Wrong Word

Wrong word errors are really common, but they are also easy to fix once you understand the definitions. Sometimes, we make a wrong word error when we are using the thesaurus and trying to find the biggest word we can in order to make ourselves sound really smart. This isn’t the greatest strategy. Sometimes, it’s better just to be simple, and it’s always better just to be clear.

We also have to be careful of the spell checker. Sometimes, we misspell words, and then the spell checker makes a change to a word we don’t want. This is one of the reasons careful proofreading is important. A word can be spelled correctly and still be the wrong word.

Affect vs Effect:

Affect is usually a verb that means to produce change or make a difference, while effect is usually a noun that means the outcome of an event or situation that created a change.

Staying up late tonight might affect your performance tomorrow.

Staying up late can have negative effects on your performance.

A tip for remembering the difference is “A is for action.” Most of the time, affect is a verb.

Lay vs Lie:

Lay is a transitive verb and requires a direct object, while lie is intransitive and does not.

Natalie lays her baby down in the crib. (“her baby” is the direct object of the verb “lays”.)

Edmundo lies down for a rest. (There is no direct object because “lies” is intransitive.)

The simple conjugation for these verbs is:

Lay/lay/laid
Lie/lay/lain

Then vs Than:

Then and than are two commonly confused words in English, but they have distinct meanings and uses:

Then refers to time or sequence. It indicates what happens next or at a specific time.

We went to the park, and then we had lunch.

If you’re ready, then we can start.

Than is used for comparisons. It shows a difference or preference between two things.

Indra is taller than her brother.

Rashid would rather read than watch TV.

To remember the difference: then relates to time, while than relates to comparison.

It’s vs Its:

This one is tricky, because we are accustomed to using apostrophes when we are making possessive pronouns. In this case, though, it’s is a contraction of it and is.

It’s a beautiful day!

I don’t want to leave the party, but it’s getting late.

Its, on the other hand, is the possessive pronoun for it.

The dog is chasing its tail.

I want use my phone for GPS, but its battery is about to die.

One good way to remember to skip the apostrophe with the possessive pronoun its is to think of other possessive pronouns—his, hers, its.