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TOP TEN WORDS MOST OFTEN CONFUSED/MISUSED

TOP TEN WORDS MOST OFTEN CONFUSED/MISUSED. These common errors should be avoided in ALL writing! Points will be deducted for each error. Special thanks to Nathan Wood for his contributions. Also, to Grammar Girl-I am a big fan of her websites!. They ’ re, Their, There Your/You ’ re (you)

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TOP TEN WORDS MOST OFTEN CONFUSED/MISUSED

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  1. TOP TEN WORDS MOST OFTEN CONFUSED/MISUSED These common errors should be avoided in ALL writing! Points will be deducted for each error. Special thanks to Nathan Wood for his contributions. Also, to Grammar Girl-I am a big fan of her websites!

  2. They’re, Their, There Your/You’re (you) To/Too/Two A lot/alot It’s/its 6. S/s’/’s 7. Then/Than 8. COULD OF/MUST OF SHOULD OF/WOULD OF (HAVE) 9. Who vs. That 10. SVPS! (everyone, anyone, anybody, everybody, a person, etc.-check subjects & pronouns, check subjects and verbs)! TOP TEN LIST

  3. ERROR #1 THEY’RE THEIR THERE

  4. They’re • This is a contraction of “they are”. It should only be used when expressing they are. • Example:They’re gone. *In academic/formal writing one would avoid the use of contractions opting for They are instead, thus avoiding this error.

  5. THEIR • This is a possessive word. It is only used to express ownership. • Example: their books

  6. THERE • This is the most commonly used form. It expresses location. • Example: There are some students. Go there.

  7. ERROR #2 YOUR YOU’RE

  8. YOUR • This is a possessive word. It is only used to express ownership. • Example: Your books. • WARNING: Be careful when typing that you do not type you when you mean your. • Example: Be sure to bring you book to class.

  9. YOU’RE • This is a contraction of you are. It should only be used when expressing you are. • Example: You’re friendly. *In academic/formal writing one would avoid the use of contractions opting for You are instead, thus avoiding this error.

  10. ERROR #3 TO TWO TOO

  11. TO • This word is a preposition. It expresses direction. • Examples: • Go to the store. • Whom* did you talk to? (Preferred academic would be-To whom did you talk?) *Whom is used as the object form; you is the subject of the sentence.

  12. TWO • This word expresses the number two (2). It should only be used to express the number two. • Example: Pick up two cases of pop.

  13. TOO • This word is an adverb. It expresses also,sufficiently, or extremely. It should only be used when these words could be substituted. • Examples: I am going too. (also) • One can never have too much chocolate. (sufficient) • I am too tired. (extremely)

  14. ERROR #4 A LOT ALOT

  15. A LOT • If you wish to express a lot, write it as two SEPARATE words. • Example: I have a lot of homework tonight. • Alot-This is not a standard English word. • DO NOT USE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!

  16. ERROR #5 IT’S ITS

  17. IT’S • This word is a contraction of it is. It should only be used when expressing it is. • Example:It’s cold outside. *In academic/formal writing one would avoid the use of contractions opting for It is instead, thus avoiding this error.

  18. ITS • This is a possessive word. It is only used to express ownership by something that is singular, and neither male nor female. • Example: Its cord is not plugged in.

  19. ERROR #6 S ‘S S’

  20. S • The letter s is the most common way to make words plural. It should be added to most words to indicate more than one. • Examples: schools, books, desks, teachers

  21. ‘S • The ‘s is the most common method for showing possession. It MUST be used to make a singular noun show ownership. • Examples: • The school’s policies • Jim’s car • America’s flag

  22. S’ • The s’ is used to show that the word is plural AND possessive. The s makes the word plural, and the apostrophe makes it possessive. • Examples: • two schools’ policies • three teachers’ desks

  23. ERROR #7 THAN THEN

  24. THAN • This word is used for comparisons. It should be used to show a difference between two or more items. • Examples: • He is taller than the door. • I did more work than they did. • Jim is smarter than Sam.

  25. THEN • This word is used to express time or next in order of sequence or place. It cannot be used to compare in any circumstance. • Example: • I went to English class, then math.

  26. ERROR #8 COULD OF MUST OF SHOULD OF WOULD OF These are not standard English DO NOT EVER USE!

  27. All should be expressed with the helping verb have. Could have Must have Should have Would have *In academic/formal writing one would avoid the use of contractions opting for could have etc. instead, thus avoiding this error ERROR #8

  28. ERROR #9 WHO VS. THAT

  29. WHO is used to indicate or in reference to a human. The skateboarder that does tricks is awesome. (Wrong!) The skateboarder who does tricks is awesome. Example: My grandma, who bakes delicious cookies, is coming over for Mother’s Day. Additional notes: A. a comma is used before and after the who clause because it describes grandma but is not necessary to the sentence because we know it is your grandma. This is called a nonessential clause. B. Notice the apostrophe in Mother’s as it is possessing a particular day. WHO

  30. THAT • THAT is used to indicate nonhumans or inanimate objects. Examples: The dog that bit me is at the pound. The rock that was found by the little boy, weighed 10 pounds.

  31. #10. SINGULAR VS. PLURALSVP’S • Singular versus plural can happen between subjects and verbs, subjects and pronouns and all three. • The “number” is determined by the SUBJECT. • Be careful with verbs: is/are (singular/plural present tense) and was/were (singular/plural past tense).

  32. Anyone, Everyone, Someone, Anybody, Everybody, Each, Anything, etc. Most often people use “their” as the associated pronoun. For example, Everyone needs to bring their book to class. This is incorrect.

  33. SVP(singular versus plural) • WRONG-This author is able to pour a lot of creativity and emotion into their writing. • CORRECT-This author is able to pour a lot of creativity and emotion into his writing. • WRONG-The people who left their books is responsible for the mess. • CORRECT- The people who left their books are responsible for the mess. OR The person who left his/her book is responsible for the mess.

  34. POSSESSIVE PRONOUN • The correct pronoun(s) to use with anyone, everyone, someone, anybody, everybody, is his/her. • Everyone needs to bring his/her book to class.

  35. TOP TEN PLUSWORDS MOST OFTEN CONFUSED/MISUSED Now let’s go further! 55 and counting! These common errors should be avoided in ALL writing! Points will be deducted for each error.

  36. #11 EVERYDAY vs EVERY DAY

  37. EVERYDAY • This word is an adjective. It describes a noun. • Example: • I wear my everyday jacket to school.

  38. EVERY DAY • These words are an expression of time. • Example: • She wears the blue jacket every day.

  39. #12 ALL READY vs ALREADY

  40. ALL READY • All ready means prepared. • Example: John is all ready to go to school.

  41. ALREADY • Already means previously. • Example: Mom was going to clean the house, but Dad alreadydid it.

  42. #13. ACCEPT vs. EXCEPT Accept means “to agree to” Except means “with the exclusion of” • I will accept all the recommendations except the last one.

  43. #14. ADVICE vs. ADVISE ADVICE (noun): counsel ADVISE (verb): to recommend If I ask for her advice, she may advise me to quit.

  44. AFFECT-MOSTLY A VERB: to influence His performance affected me. She affected an air of superiority. (noun) She had a happy affect. (from the field of psychology to acknowledge an emotion) EFFECT-MOSTLY A NOUN: the result That drug has dangerous effects. The sound effects were amazing. (verb) to bring about The teacher effected certain changes. Visit grammargirl on line for more fun information http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/affect-versus-effect.aspx #15. AFFECT vs. EFFECT

  45. #16. AISLE vs. ISLE • AISLE: a passage between sections of seats. The bride walked down the aisle. • ISLE: a small island He was stranded on the isle for 7 days before a plane rescued him.

  46. #17. All Right vs. Alright • NEVER USE ALRIGHT it is not standard English. • ALWAYS use ALL RIGHT. • Even when “alright” means okay it is still slang. • Can be used in creative writing in dialogue, but it is not acceptable in academic writing.

  47. #18. Altogether vs. All together • Altogether means “entirely” or “on the whole” (overall) • All together means that each of the parts of a group are considered at once. Examples: Altogether, the band played well. The band played well all together.

  48. #19. AMONG vs. BETWEEN AMONG: use when referring to THREE or more of something. BETWEEN: use when referring to TWO only of something.

  49. #20. AMOUNT vs. NUMBER AMOUNT: use to refer to money or to things that cannot be counted. NUMBER: use to refer to things that can be counted. The amount of student interest was measured by the number of homework assignments turned in.

  50. #21. ANY ONE vs. ANYONE • Spell as two words when followed by “of” • Spell as one word when the accent is on “any” • Example: Anyone is allowed to attend any one of the classes.

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