Common Usage Errors
Sometimes grammar school seems like a million years ago and all that conjunction junction stuff went right out the window. Absolutely everybody makes mistakes; sometimes the more you stare at pages the easier it is to gloss over a usage error or misspell. And these days, language is morphing rapidly, with new words being born all the time and with usage becoming more and more casual. As important as it is to go with the flow and to like, acknowledge that the inclusion of, like, the word like, is part of the patois, it is also important to have a firm grasp of the basics.
Check out the OWL at Purdue University as a really handy grammar and usage resource. Even though the Wave-inatrix spends 90% of each day either reading or writing, which makes her relatively formidable, she will freely admit that most of her usage is based on gut intuition alone. Things just do or do not sound right. But can the Wave-inatrix explain the rule? No way.
Writing is our craft, Wavers, and we shall not and cannot ignore the rules. A sailor must learn the ropes before sailing down the mighty Hudson and so must writers learn the rules before setting out to write our novels, short stories, scripts or poems.
I have excerpted a bit from the Owl, below, about commonly confused words. Some Rouge Wavers may roll they're eyes, thinking their to smart too make these silly erors but trust the Wave-inatrix, you do make these errors - we all do - and nothing makes a reader respect you less then seeing them. See how your getting anoyed just reading this? Its just bearly readible.
Accept, Except
accept = verb meaning to receive or to agree: He accepted their praise graciously.
except = preposition meaning all but, other than: Everyone went to the game except Alyson.
affect = verb meaning to influence: Will lack of sleep affect your game?
effect = noun meaning result or consequence: Will lack of sleep have an effect on your game?
effect = verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish: Our efforts have effected a major change in university policy.
Advise, Advice
advise = verb that means to recommend, suggest, or counsel: I advise you to be cautious.
advice = noun that means an opinion or recommendation about what could or should be done: I'd like to ask for your advice on this matter.
Conscious, Conscience
conscious = adjective meaning awake, perceiving: Despite a head injury, the patient remained conscious.
conscience = noun meaning the sense of obligation to be good: Chris wouldn't cheat because his conscience wouldn't let him.
Idea, Ideal
idea = noun meaning a thought, belief, or conception held in the mind, or a general notion or conception formed by generalization: Jennifer had a brilliant idea -- she'd go to the Writing Lab for help with her papers!
ideal = noun meaning something or someone that embodies perfection, or an ultimate object or endeavor: Mickey was the ideal for tutors everywhere.
ideal = adjective meaning embodying an ultimate standard of excellence or perfection, or the best; Jennifer was an ideal student.
Its, It's
its = possessive adjective (possesive form of the pronoun it): The crab had an unusual growth on its shell.
it's = contraction for it is or it has (in a verb phrase): It's still raining; it's been raining for three days. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
Lead, Led
lead = noun referring to a dense metallic element: The X-ray technician wore a vest lined with lead.
led = past-tense and past-participle form of the verb to lead, meaning to guide or direct: The evidence led the jury to reach a unanimous decision.
Than, Then
Than: used in comparison statements: He is richer than I.
or
used in statements of preference: I would rather dance than eat.
or
used to suggest quantities beyond a specified amount: Read more than the first paragraph.
Then: a time other than now: He was younger then. She will start her new job then.
or
next in time, space, or order: First we must study; then we can play.
or
suggesting a logical conclusion: If you've studied hard, then the exam should be no problem.
Their, There, They're
Their = possessive pronoun: They got their books.
There = that place: My house is over there. (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
They're = contraction for they are: They're making dinner. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
To, Too, Two
To = preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of a verb: They went to the lake to swim.
Too = very, also: I was too tired to continue. I was hungry, too.
Two = the number 2: Two students scored below passing on the exam.
We're, Where, Were
We're = contraction for we are: We're glad to help. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
Where = location: Where are you going? (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
Were = a past tense form of the verb be: They were walking side by side.
Your, You're
Your = possessive pronoun: Your shoes are untied.
You're = contraction for you are: You're walking around with your shoes untied. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
One Word or Two?
All ready/already
all ready: used as an adjective to express complete preparedness
already: an adverb expressing time
At last I was all ready to go, but everyone had already left.
All right/alright
all right: used as an adjective or adverb; older and more formal spelling, more common in scientific & academic writing: Will you be all right on your own?
alright: Alternate spelling of all right; less frequent but used often in journalistic and business publications, and especially common infictional dialogue: He does alright in school.
All together/altogether
all together: an adverb meaning considered as a whole, summed up: All together, there were thirty-two students at the museum.
altogether: an intensifying adverb meaning wholly, completely, entirely: His comment raises an altogether different problem.
Anyone/any one
anyone: a pronoun meaning any person at all: Anyone who can solve this problem deserves an award.
any one: a paired adjective and noun meaning a specific item in a group; usually used with of: Any one of those papers could serve as an example.
