Solutions to Common English Errors

1
Solutions to Common English Errors

• Daily Tips and Rules of Usage

2
Numbers, Part One

• Spell out numbers of one or two words
• Correct Fifty cents
• Correct Fifty-one
• Correct Nine hundred
• Incorrect She took 3 cookies and 2 sodas.
• Use numerals for numbers of more than two words
• 1984
• 534.21

3
Numbers, Part Two

• Hyphenate all two-word numbers from twenty-one to
  ninety-nine. Hyphenate fractions (except one
  half) only if they serve as adjectives.
• Incorrect Sixty six
• Correct one-third cup
• Correct one half quart
• Correct seventy-four

4
Numbers, Part Three

• Write out cardinal numbers like fourth,
  thirty-first, etc., rather than use numerals with
  letter endings (4th, 31st, etc.)
• Incorrect This is my 5th visit to Rome.
• Correct Samantha finished fifth in the race.
• Street numbers may be written with letters or
  numbers
• She lives at 825 N. 2nd Street
• She lives at 825 N. Second Street

5
Numbers, Part Four

• 1 uni-
• 2 du-, bi-, di-
• 3 tri-
• 4 quadr-, quart-
• 5 quint-, penta-

• 6 ses-, sext-, hexa-
• 7 sept-
• 8 oct-
• 9 non-, nov-
• 10 deca-

6
Then vs. Than

• Then indicates an order of events or
  chronological sequence
• Than is used to compare
• Incorrect Jim has more cake then Janice.
• Correct First in line is Alice, then Jake.
• Correct China and Japan hold more U.S. debt than
  any other foreign countries.

7
A vs. An

• Use a before words beginning with a consonant
  sound a book, a unique ring.
• Use an before words beginning with a vowel sound
  an apple, an urchin.
• Correct a football, a yarmulke
• Correct an honest mistake, an opposite

8
Accept vs. Except

• Accept means to receive Please accept my
  offer.
• The verb except means to leave out or omit Will
  you except the last provision of the contract?
• Correct We will accept all of the players,
  except Jeremy.

9
Adverse vs. Averse

• Adverse means opposing adverse circumstances,
  adverse weather.
• Averse means opposed to He was averse to my
  proposal.
• Reminder Adverse usually relates to actions or
  things. Averse usually applies to people (who
  have an aversion).

10
Advert vs. Avert

• Advert means refer The speaker adverted to an
  earlier talk he had given.
• Avert means ward off He narrowly averted a bad
  fall.

11
Advice vs. Advise

• Advice is a noun meaning recommendation
  concerning an action or decision Few people
  take my advice when I offer it to them.
• Advise is a verb I advise you to take advanced
  courses next year.

12
Affect vs. Effect

• Affect means to influence His attitude in class
  affected his grade.
• However, affect is also used to refer to
  demeanor or attitude I did not understand his
  affect after committing such a crime he looked
  positively nonchalant.
• Effect as a noun means result The effect of the
  explosion was disastrous.
• Effect as a verb means to accomplish The new
  machinery effected a great improvement in the
  production line.

13
Aggravate

• Do not use aggravate to mean irritate. Aggravate
  means to make a bad situation worse.
• Correct I was irritated by his behavior when he
  entered the room I became really aggravated with
  him after he slammed the door when he went out.

14
Agree to vs. Agree with

• You agree to an idea or to a proposal
• You agree with a person
• Correct I agree to your idea about going to
  McDonalds.
• Correct I did not agree to that!
• Incorrect I agree to Joey.

15
Almost vs. Most

• Almost means nearly He was almost as tall as
  the coach. Almost every girl in class had long
  hair.
• Most as an adjective or adverb means in the
  greatest degree A most difficult problem was
  presented.
• Most as a noun means the largest number or the
  greatest quantity The food will be given to
  those who need it most.
• Most must not precede an indefinite pronoun
• Incorrect Most everybody wants that job.
• Correct Almost everybody wants that job.

16
All ready vs. Already

• All ready is used in sentences such as They are
  all ready to go, meaning all of them are ready.
• Already is an adverb meaning previously We ran
  to catch the train, but it had already left.

17
Alright

• Illiterate/informal for all right, indicating
  satisfactory status
• Correct When I took my rounds at midnight,
  everything looked all right.
• Incorrect I know you hit me, but its alright.
• Do not confuse the spelling with words like
  almost, already, altogether.

18
Altogether vs. All together

• Altogether is an adverb meaning completely You
  are altogether wrong in your assumption.
• All together is used in such sentences as They
  were all together in the same room, meaning all
  of them were together.

19
Allusion vs. Illusion

• Allusion means reference He made an allusion to
  Hercules strength in the article.
• Illusion is an unreality That a pair of
  railroad tracks seem to meet in the distance is
  an optical illusion.

20
Alternative vs. Choice

• Alternative means a choice in a situation where a
  choice must be made If you cant take the test
  tomorrow, your only alternative is to receive a
  zero.

21
Alumnus, Alumna, Alumni, Alumnae

• An alumnus is a male graduate. Alumni is the
  plural.
• An alumna is a female graduate. Alumnae is the
  plural.
• Alumni is also used to indicate male and female
  combined.

22
Among vs. Between

• Between is used in connection between two persons
  or things
• Among is used for more than two
• Correct The choice is between blue or red.
• Incorrect You have to choose between pepperoni,
  sausage, or ground beef.
• Tomorrow Exceptions to the rule

23
Among vs. BetweenExceptions

• If more than two are involved in a united
  situation, between is used Between the four of
  us, we raised a thousand dollars.
• If a comparison or an opposition is involved,
  between is used There was a great rivalry
  between the three colleges. It was difficult to
  choose between them.

