I don't know if I'm just obsessive, but I've been seeing a huge influx of the misuse of "lose" and "loose" lately, especially on these forums. Perhaps many of them were typos or written absentmindedly (I do this all the time with "it's" as opposed to "its," and while I know the differences, my mind automatically assumes the apostrophe), but I feel the need to address this issue, as well as a number of other common mistakes I'm seeing or noticing. I understand that NaNoWriMo isn't about making it perfect, but having a better grasp on certain words might help us on our way when we all sit down to edit in December.
Feel free to add to the list if you would like; remember, this is for learning purposes.
--
Lose vs. Loose
The verb to lose — one o — means "to mislay" (you can lose your keys or lose your mind); it's also the opposite of "to win."
Loose — two o's — is usually an adjective, but it can also be a verb, and it's easy to confuse it with lose. The verb to loose means "to release" or "to let free"; it can also mean "to undo" or "to make loose." The pronunciations are also different: to lose ends in a z sound; to loose ends in a clear s sound.
--
Lead vs. Led
Another easily confused pair of words — easily confused because of different and overlapping pronunciations in different situations. Here's what you need to know:
Got that? The only tricky one is the second: the past tense of the verb to lead is spelled led, not lead.
--
Both of these were taken from an extremely helpful resource and guide to grammar found here. The latest revision was January 9, 2008, so minor details may have changed, but overall, is a very enlightening read.
----------
NaNo '08
Genre: Fantasy Western
Title: Boot Hill
Art | Blog
50,034 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2008 - 15 28
Sorry! The first bullet regarding "Lead vs. Led" should read:
The verb in the present tense (or the infinitive) meaning "to go before" or "to conduct" ("With 85% of the votes counted, Smith leads by a wide margin"; "I promise to lead a good life") is spelled lead and pronounced leed.
Not sure what happened there.
----------NaNo '08
Genre: Fantasy Western
Title: Boot Hill
Art | Blog
32,011 / 50,000
oct. 5, 2008 - 16 28
That looks like a pretty good site from a glance - seems to avoid the pitfalls of lots of usage advice (e.g. being plain wrong).
On the commonly mistaken theme, I'll add another one to the L category: lie/lie/lay.
Present tense lay: She lays the table.
Past tense lay: She laid the table.
Present tense lie: She lies down.
Past tense lie: She lay down.
Present tense lie: She lies (tells a lie).
----------Past tense lie: She lied (told a lie).
2007: 28,513 words
2005: 50,916 words
2003: 12,078 words
114,200 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 01 04
Believe me, it isn't just on here. I even see it all the time on the low carb dieters board I hang out on. Even though the site has adverts all over it telling you buy such and such product to help you lose weight. And most of the people there will own at least one book that has the words "lose weight" somewhere on the cover. Yet they still come on saying "I'm hoping to loose 10lbs..." Gah! In a society pretty obsessed with losing weight and adverts and spam all over the place telling you how, you'd think people would figure it out.
Heck, the best aide memoir for this one is even a diet one! "If you lose weight your clothes become loose."
Drives me bonkers that one.
/rant
10,150 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 06 47
Like junkfoodmonkey, I see that mistake all over the Internet. But yes, it hurts my head, too. I suppose I can kind of see the logic in the error, as "loose" has a shorter vowel sound than "lose," but they're such common words that you'd think most people wouldn't need to be spelling them based on sounding them out, but rather spelling them based on habit and memory.
I saw a shirt for sale online that had YOUR A LOOSER screenprinted on it. I thought of buying it, but I feared that most people wouldn't even note it as an error, and that I might even further propagate the use of "looser" for "loser" by wearing it.
Clearly, I'm a nerd.
--
NaNo '06 - The Center of Gravity. 7 drafts since '06. Not dead yet.
NaNo '07 - Notes From Nowhere (YA novel, 50K)
NaNo '08 - In Other Words, I'm Anarchy (YA short story cycle)
http://weirdquietgirl.wordpress.com -thoughts on life, writing, and YA lit
----------NaNo '06 - The Center of Gravity. 7 drafts since '06. Revising for editor!
NaNo '07 - Notes From Nowhere (YA novel, 50K)
NaNo '08 - Rob's Day Out! (YA caper)
http://weirdquietgirl.wordpress.com -life, writing, and YA lit
50,040 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 09 42
Actually, I'll admit that Lose vs. Loose is just one of those issue portions that I still have today - I think about it, have ways of determining which one is right and which is wrong for each time I use it and I still use it wrong by accident all the time. Although I agree, there are a lot of people who don't know how to use them correctly and just don't have a mental block on them :P They're my one set of words I am almost certain to get wrong.
The one that I always see is the There/They're/Their combo.
