K E L L E Y T E A H E N C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Spelling and Word Use:A quick guide to the most common errors in writing

By Kelley Teahen@kteahen; kelleyteahen@gmail.com

SOUNDALIKES: The sin of a spellcheck generation. Typos, the machines

catch. These beauties, the machines do not.

A homonym is a word that has the same pronunciation and spelling as

another word, but a different meaning. Example: lie (to say something

untrue); lie (to recline on a horizontal surface)

A homograph is a word that has the same spelling as another word,

but a different pronunciation and meaning (e.g., desert, with the

accent on the second syllable, is the verb “to abandon”; and desert,

with the accent on the first syllable, is the noun describing dry, barren

land).

A homophone is a word that has the same pronunciation as another

word, but a different meaning. Sometimes these words are spelled the

same (“bear”, as in large mammal, and “bear”, as in “to carry”) but

more often they are spelled differently (for example, “bare,” as in

“naked”). These are among the most-common errors among writers

raised writing on computers and relying too heavily on “spellcheck”.

Common sound-alike errors (known as “homophones”):

Accept (to receive, I accept your compliment), except (with the exclusion of – I like all vegetables except eggplant)

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Affect (the verb), effect (the noun).

Aisle (a passage between rows of seats or pews), isle (island)

Allowed (permitted), aloud (out loud)

Advise (verb), advice (noun)

Border (boundary between two entities); Boarder (someone who pays money to rent living space and have meals at a boarding house or school residence)

Canvas (to survey) Canvass (the fabric)

Cent (money) Sent (verb “to send”) Scent (smell)

Compliment (to praise; “complimentary” means “free of charge”), complement: (something that completes, or one of a pair/two things that go together)

Discreet (tactful, unobtrusive), discrete (separate, consisting of separate parts)

Ensure (to make sure something happens), insure (provide insurance)

Faze (disturb or upset), phase (a distinct period or stage)

Forgoing (going without), foregoing (preceding)

Great (adjective describing something big or above average) Grate (to shred by rubbing against a serrated surface; also to sound harshly and also the metal frame to hold wood in a fireplace); Grateful (thankful).

Hurtle (throw), hurdle (jump over)

Its, it’s: Remember this for the rest of your lives: his, hers, its: all possessive. No apostrophe. It’s: contraction short form of “it is”.

Kernel (seed), colonel (military leader)

Lightening (making lighter, as is, she is lightening her hair colour) Lightning (with thunderbolts)

Loose (opposite of tight), lose (to misplace something)

Mute (incapable of making a sound; silent), moot (irrelevant, as in a “moot point”)

Pair (two), Pear (fruit), Pare (to cut back)

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Peek (take a look), peak (the top), pique (anger, upset; also arouse, as in, you’ve piqued my interest). Also “peaked”, pronounced with two syllables, means tired”.

Principal (the head person or matter: a school principal, the principal cellist, the principal reason), principle (a matter of principle, holding a belief or ethical value)

Rain (precipitation), Rein (long narrow strap used to guide a horse), Reign (to rule over, the time of a royal rule, an era when a specified person or quality holds sway)

Site (a place), sight (seeing with the eyes, a thing seen), cite (to quote)

Their, they’re, there. “Sorry I couldn’t be their.” (thank-you note from Natasha, Big’s new wife, to Big’s ex, Carrie, on Sex in the City: “No wonder she had to get married. The woman’s an idiot!”

Till (till the soil – a version of plowing), ’til (abbreviation for “until” such as, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”)

Troop (military), troupe (artistic)

Waive (decline to take advantage of a right or claim), wave (of water, or to wave your hand)

Waiver (a document declaring one is waiving a right), waver (to falter)

Weather (“stormy weather”), whether (“Whether or not you want to, you should use words correctly”)

Whet (sharpen), wet (covered or dampened by liquid). Common error: a stone used to sharpen knives is not a “wetstone” but a “whetstone”

Redundant phrases (sometimes called “pleonasms”):

“pair of twins” (unless you mean four people)

original founder

completely destroyed

homicide bombers (do you ever bomb with no intention of killing?)

“unexpected surprise” (if it’s expected, it’s not a surprise)

advance planning

free gift

basic fundamentals

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close scrutiny

divide up

end result

very last

hot-water heater

invited guests (if you’re not invited, generally the term is

“gatecrasher”)

major breakthrough

new innovation

true fact (there cannot be a “false fact”)

honest truth (tell me a “dishonest truth”)

strangle to death (strangle means to kill by choking; non-fatal choking

is throttling)

animated cartoon

salsa sauce (“salsa” means sauce)

added bonus

excess verbiage

safe haven

dead corpse

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You’ve already said that…

AIDS syndrome (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome syndrome)

ATM machine (Automatic Teller Machine machine)

DAT tape (digital audio tape tape)

GST tax (Goods and Services Tax tax)

HIV virus (Human Immunodeficiency Virus virus)

LCD display (Liquid Crystal Display display)

ISBN number (International Standard Book Number number)

NDP party (New Democratic Party party)

PIN number (Personal Identification Number number)

RAM memory (Random Access Memory memory)

Commonly misspelled words

accommodateacquireacquitacquaintanceall right. It is not “alright” to use this phrase incorrectly.AtheistBattalionbellwetherbroccoli (not brocolli)conscientiousdaiquiridesiccatedrunkennessdumbbellembarrass(ment)Februarygaugeharasshonorary (even when using style that has “honour” spelling)humorous (even when using style that has “humour” spelling)idiosyncrasyinoculateleisureliaisonlicence (noun) license (verb) – this is the distinction made in Canadamanoeuvremillenniumminusculemischievous

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misspelloccurrenceplaywrightprivilegerecommendsacrilegiousseizeviciousweird

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