permissible / permitted

I have difficulty distinguishing between the following words:
PERMITTED/PERMISSIBLE, ALLOWED/ALLOWABLE, EFFECTIVE/EFFECTUAL
e.g.
"such behaviour is not PERMITTED / PEMISSIBLE"
"this is not ALLOWED / ALLOWABLE"
"His work was EFFECTIVE / EFFECTUAL in producing the desired outcome"

[mark in perth]

Thirty three for zero!!


Here's an insight:

In the sentence, 'I was not allowed to go,' the word 'allowed' is a past participle in use in a passive-voice structure. In the sentence, 'It is permissible,' the word 'permissible' is an adjective in use as the complement of the verb 'to be.' Some adjectives are past participles. Some adjectives are 'pure' adjectives. Learn the grammatical structures involved here, and the rest will follow.

[Casiopea]

Adjectives that end in -able and -ible like, permissible and allowable are nominals. Words that end in -ed like, permitted and allowed are verbals. Verbals are semantically tied to a subject (e.g., a doer), whereas nominals are not. So, when you use -ed adjectives, a subject is implied, whereas when you use -ible or -able adjectives the subject isn't important or necessary. That's probably why -ible and -able adjectives often occur in expletive-It sentences. The act is more important than the person doing the act:

Ex: Is it permissible to copy my friend's work?
=> Is copying a friend's work permissible? <subject>

Ex: Is it allowable to ask students to participate in experiments?
=> Is asking students to participate in experiments allowable? <subject>

The difference between allow and permit is tolerance and authorization, respectively.

In sum,

Something is permitted (by someone is implied).
Something is permissible.

Something is allowed (by someone is implied).
Something is allowable.

Here are a few dictionary entries on the difference between effective and effectual:

effective means 'having a (desired) result or effect,' effectual is 'succeeding in producing a desired result or effect,'

If something is effective it has an noticeable effect:

Ex: The actor made a most effective entrance.

If it is effectual it produces a particular effect, usually the one intended:

Ex: We took effectual steps to redress the situation.

Effectual overlaps somewhat with effective, especially in the sense “producing the desired effect,” but it also means “valid, legal,” as in The law offers no effectual remedy in this case.

Dictionary of English - effective, effectual, efficacious, <i>or</i> efficient

effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient. The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993

effective capable - Synonyms from Thesaurus.com

All the best.

[Belly T]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

Here are a few dictionary entries on the difference between effective and effectual:

effective means 'having a (desired) result or effect,' effectual is 'succeeding in producing a desired result or effect,'

If something is effective it has an noticeable effect:

Ex: The actor made a most effective entrance.

If it is effectual it produces a particular effect, usually the one intended:

Ex: We took effectual steps to redress the situation.

Effectual overlaps somewhat with effective, especially in the sense “producing the desired effect,” but it also means “valid, legal,” as in The law offers no effectual remedy in this case.

Dictionary of English - effective, effectual, efficacious, <i>or</i> efficient

effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient. The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993

effective capable - Synonyms from Thesaurus.com

All the best.

So, you meant that "effective" is active and "effectual" passive?

[Humble]

Hi,
It's good now I didn't send my post at once.
Still I’ll chip in my 2 cents.
I guess the asker is concerned more abt the difference in the usage rather than theoretical grammar.
IMHO,
is not permitted means it is not allowed in these particular circumstances, it’s a fact.
is not permissible means it cannot be allowed if somebody tried to even think of it.

[Belly T]

Originally Posted by Belly T

So, you meant that "effective" is active and "effectual" passive?

Hello, anyone answer?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Belly T

So, you meant that "effective" is active and "effectual" passive?

Effectual, an adjective, is not passive voice. Take another look at the definitions.