The English language is a gift that keeps on giving. As long as it keeps evolving (and we keep contributing to the cause!), there will always be wonderful trivia and funny observations to enjoy. Here are a few words and terms that people commonly mispronounce or misuse – often because they misunderstand!
Are you guilty of any?
Correct: supposed to Do not omit the ‘d’ at the end.
Incorrect: Suppose to
Correct: used to Same as above. Do not omit the ‘d’.
Incorrect: use to.
Correct: toward There is no ‘s’ at the end of the word.
Incorrect: towards
Correct: anyway also has no ending ‘s’.
Incorrect: anyways
Correct: for all intents and purposes
Incorrect: for all intensive purposes.
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Words that sound alike but are different – homonyms
Accept, Except:
Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is usually a preposition meaning excluding. I will accept all the packages except that one.
Except is also a verb meaning to exclude. Please except that item from the list.
Affect, Effect:
Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence.
Effect is usually a noun meaning result.
The drug did not affect the disease, and it had several adverse side effects.
Effect can also be a verb meaning to bring about.
Only the government can effect such a dramatic change.
Allusion, Illusion:
An allusion is an indirect reference.
An illusion is a misconception or false impression.
Did you catch my allusion to Shakespeare?
Mirrors give the room an illusion of depth.
Climactic, Climatic:
Climactic is derived from climax, the point of greatest intensity in a series or progression of events.
Climatic is derived from climate; it refers to meteorological conditions.
The climactic period in the dinosaurs’ reign was reached just before severe climatic conditions brought on the ice age.
Elicit, Illicit:
Elicit is a verb meaning to bring out or to evoke.
Illicit is an adjective meaning unlawful.
The reporter was unable to elicit information from the police about illicit drug traffic.
Emigrate from, Immigrate to:
Emigrate means to leave one country or region to settle in another.
In 1900, my grandfather emigrated from Hungary.
Immigrate means to enter another country and reside there.
Many people immigrate to Australia.
When you emigrate, you exit a country. When you immigrate, you go into a country
Principle, Principal:
Principal is a noun meaning the head of a school or an organisation or a sum of money.
Principle is a noun meaning a basic truth or law.
“The principal taught us many important life principles.”
There, Their, They’re:
These words which sound the same are very commonly – and often embarrassingly – mixed up.
There is an adverb specifying place [Francis is lying there on the couch];
Their is a possessive pronoun. [George and Mildred packed their bags]
They’re is a contraction of they are. [They’re running late for their flight.]
To, Too, Two:
to is a preposition – it is used to locate things in time and place;
too is an adverb or adjective – it can mean ‘also’ as well as ‘more than’
two is a number.
Too many of your tennis shots slice to the left, but the last two were right on the mark.
Got any other good ones?
