Grammar Gone Wrong—19 Words Americans Sorely Misuse
English is a tricky language, even for those that speak it every day. Its intricacies make it hard to avoid getting certain words and phrases confused.
Some words and phrases on this list are so frequently misused you may not have realized you were using them incorrectly.
1: A Lot vs Allot
You might need to allot more time towards editing your work if you’re confusing these two words a lot. “A lot” means many, but people often write “allot” instead, which means to distribute something.
2: Are vs Our
Spoken, these two words sound almost exactly the same, but they have very different uses. “Are” is a linking verb, while “our” shows possession.
3: Compliment vs Complement
You can pay someone a compliment for the complementing colors in their outfit, but you can’t give someone a “complement.” Compliment is a noun, while complement is typically an adjective or verb.
4: Effect vs Affect
Effect is usually a noun that means “outcome.” Affect is usually a verb that means “to influence.” For example, you can affect the effect of your words by using a more diverse vocabulary.
5: Accept vs Except
Accept and except are easy to confuse when speaking because they sound similar. However, “accept” means to receive, while “except” means to exclude.
6: Aesthetic vs Ascetic
Aesthetic and ascetic are close in sound and spelling but have very different meanings. “Aesthetic” is a term people use to explain how something looks, while “ascetic” refers to avoiding pleasure.
7: Insure vs Ensure
When said aloud, insure and ensure sound identical, which makes them easy to confuse. “Insure” refers to insurance, and “ensure” means to make sure of something.
8: Allusion vs Illusion
Allusion and illusion are easy to confuse, even for native English speakers. While “allusion” means to make an indirect reference to something, “illusion” refers to something that seems real but isn’t.
9: Its vs It’s
Though an apostrophe can signal possession with other English words, it doesn’t with “it’s.” Instead, “it’s” is only the contraction of “it is,” and “its” shows possession.
10: Their vs There vs They’re
When three words sound exactly the same, they’re sure to cause confusion. “Their” is possessive. “There” refers to a place. And “they’re” is the contracted form of “they are.”
11: Then vs Than
“Then” refers to a time frame or an event sequence, while “than” creates a comparison. Yet, many English speakers use “then” when they should use “than.”
12: Which vs That
Which and that aren’t similar in spelling or sound, but it can be hard to know when to use one or the other. The rule says you should use “that” when the words that follow are essential to the sentence and “which” when they’re not.
13: Your vs You’re
Given that “your” and “you’re” sound exactly the same, it’s understandable when people mix them up. “Your” is possessive, while “you’re” is a contraction for “you are.”
14: Ascent vs Assent
To ascent is to advance or move up, and to assent is to agree. So, you can assent to ascend (the verb form of “ascent”) the mountain while hiking with friends, but you can’t “ascent” to “assent.”
15: Jibe vs Jive
English speakers often mix up jibe and jive when talking about something or someone they get along with. In reality, “jive” refers to deception, as in, “don’t feed me that old jive,” while “jibe” is to be in agreement with.
16: Born vs Borne
Humans are born to their mothers, just like all other mammals. Though it sounds the same, “borne” means to carry something, like a burden or disease. For example, “Restaurant workers must wash their hands to avoid spreading food-borne illnesses.”
17: Canvas vs Canvass
When people talk about collecting signatures for a campaign, they often say they went out to canvas. What they mean is “canvass.” Canvas is a strong material that artists often use.
18: Defuse vs Diffuse
“Defuse” refers to removing a fuse from a bomb or making a situation less dangerous. “Diffuse” refers to adding liquid to decrease the concentration of particles or to make something more dilute.
19: Desert vs Dessert
When writing, it’s easy to confuse “desert” and “dessert.” After all, the difference is only one “s.” While “dessert” refers to an after-meal treat, “desert” refers to land with a dry climate.
Why English Is So Hard
Native English speakers may not realize how difficult English is to learn. Some say it’s the hardest language to pick up later in life, and there are several reasons why.
Mixed Origins
English is a hodgepodge of several older languages. About 60% of English has its origin in Latin, but Persian, Hindi, and Russian also left their mark on the language.
Weird Synonyms
English also has weird rules about synonyms that make it extra difficult. For example, “see” and “watch” are synonymous. However, watching your children doesn’t mean the same thing as seeing your children.
Tough Pronunciations
English words are also notorious for strange spellings, given their pronunciations. Consider the word “knife.” The “k” is completely silent, though in most other “k” words, it creates a hard sound.
Odd Spellings
English has 43.5 sounds jammed into a 26-letter alphabet, which means sounding a word out doesn’t always lead to the right spelling. Many English words are irregular, making spelling bees exceptionally difficult to win.
15 British Terms That Baffle Americans
It’s hard to believe that American English originated from the British, given our differences in accents and word use. These are some of the top British terms that confuse and amuse Americans.
15 British Terms That Baffle Americans
21 Most Commonly Mispronounced Wines
Some casual wine drinkers resort to asking for “red” or “white,” but research shows Americans want to know how to pronounce their favorite varietals. This list reveals the top wines we need help saying aloud.
