200 Common Mistakes

8/10/2019 200 Common Mistakes

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1. Writing then when you mean than. The first is a description of time I will go to the bank and

then I will stop at the store. Than is used when making a comparison I am a faster runner than my

friend.

2. onfusing into with in to. The word into is a preposition that answers the !uestion" where# It

does not need to be a physical place. The doctor walked into the room to greet me and $y sister

had gotten into graduate school. In to is used as in a prepositional phrase I ran in to my best friend

at the %oo. &otice the two words are written separately and they appear side by side.

'. (sing a)an incorrectly. It is not an banana and a apple. (se the article an to precede words

in the *nglish language that sound like a short +owel. (se the article a before all other words. ,o I

would like a banana and an apple for lunch. Watch your articles they are +ery important.

-. (sing centered around. The correct phrase is centered on $y science report is centered on

space eploration. If the center is the middle point" then it can/t center around something.

0. (sing irregardless. This word is often listed as nonstandard in a dictionary. It is best to use theword regardless to mean despite e+erything. $y dog will stay outside for hours regardless of the

weather and I will learn *nglish regardless of how difficult it may be at times and how much time I

must in+est in study.

. (sing could of" would of" and should of. &one of these epressions are proper *nglish. 3ou

need to use the +erb ha+e with each of the helping words could" would and should. I can assure you

that you will commonly hear people use of or a instead of the +erb ha+e as in the abo+e eamples4

could of and coulda" etc." but this is not correct grammar.

5. (sing I and somebody else. This is a common error. 3ou need to put the other people you are

referring to in your sentence before yourself. ,o instead of saying I and my friend took the class"you need to say $y friend and I took the class.

6. (sing that instead of who. If you/re writing about people" always use who . 3ou should say

The students who study online *nglish are working really hard not The students that study online

*nglish are working really hard.

7. (sing it/s when you mean its. The contraction it/s stands for the words it and is. Whene+er you

see this word" you can go back and reread the sentence to see if it is used correctly. 3ou can also reread

the sentence to make sure its does not mean it is. 8or eample" The dog wagged its tail 9not it is tail:

and It/s my turn to dri+e the car 9it is my turn;: are correct.

1owe+er" the apostrophe should be used to show possession as in The

teacher/s briefcase was lost on the bus. 3ou can see that the teacher owns the briefcase. ?nd in the

sentence about =ctober and the weather" an apostrophe is needed to say It is =ctober;colder.


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11. @eing redundant. 8or eample" ?T$ stands for automated teller machine so you would not say" I

am going to get some money from the ?T$ machine and AI& stands for personal identification

number so you would not say" I forgot my AI& number. These are Bust two of the hundreds of

eamples that illustrate this point.

12. $iing up the words accept)ecept. 3ou accept an apology and a gift" etc. The word ecept

means other than as in *+eryone feels well ecept for $r. Cones. In this sentence" $r. Cones is not

feeling well.

1'. When to use ad)add. 3ou read an ad in the newspaper which is short for ad+ertisement. 3ou add

numbers or other items to make a larger group. This is easy to remember because the word add is in

the longer word addition" so you can be reminded that add means addition.

1-. The distinction between adapt)adopt. These two words are often interchanged" but they ha+e

different meanings. 3ou can adapt to change and you can adapt to the weather. @ut you adopt a child

or you adopt a new way to eercise. The word adapt means to change something and the word adopt

means to take on or assume.

10. Disten carefully to the ending of advise/advice. The word ad+ise is a +erb and means to offer

suggestions and to gi+e council" while ad+ice is a noun and means the knowledge" recommendations

and guidance that is gi+en. 8or eample" The professor will offer ad+ice to the graduate students by

ad+ising them on what courses to take to complete a degree.

1. (sing affect)effect. The pronunciation is different and the meanings are different" as well.

$any people use these words interchangeably. ?ffect is pronounced with a short a and means to

ha+e an effect upon or to produce an influence. The sentence" $y father affected my strong character

because he taught me the importance of being honest and humble shows the correct use of affect. In

the sentence" The effect of the wildfire was de+astating" the word effect is pronounced with a short

e at the beginning of the word and means an e+ent" condition" or state of affairs that is produced by acause.

15. The words aid)aide. These words are both pronounced the same" but they ha+e different

meanings. ?id is a noun to mean the act of helping or it can be a +erb to mean to help or assist.

>owe+er" aide is always a noun that means the person who is the assistant . ,o you ha+e" The aide

ga+e first aid to the patients in the hospital.

