The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words-including my fave "irregardless"

[KristiB]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ~Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

It may be inconceivable for you to misuse a word, but a quick look around the web reveals plenty of people doing it. And it’s all too easy when we hear or see others use words incorrectly and parrot them without knowing it’s wrong.

We know by now that great copy and content often purposefully break the rules of grammar. It’s only when you break the rules by mistake that you look dumb.

So let’s take a look at 27 commonly misused words. Some are common mistakes that can cost you when trying to keep a reader’s attention. Others are more obscure and just interesting to know.

Adverse / Averse
Adverse means unfavorable. Averse means reluctant.

Afterwards
Afterwards is wrong in American English. It’s afterward.

Complement / Compliment
I see this one all the time. Complement is something that adds to or supplements something else. Compliment is something nice someone says about you.

Criteria
Criteria is plural, and the singular form is criterion. If someone tells you they have only one criteria, you can quickly interject and offer that it be they get a clue.

Farther / Further
Farther is talking about a physical distance.

“How much farther is Disney World, Daddy?”

Further is talking about an extension of time or degree.

“Take your business further by reading Copyblogger.”

Fewer / Less
If you can count it, use fewer. If you can’t, use less.

“James has less incentive to do what I say.”

“Tony has fewer subscribers since he stopped blogging.”

Historic / Historical
Historic means an important event. Historical means something that happened in the past.

Hopefully
This word is used incorrectly so much (including by me) it may be too late. But let’s make you smarter anyway. The old school rule is you use hopefully only if you’re describing the way someone spoke, appeared, or acted.

* Smart: I hope she says yes.
* Wrong: Hopefully, she says yes.
* Wrong: Hopefully, the weather will be good.
* Smart: It is hoped that the weather cooperates.
* Smart: She eyed the engagement ring hopefully.

Imply / Infer
Imply means to suggest indirectly (you’re sending a subtle message). To infer is to come to a conclusion based on information (you’re interpreting a message).

Insure / Ensure
Insure is correct only when you call up Geico or State Farm for coverage. Ensure means to guarantee, and that’s most often what you’re trying to say, right?

Irregardless
Irregardless is not a word. Use regardless or irrespective.

Literally
“I’m literally starving to death.”

No, odds are, you’re not.

Literally means exactly what you say is accurate, no metaphors or analogies. Everything else is figurative (relative, a figure of speech).

Premier / Premiere
Premier is the first and best in status or importance, or a prime minister. Premiere is the opening night of Star Wars 8: George Wants More Money.

Principal / Principle
Principal when used as a noun means the top dog; as an adjective, it means the most important of any set. Principle is a noun meaning a fundamental truth, a law, a rule that always applies, or a code of conduct.

Towards
Towards is wrong in American English. It’s toward. I went 41 years not being sure about this one.

Unique
Unique means (literally) one of a kind. Saying something is very or truly unique is wacked. It’s either a purple cow or it isn’t.

Who / Whom
This one is a lost cause, but let’s go down swinging. The way to deal with the who versus whom quandary is a simple substitution method.

First, a refresher on subjects and objects.

Subjects do the action:

“He/she/we like(s) to rock the house.”

Objects receive the action:

“The rock star sneered at him/her/us.”

Use who for subjects and whom for objects.

Subjects:

* Who wrote this blog post?
* Who is speaking at the conference?
* Who is going to clean up this mess?

Objects:

* Whom are you going to write about?
* Whom did he blame for the Google Slap?
* Whom did he bait for the links?

Truth is, whom just doesn’t sound right in many situations where it’s correct, especially in the US. You now know the rule… feel free to break it.

P.S. If you haven’t seen The Princess Bride because you think it must suck based on the title, get over it. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and has more great lines than I can come up with angles to write about… so far.

About the Author: Brian Clark is founding editor of Copyblogger, and co-founder of DIY Themes and Lateral Action. Get more from Brian on Twitter.

[Middydd]

Have to add: Lie versus Lay.

I always get them wrong, always have, always will.

I also find "There're" hard to say so substitute (know it's wrong) "There's". As in "There's three of them left." Ooops!!

But I kind of know when the period goes inside the quotation marks, and when it doesn't.

I'm looking for Bill Bryson's new book about the English language at a discount. Anybody read it yet?

[kaygee1]

I JUST used "irregardless" on another thread!!
Thanks for this list!

[KristiB]

Originally Posted by kaygee1

I JUST used "irregardless" on another thread!!
Thanks for this list!

