Common Errors in English

[.Yaprak 15,748]

The A to Z of

Correct English

 

.Common errors in English- Quick solutions to everyday spelling, punctuation and grammar problems

 

 

-able/-ible

Adjectives ending in -able or -ible can be

difficult to spell because both endings

sound identical. You’ll always need to be

on guard with these words and check

each word individually when you are in

doubt, but here are some useful

: guidelines

 

i) Generally use -able when the

: companion word ends in -ation

abominable, abomination

irritable, irritation

 

ii) Generally use -ible when the

: companion word ends in -ion

 

comprehensible, comprehension

digestible, digestion

 

 

iii) Use -able after hard c and hard g:

(practicable (c sounds like k

(navigable (hard g

 

iv) Use -ible after soft c and soft g:

(forcible (c sounds like s

(legible (g sounds like j

 

See also ADDING ENDINGS (ii); SOFT C AND

.SOFT G

 

 

[.Yaprak 15,748]

?accept or except

.We ACCEPT your apology

Everybody was there EXCEPT Stephen

[.Yaprak 15,748]

?Accessory or accessary

If you want to preserve the traditional

distinction in meaning between these two

words, use ACCESSARY to refer to

someone associated with a crime and

ACCESSORY to refer to something that is

added (a fashion accessory or car

accessories). However, the distinction has

now become blurred and it is perfectly

acceptable to use one spelling to cover

both meanings. Of the two, accessory is

the more widely used, but both are

.correct

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accidentally

The adverb is formed by adding -ly to

.accidental

(not accidently)

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accommodation

This is a favourite word in spelling quizzes

and is frequently seen misspelt on painted

.signs

(not accomodation or accommadation)

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(acquaintance (not -ence

(acquiescence (not -ance

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adapter or adaptor

Traditional usage would distinguish

between these two words and reserve

-er for the person (an adapter of novels,

for instance) and -or for the piece of

electrical equipment. However, the

distinction has become very blurred and

the two spellings are considered by many

authorities to be interchangeable. Use

either for both meanings but be consistent

.within a single piece of writing

[.Yaprak 15,748]

adding endings

Usually endings (suffixes) can be added to

base words without any complications.

You just add them and that is that!

e.g. iron + ing = ironing

steam + er = steamer

list + less = listless

 

However, there are four groups of words

which need especial care. Fortunately,

there are some straightforward rules

which save your learning thousands of

.words individually

 

(i) The 1-1-1 rule

:This rule applies to

words of ONE syllable

ending with ONE consonant

preceded by ONE vowel

.e.g. drop, flat, sun, win

 

 

When you add an ending beginning

with a consonant to a l-l-l word, there

:is no change to the base word

 

 

drop + let = droplet

flat + ly = flatly

win + some = winsome

 

 

When you add an ending beginning

with a vowel to a l-l-l word, you

double the final letter of the base

:word

 

 

drop + ed = dropped

flat + est = flattest

win + ing = winning

sun + *y = sunny

 

 

y counts as a vowel when it*

.sounds like i or e

.See VOWELS

:Treat qu as one letter

 

 

quit + ing = quitting

quip + ed = quipped

 

 

Don’t double final w and x. They

would look very odd and so we have

:correctly

tax + ing = taxing

paw + ed = pawed

 

 

ii) The magic -e rule

This rule applies to all words ending

.with a silent -e

e.g. hope, care, achieve, sincere,

.separate

When you add an ending beginning

:with a consonant, keep the -e

 

 

hope + ful = hopeful

care + less = careless

sincere + ly = sincerely

separate + ly = separately

achieve + ment = achievement

 

 

When you add an ending beginning

 

:with a vowel, drop the -e

hope + ing = hoping

care + er = carer

sincere + ity = sincerity

separate + ion = separation

achieve + ed = achieved

 

 

Do, however, keep the -e in words

like singeing (different from singing)

and dyeing (different from dying) and

whenever you need to keep the

identity of the base word clear (e.g.

.(shoeing, canoeing

 

 

Do remember to keep the -e with

soft c and soft g words. It’s the e that

keeps them soft (courageous,

(traceable). (See SOFT C AND SOFT G

 

 

Don’t keep the -e with these eight

exceptions to the rule: truly, duly,

ninth, argument, wholly, awful,

.whilst, wisdom

 

 

(iii) -y rule

This rule applies to all words ending

in -y. Look at the letter before the -y

.in the base word

 

 

It doesn’t matter at all what kind of

ending you are adding. When you add

an ending to a word ending in a

:vowel + y, keep the y

 

 

portray + ed = portrayed

employ + ment = employment

When you add an ending to a word

ending in a consonant + y, change

:the y to i

 

 

try +al = trial

empty + er = emptier

pity + less = pitiless

lazy + ness = laziness

 

 

Do keep the y when adding -ing. Two

i’s together would look very odd,

despite our two words ski-ing and

.taxi-ing

 

 

try + ing = trying

empty + ing = emptying

Don’t apply the rule in these fourteen

cases: daily, gaily, gaiety, laid, paid,

said, slain, babyhood, shyly, shyness,

.dryness, slyness, wryly, wryness

 

 

(iv) The 2-1-1 rule

:This rule applies to

 

 

words of TWO syllables

ending with ONE consonant

preceded by ONE vowel.