----------'04, '06, '07, '08: Wins
'03: Loss
Honorary Member of the Lancs. & Cumbria Region
Mod of Writing 101, This is Going Better... & Virtual Worlds
4,594 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 10 53
They're
They are
Their
Belonging to them
There
In that place.
It's
It is
its
Belonging to it.
To
preposition - going to that place.
Too
in excess - "too far", "Too much".
Two
----------The number after one and before three.
_______
If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything.
50,034 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 11 39
Yeah, I'm seeing these mistakes all over the internet. Everywhere in general.
Another that I've seen dwindle a little (but is still an issue) is the your/you're usage. It's usually writing 'your' instead of 'you're,' but I've seen the opposite a number of times, which means the user is trying!
"I love you're coat." I love you are a coat? What? It sounds like one of those Before and After puzzles from Wheel of Fortune. I know I shouldn't make fun, but it is rather humorous to me.
----------NaNo '08
Genre: Fantasy Western
Title: Boot Hill
Art | Blog
4,594 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 11 13
also
You're
You are
Your
Belonging to you.
and that's before we get into
Yore
olden times. Only ever seen in the phrase "Days of Yore"
Yaw
----------the motion of an aircraft about its vertical axis (i.e. turning to one side or another without dipping a wing)
_______
If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything.
60,369 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 12 50
Can I add one that really tripped me up until a couple days ago?
::Beside vs. Besides::
Beside means 'next to' or 'at the side of.' For example: She stood beside the tree.
Besides is used to say 'in addition to.' For example: Besides the new cat, they also got a dog.
Therefore, saying 'She stood besides the tree' - something I tend to do a lot - is incorrect. I hope this helps someone.
----------I do not know beneath what sky nor on what seas shall be thy fate.
I only know it shall be high; I only know it shall be great.
104,846 / 50,000
oct. 6, 2008 - 21 40
It's good to know that I'm not the only one driven mad by 'loose' for 'lose'. It's everywhere on a parenting forum I frequent, and for some reason I find it difficult to handle.
My pet peeve is 'phase' being used for 'faze'. It shouldn't be all that common, yet it seems to crop up everywhere.
----------...............................
Oh no, it's the Ninky Nonk!
114,200 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 00 16
They are
Their
Belonging to them
There
In that place.
It's
It is
its
Belonging to it.
To
preposition - going to that place.
Too
in excess - "too far", "Too much".
Two
The number after one and before three.
The scary thing is that even though I know ALL of these and when they should be used, somehow I still manage to type them wrongly sometimes. I used "it's" wrongly in a post here today. (One I can't edit now, naturally!) Sometimes my brain knows damn well that it should be "their", but my hands decide "we're gonna type 'there', just to annoy you, brain."
4,594 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 03 40
Phase
A transient period of time, in particular a stage of development - "it's just a phase he's going through", "Phase one of the project is complete".
Faze
----------To confuse and distract. "Fazed by the lightshow, he didn't react in time", "Despite the lightshow, he was unfazed."
_______
If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything.
4,594 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 03 44
Actually one that I see a lot is "Everyday" vs "Every Day".
In particular you see shops advertising "Great deals everyday!"
Everyday
normal, ordinary. "She owned two dresses. One for everyday, one for best"
Every day
On each day. "She owned two dresses. One she wore every day, the other was reserved for special occasions."
(Others along the same lines, but Everyday seems to be the most common.)
----------_______
If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything.
50,171 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 06 02
Then/Than
than
used for comparative statements
then
is related to time: as a time marker or with a sequence of events.
50,034 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 15 30
Ooooh Brickie, Faze vs. Phase kills me every time.
----------NaNo '08
Genre: Fantasy Western
Title: Boot Hill
Art | Blog
50,105 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 16 59
I consider myself being fairly good at English, but I've never even heard the word faze before actually. Is it common?
Anyway, must say I absolutely hate the you/your/you're mistakes and similar ones. As a non native speaker it gets very confusing some times. Not to mention the fact that it feels strange having better knowledge about some things regarding English than a lot of native speakers do.
And that's another thing that has confused me for a while now (due to internet most likely) is if it's supposed to be alot or a lot. My spell checker says a lot, which is good for NaNo, but a majority seems to write it as alot.
----------Plot is overrated
27,133 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 19 20
Its dialectic mostly I think.
Alot means a large number of something, and is usually an American spelling.
A lot means a group of something, usually a great number of them since lot also has (at least to me) a "buy in bulk" connotation. This is largely a British/non-American spelling.
Oh, and there's also allot, which simply means to set aside.
Now then, to make things confusing for everyone, some examples:
WRONG: I bought alot and plan to build alot of houses there in the allotted space.
Right (American): I bought a lot and plan to build alot of houses in the allotted space.