24
Amount vs. Number

• Amount refers to bulk or quantity amount of
  sugar, grain, flour, or money
• Number refers to objects which are thought of as
  individual units number of oranges, children,
  diamonds
• Notice that most words following amount are
  singular (coal, butter, water) and most words
  following number are plural (apples, bottles,
  glasses)

25
Any one vs. Anyone

• Any one means any single person or thing of a
  group Any one of the students in the class was
  capable of passing the course.
• Anyone is an indefinite pronoun meaning anybody
  Anyone can tell that you are not so stupid as
  you pretend.

26
Appraise vs. Apprise

• Appraise means to make an estimate Would you
  appraise the value of this ring?
• Apprise means inform He was apprised by
  registered mail that his lease would not be
  renewed.

27
As as comparisons vs.So as comparisons

• As as is used for affirmative comparisons He
  was as tall as his father.
• So as is used for negative comparisons She
  was not so tall as her mother.

28
As, Like, As if

• When introducing a clause, as is used (as I was
  saying) even if some of the words of the clause
  are implied He did it as well as I did.
• In general, like should never introduce a clause
  Incorrect Like I was saying.
• They acted as if they were guilty.

29
Beside vs Besides

• Beside means by the side of Ask him to sit
  beside me.
• Besides means in addition She was an expert
  secretary. Besides, she had a wonderful
  disposition.

30
Bring, Take, Fetch, Carry

• Bring refers to action toward the writer or
  speaker Bring the book to me.
• Take refers to action away from the writer or
  speaker Take this bottle back to the store for
  the deposit.
• Fetch means to go and get something and bring it
  back If you throw the stick into the lake, the
  dog will fetch it.
• Carry means to convey from one place to another
  We need a suitcase to carry all our clothes.

31
Can vs May

• Can implies ability Can you (are you able to)
  lift that heavy box?
• May denotes permission May I (Have I permission
  to) swim in your pool?
• Correct May I use the restroom during a break
  in the lesson?

32
Compare To vs Compare With

• Compare to is used to indicate a definite
  resemblance He compared the railroad to a
  highway.
• Compare with is used to indicate an examination
  of similarities and dissimilarities He compared
  the middle ages with modern times.

33
Complement vs Compliment

• Complement as a verb means complete He needed a
  typewriter to complement his office equipment.
• As a noun, complement means whatever is required
  for completion I am sending you fifty books as
  a complement to your law library.
• Compliment is a noun meaning an expression of
  admiration He paid her the compliment of saying
  that she had exquisite taste in clothes.

34
Common vs Mutual

• Common means shared by two or more people or
  things The classmates had a common admiration
  for their school.
• Mutual means reciprocal The classmates had a
  mutual admiration for each other.

35
Consul, Council, Counsel

• A consul is a government agent who lives in a
  foreign country to protect the interests of the
  citizens of his own country.
• Council is a group of individuals who act in an
  advisory capacity or meet to discuss and/or make
  decisions The mayor met with the city council.
  
• Counsel as a noun means advice, yet in legal
  language, it means a lawyer or lawyers He
  sought counsel when he received the court
  summons.

36
Councilor vs Counselor

• A councilor is a member of a council, whereas a
  counselor is an advisor. Counselor is also used
  to mean leader, guardian, or supervisor or a
  group.

37
Contemptuous vs Contemptible

• Contemptuous means showing contempt My teacher
  as contemptuous of my performance.
• Contemptible means deserving of contempt His
  rude behavior at the wedding was contemptible.

38
Continual vs Continuous

• Continual means constantly with interruptions
  She smoked continually.
• Continuous means without interruption The water
  flows continuously over Niagara Falls.

39
Credible, Creditable, Credulous

• Credible means believable His story was
  entirely credible.
• Creditable means praiseworthy, meritorious, but
  NOT outstanding His performance was creditable,
  but I wouldnt pay to hear him again.
• Credulous means ready to believe Being a
  credulous person, he believed everything he read.

40
Different from

• Different from is the correct use, not different
  than

41
Differ from vs. differ with

• Differ from applies to differences between one
  person or thing and another or others My car
  differs from his because it is a newer model.
• differ with means to have a difference in
  opinion I differ with him in his views about
  government.

42
Dominate vs. domineer

• Dominate means to rule over He dominated the
  audience with his speech.
• Domineer means to rule tyrannically One of his
  daughters domineered over the entire family.

43
Duel vs. dual

• Dual means double Since he was born in England
  of American parents, he could claim dual
  citizenship.
• A duel is a combat between two men He
  challenged his enemy to a duel with pistols.

44
Elicit vs. illicit

• Elicit means to draw or bring forth After hours
  of questioning, they elicited the truth from
  him.
• Illicit is an adjective meaning not permitted or
  illegal Trafficking in drugs is an illicit
  activity.

45
Migrant, immigrant, emigrant

• A migrant is a member of a mass movement of
  people from one region to another
• A migrant who leaves a country or place of
  residence is called an emigrant, while one who
  comes in is an immigrant

46
Fewer vs. less

• Fewer is used in connection with people or
  objects thought of as individual units fewer
  oranges, fewer children, fewer books, fewer
  dollars.
• Less is used in connection with the concept of
  bulk less money, less coal, less weight, less
  grain.
• Note that most words following fewer are plural,
  and most following less are singular