Note: There are similar distinctions in meaning for everyone and every one
Anyway/any way
anyway: an adverb meaning in any case or nonetheless: He objected, but she went anyway.
any way: a paired adjective and noun meaning any particular course, direction, or manner: Any way we chose would lead to danger.
Awhile/a while
awhile: an adverb meaning for a short time; some readers consider it nonstandard; usually needs no preposition: Won't you stay awhile?
a while: a paired article and noun meaning a period of time; usually used with for: We talked for a while, and then we said good night.
Maybe/may be
maybe: an adverb meaning perhaps: Maybe we should wait until the rain stops.
may be: a form of the verb be: This may be our only chance to win the championship.
Again, I urge you to bookmark the The OWL at Purdue University. There are exercises, tips and lessons that are really great for brushing up.
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9 comments:
No one's perfect, but here's one that bugs me every time I see it:
Lose vs. loose. Many writers write "loose" for "lose". "She's about to loose her mind." As if her brain were a pack of bloodthirsty hounds...
Great post, Julie. These distinctions can't be hammered in enough, especially as we get more and more accustomed to e-mail, chat, texting, IMs and other forms of communication where capitalization, complete sentences, correct spelling and even the right words go out the window.
Another I'd add to your list is ensure vs. insure. That's a tough one, because even when you use "insure" incorrectly, it still sort of seems like it's making sense: "We're going to insure that this Memorial Day holiday is a success!" Oh, really? And how much is that policy going to cost?
And prepositions. Don't get me started. When my job involved copy-editing professional writers, who'd had their schoolin', a few years ago, I was stunned that even the brightest and most articulate seemed to have zero grasp of prepositions. It's a part of the language in flux -- pretty soon, I bet it'll be correct to chose any random preposition -- of, on, from, at, by -- and use them interchangeably, because no one grows up hearing them used correctly, so no one develops that innate sense that something just isn't sounding right.
My list is from the Owl list, but "lose" versus "loose" and "ensure" versus "insure" are worthy additions. The list may grow very long indeed.
Apropos of your fear that before long, an entire generation will not recognize proper usage, don't forget the latest entrant in language-butchery: Twitter.
All the kids say it's double-plus good. :)
I'm not worried about slang so much. Every generation has feared subsequent ones are mangling the language and will leave it in tatters, but it seems to survive even as bad means rad means cool means hot means stolen. But see if you notice the difficulty with prepositions in written English. An entire class of words seems to be losing its bearings. Very strange.
I’m still fairly amazed by how illiterate so many people are. Time after time, script after script...oh, the misspelled words, the improper usages, the punctuation and grammatical errors! It’s bad enough the stories are so dreadfully bad, but to have to decipher what the “writer” is trying to get across...arrggh! Believe me, it’s not atypical for me to read a passage such as this:
“He walks too the panle van and sees theirs a sellphone in the back seat. He losens his tye and slings back too his car.”
And let’s no forget the simple e-mail or bulletin board posting...
“hi, jim, I need you’re advise. I want too right a screen play. Whats the best Book to reed.”
Just the other day I received an e-mail from a fella – about ten words in total – and I could barely understand what it was he was trying to ask me!
You just have to shake your head at stuff like this.
Jim
www.TheWorkingScreenwriter.com
I read stuff that bad every day too, Jim. And I must admit, though I am a big-hearted, warm and friendly person - stuff like that makes my blood BOIL. Woe to the writer whose script I read with those types of errors. If it's just one or two mistakes, I notice but I don't flip out. But when writing is riddled with mistakes, writing anything after page one is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as far as I'm concerned.
What annoys me the most is when people write "definately" instead of "definitely". I see that CONSTANTLY.
And yes, "it's" instead of "its" is all too common as well.
have excerpted a bit from the Owl, below, about commonly confused words. Some Rouge Wavers may roll they're eyes, thinking their to smart too make these silly erors but trust the Wave-inatrix, you do make these errors - we all do - and nothing makes a reader respect you less then seeing them. See how your getting anoyed just reading this? Its just bearly readible.
And part of this shows that writing IS rewriting.
I know I have used "their" for "they're."
I think that's an advantage I have. I was in The National English Honor Society throughout school.
I never thought it would really come in handy.
But as page after page of screenplay emerges from my sub-conscious, I am glad that I was.
The best story ever can be ruined by bad grammar and spelling.
I actually still have my MLA Handbook from college and revisit it every now and then.
The best story ever can be ruined by bad grammar and spelling.
Julie has said before that this almost never, if ever, happens, from her perspective reading a dozen scripts a week from beginners and pros alike. Good writing -- down to the details -- and good storytelling go hand-in-hand. That's kind of the whole point of this blog -- the details matter, and if you don't have those down, it's unlikely you've got the bigger picture either.
A typo's a typo, we all make them now and then. But a thorough, fundamental grasp of usage, and rigorous attention to detail -- essential. Is it any different in other fields? Sloppy lawyers don't generally win their cases. I wouldn't want a doctor who didn't sweat the small stuff operating on me.
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