Write for Business - Blog

To precede means "to go or come before," while proceed means "to move on or go ahead."

A memo that preceded today's meeting told us to proceed with stage two.

(From Write for Business, page 236, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 48)

These words are synonyms, but preventive is the preferred form, meaning "something that prevents or hinders a certain action or disease."

Preventive measures were taken to avoid the takeover.

(From Write for Business, page 236, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 48)

Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, completing the meaning of the dependent clause.

If the trailer is still here tomorrow, it will be impounded. (The dependent clause If the trailer is still here tomorrow depends on the rest of the sentence to complete its meaning.)

(From Write for Business, page 251, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 65)