16. @oth aloud)allowed sound the same. ?loud means to be clearly heard as in The manager of the

store read the announcement aloud to the customers. ?nd allowed is the past tense +erb for allow

which means permitted as in the sentence The student was allowed to take the *nglish eam online.

17. onfusion with all ready)already. @oth words sound similar" but if you listen carefully you will

notice that all ready has a slight pause between two single words. This is a signal to you in how the

words are used. 8or eample" The teacher was all ready for class. This means prepared. Whereas"

already is an ad+erb that means before a certain time or by the time. ?n eample sentence is @ob

was already finished with his task.


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bologna sandwich. ?nd maybe you ha+e heard the word baloney used before as in the sentence"

That/s a bunch of baloneyE I don/t belie+e that story.

27. The words breathe)breath are often mispronounced" misspelled and misused. @reathe is a +erb

and means to bring air into your lungs while breath is a noun that means the actual air that is taken in

your body. ,o you breathe the air and you take a breath of air.

'owe+er the word capitol means the building in which the state

legislator meets.

'1. 3ou pronounce these two words the same4 carrot and karat)carat. ? carrot is a +egetable that

you eat on a salad or by itself. ?nd a karat or carat 9both are pronounced the same and mean the same

thing: is a unit of fineness of gold. ,o you can order carrots on your salad" and when you go to a

Bewelry store" you can ask about the gold rings to see their worth in karats)carats.

'2. The words4 censure)sensor. ensure as noun means the act of blaming or as a +erb means to

find fault with. These sentences show two meanings4 The newspapers were unanimous in their

censure of the columnist and The go+ernment will censure the >ollywood mo+ies. Whereas" the

word sensor means a de+ice that responds to a physical stimulus. 8or eample" When a car is si feet

away from the garage door" a builtin sensor opens the door.

''. The differences between cite)site)sight. ?ll three words are pronounced the same. Det/s look at

what they mean. ite is a +erb that means to !uote or to mention in support of. 8or eample" The

criminal cited his constitutional rights. The word site is a noun that means the location or position of

something. It can also refer to computers like a computer site. ,o you might say" The site of our

future cabin o+erlooks the lake. ,ite as a +erb means to locate as in the sentence" The ?rmy will sitethe enemy/s cannon. ,ight means the power of seeing or mental perception Budgment.

'-. >ow about clothes)close# The first clothes is a noun that refers to what you wear. The second

close is a +erb that means to shut" to stop" or to block. 8or eample" 3ou close the door" The

mailman closed the crate" and The student/s mind was closed when it came to studying calculus.

'0. When do you use complement)compliment# These words are similar in pronunciation ecept for

the second syllable. omplement as a noun means something that completes like ? good wine is a

complement to a meal. The second syllable is pronounced pluh. When complement is used as a

+erb" it means to complete and is pronounced the same way. ?n eample sentence is" ? good wine

complemented the meal. =n the other hand" compliment with a short i sound in the middle can

be a noun to mean an epression of praise or a +erb to mean to pay positi+e praise. *amples include"

The boss ga+e a compliment to his secretary for her outstanding work and The boss complimented

the secretary on her outstanding work.

'. onfident or onfidant# onfident with a short e sound in the last syllable is an adBecti+e

that means feeling positi+e and selfassured. 8or eample" The student who studied hard was


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-'. What is the difference between feelings for)feelings about# When you use a phrase feelings

for" the message is always positi+e. >owe+er" when you use the phrase feelings about" the

message can be positi+e or negati+e. 8or eample" I ha+e a bad feeling about the test not I ha+e a

bad feeling for the test.

--. 8ounder)flounder what should I use# 8ounder as a noun means one who begins or establishes

something like the founder of a city or company. 8ounder as a +erb is not used etensi+ely but it can

mean to eperience failure or to fill with water and sink. 8lounder is a completely different word. ?s

a noun" it is a type of marine fish. ?s a +erb" it means to struggle to mo+e or to proceed ineffecti+ely.

8or eample" The ompany floundered in the midst of the stock market crash.

-0. Is it for sale or on sale# When something is for sale" it means the item is a+ailable for purchase.

