Common Mistakes

Ten common English word usage mistakes I often come across in my work as an editor and copy corrector that spell-checkers do not find, with explanations and examples of proper use:

• There vs. Their vs. ‘They’re
  There is an indication of location.
  Example: I would like to see that cell phone over there.
  Their is a possessive version of they.
  Example: They took their car to the mechanic.
  They’re is a contraction, short for they are.
  Example: They’re going to the cinema tonight.

• A lot vs. Allot vs. Alot
  A lot is an indication of quantity.
  Example: I have a lot of laundry to do.
  Allot means to distribute.
  Example: I will allot you two cold drinks.
  Alot is not a word.

• I.e. vs. E.g.
  I.e. means “in other words.”
  Example: Writing more articles increases your website traffic. I.e., it will bring you more exposure.
  E.g. means “for example.”
  Example: I have a lot of chores to do. E.g., laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.

• To vs. Too vs. Two
  To is a function word to indicate relative position.
  Example: We took the boat to the lake.
  Too can indicate excessiveness or in addition to.
  Example: The food was too spicy.
  Example: I would like to go too.
  Two is the number 2.
  Example: I want two biscuits.

• Its vs. It’s
  Its is the possessive version of it.
  Example: Its door came off the hinges.
  It’s is a contraction, short for “it is.”
  Example: It’s a beautiful day.

• You’re vs. Your
  You’re is a contraction, short for “you are.”
  Example: You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.
  Your describes the possessor as someone else.
  Example: Your dog barks a lot.

• Loose vs. Lose
  Loose is an adjective, the opposite of tight or contained.
  Example: I have loose change in my pocket.
  Lose is a verb that means “to suffer the loss of.”
  Example: I hope you don’t lose your money.

• Choose vs. Chose
  Choose is a present tense verb meaning “to select.”
  Example: I choose to eat healthy foods.
  Chose is a past tense verb meaning “to select.”
  Example: I chose to eat healthy foods.

• Effect vs. Affect
  Effect is usually a noun meaning “result.”
  Example: The effect of increased traffic to your website is directly related to the quality of your articles.
  Affect is usually a verb meaning “to influence.”
  Example: I hope this article will affect you in a positive way.

• Know vs. No vs. Now
  Know is usually a verb meaning “to understand.”
  Example: I know you are not coming to the cinema.
  No is a negative reply, refusal or disagreement.
  Example: There is no problem with the car.
  Now is usually an adverb meaning “at the present time or moment.”
  Example: Now I can easily write and publish my articles.
• With Regard To vs With Regards TO
  With Regards To  is an extended greeting to an esteemed person at the end of a letter
  Example: With regards to your dear mother.
  With Regard To  is a clumsy, ponderous, pompous, redundant and pleonastic way of saying “about”.

Appropriate Language

This post covers some of the major issues with appropriate language use: levels of language formality, deceitful language and Euphemisms, slang and idiomatic expressions; using group-specific jargon; and biased/stereotypical language.

it is very important to use language that fits your audience and matches your purpose when you write. Inappropriate language uses will damage your credibility, undermine your argument, or alienate your audience. This handout will cover some of the major issues with appropriate language use:

Below is a short overview of the different aspects of using appropriate language.

Editing Drafts

Basic Draft Editing Tips

A few tips on content editing. The scope of this article covers the overall context and content of articles and stories, but not copy correction editing which looks for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Editing Drafts

The first step is writing a first draft. Once it is written you should read through it, editing and revising until you are satisfied that it is as concise as possible.

When the second draft is complete, repeat the above process again until you feel that no more can be done.

Editing the drafts can take much longer than writing the original draft, and is where the donkey work comes in, but it is what turns a potentially good article into a good article.

It might be easier to work with printouts, not only on the computer screen. Errors that are quite noticeable when reading a printed version are often missed on a computer screen unless one is very used to working in screen layout.

Editing Unnecessary Content (padding)

During the editing process, things will be found which need to be edited out. These are some of the things to look for:

• Superfluous words and phrases: demanding a reader’s attention without contributing anything essential to the story.
• Repetition: words and phrases which say something already said in a slightly different way.
• Explanations intended to fill the reader in, just in case he isn’t quite sure what is going on.
• Article threads which digress from the topic.
• Indulgences included for your own benefit but which do not add anything to the story.

Editing Context:

Once the unnecessary padding has been edited, ask yourself  ‘does this sentence or paragraph say what I want it to say?’

Final Edit:

Once you have got through all the basic steps, you may want to have your work proofread and edited by a professional editing service. An editing service will provide the final polish to your writing, ensuring your work supports your image as a skilled professional author