Quick go edit!

[kaygee1]

Done-zo! It was on the sensitive thread. I gave you the props!

[ErinM]

I'm surprised these aren't on there, I hear them used incorrctly all. the. time.

teach/learn

lend/borrow

accept/except

[avariell]

Only thing is... he is wrong about insure/ensure. Just sayin':

insure
* Main Entry: in·sure
* Pronunciation: \in-ˈshu̇r\
* Function: verb
* Inflected Form(s): in·sured; in·sur·ing
* Etymology: Middle English, to assure, probably alteration of assuren
* Date: 1635

transitive verb 1 : to provide or obtain insurance on or for
2 : to make certain especially by taking necessary measures and precautions

intransitive verb

: to contract to give or take insurance
synonyms see ensure

[avariell]

Originally Posted by ErinM

I'm surprised these aren't on there, I hear them used incorrctly all. the. time.

teach/learn

lend/borrow

<snip>

This is a strangely Upper Midwest/Wisconsin/Minnesota thing. I doubt anyone who has never been to WI/MN knows about this common confusion. The first time my well-educated, MN roommate asked me to borrow her some money, I offered to learn her some English

[ErinM]

Originally Posted by avariell

this is a strangely upper midwest/wisconsin/minnesota thing. I doubt anyone who has never been to wi/mn knows about this common confusion. The first time my well-educated, mn roommate asked me to borrow her some money, i offered to learn her some english

*snort*

[little_bopeep]

Sentences containing the word "none" are often soooo wrong. It is not correct to say, "None of you are going if you don't clean your rooms." It IS correct to say, "None of you is going if you don't clean your rooms." None is a contraction of "not one," so if you have a question about its usage, remember that "one is going, two are going."

[Robyncz]

Actually, "afterwards" and "towards" are both listed as acceptable in my copy of Meriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Neither one is listed first, which means they're not the "preferred" usage, but they are both listed, which means they're not *wrong.*

I'd go check some of the other dictionaries on my shelf (I have a bunch of them since each of my clients uses a different dictionary as their house dictionary), but I'm just toooo lazy.

[MaryH]

Conversate - NOT a word.

You either converse with someone or have a conversation.

(I realize that is a bit off topic as the other words (for the most part) are actual words used miscorrectly, but it is the one that annoys me no end.)

Same thing with supposably. It's supposedly.

[leebee]

Originally Posted by little_bopeep

Sentences containing the word "none" are often soooo wrong. It is not correct to say, "None of you are going if you don't clean your rooms." It IS correct to say, "None of you is going if you don't clean your rooms." None is a contraction of "not one," so if you have a question about its usage, remember that "one is going, two are going."

Ah, but this is only true if you are referring to "not one." If you are referring to "not more-than-one," or to a collective, then it can be used as a plural.

[SusanMac]

Excellent list!

Although I think I'm still confused about insure/ensure. And will probably forget imply/infer (although I work on this one!)

Also, this kind of surprised me, coming from a writer:

"Smart: It is hoped that the weather cooperates"

That's a horrific sentence! Surely he could have thought of another example

I definitely agree with his analysis of Princess Bridge :-)

[elnant]

Thanks for the list!

A couple other things I see/hear all the time:
loose vs lose -- like people who write about loosing weight?!?! Ugh..drives me crazy!

and weary vs wary. Weary (of course) is tired, wary is cautious.

[swedish cook]

What a great list - and very helpful for me as I constantly need to improve my English.

I'm surprised at the common use of "that" when referring to people - "The lady that baked the cake" - shouldn't it be "The lady who baked the cake"?

[Canice]

Originally Posted by KristiB

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ~Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

We know by now that great copy and content often purposefully break the rules of grammar.

Wouldn't "purposely" be the better word in this context?

"I purposely gave the wrong answer."
"I saw him across the room and walked purposefully out the door."


Edify. It's not a synonym for educate.
"Begs the question" does not mean "raises the question".

[AnneL�rien]

"unthaw" does not mean the same as defrost. to 'unthaw' would be to freeze...

[Canice]

"Unthaw" Wow, can't say I've hear that one before! At least it makes "deboned" sound less...wrong.

[kwormann]

I hate English

I am afraid to talk!!!!

[Kay Henderson]

Very interesting. I think some of what happens is that usage changes over time -- although I certainly hope that some of the confusions cited never become the norm, as there is a loss of precision involved.

Kay