8or eample" The house is for sale or The car is for sale. ?s a customer" you need to ask what the

price of the item is to buy. The phrase on sale means the item is reduced in price. In other words" it is

sales price and you will pay less for the item than its full price. >a+e you e+er bought something on

sale#

-. Fo you know the difference between formally and formerly# &oticed the words are spelleddifferently and they are pronounced differently. In fact" they mean completely different things. 3ou

must be careful how you say them and how you use them. 8ormally means in accordance with the

rules or officially. 8or eample" The =lympics were formally declared means the =lympic

competition officially began. ?nd when you recei+e an in+itation that says formally attired" it

means to dress up. >owe+er" formerly means in the past or earlier times. 8or eample" The

ompany formerly employed only two employees and now boasts a workforce of 1er

sa+ings lessened as she spent money for college tuition. Desson is a noun that means a period of

learning or teaching. 8or eample" ,he studies an *nglish lesson online.

-7. Gig)Big# Cig is a li+ely dance or a de+ice that holds a piece of work and guides tools to operate

on it. ,o" you can dance a Big or work in a factory with a Big.

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01. >ad better)ought to)should what is the difference# These three +erbs are all used to gi+e

ad+ice. >ad better is strongest emphasis because it implies a negati+e conse!uence if the ad+ice is not

followed. ?nother difference is that ought to and had better are not used with !uestions. 8or eample"

,hould I ask my boss for a raise# &ot" =ught I to ask my boss for a raise# ?nd not" >ad I better

ask my boss for a raise#

02. If I was)if I were# @oth epressions mean the same thing in *nglish. >owe+er" the phrase if I

was H 9a hypothetical situation: is considered by many people to be grammatically incorrect. This is

not acceptable in more formal writing. 8or eample" If I were ten years younger" I would sa+e more

money. &otice that the first part of the sentence implies that you are ten years younger which really

cannot happen. Therefore" you use the epression" if I were. =n the other hand" you say" If I was

rude on the phone with you" I apologi%e. This means that it could happen.

0'. Install)instill# These words are both +erbs. Install means to make ready or to put someone in an

important Bob. 8or eample" I will install the new software for the computer and The (ni+ersity

recently installed the new president. Instill means to gradually cause someone to ha+e an attitude"

feeling" etc. 8or eample" $artin Duther ing instilled in his followers a dream to ha+e racial

e!uality.

0-. When do you use instance)instant# Instance is a noun which means an eample of a type of

action or situation. It can also mean an occasion of something happening. 8or eample" The

confusion o+er the new procedure shows another instance of incompetence. Instant can be a noun to

mean a short period of time or an adBecti+e to mean happening or done without delay. 8or eample"

In an instant" my headache was gone when I took an aspirin. ?nother eample is I sent an

application for a Bob" and I recei+ed an instant reply.

00. Dast name)family name what to use# In western culture" a person/s last name is their family

name. >owe+er" in many other cultures" the family name might be placed before the first name.

Therefore" it might be confusing if you are asked what is your last name. In other words" Bust

remember your last name is your family name.

0. >ow do you use the words former)latter# @oth words are adBecti+es. 8ormer means pre+iously

field a role or it can mean the first of two things or people mentioned. ,omeone could ha+e a former

boss or former Bob. The word latter means occurring nearer to the end of something" like the latter half

of the 21st century. Datter is the opposite of former when it is used to mean the second of two things

or people mentioned.

05. >ow do use lie)lay)laid. Die is an action you take to yourself" and lay is something you do to

something or someone. 8or eample" We were so tired last night that we had to lie down and rest

and Alease lay down the books and listen to me. Day is the past tense of lie and Daid is the past

tense of lay. The eamples are4 >e lay in the shade to take a break and ,he laid her infant down

for a nap.

06. When to use let)lea+e# Fo not be confused with these two words as let means to permit or to

allow while the +erb lea+e means to go away from or to put in a place. *amples4 We should ne+er

let our disagreement destroy the friendship and Alease lea+e them alone.


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07. Ded)lead# The word lead has two specific meanings. ?s a noun 9pronounced like bread:" it is a

metallic element. It is labeled Ab on the periodic table and is sometimes found in old paint. It can

also be used as a +erb" but then it is pronounced differently 9pronounced like greed:. In this case" it

means to guide or direct like a parent who leads their child through eample. >owe+er" the word led is

a +erb that means the past tense of the +erb lead. If you can substitute the words guided or

directed into the sentence" then you know that you used the word led correctly.


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the intent of the essay. =+ersee means to check or super+ise as a manager or boss would do of people/s

work.

5ow about patience)patient# Aatience is a noun and means the capacity" habit or fact of being

calm 9or patient:. Aatient can be an adBecti+e to mean showing selfcontrol and calmness. It can also be

a noun to mean a person under medical care. 3ou can see that the endings of the words are different

and" too" they are pronounced differently4 one with a c sound and the other with a t.

