#66
Is having many responsibilities a compromise or a commitment? Is it easy to reach a compromise in a business deal? We commonly confuse these words and relate them to Spanish, so let’s learn the difference to use them the right way!
a commitment: an obligation
Examples:
– I promised to go to the event, now I have a commitment.
– We have a commitment to always satisfy our customers.
a compromise: an agreement
Examples:
– The negotiation was difficult, but they finally reached a compromise.
– The team agreed on the plan and came to a compromise.
Don’t Say:
Mariah has family compromises this weekend.
Say:
Mariah has family commitments this weekend.
EXERCISE
DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
Example:
| George has many _______________ at work but he has time to exercise. | |||||||
|
*Note: A misspelled word counts as incorrect.
ANSWER KEY
- Monique said she had a commitment to attend.
- Laura accepted the compromise after her partner convinced her.
- You have to be ready for a big commitment if you want to buy a house.
- Our employees have a strong commitment to our company, they are very loyal.
- They sold the car after they came to a compromise on the price.
Other uses of a compromise and a commitment:
a compromise and a commitment can be used as verbs.
For example:
“My boss and I always compromise and share the work.”
“If you’re going to work here, you need to commit to our strict schedule.”
FUN PHRASES
“To commit to someone” means to get married or be in a relationship.
For example:
“Rose committed to Brian and they are getting married next week.”
To compromise and to be compromised can mean to be in danger.
For example:
“The deal was compromised when he broke the contract rules.”
“Mike compromised his chances at getting the job when he lied in his CV.”
