1. WORDS WE FREQUENTLY MISUSE IN WRITING
WORDS, WORDS, WORDS
WORDS WE FREQUENTLY
MISUSE IN WRITING

2. WORD MISUSE LIST #1
“A” IS USED BEFORE WORDS BEGINNING WITH CONSONANT SOUNDS EVEN IF THE SOUND IS MADE BY A VOWEL
A BAT, A HAT, A CAT, A UNIVERSITY, A YO-YO, A 100-DOLLAR BILL
“AN” IS USED BEFORE WORDS BEGINNING WITH VOWEL SOUNDS, EVEN IF MADE BY A CONSONANT
AN OASIS, AN M&M, AN HONOR STUDENT

3. WORD MISUSE A lot is two words A lot of these recipes call for eggs.
A while is an article and a noun
Awhile is an adverb
After dinner I read for a while.
Cary is resting awhile.

4. WORD MISUSE Accept is a verb meaning “receive” or “agree to”
Except is a preposition meaning “but” or, lesson commonly a verb meaning “leave out”
We accept your recommendations.
I’ll take all except the last one.
I feel I must except this one item from the list.

5. WORD MISUSE Adapt means “adjust” or “change”
Adopt means “take for one’s own”
The cat adapted well to the apartment.
Would you like to adopt a kitten?
Advice is a noun meaning “recommendation”
Advise is a verb meaning “give advice”
I asked my sister’s advice about college.
She advised me not to rush into anything.

6. WORD MISUSE LIST #2 AFFECT AND EFFECT
EFFECT AS A NOUN = RESULT OR OUTCOME OF SOMETHING
IF YOU DON’T WEAR YOUR BICYCLE HELMET, THE EFFECT COULD BE VERY BAD.
AS A VERB = TO CAUSE OR TO BRING ABOUT SOMETHING INTO BEING
THE TEACHER TRIED TO EFFECT CHANGE IN THE STUDENT’S STUDY HABITS.

7. AFFECT/EFFECT CONTINUED
AFFECT AS A NOUN = EMOTIONS (A WORD RARELY USED EXCEPT BY PSYCHOLOGISTS)
THE CHILD’S AFFECT WAS VERY DISTURBED AFTER SHE SAW THE SCARY MOVIE.
AS A VERB = TO INFLUENCE SOMETHING
THE MOVIE DIDN’T AFFECT ME AS MUCH AS IT DID MY LITTLE SISTER.

8. WORD MISUSE AFFECT AND EFFECT
IF IT’S A NOUN YOU NEED, ALWAYS CHOOSE “EFFECT” UNLESS YOU’RE A PSYCHOLOGIST TALKING ABOUT EMOTIONS.
IF IT’S A VERB YOU NEED, “AFFECT” IS THE RIGHT CHOICE 90% OF THE TIME.
TO BE SURE, SUBSTITUTE THE WORDS “CAUSE” AND “INFLUENCE” TO SEE WHICH IS BETTER.
AFFECT = INFLUENCE; EFFECT = CAUSE

9. WORD MISUSE ALL RIGHT AND ALRIGHT IT IS NOT ALRIGHT TO WRITE THIS WAY.
IT IS ALL RIGHT TO WRITE THIS WAY.
ALRIGHT IS NOT A WORD!

10. WORD MISUSE #3 ALMOST AND MOST – MOST IS INFORMAL
“BETWEEN” IS TWO PEOPLE AND “AMONG” IS MORE THAN TWO
“AMOUNT” IS HOW MUCH (CAN’T BE COUNTED); “NUMBER” IS HOW MANY (CAN BE COUNTED)

11. WORD MISUSE
“AND” VERSUS “TO” (AND IS MORE INFORMAL) WHEN YOU WRITE PAPERS, TRY AND WRITE RIGHT.
“ANYWAYS” IS NOT A WORD IT’S “ANYWAY”
“AROUND” IS INFORMAL WHEN YOU MEAN “ABOUT”. I AM A HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTER, AND I WEIGH AROUND 240.

12. WORD MISUSE IN STANDARD, FORMAL, WRITTEN ENGLISH USE FORMAL WORDS
“IN BACK OF” SHOULD BE “BEHIND”
“HAD BETTER” SHOULD BE “SHOULD”
“BRING” SHOWS MOVEMENT TOWARD THE SPEAKER; “TAKE” SHOWS MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE SPEAKER. REMEMBER TO TAKE (NOT BRING) YOUR LUNCH TO SCHOOL

13. WORD MISUSE MOST MISTAKES ARE BECAUSE OF CARELESSNESS BY, BUY, BYE
THERE, THEIR, THEY’RE
“CAN” HAS THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING; “MAY” HAS PERMISSION OR MIGHT DO SOMETHING

14. WORD MISUSE
“DIFFERENT FROM” COMPARES TWO THINGS; “DIFFERENT THAN” HAS A CLAUSE FOLLOW
YOUR SHOES ARE DIFFERENT FROM MINE.
THIS MOVIE IS DIFFERENT THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

15. WORD MISUSE
EVERY PLACE, SOME PLACE, ANY PLACE NO PLACE ARE INFORMAL. USE EVERYWHERE, NOWHERE, SOMEWHERE
FARTHER AND FARTHEST MEASURE DISTANCE; FURTHER AND FURTHEST MEAN LONGER OR MORE. I WANT TO STUDY THIS FURTHER. I’M TOO TIRED TO WALK ANY FARTHER.