5'. What is the difference between peasant)pheasant# ?t first glance you can see that the word

pheasant has an added letter to the beginning of the word. The ph beginning blend sounds like an f

so you would pronounce the word as fe%ent with a short e. ? pheasant is a longtailed game bird.

The word peasant refers to the class or small landowners or laborers who work tilling the soilK they are

usually people of low social or cultural status.

5-. >ow to use perpetrate)perpetuate# Aerpetrate means to carry out or commit as in a harmful"

illegal or immoral action. 8or eample" There has been a robbery perpetrated by the street gang.

Aerpetuate means to make something that is usually bad to continue indefinitely. 8or eample" Alease

don/t perpetuate racism.

50. When to use persecute)prosecute# Aersecute" a +erb" means to treat someone unfairly mostly

because of their race" religious +iews or political +iews. Arosecute" also a +erb" means to follow to the

end as in prosecute a war or to bring legal action for punishment of a crime or +iolation of a law. 3ou

feel persecuted by others for your beliefs" and The attorney will prosecute the criminals. The words

differ also in pronunciation with the first syllable4 per in persecute and pro in prosecute.

5. What is the difference between personal)personnel# Aersonal relates to your person or body" or it

implies a sense of closeness. 3ou might be a personal friend of someone" which means you are a close

friend. >owe+er" the word personnel refers to a group of people" usually people who work at a

company or in the military. The word personnel can also be used as the name of a department that

manages employees. It can also be used as an adBecti+e to describe situations related to manage

employees. Aersonnel can be singular or plural. *nglish language specialists suggest that when

personnel is plural" it means people" and when it is singular" it is a collecti+e noun to mean staff or

board. 8or eample" there could be a directi+e for all personnel to wear blue Beans on 8riday so this

would be plural to mean people. =r you would say the most important aspect of a school district is

how much personnel is retained after the cuts. In this case" personnel is singular to mean staff. ? clue


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to help you remember the difference is that personal has one n and so it means one personK and

personnel has two n/s to mean many people.

55. When do you use these words4 perspecti+e)prospecti+e# Aerspecti+e is almost always used as a

noun to refer to a +iew or the angle from which something is +iewed. The word prospecti+e is an

adBecti+e to mean likely to happen or likely to become. ,o you could say" ; from a fan/s perspecti+e

the hockey team played better than e+er. ?nd you would say" It is a helpful suggestion to research

prospecti+e employers before you inter+iew for a position.

56. What is the difference between phantom)fathom# ? phantom is a ghost. The initial ph sounds

like the letter f. It is used as a noun. 8or eample" you could say" There might be a phantom in the

attic because sometimes I hear noises at night time coming from there. @ut fathom is a nautical

measure of depth. When you don/t understand something and you can/t get to the bottom of it" you

would say" I can/t fathom it. I this case" it is used as a +erb.

57. >ow to use phenomenon)phenomena# Ahenomenon is singular and phenomena is plural. The

word means an obser+able fact9s:. *ample" There are many phenomena in nature like floods"

hurricanes" rain" etc.

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action or demeanor of a person who is determined. 8or eample" if you wanted to run a 0 race" you

would purposefully practice and be more conscious of healthy eating.

6-. These words are often confused4 !uite)!uiet)!uit. Muite is an ad+erb that means completely"

totally" and absoulutely like" The lady is !uite attracti+e with her new haircut or That Bob is !uite

attracti+e to me with the tra+el and weekend perks. Muiet means a state of calmness like the library

was !uiet or the lake was !uiet at dawn. Muit is a +erb that means stop. If you !uit smoking" you don/t

smoke anymore. If you !uit your Bob" you don/t work there anymore. 3ou ha+e stopped smoking and

you ha+e stopped working.

60. ,imilar sounding words4 raise)ra%e)rise. Naise and ra%e are pronounced the same with a long a

sound. Nise has a long i sound. They are all +erbs. Naise usually means to lift" heighten or to

promote as in raising your hand or a flag. =r you are awarded a raise in salary. 9>owe+er in *ngland

the term rise is used for a salary increase:. Na%e means to destroy or demolish as in the house was

ra%ed to make room for the new highway. Nise means to get up or increase. 8or eample" there was a

rise in the price of fruits and +egetables because of the cooler weather.

6. >ow are these words different4 rational)rationale# The adBecti+e rational means ha+ing theability to reasonK the noun rationale refers to the eplanation or reason. The words ha+e different

endings and are pronounced differently. *amples include" The debater/s argument was !uite rational

when he stated the rationale for the problem.

