tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68633368083282348922024-03-08T07:24:28.734-05:00Commonly Misused HomophonesEvery so often I will post some words that sound alike, but are spelled differently in different contexts. There are literally hundreds of these, so I will try to focus on the most egregious errors first.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512196267124357822noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863336808328234892.post-26107979009654239492014-04-15T00:39:00.000-04:002014-04-15T00:58:26.174-04:00Their, there, and they're<b>their</b> /THār/ <i>pn.</i>
<i>poss.</i> belonging to them.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<b>Right:</b> "It was <b>their</b> turn to fly the kites."<br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"Put the flower pot over <b>their."</b></strike><br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike><b>"Their</b> are 24 hours in a day."</strike><br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"I thought they were winning, but <b>their</b> losing."</strike><br />
<br />
<b>there</b> /THār/ <i>adv.</i> in, at, or on that place.<br />
<i>initiatory.</i> a word used for the general existence of a thing or state of being.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<b>Right</b><b>:</b> "Put the flower pot over
<b>there</b><b>."</b><br />
<b>Right</b><b>:</b> <b>"There</b> are 24 hours in a day."<br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"It was <b>there</b></strike><strike> turn to fly the kites."</strike>
<br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"I thought they were winning, but <b>there</b> losing."</strike><br />
<br />
<b>they're</b> /THār/ <i>contraction.</i> a contraction meaning <i>they are.</i><br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<b>Right:</b> "I thought they were winning, but <b>they're</b> losing."<br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"It was <b>they're</b></strike><strike> turn to fly the kites."</strike>
<b></b><br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike>"Put the flower pot over <b>they're."</b></strike><br />
<b>Wrong:</b> <strike><b>"They're</b> are 24 hours in a day."</strike><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<br />Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512196267124357822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863336808328234892.post-5894793225196880442011-03-11T22:33:00.000-05:002014-04-15T00:43:03.585-04:00To, Too, and Two<span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> /tū/ <span style="font-style: italic;">prep.</span> Toward; intended for; in the direction of.<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">initiatory.</span> The word used to introduce an infinitive.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "Go <span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> the store."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right: "To</span> err is human; <span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> forgive is divine."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"I wish to discuss these <span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> things."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"Aw... That's <span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> bad."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"You're <span style="font-weight: bold;">to</span> much!"</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"But I want to do that <span style="font-weight: bold;">to!"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> /tū/ <span style="font-style: italic;">adv.</span> 1. Overly; excessively; extremely; unnecessarily greatly.<br />
2. Also.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "Aw... That's <span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> bad."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> "You're <span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> much!"<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "But I want to do that <span style="font-weight: bold;">too!"</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"Go <span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> the store."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Too</span> err is human; <span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> forgive is divine."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"I wish to discuss these <span style="font-weight: bold;">too</span> things."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> /tū/ <span style="font-style: italic;">adj., n.</span> A number equal to one plus one; one greater than one; one less than three.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "I wish to discuss these <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> things."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"Aw... That's <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> bad."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"But I want to do that <span style="font-weight: bold;">two!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"You're <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> much!"</span>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"Go <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> the store."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Two</span> err is human; <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span> forgive is divine."</span>
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><br /></span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512196267124357822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863336808328234892.post-37322033876093697072011-03-10T08:32:00.002-05:002014-04-15T00:53:18.684-04:00No and Know<span style="font-weight: bold;">no</span> /nō/ <span style="font-style: italic;">adj.</span> Not any, none of.<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">particle neg.</span> The negative particle, used as an interjection in answer to a question.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">"No,</span> it isn't."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "We have <span style="font-weight: bold;">no</span> time for such foolishness."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"OK, let me <span style="font-weight: bold;">no</span> when you're done."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <strike>"I <span style="font-weight: bold;">no</span> him."</strike>
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">know</span> /nō/ <span style="font-style: italic;">v.</span> 1. To be aware of or familiar with; to perceive.<br />
2. To be acquainted with, as a friend.<br />
<br />
Proper use:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "OK, let me <span style="font-weight: bold;">know</span> when you're done."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Right:</span> "I <span style="font-weight: bold;">know</span> him."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <strong><strike>"Know,</strike></strong><strike> it isn't."</strike><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <strike>"We have <span style="font-weight: bold;">know</span> time for such foolishness."
</strike><strike><br /></strike><br />
<strike><br /></strike>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512196267124357822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863336808328234892.post-56193291894850805452011-03-07T14:52:00.001-05:002014-04-15T00:56:33.166-04:00It's and Its<span style="font-weight: bold;">its</span> /ĭts/ <span style="font-style: italic;">pn. poss.</span> A third person neuter possessive pronoun meaning <span style="font-style: italic;">of it</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">concerning it.</span><br /><br />Proper use:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Right<span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span></span> "Never judge a book by <span style="font-weight: bold;">its</span> cover."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Its</span> not polite to stare."</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong: </span><strike><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Its</span> been a long time!"</strike>
<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">it's</span> /ĭts/ <span style="font-style: italic;">contraction.</span> A contraction of <span style="font-style: italic;">it</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">has.</span><br /><br />Proper use:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Right: "It's</span> not polite to stare."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Right: "It's</span> been a long time!"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrong:</span> <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">"Never judge a book by <span style="font-weight: bold;">it's</span> cover."</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512196267124357822noreply@blogger.com0