Common Mistakes : Artificial

 adjective

.BAD: There are two artificial lakes – one for swimming and one for fishing

.GOOD: There are two man-made lakes – one for swimming and one for fishing

.BAD: The city has suffered both natural and artificial disasters

.GOOD: The city has suffered both natural and man-made disasters

artificial = not made of natural materials

.I still prefer sugar to all those artificial sweeteners

.Most people look better under artificial light

man-made = made or caused by people, although sometimes having a natural appearance

.This canal is the longest man-made waterway in the world

.It’s hard to believe that these enormous caves are actually man-made

.BAD: He managed to lose weight by eating artificial diet foods

.GOOD: He managed to lose weight by eating synthetic diet foods

.BAD: I am worried about taking artificial products into the body

.GOOD: I am worried about taking synthetic products into the body

.BAD: I never eat artificial foods

.GOOD: I never eat synthetic foods/food substitutes

synthetic = not natural but made by a chemical process

.Many old herbal remedies have been replaced by synthetic drugs