With this rule, it all depends on

.which syllable of the word is stressed

 

 

The 2-1-1 words below are stressed

on the first syllable, and both vowel

and consonant endings are added

:without any complications

 

 

gossip gossiping

target targeted

limit limitless

eager eagerness

 

 

,But note that kidnap, outfit, worship

:always double their final letter

 

 

ADDING ENDINGS

kidnapped, outfitter, worshipping

Take care with 2-1-1 words which are

stressed on the second syllable. There

is no change when you add a

:consonant ending

 

 

forget + ful = forgetful

equip + ment = equipment

Double the final consonant of the base

:word when you add a vowel ending

 

 

forget + ing = forgetting

equip + ed = equipped

forbid + en = forbidden

begin + er = beginner

 

 

This rule is really valuable but you

:must be aware of some exceptions

 

 

" 2-1-1 words ending in -l seem to have

a rule all of their own. Whether the

stress is on the first or the second

syllable, there is no change when a

:consonant ending is added

 

 

quarrel + some = quarrelsome

instal + ment = instalment

Double the -l when adding a vowel

:ending

 

 

quarrel + ing = quarrelling

instal + ed = installed

excel + ent = excellent

 

 

" Notice how the change of stress in

:these words affects the spelling

 

 

confer conferred conferring conference

defer deferred deferring deference

infer inferred inferring inference

prefer preferred preferring preference

refer referred referring reference

transfer transferred transferring transference

See also -ABLE/-IBLE; -ANCE,-ANT/-ENCE,-ENT;

-CAL/-CLE; -FUL;-LY.

.ADDING ENDINGS

 

 

[.Yaprak 15,748]

?advice or advise

.My ADVICE is to forget all about it

(noun = recommendation)

?What would you ADVISE me to do

(verb = recommend)

[.Yaprak 15,748]

affect or effect?

Heavy drinking will AFFECT your liver.
(verb)
The EFFECT on her health was
immediate. (noun)
The new manager plans to EFFECT
sweeping changes. (verb = to bring about)

[.Yaprak 15,748]

agree to/agree with

The choice of preposition alters the
meaning of the verb:
I AGREED TO do what he advised.
I AGREED TO all the conditions.
I AGREED WITH all they said.
See PREPOSITIONS.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

alley or ally?

An ALLEY is a little lane.
An ALLY is a friend.
alley (singular), alleys (plural)
ally (singular), allies (plural)
See PLURALS (iii).

[.Yaprak 15,748]

all most or almost?

There is a difference in meaning. Use
these exemplar sentences as a guide:
They were ALL (= everyone) MOST kind.
The child was ALMOST (=nearly) asleep.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

all ready or already?

There is a difference in meaning. Use
these exemplar sentences as a guide:
We are ALL (= everyone) READY.
It is ALL (= everything) READY.
She was ALREADY dead (= by then).

[.Yaprak 15,748]

all right or alright?

Traditional usage would consider ALL
RIGHT to be correct and ALRIGHT to be
incorrect. However, the use of ‘alright’ is so
widespread that some would see it as
acceptable although the majority of educated
users would take care to avoid it.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

all so or also?

There is a difference in meaning. Use
these exemplar sentences as a guide:
You are ALL (= everyone) SO kind.
You are ALSO (= in addition) generous.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

allusion, delusion or illusion?

There is a difference in meaning.
or illusion? An ALLUSION is an indirect reference.
A DELUSION is a false belief (often
associated with a mental disorder).
An ILLUSION is a deceptive appearance.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

alternate or alternative?

We visit our grandparents on
alternative? ALTERNATE Saturdays. (= every other
Saturday)
I ALTERNATE between hope and despair.
(= have each mood in turn)
An ALTERNATIVE plan would be to go
by boat. (= another possibility)
The ALTERNATIVES are simple: work or
go hungry. (= two choices)

[.Yaprak 15,748]

among or between?

Use BETWEEN when something is shared
by two people. Use AMONG when it is
shared by three or more.
Share the sweets BETWEEN the two of
you.
Share the sweets AMONG yourselves.
However, BETWEEN is used with
numbers larger than two when it means
an exact geographical location or when it
refers to relationships.
Sardinia lies BETWEEN Spain, Algeria,
Corsica and Italy.
It will take a long time before the rift
BETWEEN the five main parties heals.

[.Yaprak 15,748]

ante-/anti-

ANTE- means before.
antenatal = before birth
ANTI- means against.
antifreeze = against freezing