The English language is full of homonyms, words that have the same sound or spelling but different meanings, and homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. Making mistakes with certain words is easy to do if you’re writing in a hurry or while tired. There are also closely related words which are easy to switch out. Here are the most common ones I’ve encoutered while editing.
Which words are most often used incorrectly?
1. You’re, Your
This error runs rampant on Facebook. I have a shirt I wear often that reads: *you’re.
“Your” shows possession. “You’re” is a contraction for “you are.”
Examples
Incorrect: Your ridiculous.
Correct: You’re ridiculous.
Incorrect: You’re dog is cute.
Correct: Your dog is cute.
Incorrect: Your welcome.
Correct: You’re welcome.
2. To, Too (and Two)
Misues of “to” and “too” seem to run rampant, especially on social media. “To” is a preposition, while “too” is an adverb meaning essessively or it can mean also. A good trick is to substitute “essessively” or “also” in your sentence. If either word works, then you should be using “too” rather than “to.”
And of course, I included “two” since it sounds the same, but it typically isn’t misued as much as the other soundalikes.
Examples
Incorrect: My dog ate to much.
Correct: My dog ate too much.
Incorrect: I don’t want too.
Correct: I don’t want to.
Incorrect: I love you, to. (or I love you to.)
Correct: I love you, too. (or I love you too.)
3. There, Their, They’re
“There” denotes a place. “Their” shows possession. “They’re” is a contraction for “they are.”
Note: I also see the use of “there’s” (contraction for “there is”) when people mean “theirs” and vice versa.
Examples
Incorrect: There going to town. Their going to town.
Correct: They’re going to down.
Incorrect: Sit down over their.
Correct: Sit down over there.
Incorrect: They’re car is new. There car is new.
Correct: Their car is new.
Incorrect: Theirs a new sherriff in town.
Correct: There’s a new sherrif in town.
Incorrect: The dog is there’s.
Correct: The dog is theirs.
4. Here, Hear
The word “here” denotes a place, while “hear” refers to the sense experienced through the ears.
Examples
Incorrect: Come over hear.
Correct: Come over here.
Incorrect: She can here the dog barking.
Correct: She can hear the dog barking.
5. Its, It’s
The word “its” shows possession, while “it’s” is a contraction for “it is.”
Examples
Incorrect: Its okay.
Correct: It’s okay.
Incorrect: The car blew it’s tire.
Correct: The car blew its tire.
6. Affect, Effect
How most people speak, the difference between “affect” and “effect” isn’t discernible, but it makes a difference in writing. “Affect” is a verb meaning to make a difference to, while “effect” is a noun meaning a result or consequence.
Examples
Incorrect: I want to positively effect my childrens’ self-esteem.
Correct: I want to positively affect my childrens’ self-esteem.
Incorrect: What are the side affects of this prescription?
Correct: What are the side effects of this prescriptions?
7. Accept, Except
Like the previous example, these “A” and “E” words can get a bit tricky since they sound so similar. “Accept” means to receive, to welcome, or to come to terms with something. “Except” means to exclude something.
Examples
Incorrect: I except your apology.
Correct: I accept your apology.
Incorrect: I love all Laffy Taffy flavors accept grape.
Correct: I love all Laffy Taffy flavors except grape.
8. Whose, Who’s
I see these two words interchanged sometimes since they are pronounced the same. “Whose” means belonging to a person. “Who’s” is a contraction representing “who is.”
Examples
Incorrect: Who’s cat is this?
Correct: Whose cat is this?
Incorrect: Whose riding with me?
Correct: Who’s riding with me?
9. Lose, Loose
These words are similar, but they’re pronouced slightly different and mean different things. “Lose” is a verb meaning to misplace or no longer have something. “Loose” is adjective meaning something is not tight.
Examples
Incorrect: I need to loose weight.
Correct: I need to lose weight.
Incorrect: I don’t want to loose my job.
Correct: I don’t want to lose my job.
10. Choose, Chose
Similar to the previous words in terms of spelling, “choose” and “chose” have different pronunciations. “Choose” means to pick, and “chose” is the past tense version of the verb, meaning you have already picked something.
Examples
Incorrect: I need to chose a new car insurance policy.
Correct: I need to choose a new car insurance policy.
Incorrect: My dog choose a new toy.
Correct: My dog chose a new toy.
11. Where, Wear
While these words don’t sound exactly the same, I see them switched often. “Where” denotes a place while “wear” can be an action verb (or a noun depending on its use).
Examples
Incorrect: I’m going wear I can find some chocolate.
Correct: I’m going where I can find some chocolate.
Incorrect: I want something new to where.
Correct: I want something new to wear.
12. Complement, Compliment
These two words differ only by one letter, but it’s enough to change their meanings. “Complement” with two Es means to complete or enhance something. Think about the E going with enhance to help remember. “Compliment” with the I is to praise. Consider how you typically begin a compliment to help remember.
Examples
Incorrect: I complemented my husband’s cologne.
Correct: I complimented my husband’s cologne.
Incorrect: These curtains compliment the room.
Correct: These curtains complement the room.
13. Peak, Peek, Pique
These words all sound the same, but their meanings are quite different. “Peak” is a point, and “peek” means to look at something briefly. The past tense of “peak” can have two different meanings and are pronounced differently. “Peaked,” pronounced as one syllable, means that something has come to a point. “Peaked,” pronounced as two syllables with the short E sound for the second one, means that someone looks ill.
“Pique” means to annoy, with an alternate meaning of arouse or elicit. Most people are more familiar with it in the past tense, which typically means the latter.
The first edition of my first published novel, Caroline’s Lighthouse (now out of print), has a “peaked” instead of “piqued” error. I didn’t catch it during proofing and felt embarrassed when I noticed, but mistakes can happen. It was corrected for the second edition, which is still in print.
Examples
Incorrect: I peaked in a bird’s nest to check for eggs. I piqued in a bird’s nest to check for eggs.
Correct: I peeked in a bird’s nest to check for eggs.
Incorrect: The mountain peeked at 5,000 feet. The mountain piqued at 5,000 feet.
Correct: The mountain peaked at 5,000 feet.
Incorrect: Historic homes have always peaked my interest. Historic homes have always peeked my interest.
Correct: Historic homes have always piqued my interest.
14. Threw, Through
These words also sound the same, but “threw” means to toss something, while “through” means finished or the process of passing in and out of something.
Examples
Incorrect: She went threw a lot of pain after surgery.
Correct: She went through a lot of pain after surgery.
Incorrect: He drove threw town.
Correct: He drove through town.
Incorrect: I through the ball.
Correct: I threw the ball.
Bonus words
Bring, Take
These words sound nothing alike, but I see them and hear them misused all the time. They can be a bit confusing. You can bring or take something with you, but which word you use depends on the context and whether or not the object is going away or toward something else.
Examples
Incorrect: Bring this orange to your father.
Correct: Take this orange to your father.
Incorrect: Take the orange to me, please.
Correct: Bring the orange to me, please. (Bring me the orange, please.)
Tricky Example
I’ll bring you home. vs. I’ll take you home.
“Bring” is correct if you are talking to someone and will be bringing them home with you. “Take” is correct if you are talking to someone and will be taking them to their own home.
Questions?
Let me know in the comments if there are words I left out or if you have a question about word use. Thank you!
-Brandi Easterling Collins
Luminesce Publishing founder, author, and editor