Hidden

Mistake

COMMON USAGE
PROBLEMS

(1) a, an
A- article used before consonant
sounds
AN- article used before vowel
sounds
H,O, and U may have either a
vowel sound or a consonant
sound.

(2) accept, except

ACCEPT- verb
- to receive
EXCEPT- preposition
- leaving out

(3) accuse, allege

ACCUSE-to blame
ALLEGE- to claim
something that has not
been
proved

(4) adapt, adopt

ADAPT- to
change
ADOPT- to take
ones
own.

as

(5) advice, advise

ADVICE- a noun
- an opinion
ADVISE- a verb
- to give an
to

opinion

(6) affect, effect

AFFECT-a verb
- to influence
EFFECT- a noun
- result

(7) aggravate
- To make worse
-Avoid using this word to
mean TO ANNOY

(8) aint
- Contraction of AM NOT
- Not considered
acceptable standard
English

(9) allot, a lot,

alot

- ALLOT-v. to
-divide in
parts
- A LOT-informal
expression
- a great many
- ALOT- should never
be used

(10) All ready,

already
- ALL READY
- adjective

- ready
- ALREADY
- adverb
- by or
before
this time

(11) All right,

alright
ALRIGHT is a non
standard spelling.
Use ALL RIGHT in your
writing.

(12) All together,

altogether

ALL TOGETHER
- All at once
ALTOGETHER
- completely, in

all

(13) A.M., P.M.

A.M.- hours before
noon
P.M.- hours after
noon
Do not use in the morning
or in th afternoon with
them

(14) among,

between

AMONG
- always implies three or more
BETWEEN
- generally used with just two
things

(15) amount,

number

AMOUNT- use with

quantities that cant be
counted
NUMBER-use with things
that can be counted.

(16) anxious
-means WORRIED, UNEASY,
FEARFUL
-Do not use it as a
substitute for EAGER.

(17) anyone, any one,

everyone, every one
ANYONE- any person
ANY ONE-any single
EVERYONE-every
EVERY ONE-every
person

person
person
single

(18) Anyway, anywhere,

everywhere, nowhere,
somewhere

- These adverbs should

never end in S.

(19) as
- Do not use this
conjunction to mean
because or since

(20) As to
AS TO is awkward.
Replace it with ABOUT.

(21) at
-Do not use AT after
WHERE. Simply eliminate
AT.

(22) at about
- Avoid using AT with
ABOUT
- Eliminate AT or ABOUT.

(23) awful,
awfully
AWFUL
- extremely bad
- inspiring fear
AWFULLY- very

(24) awhile,
a while
AWHILE-adverb
- for a while
A WHILE
- article+noun
-used after for

(25) beat, win

BEAT
- to overcome an opponent
WIN
- to achieve
victory in

(26) because
- Do not use BECAUSE
after THE REASON.

(27) Being as,

that

being

-Avoid using these

expressions.
-Use SINCE or BECAUSE

(28) beside,
besides
BESIDE
-at the side of
BESIDES
-in addition to

(29) blond,
blonde
BLOND
-refers to male
BLONDE
- refers to female

(30) bring,

take

BRING
-to carry from a distant place to
a nearer one
TAKE
-to carry from a near place to a
distant place

(31) bunch
- A number of things of
the same kind
- Avoid using this word
to mean GROUP.

(32) burst,
busted

bust,

BURST
-present, past, past particle
BUST & BUSTED
-nonstandard forms

(33) But what

-Do not use BUT

WHAT.
-Use THAT

(34)can, may
CAN
-to have ability to
MAY
-to have permission to

(35) cant help

but

-nonstandard expression
-use CANT HELP+gerund

(36) clipped
Phone- telephone
Gym- gymnasium
Photo-photograph

words

(37) condemn,
condone
CONDEMN
-strong disapproval
CONDONE
-to pardon or overlook

(38)continual,
continuous
CONTINUAL
- Occurring again and
again in
succession
CONTINUOUS
-occurring without interruption

(39)Different from,
different than
DIFFERENT FROM is
preferred.

(40) doesnt, dont

Do not use DONT with
third person singular
subjects.
Use DOESNT instead.

(41)done
-past participle of DO
-it should always follow a
helping verb.

(42) dove
-past tense of DIVE but is
considered UNACCEPTABLE.
-Use DIVED instead.

(43) Due to
-means caused by
-should be used only when
this can logically be
substituted.

(44) Due to the

that

fact

-Replace this with SINCE or

BECAUSE

(45) Each other, one

another
-usually interchangeable
EACH OTHER
-reference to only two
ONE ANOTHER
-reference to more than two

(46)emigrate,
immigrate
EMIGRATE
-to leave a country for a new
residency
IMMIGRATE
-to enter a country to establish a
residency

(47)enthused,
enthusiastic

ENTHUSIASTIC must be
used.

(48)farther,

further

FARTHER
-refers to distance
FURTHER
-means additional or to a
greater degree or extent

(49)fewer, less
FEWER
-with things that can be counted
LESS
-with quantities that cant be
counted

(50)former,

latter

FORMER
-refers to the first of two
previously mentioned items
LATTER
-refers to the second of the two

Right
or
Wrong

He is an
history
teacher.

The school will

except applications
until tomorrow.

Ana adapted a
stray dog.

Pessimism
aggravates
problems.

He may hurt me, but

I will love you
anyway.

Correct Me, Im
Wrong

The Rise from

Mistake

Procedure:
Think of the biggest mistake
youve ever done in your life.
Write a story of it and
narrate the ways you did to
make your mistake right

Procedure:
Use at least 10 words that
are discussed in our
lesson and use them
appropriately.