determine

"Determine" sounds like "in"...

...not "mine".

for vs since

Correct use:

Describe a length of time without referring to a specific date using "for".

For example:

You’ve been here for five years.

Describe a length of time with reference to a specific date using "since".

For example:

You've been here since 2007.

Here's a link to a great exercise.

E-mails and letters

How to start an e-mail:

Very formal: "Dear Mr. Smith,"

Formal: "Dear Mr. Smith,"
 
Unknown person: "Dear Sir/Madam,"
 
Known person: "Dear John,"
 
Friend: "Dear John," / "Hey John," / "Hi John,"

 
Avoid: "Hello John," / "Dear honourable Mr. Smith," / "Dear respected Sir,"


How to end an e-mail:

Very formal: "Yours sincerely,"
 
Formal: "Kind regards," / "Best wishes,"
 
Unknown person: "Yours sincerely," / "Kind regards," / "Best wishes,"
 
Known person (starting with most formal): "Kind regards," / "Best wishes," / "Regards," / nothing / "Love,"
 
Friend: "Love," / "Kisses," / "Lots of love,"


Avoid: Greetings


Note that these is no very very formal start to an e-mail in English!


"Thanks," or "Thank you," can also be used at the end of an e-mail if you are asking for a favour in the e-mail.

"Cheers," can be used at the end of an e-mail in an informal situation in place of "Thanks,".

at + small/large scale

For example:

The experiments were first carried out at laboratory scale, and then at pilot scale.

Also, small/large scale is not written with a hyphen (-) unless it comes directly before a noun.

For example:

The small-scale experiments were validated with experiments at full scale.

overview + of

For example:

The first chapter will give you an overview of current research in the field of environmental bioremediation.

... not overview on / to

subsequent vs following

Correct use:

Use "subsequent" when something happened next in the past, or will in the far future,

For example:

In a laboratory procedure:
The purification process starts with centrifugation. The subsequent filtration step removes the particles that were not removed by filtration.

In a scientific paper or report:
The molecule of interest was precipitated with ammonium sulphate. The subsequent centrifugation and re-suspension gave a final yield of 85%.

Use "following" for something that is about to happen, either in a text or in real life

For example:

In a text:
The following chapters will discuss the pros and cons of X.

In a presentation:
the following slides will give you an overview of X.


Origin of the confusion:

following and subsequent both translate as "folgend" in German, but do not have the same meaning.

How many sides does a house have?

Correct use:

A normal house has one front, one back, one left side and one right side.
A piece of paper has two sides. The one you are looking at, and the other side.
A page in a book has a front and a back.

For example:

Turn the page over to find the English version of the text. 
The English version can be found on the other side of the page.




Origin of the confusion:

In German, there is a "Hinterseite". In English, the "backside" means buttocks.

Houses and papers do not have a backsides!

In German, this is the difference between "hinten" and "Hintern", or "Hinterseite" and "Hinterteil".