Writing Tools - Misused Words & Phrases

I hate it when words are used incorrectly. The phrase “I don’t think that word means what you think it means!” may be one of my most repeated sentences. Regardless of this, I am guilty of word abuse. Maybe this will help.

Homophones (Words that sound alike but have different meanings) -

Accept/Except: Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is usually a preposition meaning excluding, but can also be a verb meaning to exclude.

Affect/Effect: Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning result, but can also be a verb meaning to bring about.

Allusion/Illusion: An Allusion is an indirect reference. An illusion is a misconception or false impression.

Capital/Capitol: Capital refers to a city or to wealth & resources, capitol to a building where lawmakers meet.

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.

Complement/Compliment: Complement completes, makes up a whole, or brings to perfection. Compliment is an expression of praise, admiration, or congratulation.

Discreet/Discrete: Discrete is something separate. Discreet shows prudent and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior; circumspection.

Elicit/Illicit: Elicit is a verb meaning to bring out or to evoke. Illicit is an adjective meaning unlawful.

Emigrate/Immigrate: Emigrate means to leave one country or region to settle in another. Immigrate means to enter another country and reside there.

Flair/Flare: A flair is a talent, while a flare is a burst (of anger, fire, etc.)

Principle/Principal: Principal is a noun meaning the head of a school or an organization or a sum of money. Principle is a noun meaning a basic truth or law.

Stationary/Stationery: You are stationary when you aren’t moving. Stationery is something you write on.

Than/Then: Than is a conjunction used in comparisons; then is an adverb denoting time.

There/Their/They're: There is an adverb specifying place; it is also an expletive. Their is a possessive pronoun. They're is a contraction of they are.

To/Too/Two: To is a preposition; too is an adverb; two is a number.

Whose/Who’s: Whose is the possessive form of who. Who’s is a contraction meaning “who is.”

Your/You're: Your is a possessive pronoun; you're is a contraction of you are.

Similar Words -

Calvary/Cavalry: Calvary is the hill where Jesus was crucified. Cavalry are military troops, usually on horseback.

Desert/Dessert: A desert is a hot, dry patch of sand. Dessert, on the other hand, is the yummy stuff you eat after dinner.

Eminent/Imminent: Eminent is someone or something of high rank, station, or quality; noteworthy. Imminent is something about to happen. You do NOT have an eminent birthday, even if your ego is huge.

Farther/Further: Farther is used for physical distance, whereas further means to a greater degree.

Fewer/Less: Use fewer when referring to something that can be counted numerically. Use less when it’s something that doesn’t lend itself to a simple numeric amount.

i.e/e.g: i.e. is short for the Latin phrase “id est“, which means “that is“. e.g. is short for the Latin phrase “exempli gratia” which means “for the sake of example“. So use i.e. as “in other words“, and e.g. as “for example“.

Imply/Infer: A reader infers what an author implies. In other words, when you imply something, you hint at it. When you infer something, you draw a conclusion based on clues.

Insure/Ensure: Insure means to provide or arrange insurance for. Whereas ensure means to make certain. You can ensure that you are insured, but not the other way around.

Lie/Lay: Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest on a surface. Lay is a transitive verb meaning to put or place.

Lose/Loose: If your pants are too loose you may lose them.

Moral/Morale: Morals are something you want to teach your kids. If your team’s morale is low, you need to do something to boost their confidence.

Peak/Peek/Pique: Take a peek at the peak of that mountain. Doesn’t it pique your interest?

Pore/Pour: Sweat can pour out of your pores.

Set/Sit: Set is a transitive verb meaning to put or to place. Sit is an intransitive verb meaning to be seated.

Words & Phrases that just seem to cause trouble -

Supposed to: is correct. Suppose to is wrong.

Used to: See above.

Toward: There is no “s” at the end of the word.

Anyway: Also has no ending “s“. Anyways is a regional speech pattern.

Couldn't care less: Be sure to make it negative. “I could care less” doesn’t make any sense. If you could care less, then you DO care, right?

Alright: This one causes a LOT of debate. A word, or not a word? I am not going to argue about it, but my personal preference is to not use it in writing.

Could Have: Not could of. The phrase that sounds like that is actually a contraction of could have - could’ve. Even that is considered informal speech.

Inflammable: Another word with a pointless prefix, but a real word nonetheless. Yes, it means it CAN catch on fire, not that it’s fireproof.

Literally: This word is used to show that a statement is actually true and not exaggerated. So if your husband will literally kill you for buying that purse, he needs to be locked up.

Unique: Something can’t be “kind of unique” or even “very unique.” It’s either one-of-a-kind or it isn’t. There is no in between when it comes to unique.

Irregardless: I can not stand this word. Unfortunately, the debate over whether it is a word still rages, even though if it IS a word, it’s a pointless one. Regardless already means “in spite of”, so what do we need another syllable for?

Same Exact: One or the other would be all right but the use of both is redundant.

Moot Point: A mute point would be a point that didn’t make noise. Does that make sense? No.

Invariably: This word means “never varying”. For some reason people keep using it the same way they would “usually”.

Orientated: This is actually a word, but an unnecessary one. It is just a longer version of oriented, which renders it obsolete. Another one of my personal pet peeves.

Alot: No such word! A lot. Say it with me… a ____ lot. Two words. Thank you.

Ok, that’s about it. I do some of these things, even though I know they are wrong. Hopefully doing this post will help me, and maybe you. I know this isn’t everything, feel free to add yours.

Note: Definitions were provided by www.thefreedictionary.com