1. COMMON ERRORS
A QUICK FIX

2. WACKY WORDS
A & AN – A BEFORE CONSONANT SOUND (EVEN IF MADE BY A VOWEL) “A CAT”, “A UNIVERSITY”. AN BEFORE A VOWEL SOUND “AN OASIS”, “AN M&M
AFFECT AND EFFECT EFFECT IS NOUN AND AFFECT IS VERB 90% OF THE TIME.
AFFECT = INFLUENCE
EFFECT = CAUSE
TOO MUCH RAINY WEATHER AFFECTS (INFLUENCES) MY MOOD.
TOO MUCH RAINY WEATHER EFFECTED (CAUSED) THE FLOODING IN HAMBURG TOWNSHIP

3. WACKY WORDS ALL RIGHT IS RIGHT; ALRIGHT IS NOT A WORD
A LOT IS TWO WORDS
AMONG MEANS MORE THAN TWO ARE INVOLVED; BETWEEN MEANS TWO
AMOUNT = HOW MUCH (YOU CAN’T COUNT THE NUMBER; NUMBER MEANS = HOW MANY (YOU CAN COUNT THEM)

4. WACKY WORDS AND = ADDITION; TO = ATTEMPT
WHEN YOU WRITE PAPERS, TRY AND WRITE RIGHT.
WHEN YOU WRITE PAPERS, TRY TO WRITE RIGHT.
ANYWAY = WORD; ANYWAYS IS NOT A WORD
AROUND = APPROXIMATELY IS VERY INFORMAL; I AM A HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTER, AND I WEIGH AROUND (ABOUT) 240.

5. WACKY WORDS
IN BACK OF = INFORMAL; BEHIND = FORMAL; KRISTEN, PUT YOUR BICYCLE BEHIND THE HOUSE.
BETTER = INFORMAL; HAD BETTER = MORE INFORMAL; YOU SHOULD DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
BRING = MOVEMENT TOWARD THE SPEAKER; TAKE SHOWS MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE SPEAKER

6. WACKY WORDS BY = PREPOSITION; BUY = PURCHASE; BYE = SALUTATION
CAN = HAS THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING; MAY = PERMISSION TO DO SOMETHING; MAY = MIGHT DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT FROM = TWO THINGS COMPARED; DIFFERENT THAN = CLAUSES THAT FOLLOW; THIS MOVIE IS DIFFERENT THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

7. WACKY WORDS
EVERY PLACE (SOME PLACE, ANY PLACE, NO PLACE) = INFORMAL; I’VE LOOKED EVERYWHERE (NOT EVERY PLACE) FOR MY SHOES.
FARTHER = DISTANCE; FURTHER = LONGER OR MORE
FEWER = COUNTING; LESS = NO COUNTING; THERE ARE FEWER KIDS THAN I EXPECTED. THERE IS LESS SNOW THAN I THOUGHT.

8. WACKY WORDS
FEET = MEASUREMENT (SIX FEET TALL); FOOT = COMPOUND ADJECTIVES (I NEED FOUR 10-FOOT BOARDS OF LUMBER.
GOOD = ADJECTIVE; WELL = ADVERB
GOT = REDUNDANCY; I HAVE GOT.
HAVE NOT OF. I SHOULD HAVE, NOT I SHOULD OF…

9. WACKY WORDS
IN = WHERE SOMETHING IS RIGHT NOW; INTO = MOVEMENT FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER (GO INTO THE HOUSE. I AM IN THE CAR.)
ITS = POSSESSIVE; IT’S = IT IS OR IT HAS
LIKE = PREPOSITION TO COMPARE ONE THING TO ANOTHER “SIMILAR TO” OR “FOR EXAMPLE” (THIS FLOWER LOOKS LIKE A ROSE.) AS AND AS IF = CONJUNCTIONS USED BEFORE CLAUSES. (I STUDIED HARD AS I KNEW I SHOULD.)

10. WACKY WORDS
LIKE = COMPARISONS, THAT = CONJUNCTION (I FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD GIVE ME AN “A” ON THAT PAPER.)
LOSE, LOOSE
MYSELF = REFLEXIVE. DON’T USE WHEN YOU SHOULD USE “ME” OR “I” (KATE AND MYSELF (I) WERE INVITED.)

11. WACKY WORDS
PAIR = SINGULAR; PAIRS = PLURAL. (WE RENTED THREE PAIRS OF SKIS.)
PLAN ON = INFORMAL (DO YOU PLAN ON (PLAN TO) GO TO THE GAME?)
SIT = TAKE A SEAT OR SIT DOWN; SET = PLACE SOMETHING.
THAN = CONJUNCTION, TWO PARTS OF SENTENCE COMPARED; THEN = ADVERB WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED.

12. WACKY WORDS
THIS = SOMETHING CLOSE AT HAND (I BOUGHT A (NOT THIS) NEW DRESS THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
TO, TOO, TWO
WAITING ON = SOMEONE SERVING YOU; WAITING FOR IS USUALLY RIGHT.
THAT = ESSENTIAL CLAUSE; WHICH = NONESSENTIAL CLAUSE (INSERT THE WORDS “BY THE WAY” TO CHECK) COMMA RULE

13. WACKY WORDS WHICH = THINGS; WHO = PEOPLE
WHO = NOMINATIVE; WHOM = OBJECTIVE
HOW COME AND WHAT FOR = INFORMAL. USE “WHY”
ONE WORD OR TWO? CAN YOU PUT OTHER WORDS IN THE MIDDLE?
WE WERE ALREADY TO LEAVE. OR
WE WERE ALL (SET AND PACKED) READY TO LEAVE.