65. Two commonly used and misused words4 real)really. Neal is an adBecti+e that means true or

factual and describes nouns and pronouns like" The golden coin was made out of real gold. Neally is

an ad+erb that means actually" indeed or in reality. It modifies +erbs" adBecti+es and other ad+erbs" as

in the sentence" The temperatures this winter are really cold.

66. Nesent)recent# The +erb resent can be pronounced two different ways to mean two different

things. The accent is on the second syllable for both pronunciations" but if the s sounds like a %"resent means to feel annoyed at like in the sentence" The worker resented making minimum wage for

all of the hard work that he did. If the s sounds like an s the word resent means to send back as in

the case of someone who resent an email. The other word" recent" is an ad+erb that means not long

ago. 8or eample" you could say that you recently spoke to your friend or your resume has been

updated recently. That is if you spoke to your friend and updated your resume in the past few weeks.

67. I/+e heard both; what do I use4 in regard to)in regards to# The correct phrase is in regard to

as in the sentence" This response is in regard to the position I saw posted on your website. It means

concerning" regarding" with or in. $any people say in regards to but this is not correct *nglish.

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71. Negretful)regrettable# If someone is regretful" then this means that they are full of regret and

they are sorry. If something is regrettable" it means that the incident or situation is causing regret. If

you lose your Bob because you were late for work many times" you might say" I feel regretful that I

did not take my Bob seriously enough to be on time in the mornings and Dosing my Bob because I

was often late for work is a regrettable situation.

72. Nollo+er)roll o+er# Nollo+er is a noun or an adBecti+e4 The rollo+er of the truck was caused by

a reckless dri+ing. The twoword roll o+er is a phrasal +erb4 They can roll o+er their rollo+er funds

when necessary.

7'. >ow to use the words sale)sell# ,ale is a noun and sell is a +erb. ,ale refers to a monetary

echange for products. 8or eample" The sale of the old building was finali%ed when the counter

offer was accepted by the buyer. ,ell means to transfer a product or ser+ice in echange for money.

8or eample" 3ou can sell groceries at a grocery store.

7-. >ow do you use different)difference# The words different and difference ha+e the same

meaning. Fifference is the noun form of different. Fifferent is an adBecti+e and refers to the !uality

or !uantity of not being the same. 8or eample" There can be a difference in ages between the twofriends because they are different ages.

70. What about the words seasonal)seasonable# ,easonal" an adBecti+e" implies happening during a

particular time or e+ents during a certain time4 >iring seasonal workers during the holiday season

needs to be discussed. The adBecti+e seasonable means normal" appropriate" or typical to the season4

In &orth ?merica" seeing the migrating birds in late fall is seasonable.

7. When do you use the words unseasonable)unseasonal# (nseasonable means not normal for the

season as in The recent weather with the


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115. ,ince)because# ,ince and because are both conBunctions. ,ince generally refers to time like I

ha+e not cleaned my house since ,aturday. In this case" if you substituted the word because for since"

the sentence would not make sense4 I ha+e not cleaned by house because ,aturday. =n the other

hand" the word because would be used in sentences to eplain a cause or reason of but not dealing with

time4 The children played at the park with their babysitter because their mother was gone shopping.

116. This morning)today morning# 3ou would ne+er use the epression today morning. Instead" say

the word today at the beginning of your sentence or this morning. 8or eample" Today the sunrise

was beautiful or This morning the sunrise was beautiful.

117. ,can)skim# $any people use these words interchangeably" but they really mean two different

things. @oth are +erbs. ,canning is to search for something 9a word" phrase" diagram or other piece of

information: within a book or other written material" possibly in an inde or table of contents.

,kimming is used to gather !uickly as much information as you can from browsing the content"

chapter titles" summaries" etc. 3ou scan to find a specific detailK you skim to get an o+er+iew.

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125. ?re these words used the same4 persuade)con+ince# Aersuade means to mo+e by an argument

to that opinion or course of action usually through appeals to the emotions" moral sense or the will. ,o

you persuade someone who does not want to go to the mo+ies to go after all. $aybe you tell them that

you will pay for the mo+ie or that you will buy them popcorn. 3ou might tell them that they deser+e a

break or that the mo+ie is a really good one to see. on+ince means to bring by demonstration or

argument to a belief made to the intellect. 3ou are con+inced of a doctrine" belief or duty. 3ou may be

con+inced that human beings deser+e e!ual rights.

