Office of Communications

Common Mistakes

Grammatical Mistakes:

• The number of the subject dictates the number of the verb. Words that intervene between subject and verb do not affect the number of the verb.
  • Wrong: The intricate recipe, consisting of more than 20 ingredients, are featured in the newsletter.
  • Right: The intricate recipe, consisting of more than 20 ingredients, is featured in the newsletter.
• Use the proper case of pronoun. Personal pronouns, as well as the pronoun “who,” change form as they function as subject or object.
  • Right: Will Nick or she be elected, do you think?
  • Wrong: Will Nick or her be elected, do you think?
• Nominative pronouns are the subject of the verb. A nominative pronoun (I, You, He, She, It, We, They, Who) is used if the verb is understood.
  • Right: Andrea swims better than I. (Than I swim)
  • Wrong: Andrea swims better than me. (Than me swim)
• Collective nouns: Many words––committee, team, class and data––can be both singular and plural. The number of the verb depends upon whether the writer is referencing the group as a whole or by individual members.
• The stringent rule against the use of a preposition at the end of a sentence has been modified by most grammar books. Within the normal boundaries of good writing, prepositions may be used at the end of a sentence if clarity and emphasis are improved.

Commonly misspelled words:

absence	embarrass	prevalent	tyranny
accommodate	eminent	privilege	unanimous
acknowledgement	environment	procedure	undoubtedly
advice	exhilarate	proceed	unnecessary
advise	existence	prominent	vacuum
apparent	forty	pursue	weather
catalog	gauge	recede	weird
commission	grievous	receive	whether
commitment	harass	recommend	withhold
committee	irresistible	rhythm
conscience	judgment	seize
conscientious	knowledgeable	separate
conscious	occasionally	siege
deceive	occurred	succeed
desperate	occurrence	supersede
disappoint	parallel	temperamental
discipline	perseverance	tendency
dissension	precede	tragedy
eighth	prerogative	transferring

Words and Expressions Commonly Misused:

• Adverse/averse
  “Adverse” means unfavorable. “Averse” means reluctant.
• Adviser/advisor
  “Advisor” is preferred although both are correct.
• Afterward
  Not afterwards.
• All right
  Not alright.
• Allude/elude
  “To allude” means to speak of without mentioning. “To elude” means to evade.
• Allusion/illusion
  “Allusion” means an indirect reference. “Illusion” means a false image or impression.
• A lot
  Not alot.
• Alumna/ae
  An “alumna” is one woman. “Alumnae” are a group of women.
• Alumni/us
  “Alumni” are more than one man or a group of men and women. An “alumnus” is one man.
• Assure/ensure/insure
  “Assure” is a verb used to convey the sense of reassuring someone or something. “Ensure” is a verb that means “to make sure that.” “Insure” is a verb reserved for use with reference to the insurance business.
• Can
  Means “am (is, are) able.” Not to be used as a substitute for may.
• Compliment/complement
  “Compliment” is an expression of praise. “Complement” is something that completes or makes up a whole.
• Compose/comprise/constitute
  “Compose” means to create or put together. “Comprise” means to be made of. “Constitute” means to be the elements of and may be a suitable alternative when neither compose nor comprise are appropriate.
• Continual/continuous
  “Continual” is a steady repetition. “Continuous” is uninterrupted.
• Criteria
  Plural (more than one criterion).
• Curricula
  Plural (more than one curriculum).
• Data
  A plural noun, it normally takes plural verbs and pronouns. It can also be used as a collective noun and may take singular verbs and pronouns.
• Disinterested/uninterested
  “Disinterested” means impartial. “Uninterested” means lacking interest.
• Disc/disk
  Disk applies to floppy disks only. Use disc for all other storage technology.
• Email
  Do not hyphenate. Use lowercase and capitalize the “e” only when the term appears at the beginning of a sentence, in a heading, or on a form where other entries are capitalized.
• Effect/affect
  “Effect” as a noun means “result”; as a verb it means “to bring about” or “to accomplish.” Affect means “to influence.”
• e.g., i.e.
  The abbreviation “e.g.” means “for example.” The abbreviation “i.e.” means “that is” or “in other words.” Always follow “e.g.” and “i.e.” with a comma.
• Farther/further
  “Farther” connotes distance. “Further” connotes time or quantity.
• Forward/foreword
  “Forward” means going toward a position in the front. “Foreword” is a preface or introductory note, generally at the beginning of a book.
• Gray/grey
  Gray is the preferred usage. Grey is the British Commonwealth preference.
• Hopefully
  An adverb meaning “with hope.” It is often overused to mean “I hope” or “it is to be hoped.” Hopefully is best used to describe the way someone spoke, appeared or acted.
• Imply/infer
  Not interchangeable. Something “implied” is something suggested or indicated, though not expressed. “Inferred” is something deduced from evidence at hand.
• Irregardless
  There is no such word. The correct word is “regardless.”
• It’s/ its
  “It’s” is a contraction for “it is.” “Its” is a possessive pronoun. When in doubt, substitute “it is” for the contraction to see if the sentence’s meaning remains the same.
• Literally/figuratively
  “Literally” means in an exact sense. “Figuratively” means in a comparative sense.
• Online
  Used as either an adjective or adverb. It is not hyphenated.
• Premier/premiere
  “Premier” is first in status or importance. “Premiere” is a first performance.
• Principal/principle
  “Principal” is a noun and adjective meaning someone or something first in rank, authority, importance or degree. “Principle” is a noun that means a fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force.
• Rebut/refute
  “Rebut” means to argue to the contrary. “Refute” is to win the argument.
• SAT
  Never spell out or use periods. The acronym SAT is the correct usage in all instances.
• Than/then
  “Than” is used to introduce the second element of comparison: He is taller “than” his brother. “Then” is used to convey a point in time: First he will study and “then” he will go to bed.
• That/which
  Use “that” and “which” in reference to inanimate objects and to animals without a name. “That” is the preferred pronoun to introduce essential (restrictive) clauses, i.e., clauses that cannot be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence. Use “which” to introduce nonessential (nonrestrictive) clauses. Non-restrictive clauses beginning with the word “which” are set off by commas.
  • The bicycle that is broken is in the attic. (Tells which bicycle)
  • The bicycle, which is broken, is in the attic. (Adds information about the bicycle)
• Their, there, they’re
  ”Their” is a possessive pronoun: They went to “their” classes. “There” is an adverb indicating direction: They went “there” after class. “They’re” is a contraction for they are.
• Theater/theatre
  The preferred word in the United States is “theater.” Theatre, the British spelling, should only be used as part of a proper name such as UTD’s University Theatre.
• Toward/towards
  “Toward” is correct. “Towards” is not.
• Who/whom
  “Who” and “whom” are used as references to human beings and to animals with a name. “Who” is the correct word when someone is the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase: The man who found the key returned it. “Whom” is the correct word when someone is the object of a verb or preposition: The man to whom the key was returned was grateful.