Commonly Misused Words
Commonly Misused Words
Word usage refers to how language is used to best convey a writer's or speaker's intended meaning.
The term usage is defined by The Chicago Manual of Style as the collective habits of the speakers of a particular language. Well-educated speakers and writers use Standard Written English.
Generally, spoken language tends to be less formal than written language. Sometimes, writers or speakers consciously choose to use dialect for effect; however, when spoken ideas are translated into writing, correct grammar usage is occasionally lost. We so often hear the incorrect use of grammar that correct grammar might sound odd or even wrong to us. But in written material intended for a general audience, it is best to use the most current mainstream language conventions.
Homonyms, which are words that sound alike but mean different things, present especially difficult issues. Here are some examples of homonyms that cause problems for native English speakers:
accept, except:
Accept is a verb, meaning "to receive." Please accept this small gift.
Except is usually a preposition meaning "excluding." All the children played the game except Leigh.
affect, effect:
Affect is usually a verb meaning "to influence." Her presence did not affect his mood.
Effect is usually a noun meaning "a result." The effect of the drug was apparent.
Effect can also be a verb meaning "to bring about." Implementation of the new rules effected a dramatic change in the group.
Affect can also be a noun meaning "feeling" or "emotion," but it is only used as a noun by psychologists or in texts using the word in a very specific context. His affect was muted and cold. He had difficulty interacting with others.
allusion, illusion:
Allusion is a noun meaning "an indirect reference." At the press conference, President Obama made an allusion to the problems in Sudan.
Illusion is a noun meaning "a false representation." M. C. Escher created many optical illusions.
capital, capitol:
Capital is a noun referring to the city housing a state, provincial, or federal government. Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It also means "wealth" or "resources." There was insufficient capital for the project.
Capitol is a noun referring to the building where lawmakers meet. The capitol sits atop the area's largest hill in the state capital. See the difference?
climatic, climactic: (These two aren't quite homonyms, but they are close enough.)
Climactic is derived from climax, the point of greatest intensity in a series or progression of events. Of course! The climactic point in the movie came while I was in the restroom!
Climatic is derived from climate; it refers to meteorological conditions. Climatic conditions prevented the hikers from making their way to the summit of the mountain.
discreet, discrete:
Discreet is an adjective (or adverb: discreetly) meaning "tasteful, quiet, in an unnoticeable fashion." Please ask discreet questions.
Discrete is an adjective meaning "distinct from others." How many discrete colors do you see in this picture?
As you can see, there is no shortage of homonyms:
premier, premiere:
Premier means "the first and best in status or importance" and is used in the title for a prime minister or party leader. The premier was positioned to the right of the president for the photograph.
Premiere means "earliest instance" or "first." The stars lined the red carpet for the premiere of the latest Harry Potter movie.
principal, principle:
Principal is an adjective that refers to the most important element of any set. Victoria is the principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
It is also a noun used as an administrative title. You probably remember learning the spelling of principal because of the ending, "pal." The principal is your pal.
Principle is a noun meaning "a basic truth, a law, a rule, or a code of conduct." Her reaction was based on a matter of principle.
than, then:
Than is a conjunction used in comparisons. The loafers cost more than the sandals.
Then is an adverb denoting time. First he bought the loafers, and then decided he also wanted the sandals.
there, their, they're:
There is an adverb specifying a place. The book is over there.
There is an expletive. There are three books on the table.
Their is a possessive pronoun. Their house is on the corner.
They're is a contraction of they are. They're going to the movies at seven o'clock this evening.
to, too, two:
To is a preposition. Let's go to the mall.
Too is an adverb. There are too many passengers in the car.
Two is a number. Two passengers will fit nicely in the back seat.
your, you're:
Your is a possessive pronoun. Your perfume smells like roses.
You're is a contraction of you are. You're right on time!
We're breaking our alphabetic list here to bring in another old favorite: it's and its. We introduce it now because of its relationship with two other words on this page: your and their. We've mentioned it elsewhere, but we'll say it again. Possessive pronouns do not require an apostrophe.
its, it's:
Its is a possessive pronoun. That camel has lost its teeth!
It's is a contraction of it is. It's high time we bought that camel some new teeth!
The following words are not homonyms, but sometimes cause confusion:
adverse, averse:
Adverse means unfavorable. Deb doesn't like to drive in adverse weather conditions.
Averse means reluctant. Deb is averse to driving in bad weather.
afterward, toward
Afterwards/towards are non-standard in American English. The proper forms are afterward/toward.
anyway
Anyways is non-standard in American English. The proper form is anyway.
criteria
Criteria is the plural form of criterion.
farther, further
Farther refers to a physical distance. How much farther is it to the cottage?
Further refers to an extension of time or degree. Continuing education helps you to further your career.
fewer, less
Fewer is used with countable objects. There are fewer blocks in Jamie's basket than in Karen's.
Less is used with uncountable concepts. It is less humid today.
historic, historical
Historic means an important event. The historic signing of the Declaration of Independence took place on July 4, 1776.
Historical means something that happened in the past. The research was approached from a historical perspective.
irregardless
Irregardless is not a word. Use regardless or irrespective.
lie, lay
Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest on a surface. I am going to lie down.
Lay is a transitive verb meaning to put or place. Lay the book on the table.
literally, figuratively
Literally means that what you say is accurate. It can't be used with metaphors or analogies. As the thermometer now reads 0°C, it is literally freezing out there!
Everything else is figurative. It's raining cats and dogs is a figurative expression. It doesn't seek to establish a literal truth.
set, sit:
Sit is an intransitive verb meaning to be seated. We sit when standing becomes too tiresome.
Set is a transitive verb meaning to put or to place. Brian set the package on the desk.
unique
Unique means one of a kind. It is incorrect to say very unique. That vase is a unique piece of art.
who, which, that:
Use who to refer to persons. My neighbor, who is French, helped me with my homework.
That is a restrictive element. Though it is generally used to refer to things, it may be used to refer to a group or class of people. The French book that I use is in my bag.
Which is a nonrestrictive element, also used to refer to things. French, which is my favorite class, is at 10:00 a.m. on Mondays.
Here are several phrases that may cause problems:
Use supposed to and not suppose to.
Use used to and not use to.
Use couldn't care less and not could care less.
Use for all intents and purposes and not intensive purposes.
The best reference book in which to find the correct word to express your meaning and determine its proper usage is a good dictionary. A thesaurus is helpful for finding synonyms and antonyms for most words. Editors should also use a style or usage guide. The Chicago Manual of Style contains a "Glossary of Problematic Words and Phrases," which provides reasonable guidelines for good usage. In the 17th edition, it's in section 5.250.
When editing, remember that you cannot always rely on grammar checkers to flag incorrect usage. The words principle and principal, for example, have different meanings; although they sound alike and may be spelled correctly, only one of them will be correct in the context of a specific sentence. It is important to know which word to use and how to write a phrase correctly.
These examples do not, by any means, represent a complete list of misused words and phrases. Many others are catalogued in numerous websites. The correctness of the use of a particular word or phrase might also depend upon whether the author is an ESL writer, or whether he or she is using British or American English conventions. Editors must be able to detect these patterns or errors and accept or rectify them.
Last Updated: 09/29/2022