126. What do these words mean4 pre+enti+e)pre+entati+e/# @oth words mean the same thing4 to keep

from happening. Are+enti+e is the original adBecti+e corresponding to the word to pre+ent. It is used

more often in common speech. 3ou could ha+e a pre+enti+e checkup which is a yearly physical to

check on your general health or pre+entati+e maintenance done on your car at so many miles so your

car stays running in the best condition and lasts a long time.

127. When to use4 entitled)titled# $aBor dictionaries and grammar guides state that the words

entitled and titled are synonyms. They do feel that the word titled is often a better choice to use as it is

a simpler term. 3ou could say the book titled PPP is new no+el I want to read.

1'ealthy describes someone who is fit" trim and not

sick. It describes someone or something that enBoys good health. 8or eample" >ealthy forests are

built to withstand se+ere natural disturbances. >ealthful means something that will create good

health. ,o it/s correct *nglish to ha+e a healthy snack or a healthful one. @ut if you are referring to the

person who is enBoying good health" then healthy is the better choice as in" The physical trainer at the

gym is +ery healthy.

1'1. When do you use raised)reared# Today these words are both used to mean to help bring up

children as in raising your children or rearing your children. >owe+er" the word raised is only used

with crops as in" The farmer raised the corn crop on the 1


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boyfriend or girlfriend breaks up with you" if someone dies" etc. @ut in most other cases" broken is

used for things that are glass" metal" wood" etc. lothing is ne+er broken. If the clothing is torn" then

the clothing is ripped. onse!uently" glass and metal and wood cannot be torn.

1'. $ake a fault)make a mistake# ,omething can be your fault or someone else/s fault" but you

can/t make a fault. 3ou make a mistake. 8ault means a weakness in character. $istake means a wrong

action or statementK an error.

1'5. Would you mind helping me with this proBect# 3es" certainly or no. This is a common

error. When someone asks you a !uestion like" Would you help me with this proBect# then it is easy

to say" 3es" I will or &o" I am sorry that I don/t ha+e time. @ut notice the !uestion that was asked

for Q1'5 and the use of the word mind; This epression changes the meaning of the sentence so

now if you answer" 3es" certainly that would mean that you are certain that you do not want to help.

?nd if you reply with no that would mean that you do not mind helping with the proBect. The best

thing you can do is to listen to see how the !uestion is phrased" and then respond. ?nother suggestion

is to answer with a different response rather than yes or no. ,imply say" ,ure" I would be glad to

help outE if you can. =therwise" say" I/m sorry that I can/t help you;

1'6. Is it bright outside)light outside# ?lthough both epressions are grammatically correct" you

probably would only say the first epression bright outside if it is generally around noon time and it

is +ery sunny. =ther than that" most people say that it is light outside to refer to early morning and the

sun coming up or right before it is dark at night.

1'7. What/s the difference between alone)lonely# ?lone is calm and being somewhere with nothing

other than your own thoughts. Donely is wanting someone or something else to be with you. 3ou can

be all alone at home and enBoying a good book" your fa+orite music" or a walk in the park" etc. @ut if

you are lonely reading that book" listening to music or walking in the park" you really want someone

else there to listen to you" share the eperience" or be in your presence.

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space. The daily horoscope is written by someone who understands astrology while a scientist who

disco+ers a new moon or planet may be an astronomer.

1-'. @ored or boring# 3ou need to be careful with this one. If you say that you are bored with

something like a lecture or book" or that you are Bust bored because you ha+e nothing to do" then that

means you are tired or uninterested. @ut if you say you are boring" that means you are dull. If someone

asks you" how you are# ?nd you can/t be positi+e about it" don/t say you are boring. 3ou are bored.

1--. What is the difference between come o+er)o+ercome# The +erbal phrase come o+er can mean

to mo+e from one place to another as in come o+er here. It can also mean to seem to be a particular

type of person as in mo+ie actors and actresses come o+er as being dramatic. =+ercome means

something different. It can mean to con!uer as he o+ercame the obstacle and reached success in his

business or it can mean to reach a stage that engulfs you like o+ercome with sadness" o+ercome

with disbelief" o+ercome with gratitude" etc.

1-0. What is the correct word4 bachelor/s degree" bachelors degree" or bachelor degree# When a

degree from a uni+ersity or college is awarded to someone at the undergraduate le+el" this is called a

bachelor/s degree. The same is true for an ad+anced degree. 3ou would say a master/s degree. Tohelp you remember the correct way to write this" think of the degree belonging to the person who is

either a bachelor or a master.