Right (British): I bought a lot and plan to build a lot of houses in the allotted space.
Now, given that alot, allot, and a lot have all been used there (properly) in the second two, the reptition is such that usually you won't be using them like that obviously, usually finding other words (some better) for variety.
At least as I understand English. Which could be wrong.
---------------------------
50,515 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 20 37
Alot means a large number of something, and is usually an American spelling.
A lot means a group of something, usually a great number of them since lot also has (at least to me) a "buy in bulk" connotation. This is largely a British/non-American spelling.
Oh, and there's also allot, which simply means to set aside.
Now then, to make things confusing for everyone, some examples:
WRONG: I bought alot and plan to build alot of houses there in the allotted space.
Right (American): I bought a lot and plan to build alot of houses in the allotted space.
Right (British): I bought a lot and plan to build a lot of houses in the allotted space.
Now, given that alot, allot, and a lot have all been used there (properly) in the second two, the reptition is such that usually you won't be using them like that obviously, usually finding other words (some better) for variety.
At least as I understand English. Which could be wrong.
"Alot" isn't a word, not even in American English. It's "a lot", two words. (Unless you mean "allot".)
----------50,515 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 20 38
And that's another thing that has confused me for a while now (due to internet most likely) is if it's supposed to be alot or a lot. My spell checker says a lot, which is good for NaNo, but a majority seems to write it as alot.
It's "a lot". Alot isn't a word. The people using it are just wrong. :)
----------50,515 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 20 46
I hate it when people get slang wrong. It's slang. How hard can it be?
Yeah = a slang term meaning "yes"
Yea = archaic term (As in "Yea, verily!")
Ja or Ya = not even pronounced the same as "yeah"!
Yah = ditto
And the correct spelling of the Southern contraction of "you all" is y'all. Not ya'll. Ya'll would be the contraction of "you will."
Whether/weather is annoying, too. Do other people not pronounce the "wh" in whether? 'Cause those two words don't sound the same to me.
"Ask the weatherman whether the weather will be sunny tomorrow."
----------27,133 / 50,000
oct. 7, 2008 - 21 15
"Alot" isn't a word, not even in American English. It's "a lot", two words. (Unless you mean "allot".)
Huh. Then why is it that without any changes to the dictionary, MSWord seems to accept it as an appropriate word, and I've seen it in so many other places, as if an accepted spelling? Very interesting.
---------------------------
-----------------
55,098 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 00 59
Hello,
Whilst I have the attention of you smart people, could you please explain the correct use for the words
AND and BUT.
I always thought that;
1. You should never start a sentence with And or But
2. When using within a sentence a comma should never come before them.
Although I frequently see both being done.
Thanking you
Aiyla
----------Aiyla
nano 2007: Best Kept Secret
nano 2008: The Willow Basket
55,098 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 00 59
Hello,
Whilst I have the attention of you smart people, could you please explain the correct use for the words
AND and BUT.
I always thought that;
1. You should never start a sentence with And or But
2. When using within a sentence a comma should never come before them.
Although I frequently see both being done.
Thanking you
Aiyla
----------Aiyla
nano 2007: Best Kept Secret
nano 2008: The Willow Basket
104,846 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 01 13
Oh, and I'm sick of people being 'discrete', as well. So they're separate beings, are they? Well, good for them.
Being 'discreet', on the other hand, requires prudence and self-restraint, rather than separation.
----------...............................
Oh no, it's the Ninky Nonk!
63,901 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 04 33
Hello,
Whilst I have the attention of you smart people, could you please explain the correct use for the words
AND and BUT.
I always thought that;
1. You should never start a sentence with And or But
2. When using within a sentence a comma should never come before them.
Although I frequently see both being done.
Thanking you
Aiyla
Both are non-rules, much loved by English teachers and other semi-literate beings. I poked Project Gutenberg with a stick to see what dropped out. For rule 1:
"And it flattered her to reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind." (Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
"And as we drove by I could see the green grass under the trees spangled with the fallen petals." (Bram Stoker, Dracula)
"And even Mary could assure her family that she had no disinclination for it." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
"And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman." (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
"And he smeared his ragged rough sleeve over his eyes." (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations)
As for rule 2, "but" is almost always preceded by a comma when it's used as a conjunction. "Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he stuck to his work" (Twain). "And" frequently so. Going back to my list of authors:
"Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway that led to the back rooms on the second floor." (Twain)
"By the roadside were many crosses, and as we swept by, my companions all crossed themselves." (Stoker)
"Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own were perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could." (Austen--note here that she also employs the Evil Passive Voice, dum de dah!)
