Find it fix itUsing the Wrong Word

Using the wrong word

It is very important to use the right word when writing. It adds clarity and authority to your writing.

It’s very easy to blame “auto correct” or a typo (I have typos all of the time), but it is your responsibility to make sure you are using the right words.

Clarify meaning

Try not to confuse the meanings of words with similar spellings. Also, words with similar definitions can have important shades of meaning. Check that words you found in a thesaurus are used correctly.

Common Usage problems

a, an - The use of these words depends on the sound of the word that follows it. A is used before a consonant sound, while an is used before a vowel sound.

accept, except - Accept (v) means “to receive” Except (prep) means “to leave out” or “other than”

Common usage problems

affect, effect - Affect is almost always a verb meaning “to influence” Effect, usually a noun, means “a result.” Sometimes effect is a verb meaning “to bring about” or “to cause”

all ready, already - All ready means “ready.” Already, means “by or before this time” or “even now.”

all right, alright - Never use alright. It should always be two words.

common usage problems

all together, altogether - All together means “together as a single group” Altogether means “completely” or “in all”

among, between - Among shows a connection between three or more items. Between shows a connection between two items

anxious - This implies uneasiness, worry, or fear. Do not use it as a substitute for eager.

common usage problems

anyone, any one, everyone, every one - anyone and everyone mean “any or every person” any one and every one means “any or every single person (or thing)

anyway, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, somewhere - they should never end in -s

common usage problems

at- Do not use at after where. Simply eliminate at

awful, awfully - Awful is used informally to mean that something is “extremely bad.” Awfully is used to mean “very.”

common usage problems

awhile, a while - Awhile is an adv. that means “for a short time.” A while, a noun, means “a period of time.”

beat, win - When you win, you “achieve a victory in something.” When you beat someone or something, you “overcome an opponent.”

common usage problems

because - Do not use because after the phrase the reason

being as, being that - Avoid using either of theses. Use because instead

beside, besides - Beside means “at the side of” or “close to” Besides means “in addition to”

bring, take - Bring means “to carry from a distant place to a nearer one. Take is to “carry from a near place to a far one”

common usage problems

can, may - Use can to mean “have the ability to” use may to mean “have permission to” or “to be likely to”

clipped words - avoid using clipped or shortened words such as gym and photo in formal writing

different from, different than - Different from is preferred

common usage problems

doesn’t, don’t - Do not use don’t with third-person singular subjects.

done - Done should always take a helping verb

due to - Due to means “caused by” and should be used only when the words “caused by can be logically substituted

common usage problems

farther, further - farther refers to distance. Further means “additional” or “to a greater degree or extent

gone, went - Gone is only used with a helping verb. Went is never used with a helping verb

learn, teach - Learn means “to receive knowledge”. Teach means “to give knowledge”

common usage problems

leave, let - Leave means “to allow to remain.” Let means “to permit.”

loose, lose - Loose is usually an adj. or part of idioms as cut loose, turn loose, etc. Lose is always a verb and means “to miss from one’s possession.

common usage problems

lay, lie - Lay means “to put or set (something) down. Lie means “to recline”

of - Do not use of after a helping verb such as should, would, could, or must.

precede, proceed- Precede means “to go before” Proceed means “to move or go forward”

seen - Seen must be used with a helping verb

common usage problems

set, sit - Set means “to put (something) in a certain place.” Sit means “to be seated”

so - Avoid using so when you mean “so that”

than, then - Use than in comparisons - use then to refer to time

their, there, they’re - Their is a possessive pronoun, there refers to a place or direction, they’re is a contraction of they are