1-. Fo these words mean the same thing4 curious and interesting# If someone is curious" it means

they are interested in learning about what is around them. 8or eample" The student was curious to

find out how many people used his brother/s website. If something is curious" it means it is unusual"

odd or strange. ,o it might be curious that the 60yearold lady still can walk on the balance beam and

complete a gymnastics routine. If someone or something is interesting" it means that it gets your

attention because it is unusual or strange" eciting" etc. 3ou could find a book" trip" person" etc.

interesting. Interesting does not always mean curious. >owe+er" usually something curious is

interesting.

1-5. Fefrost or melt# Fefrost is a +erb that means to cause to become free or to cause to become no

longer fro%en. 8or eample" 3ou defrost the free%er when you unplug the refrigerator and clean it.

$elt is a +erb to means to turn something that is in a solid form into something soft or a li!uid. 8or

eample" The snowman melted in the -< degree temperatures. &otice" that you don/t melt the

free%er when you unplug the refrigerator and a snowman does not defrost.

1-6. ould care less or couldn/t care less# To say you could care less means that you ha+e a little bit

of caring left which is probably not what the person intended to mean. It is best to use the phrase

couldn/t care less as in The mailman couldn/t care less if his shift was shortened on ,aturdays as he

wanted to ha+e more free time.

1-7. The use of the word none as singular and plural4 ? mass noun uses the word none and it is

followed by a singular +erb as in" &one of the water was safe to drink. ,ometimes the word none

has a sense of plurality and therefore it takes a plural +erb as in" The teacher talked to the students"

and none of them were able to help out at the fundraiser.


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first one would be &ice to meet you" so and so; The reply to the second one would be 8ine" ,o

so" 8air" Great;how about you#

107. Dearn)teach4 To learn means to gain knowledge" understanding" skill or eperience. To teach

means to show how" to guide and to impart knowledge. ,omeone teaches you and you learn or you

teach someone and they learn.

1ow do you use of course)off course# =f course means yes. =ff course means to not follow an

intended path" course or route. ,o you can answer of course if you want to do something. 3ou are offcourse if an airplane does not follow the normal route or you are not on target of meeting your goal.

1'. Aeople or persons# Aeople is almost always the better choice when you refer to more than one

person. The dictionaries that include persons mention that this word is uncommon and archaic. It is

going out of style. 8or eample" There are many people who take the subway to work. (se the word

people for the plural of person.

1-. What about him)her and he)she# =ftentimes" it is difficult to use the correct gender for the

people you are speaking about. This happens especially with nati+e speakers who do not ha+e this

distinction in their own language. Try to pay particular attention to who someone or yourself is talking

about" and put the correct pronoun at the forefront of your thoughts. This might help you to moreeasily retrie+e the word you need to use.

10. What is the difference between o+ertake)takeo+er# =+ertake means to pass as in a +ehicle

passing another +ehicle on the highway. Takeo+er means to get control of a company by buying most

of its shares. 8or eample" the company that my neighbor works for was recently taken o+er. It was

in+ol+ed in a takeo+er this past month.

1. ,ome time" sometime or sometimes# ,ometime means at some unspecified time like" Det/s go

biking again sometime. ,ome time means !uite a while. 8or eample" >e spends some time sailing

e+ery day. ,ometimes means now and thenK occasionally like" ,ometimes I like to ride my bicycle

up the bluff.

15. Tenet and tenant# ? tenet is a belief that someone holds. ? tenant is someone who holds an

apartment or rents a house. 3our tenet could be" ; to do unto others as you want them to do unto

you. Aerhaps you are a tenant and you pay rent to a landlord for a place to li+e.


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16. Is momento a word# $omento is not a word. The correct word is memento which means a

keepsake" a reminder of an e+ent or a person. 3ou would more than likely ha+e a memento from your

trip.

17. $uch thanks)many thanks4 The word thanks is plural so many thanks is the correct way to

show your appreciation. In the *nglish language" the word many is used with plural count nouns and

much is used with mass nouns. *ample" I send you many thanks. I ha+e much gratitude.

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15. ?re these different words4 replay)reply# @oth words are +erbs. Neplay means to play again or

to play o+er. 3ou cold replay a game or you could replay a +ideo game. Neply means to answer. 3ou

can reply to an in+itation or you can reply to a !uestion.

155. Is it run o+er)o+errun# Nun o+er is to collide with" knock down by" or pass o+er like The

horses will run o+er the barricade. The word o+errun is to defeat decisi+ely and sei%e the positions

of. 8or eample" The front line of defense was o+errun by the massi+e enemy attack.

