Common English Confusion

Page 2 of 10 in This Section (Continued from Page 1)

  1. Bring vs. Take – If the action is toward you, use bring. (Bring home the bacon.) If the action is away from you, use take. (Take out the trash.)
  2. Can vs. May – Can most traditionally applies to physical or mental ability. May suggests a possibility. (You can figure it out; then you may go home.)
  3. Might vs. May – Might suggests something that is uncertain, hypothetical, or contrary to fact.
    May suggests what is possible, factual, or could be factual. (That might be true, and if it is, you may want to write it down.)
  4. Carat is the weight of a gemstone. Karat measures the purity of gold (24K).
  5. Childish – Immaturity. Childlike – Innocence.
  6. Continual – Intermittent or frequently repeated. Continuous – Never stops.
  7. Couldn't care less is correct. – Don't say could care less.
  8. Criteria is a standard for judging. One criterion, two criteria.
  9. Deadly means capable of causing death (the gun is a deadly instrument). Deathly means deathlike (deathly silence).
  10. Denounce means criticize sharply. Renounce means reject.
  11. Desert – means an arid, sandy region (the Sahara is a large desert); also to leave in violation of a duty. (Will he desert his guard post?) Deserts means deserved (your just deserts). Desserts means something to eat. (There are many desserts on the menu.)
  12. Doubtless – NOT Doubtlessly.
  13. Due to the fact that – Use because instead.
  14. Elicit – means draw out. Illicit means illegal.
  15. et al. – is the abbreviated form of et alii (and others – things not people) so the period is required.
  16. Etc. (et cetera) means and other things (never say and etc. and never use etc. at the end of a list that begins with e.g.,).
  17. Forego – means to go before. (The foregoing paragraph.) Forgo means to do without. (Even though it's cold, I'll forgo wearing a coat.)
  18. Gibe is an insult or taunt (after the second gibe she became angry). Jibe means to fit or coincide (that doesn't jibe).
  19. Hang, Hanged – Killed by hanging only from the neck. If death is not intended and a person is suspended from his arms, use hung. Also, the clothes were hung outside today.

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