Grammar Mistakes Flashcards
Peek or Peak
“Peek” with an “e” means to take a quick glance at something, while “peak” with an “a” means the point or top of something, like a mountain. Check them both out in this sentence:
“Marty loaned me his binoculars for a moment so I could take a quick peek at the mountain peak.”
Allude or Elude
“Allude” with an “a” means to make a reference to something, while “elude” with an “e” means to avoid or escape. An easy way to remember the difference is that both “elude” and “escape” begin with an “e.”
Less or Fewer
When you’re trying to decide between “less” and “fewer” first ask yourself: am I talking about a specific number of things? If you are, then use fewer. If not, then use “less.” If you’ve got a big bowl of salad and you can’t eat it all, you might ask for “less salad.”
If, however, there is a specific number of tomatoes in the salad and you think there are too many, you would ask for “fewer” tomatoes.
Who or Whom
f the answer is “he” or “she,” then use “Who.”
Example: “Who broke my computer?”
“She did.”
If the answer is “him” or her,” then use “whom”:
Example: “Whom are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for him.”
One easy way to remember is that both “him” and “whom” end with “m,” and they go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mmmmm. That sounds good.
The split infinitive
Adverbs are a beautiful thing, as long as they’re in the right place, and the right place is usually right after the infinitive form of the verb.
Correct: To study diligently
Incorrect: To diligently study
Effected/Affected
“Affect” is the verb meaning “to change or influence” while “effect” is the noun indicating that a change has occurred. The part that confuses most writers is the fact that the past participle of “effect” is also a verb, meaning to “produce or bring about.” Check out the difference:
“The board of directors was so profoundly affected by the advocate’s speech that they effected changes to the laws immediately.”
Then or Than
“Then” with an “e” refers to time, while “than” with an “a” is a conjunction used in making comparisons between two things. Check them both out in this sentence:
“I thought about it for a while, then finally decided that I like chocolate better than vanilla.”
Compliment vs. Complement
A “compliment” is an expression of praise or admiration, while a “complement” is something that completes something else, or makes it whole. You would “compliment” someone on a great new haircut, perhaps because the haircut “complements” their edgy new style.
An easy way to remember this is that “complement” with an “e” has almost the entire word “complete” in it.
Lose vs. Loose
What a difference an “o” makes. To “lose” with one “o” means to be without something. You can “lose” your job, your wallet, your dog, or your mind. “Loose” with two “o’s” refers to the opposite of “tight”—or it may refer to something that isn’t bound together.
Your waistband or your morals might be loose. A key that’s off a chain could be referred to as loose. In fact, if you had a “loose” key, there’s a much greater chance that you might “lose” it.
Continuous vs. Continual
This is a tricky one—two words that sound very similar but have distinctly different meanings. If something is “continuous,” it goes on and on and never stops. If something is “continual,” it is something that happens repeatedly, but may stop for brief periods of time.
If someone was suffering from “continual” coughing, then they’re probably suffering from a cold and have coughing fits throughout the day. If someone is experiencing “continuous” coughing, that would mean that they literally never stop coughing for even a second.
Farther vs. Further
Let’s take this argument a little further. See what we did there? We used “further” instead of “farther” because “farther” is only used to refer to physical distance, while “further” is used to describe figurative or metaphorical distance.
You may walk “farther” than ever before, but you would take your relationship with someone a little “further” by moving in with them.
English writing mistakes
Between vs. Among
How do you choose between the words “between” and “among”? Use “between” when you’re choosing between two specific, distinct things. Stick to “among” when you’re talking about a larger, more abstract group of things.
Check out the difference:
“I’m going to choose between the pasta, the steak, and the chicken.”
“I’m going to make a choice from among all of the delicious looking entrees.”
Lay vs. Lie
OK, this can be hard to remember. Sometimes thinking about it makes us so tired we feel like we need to “lie” down. To “lie” means to recline horizontally, while “lay” means to put something down horizontally. So, you “lie” down in bed, but you “lay” a sweater out on the bed.
Now for the really tricky part—the past tense of “lie” is…”lay.” So, you might actually use “lay” to refer to a person in bed in the past tense. The past tense of “lay,” however, is “laid.” Here are both of the past tenses in one sentence:
“Last night, she laid out her clothes for the next day, then she lay down in bed for the night.”
Principle vs. Principal
Here’s one more trickster from the homonym family that’s been tripping up writers for ages. “Principle” ending in “le” refers to a fundamental belief or rule, while “principal” ending in “al” refers to something or someone at the highest rank of importance—like a principal investment or a high school principal.
So, “principals” probably have some pretty firmly held “principles.” One tip we like to use to keep these straight is thinking about the fact that “principal” ends with the name “Al.” Think of “Al” as the big man in charge—the “principal.”
May vs Might
In the “may vs. might” debate, it’s all about the possibilities. Both words refer to something that could possibly happen, but the “might” refers to possibilities that are more remote. You “may” buy a lottery ticket today in the hopes that you “might” win.
“May” implies that it’s a possibility that’s being considered. “I may go out to eat tonight.” “Might” refers to something that is more likely up to fate. “I might get indigestion if I overeat.”