156. ,aid)told# These two words ha+e similar meanings" but they are used differently. ,aid is the

past tense and the past participle of say. The difference between said and told is that words are said

while told is associated with information being told. Told must ha+e an obBect. 8or eample" I

couldn/t hear what you said 9does not need an obBect: and ,he told us e+erything about the plan

9needs an obBect:.

157. ,ay)talk# ,ay and talk ha+e slightly different definitions. ,ay is associated with an actual

pronunciation of words or an epression in words. 8or eample" We always ha+e to say" RGood

morning/ e+ery morning or ,ay what you are thinking. Talk is when you say words to someone.

8or eample" Det/s talk about the plan.

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spacecraft was built to take the four astronauts on a +oyage to the $ars. Courney refers to the implied

tra+elling distance between two places4 The long Bourney to ,an 8rancisco will be finally o+er in Bust

two hours.

16. What is the difference between4 worn)warn# Worn is the past participle of wear and also an

adBecti+e that means to be damaged by using or wearing something o+er a long period. 8or eample"

I chose to wear worn clothes for the yard work yesterday. Warn is a +erb that means to inform or

notify someone in ad+ance of a possible problem" complication" or negati+e situation. 8or eample" I

warn you not to tell them a lie.

165. ,hade)shadow# ,hade is an area where sun is blocked thus creating partial darkness. 8or

eample" The farmer sat in the shade under the oak tree to take a break. The word shadow is a dark

shape that appears on a surface when something is placed or mo+es between the surface and a source

of light. 8or eample" The shadows created in the woods at nightfall were spooky.

166. ustomer)client# @oth words are sometimes used interchangeably but the con+entional

definitions are different. ? customer buys products or ser+ices from a company" store or indi+idual

while a client engages necessary ser+ices of a professional.

167. Fo you say arri+ed to or arri+ed at# The correct *nglish is arri+ed at. 8or eample" I

arri+ed at the airport or I arri+ed at work 9or any other place:. 3ou ha+en/t arri+ed to 9any place:.

17e sat on the ground for a picnic" We heldour ground despite arguments presented by some shareholders" or The entire floor of the house

needs to be repaired.

172. Grow)grow up# Grow" a +erb" has se+eral meanings4 To increase in si%e in The trees are

growing" to epand as in =ur group is growing larger and larger" or to cause to grow like ,he

grows tulips. Grow up is a phrasal +erb that means to become an adult. 8or eample" What do you

want to be when you grow up#

17'. Aick)pick up# Aick is a +erb with the meaning of choose" gather" or pro+oke4 We picked the

best runner" We went apple picking yesterday" and >e picked a fight with them. It can also be a

musical term4 The musician Bust bought a pick for his guitar. The phrasal +erb pick up means to

take up something as in I picked up a book from the library" to collect like We picked up lot of

seashells at the beach" or to clean up as saying" Alease pick up the room.

17-. @orrow)lend# The words borrow and lend ha+e opposite meanings. @orrow is to take

something from someone with permission and intention of returning it. Dend" howe+er" is to gi+e

something to someone with the epectation of getting it back.


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170. Aast)passed# Aast has se+eral meanings and it can be an adBecti+e" an ad+erb" a noun" or a

preposition4 The teacher Bust walked past me" Det/s forget the past and focus on the future" and

The past three weeks ha+e been +ery hard for the inBured players. Aassed is the past tense and past

participle of pass4 I Bust passed the bar eam yesterday and >e has passed the physical regiment

test.

17. Fisco+er)in+ent# The word disco+er means to find something pre+iously unknown like" We

disco+ered the secret path to the top of the clock tower. ?nd in+ent means to make something that

ne+er eisted. 8or eample" Thomas *dison in+ented many de+ices that had great impact on the

modern world.

175. Take place)take part# Take place means to happen as in The game will take place net

week. Take part is an idiom that means to participate in like We all must take part in tomorrow/s

fundraising dri+e.

176. Win)earn# Win is fre!uently associated with success in carrying out a certain task or gaining

awards for your efforts. 8or eample" 3ou work hard to win your net game. *arn refers to

obtaining something from your action or efforts. 8or eample" 3ou should earn a college degree tofind a higher paying Bob.

177. When should I say won)beat# Won 9the past tense form of win: and beat both deal with

indi+idual games and sports. @ut they are used in different ways. Won is used to describe the

achie+ement and can be used without an obBect like We won. @ut you can also win a pri%e" an award

or competition. 3ou beat an opponent to win. 3ou do not beat a pri%e" award or competition.

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200 Common Mistakes

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