49 Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

Have you ever wondered if youre using the right word? Like it sounds like the right thing to say in an essay, but you arent quite sure. Surprisingly enough, we misuse a lot more words than we think, and its definitely hurting how your writing is coming across.Weve put together this list to help you get avoid some of the more common mistakes.Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under  Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the replacement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.Heres our list of 49 commonly misused words and phrases and what you can do instead:1. All right.  Idiomatic in familiar speech as a detached phrase in the sense, Agreed, or Go ahead. In other uses better avoided. Always written as two words.2. As good or better than.  Expressions of this type should be corrected by rearranging th e sentence.My opinion is as good or better than his.My opinion is as good as his, or better (if not better).3. As to whether.  Whether  is sufficient.4. Bid.  Takes the infinitive without to. The past tense is bade.5. Case.  The  Concise Oxford Dictionary  begins its definition of this word: instance of a things occurring; usual state of affairs. In these two senses, the word is usually unnecessary.In many cases, the rooms were poorly ventilated.Many of the rooms were poorly ventilated.It has rarely been the case that any mistake has been made.Few mistakes have been made.See Wood,  Suggestions to Authors, pp. 68-71, and Quiller-Couch,  The Art of Writing, pp. 103-106.6. Certainly.  Used indiscriminately by some speakers, much as others use  very, to intensify any and every statement. A mannerism of this kind, bad in speech, is even worse in writing.7. Character.  Often simply redundant, used from a mere habit of wordiness.Acts of a hostile characterHostile acts 8. Claim, vb.  With object-noun, means  lay claim to. May be used with a dependent clause if this sense is clearly involved: He claimed that he was the sole surviving heir.  (But even here, claimed to be would be better.)  Not to be used as a substitute for  declare, maintain, or  charge.9. Compare.  To  compare to  is to point out or imply resemblances, between objects regarded as essentially of different order; to  compare with  is mainly to point out differences, between objects regarded as essentially of the same order. Thus life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to a battle; Congress may be compared with the British Parliament. Paris has been compared to ancient Athens; it may be compared with modern London.10. Clever.  This word has been greatly overused; it is best restricted to ingenuity displayed in small matters.11. Consider.  Not followed by as when it means, believe to be. I consider him thoroughly competent. Compare, The lecturer c onsidered Cromwell first as soldier and second as administrator, where considered means examined or discussed.12. Dependable.  A needless substitute for  reliable, trustworthy.13. Due to.  Incorrectly used for  through, because of, or  owing to, in adverbial phrases: He lost the first game, due to carelessness. In correct use related as predicate or as modifier to a particular noun: This invention is due to Edison; losses due to preventable fires.14. Effect.  As noun, means  result; as verb, means  to bring about, accomplish  (not to be confused with affect, which means to influence).As noun, often loosely used in perfunctory writing about fashions, music, painting, and other arts: an Oriental effect; effects in pale green; very delicate effects; broad effects; subtle effects; a charming effect was produced by. The writer who has a definite meaning to express will not take refuge in such vagueness.15. Etc.  Not to be used of persons. Equivalent to  and the rest , and so forth, and hence not to be used if one of these would be insufficient, that is, if the reader would be left in doubt as to any important particulars. Least open to objection when it represents the last terms of a list already given in full, or immaterial words at the end of a quotation.At the end of a list introduced  by such as, for example, or any similar expression,  etc.  is incorrect.16. Fact.  Use this word only of matters of a kind capable of direct verification, not of matters of judgment. That a particular event happened on a given date, that lead melts at a certain temperature, are facts. But such conclusions as that Napoleon was the greatest of modern generals, or that the climate of California is delightful, however incontestable they may be, are not properly facts.17. Factor.  A hackneyed word; the expressions of which it forms part can usually be replaced by something more direct and idiomatic.His superior training was the great factor in his winning the match.He won the match by being better trained.Heavy artillery is becoming an increasingly important factor in deciding battles.Heavy artillery is playing a larger and larger part in deciding battles.18. Feature.  Another hackneyed word; like  factor  it usually adds nothing to the sentence in which it occurs.A feature of the entertainment especially worthy of mention was the singing of Miss A.(Better use the same number of words to tell what Miss A. sang, or if the programme has already been given, to tell something of how she sang.)As a verb, in the advertising sense  of offer as a special attraction,  to be avoided.19. Fix.  Colloquial in America for  arrange, prepare, mend. In writing restrict it to its literary senses,  fasten, make firm or immovable, etc.(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the re placement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)20. He is a man who.  A common type of redundant expression.He is a man who is very ambitious.He is very ambitious.Spain is a country which I have always wanted to visit.I have always wanted to visit Spain.21. However.  In the meaning  nevertheless, not to come first in its sentence or clause.The roads were almost impassable. However, we at last succeeded in reaching camp.The roads were almost impassable. At last, however, we succeeded in reaching camp.When however comes first, it means  in whatever way  or  to whatever extent.However you advise him, he will probably do as he thinks best.However discouraging the prospect, he never lost heart.22. Kind of.  Not to be used as a substitute for  rather  (before adjectives and verbs), or except in familiar style, for  something like  (before nouns). Restrict it to its literal sense: Amber is a kind of foss il resin; I dislike that kind of notoriety. The same holds true of sort of.23. Less.  Should not be misused for  fewer.He had less men than in the previous campaign.He had fewer men than in the previous campaign.Less  refers to quantity,  fewer  to number. His troubles are less than mine means His troubles are not so great as mine. His troubles are fewer than mine means His troubles are not so numerous as mine. It is, however, correct to say, The signers of the petition were less than a hundred, where the round number, a hundred, is something like a collective noun, and less is thought of as meaning a less quantity or amount.24. Line, along these lines.  Line  in the sense of  course of procedure, conduct, thought,  is allowable, but has been so much overworked, particularly in the phrase  along these lines, that a writer who aims at freshness or originality had better discard it entirely.Mr. B. also spoke along the same lines.Mr. B. also spoke, to the same effec t.He is studying along the line of French literature.He is studying French literature.25. Literal, literally.  Often incorrectly used in support of exaggeration or violent metaphor.A literal flood of abuseA flood of abuseLiterally dead with fatigueAlmost dead with fatigue (dead tired)26. Lose out.  Meant to be more emphatic than  lose, but actually less so, because of its commonness. The same holds true of  try out, win out, sign up, register up. With a number of verbs,  out  and  up  form idiomatic combinations:  find out, run out, turn out, cheer up, dry up, make up, and others, each distinguishable in meaning from the simple verb.  Lose out  is not.27. Most.  Not to be used for  almost.Most everybodyAlmost everybodyMost all the timeAlmost all the time(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the repl acement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)28. Nature.  Often simply redundant, used like  character.Acts of a hostile natureHostile actsOften vaguely used in such expressions as a lover of nature; poems about nature. Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untracked wilderness, or the habits of squirrels.29. Near by.  Adverbial phrase, not yet fully accepted as good English, though the analogy of  close by  and  hard by  seems to justify it.  Near, or  near at hand, is as good, if not better.Not to be used as an adjective; use  neighboring.30. Oftentimes, ofttimes.  Archaic forms, no longer in good use. The modern word is  often.31. One hundred and one.  Retain the and in this and similar expressions, in accordance with the unvarying usage of English prose from Old English times.32. One of the most.  Avoid beginning essays or paragraphs with this formula, as, One of the most interesting developments of modern science is, etc.; Switzerland is one of the most interesting countries of Europe. There is nothing wrong in this; it is simply threadbare and forcible-feeble.33. People.  The people  is a political term, not to be confused with  the public. From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage.The word  people  is not to be used with words of number, in place of  persons. If of six people five went away, how many people would be left?34. Phase.  Means a stage of transition or development: the phases of the moon; the last phase. Not to be used for  aspect  or  topic.Another phase of the subjectAnother point (another question)35. Possess.  Not to be used as a mere substitute for  have  or  own.He possessed great courage.He had great courage (was very brave).He was th e fortunate possessor ofHe owned36. Respective, respectively.  These words may usually be omitted with advantage.Works of fiction are listed under the names of their respective authors.Works of fiction are listed under the names of their authors.The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and Cummings respectively.The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and by Cummings.In some kinds of formal writing, as in geometrical proofs, it may be necessary to use  respectively, but it should not appear in writing on ordinary subjects.37. So.  Avoid, in writing, the use of so as an intensifier: so good; so warm; so delightful.38. Sort of.  See under  Kind of.39. State.  Not to be used as a mere substitute for say, remark. Restrict it to the sense of  express full or clearly, as, He refused to state his objections.40. Student body.  A needless and awkward expression, meaning no more than the simple word  students.A member of the student bodyA studentPopular with the student bodyLiked by the studentsThe student body passed resolutions.The students passed resolutions.41. System.  Frequently used without need.Dayton has adopted the commission system of government.Dayton has adopted government by commission.The dormitory systemDormitories(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the replacement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)42. Thanking you in advance.  This sounds as if the writer meant, It will not be worth my while to write to you again. Simply write, Thanking you, and if the favor which you have requested is granted, write a letter of acknowledgment.43. They.  A common inaccuracy is the use of the plural pronoun when the antecedent is a distributive expression such as  each, each one, everybody, every one, many a man,  which, though implying more than one person, requires the pronoun to be in the singular. Similar to this, but with even less justification, is the use of the plural pronoun with the antecedent  anybody, any one, somebody, some one, the intention being either to avoid the awkward he or she, or to avoid committing oneself to either. Some bashful speakers even say, A friend of mine told me that they, etc.Use  he  with all the above words, unless the antecedent is or must be feminine.44. Very.  Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.45. Viewpoint.  Write  point of view, but do not misuse this, as many do, for  view  or  opinion.46. While.  Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for  and, but, and  although. Many writers use it frequently as a substitute for  and  or  but, either from a mere desire to vary the connective, or from uncertainty which of the two connectives is the more appropriate. In this use it is best replaced by a semicolon.The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor, while the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing.The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor; the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing.Its use as a virtual equivalent of  although  is allowable in sentences where this leads to no ambiguity or absurdity.While I admire his energy, I wish it were employed in a better cause.This is entirely correct, as shown by the paraphrase,I admire his energy; at the same time I wish it were employed in a better cause.Compare:While the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly.Although the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly.The paraphrase,The temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime; at the same time the nights are often chilly,shows why the use of  while  is incorrect.In general, the writer will do well to use  while  o nly with strict literalness, in the sense of  during the time that.47. Whom.  Often incorrectly used for  who  before  he said  or similar expressions, when it is really the subject of a following verb.His brother, whom he said would send him the moneyHis brother, who he said would send him the moneyThe man whom he thought was his friendThe man who (that) he thought was his friend (whom he thought his friend)48. Worth while.  Overworked as a term of vague approval and  (with not)  of disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: Is it worth while to telegraph?His books are not worth while.His books are not worth reading (not worth ones while to read; do not repay reading).The use of  worth while  before a noun  (a worth while story)  is indefensible.49. Would.  A conditional statement in the first person requires  should, not  would.I should not have succeeded without his help.The equivalent of  shall  in indirect quotation after a verb in the past tense is  should, not  would.He predicted that before long we should have a great surprise.To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without  would, is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.Once a year he would visit the old mansion.Once a year he visited the old mansion.