16. WORD MISUSE
THE WORD “OF” SHOULD NOT BE USED WHEN “HAVE” IS MORE APPROPRIATE.
“HOW” IS OFTEN USED AS A CONJUNCTION WHEN THE CORRECT WORD IS “THAT.” STOP REMINDING ME THAT (NOT HOW) I HAVE MORE HOMEWORK TO DO.

17. WORD MISUSE
IN INDICATES WHERE SOMETHING IS RIGHT NOW. INTO IMPLIES MOVEMENT FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
IT’S IS A CONTRACTION THAT IS SHORT FOR IT IS OR IT HAS NEVER USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE. ITS IS POSSESSIVE.

18. WORD MISUSE
“LIKE” IS A PREPOSITION USED TO COMPARE ONE THING TO ANOTHER. IT MEANS “SIMILAR TO” OR “FOR EXAMPLE”
THIS FLOWER LOOKS LIKE A ROSE.
“AS” AND “AS IF” ARE CONJUNCTIONS USED BEFORE CLAUSES.
I STUDIED HARD AS I KNEW I SHOULD.

19. WORD MISUSE “LIKE” IS USED FOR COMPARISONS – IT IS NOT A CONJUNCTION.
IF FEEL THAT (NOT LIKE) YOU SHOULD GIVE ME A RAISE IN MY ALLOWANCE.
LOSE VERSUS LOOSE

20. WORD MISUSE NEVER USE “MYSELF” WHEN “ME” SOUNDS RIGHT
HE BOUGHT A SHIRT FOR LATEESHA AND ME (NOT MYSELF).
“PAIR” IS SINGULAR; “PAIRS” IS PLURAL
WE RENTED THREE PAIRS (NOT PAIR) OF SKIS.
PLAN ON IS INFORMAL; USE PLAN TO

21. WORD MISUSE
“SIT” MEANS TO TAKE A SEAT OR SIT DOWN; “SET” MEANS TO PLACE SOMETHING
“THAN” IS A CONJUNCTION. IT LINKS TWO PARTS OF A SENTENCE THAT ARE BEING COMPARED TO EACH OTHER. “THEN” IS AN ADVERB TELLING WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED.

22. WORD MISUSE
“THIS” IS OVERUSED. IT MEANS RIGHT HERE, CLOSE AT HAND. DON’T USE “THIS” WHEN “A” IS BETTER.
I BOUGHT THIS GREAT NEW DRESS THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
TO, TOO, TWO
UNLESS YOU’RE A WAITER, USE “WAITING FOR” NOT “WAITING ON”

23. WORD MISUSE
“THAT” IS THE FIRST WORD OF A PHRASE OR CLAUSE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SENTENCE. “WHICH” IS THE FIRST WORD OF A PHRASE OR CLAUSE THAT IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE SENTENCE.
THE BIKE THAT I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY IS A 21-SPEED BLUE MOUNTAIN BIKE.
MY BLUE MOUNTAIN BIKE, WHICH I GOT FOR MY BIRTHDAY, HAS 21 SPEEDS.
BE SURE TO USE COMMAS WITH “WHICH”

24. WORD MISUSE “WHICH” IS FOR THINGS; “WHO” IS FOR PEOPLE
WHO IS NOMINATIVE; WHOM IS OBJECTIVE. SUBSTITUE “HE” AND “HIM”
“WHY” IS FORMAL; “HOW COME” AND “WHAT FOR” ARE INFORMAL
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?

25. WORD MISUSE ONE WORD OR TWO?
IF YOU CAN PUT A WORD BETWEEN - USE TWO WORDS; IF NOT, USE ONE
WE WERE ALREADY TO LEAVE.
WE WERE ALL (SET AND PACKED AND) READY TO LEAVE.
I WANT PIZZA EVERYDAY FOR DINNER.
I WANT PIZZA EVERY (SINGLE) DAY FOR DINNER.

26. WORD MISUSE IF YOU CAN COUNT THEM, USE FEWER. IF YOU CAN’T, USE LESS
USE FEET NOT FOOT WHEN APPROPRIATE. THE SWIMMING POOL IS TWELVE FEET DEEP.
GOOD IS AN ADJECTIVE; WELL IS AN ADVERB
HAVE GOT DOESN’T NEED THE “GOT”
I HAVE GOT…I HAVE IS FINE.