"Sherlock Holmes' quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances." (Conan Doyle)
"The man stopped eating, and regarded me with the keenest scrutiny and the greatest surprise." (Dickens)
A comma before an "and" in a list of items (apples, pears, oranges, and bananas) is known as an "Oxford comma". Modern styles generally leave it out, unless one or more of the items is compound (trouble and strife, apples and pears, and dog and bone). But it isn't wrong as such.
"Let me guess. He always cries at weddings, right?"
----------"Och, nay, na at all. 'E always cries at good plot exposition."
- Order of the Stick
"Let me guess. He always cries at weddings, right?"
"Och, nay, na at all. 'E always cries at good plot exposition."
- Order of the Stick
55,098 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 05 10
thanks very much for that jim_24601 . That was very clear.
Looks like it was about time I asked.
Aiyla
(i'm a big fan of the cheesy stuff too ; ) )
----------Aiyla
nano 2007: Best Kept Secret
nano 2008: The Willow Basket
32,011 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 07 28
Huh. Then why is it that without any changes to the dictionary, MSWord seems to accept it as an appropriate word, and I've seen it in so many other places, as if an accepted spelling? Very interesting.
My MSWord (2002) autocorrects it to 'a lot'. MW's English usage says 'alot' is considered non standard.
----------2007: 28,513 words
2005: 50,916 words
2003: 12,078 words
114,200 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 12 18
I just saw the "discrete" used for "discreet" error - in the subtitles of Hiro and Ando's Japanese dialogue on Heroes! I was shocked. Even very smart people are making this error!
60,369 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 12 25
As for the 'And' and 'But' thing --
there's only a comma before them if what follows is a complete sentence. Examples:
'She ran to the door and looked out.'
-->No comma, because 'looked out' is not a complete sentence.
'She ran to the park, and then she tripped over a bench.'
-->Comma, because 'then she tripped over a bench' is a full sentence.
=) Hope that helps.
MSWord is stupid. Don't trust it except with obvious stuff. It points out aaaallll my sentence fragments. And then I keep them anyway. =D ----------
I do not know beneath what sky nor on what seas shall be thy fate.
I only know it shall be high; I only know it shall be great.
4,594 / 50,000
oct. 8, 2008 - 12 30
Re: Alot.
It's wrong. If it's in your MS Word dictionary, then that is wrong too.
Personally, I trust MS spellchecking about as far as I can throw the computer while it's still plugged in.
Anyway, to continue more fun with homophones:
Banzai
A Japanese expression roughly similar to "Geronimo!" or "Chaaaaaaaarge!". Can also be used as an adjective/adverb to describe a thing with a sort of balls-to-the-wall quality.
Bonsai
Japanese art of producing miniature shrubbery by careful pruning. By extension, any miniature version of a large thing, colloquially. ("Jo Pesci is a sort of bonsai Ray Liotta")
Bear
a large furry fierce mammal. Also to carry or endure. Jesus had to "bear the cross" in both senses: carrying it to the place of execution, then enduring the horrible death. In the sense of "endure", turns up in the phrase "bear with me", suggesting both people are enduring the wait together, which is seldom the case.
Bare
Naked, uncovered. Or a verb, meaning to undress ("Lindsay Lohan bares all!"). So, if you spell it "Bare with me", you are invoking a rather different mental image.
Broach
To break, especially to break a seal and gain access, eg to a cask of wine. Metaphorically, often used of an uncomfortable subject of discussion ("we had to broach the matter of the bill").
Brooch
A piece of jewellery like an ornate pinbadge.
Diffuse
To distribute or scatter, often used of light. Used as a verb (in which case it is pronounced as "diff-yooz", or a noun meaning scattered or metaphorically badly-organised and jumbled, in which case it is "diff-yoos.".
Defuse
To take the fuse out, usually of a bomb.
Discrete
Separate from each other: "The meteorite was blown into several discrete chunks of rock".
Discreet
Someone who can be trusted not to blab secrets is discreet. A house that is modest, not showy, is discreet. A person not standing right on your coat-tails is following at a discreet distance.
Viscous
Gloopy, pronounced "Viss-kuss"
vicious
nasty, pronounced "Vish-uss"
Tact
What a discreet person has. The ability not to put your foot in it in conversation, sensitivity to the thoughts of others.
Tack
A small nail, particularly one used to fasten carpets down. Also, a sailing term meaning to change direction. Hence, metaphorically, an approach to a problem ("Let's try a different tack").
verses
Plural of "verse"
Versus
Against, opposing. Sheffield Wednesday versus Accrington Stanley.
Rain
What falls from the sky.
Rein
What you control a horse with, hence also to metaphorically "rein in", say, public spending.
Reign
What kings and queens do.
Damn, this is a pain of a language to learn. I do feel sorry for all those whose mother tongue isn't English - how do you ever learn it??
----------_______
If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything.