has achieved its purpose:

“The meeting was effectual in bringing about a resolution.”