Appearances/Looks

[angliholic]

Appearances/Appearance/Looks may be vital in applying for a job.



Do all of the underlined words work with the above wording and carry the same meaning? Thanks.

[moggy]

Originally Posted by angliholic

Appearances/Appearance/Looks may be vital in applying for a job.



Do all of the underlined words work with the above wording and carry the same meaning? Thanks.

"Appearance" I think conveys the correct message. "Looks" can be confused with how good looking one is...how pretty or handsome.

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by moggy

"Appearance" I think conveys the correct message. "Looks" can be confused with how good looking one is...how pretty or handsome.

Thanks, moggy.
It seems that there are distinct differences between appearance and looks to you. Would you describe in a few words what they are?

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by moggy

"Appearance" I think conveys the correct message. "Looks" can be confused with how good looking one is...how pretty or handsome.

Thanks, moggy.
It seems that there are distinct differences between appearance and looks to you. Would you describe in a few words what they are?

[moggy]

Originally Posted by angliholic

Thanks, moggy.
It seems that there are distinct differences between appearance and looks to you. Would you describe in a few words what they are?

"Appearance" and "Looks" are related, but not identical as I see it.

If a guy doesn't shave, shower or change his clothes for weeks on end, his appearance will be that of a bum...not the sort of guy that a business wants in the office environment. One hour in the bathroom, a new set of clothes, a haircut and his appearance changes through 180 degrees!

"Looks" It kind of includes appearance as I have described it to a certain degree, but is more about that persons physical attributes...how pretty or handsome a person is, for example...something that can't be changed as easily.

Sorry Angli...that's the best explanation I can give...hope it answers your query!

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by moggy;222751
If a guy doesn't shave, shower or change his clothes for weeks on end, his appearance will be that of a bum...not the sort of guy that a business wants in the office environment. One hour in the bathroom, a new set of clothes, [B

a[/b] haircut and his appearance changes through 180 degrees!
Sorry Angli...that's the best explanation I can give...hope it answers your query!

Thanks, Moggy, for the clear reply.
I get it now.
As a minor aside, I find the bolded line in your post very interesting. And I wonder that the following would sound as right and good.

His appearance changes 180 degrees!
His appearance changes a half!
His appearance changes almost completely!

For the sake of curiosity, why is there through before 180 degrees? Is it optional? Does it also sound OK to utter "His appearance changes (through) 360 degrees?"

[Niall]

The use of the word through in that sentence is almost vital, because the phrase is an idiom.
The reason the word is through is because when an object moves around a point it is said to move through X degrees, it is just a statement we use in mathematics in English.
In brief, your first suggestion doesn't really work very well. As much as I love your devotion to fractions, changes a half isn't really an idiom in English, so I wouldn't say that either.
The last suggestion in the past tense sounds good: His appearance changed almost completely!

Also, I have noticed you using the word utter on a few posts. Its not really appropriate in this case, because it means to whisper or to mutter (under your breath). And unless you don't want your suggestion heard, its not appropriate to utter it! :P

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by Niall

The last suggestion in the past tense sounds good: His appearance changed almost completely!

Also, I have noticed you using the word utter on a few posts. Its not really appropriate in this case, because it means to whisper or to mutter (under your breath). And unless you don't want your suggestion heard, its not appropriate to utter it! :P

Thanks, Niall, for your extra-technical analysis.

But I still have some doubts.
First, why do you use the past tense for the underlined version? Is there a unique reason?
Second, my dictionary states that "utter" contains the meaning of say and speak. Besides, I still remember some Americans used it in the similar contexts in my textbooks. Is your reasoning justifiable?

[Niall]

You can use the phrase in the present simple tense, for example in His appearance changes almost completely with every outfit he wears.
I used past tense, because that is when we use the phrase most. In the past tense, the phrase is used quite frequently, in the present tense, I don't think I have ever heard anyone say it.

As for your use of utter, possably it is used more frequently in America, but in Britain, we tend only to use it for some circumstances.
To me, as a Briton, it suggests that we are discussing something private or secret. We tend to use the word utter in phrases like I won't utter a word, meaning I wouldn't even whisper something queitly to myself.

[angliholic]

Thanks, Niall, for your helpful reply.
Now here is my premature explanation.

His appearance changed almost completely!
His appearance changes almost completely!

The first version is a statement describing an event which happened in the past whereas the second states a fact.