I don't need to be told the counts of words I misuse in every content and you might be shocked by how many words you've been misusing. We sometimes use a word thinking it means one thing, but it turns out not to mean what we think it means.
Some of the reasons we misuse words are that we very slightly misunderstand the meaning of the word, mistaking plural nouns for singular nouns, confusing words that have similar spellings or words that sound alike but with different spellings.
So let's take a look at some words, mostly homonyms (words that sound alike) that we mix up more often than we know.
Adverse / Averse
These two words sound similar but have very slightly different spelling and different meanings. They are both turn-offs, but adverse means something unfavourable or harmful, and averse means to be acting in opposition or having a strong dislike or opposition to something.
Appraise / Apprise
Appraise and apprise are similar-looking common words with a French origin. Appraise means to assess, determine or set the value on something while apprise means to tell or inform.
Proceed / Precede
These two words are verbs with a similar sound. However, proceed means to go forward or to continue whereas precede means to go before.
Complement / Compliment
The two words are similar with just one letter. Complement indicates something that completes or supplements something else while compliment expresses admiration (a positive comment about someone or something)
Effect / Effect
These words are easy to mix up. Effect is almost always used as a noun meaning outcome (the result of a change) while affect is usually a verb meaning to influence or have an impact.
Insure / Ensure / Assure
Some people use insure, ensure and assure interchangeably. They may sound similar but they have a different meaning. Insure means to protect or guarantee financially against loss or damage. Ensure means to make something certain to happen. Assure is to tell someone that something will definitely happen.
Than / Then
Than is used for comparisons: Macronald is older than Silas. Whereas then denotes a tome frame or sequence of events.
ITS VS. IT’S
These words are easily misused. They look very similar, with an apostrophe making the difference. Its denotes possession - it is a possessive form of it meaning belonging to. While it's is a contraction of it is and it has.
Their / There / They're
Their shows possession, while there denotes a place and they're is a contraction of they are. A sentence example encompassing all three words:
They’re heading over to their house, which is over there.
Your / You're
Your is a possessive case of you, while you're is a contraction of you are.
Breath / Breathe
Breath is a noun that means the cycle of breathing. It also refers to the air that is inhaled and exhaled. While Breathe is a verb that means to inhale or exhale.
Stationary / Stationery
Stationary and stationery are just one letter off and are commonly confused. Stationary means fixed, immobile or not moving. Stationery refers to writing materials such as paper, pens, ink etc.
Loose / Lose
Loose is used to describe something that is not right. Lose means to fail to win or to misplace or part with something.
Criteria / Criterion
Criteria is a plural form of criterion and they mean standard(s) on which a judgement can be made.
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wow nice it will remind us how to use this words in the right way