Common Errors Ch 02

Errors occur every day in the manner in which words are used. Let's talk about some of the most common.

GOOD / WELL

GOOD

is an adjective and is used to provide description to a noun. Some examples are:

The

good

boy always gets a reward

or

He settled into bed with a

good

book.

WELL

is an adverb and is used to modify or lends description to adjectives, verbs and sometimes, other adverbs. An example is:

She did

well

in the time trial.

However, there is a huge exception which is one of the most common errors and it has to do with how something or someone feels.

Good

should be used when describing how one feels, such as

I feel good.

ITS / IT'S

ITS

is a pronoun and relates to the item that follows it. For example:

The cat licked

its

fur

or

The tree loses

its

leaves in the fall.

IT'S

is a contraction of the words, IT and IS or HAS. Any time you use this word, break it down into the two separate words and read your sentence. An example is:

It's

about time that you got here

.

ADVICE / ADVISE

The word

ADVICE

is a noun and means to offer instruction. Some examples are:

His

advice

saved them a lot of money

or

Nothing takes the place of good

advice

.

ADVISE

is a verb and means the action of offering instruction. An example is:

She is

advising

her client to remain silent

or

I

advise

you to accept his offer.

FARTHER / FURTHER

FARTHER

is an adverb and generally means adding physical distance.

The exit for Atlanta is just a bit

farther

down the road

or

The pen is

farther

down in my purse

are examples.

FURTHER

is an adverb that means adding depth.

The police said that they wanted to talk

further

with her

or

Further

discussion will have to take place before we sign the contract.

LOOSE / LOSE

LOOSE

is an adjective or a verb that means to release or free. Some examples are:

All the boys knew she was

loose

or

She felt so much better when she let her hair

loose

.

LOSE

is a verb that means to not win.

She did not want to

lose

to the other girl

or

To

lose

a game would mean losing the championship

are some examples

.

REIGN / REIN

REIGN

is a noun or verb and it means to rule. Some examples are:

The king's

reign

was long and prosperous

or

She wanted to

reign

as wisely as her father had.

REIN

is a noun or verb that means to pull back or a method to control or pull back.

I had to

rein

in my jealousy after I found out that he was her brother

or

As the president, he took over the

reins

.

BREATHE / BREATH

BREATHE

is a verb and means the act of breathing or taking a breath. Some examples are:

I went outside to breathe in the fresh air

or

'Breathe Again' is a hit song by Toni Braxton.

BREATH

is a noun and means to take an inhalation or exhalation of air. Some examples are:

Her smile was like a

breath

of fresh air to him

or

She released her

breath

slowly, afraid to make any noise.

CLIQUE / CLICK

CLIQUE

is a noun that signifies a group of people, usually with something in common or a common mindset, which are arrogant and stuck-up. A common example of the use of this word is:

All the cheerleaders are in a

clique

and they don't like anyone else.

The word

CLICK

is often confused CLIQUE. It is a noun or a verb that implies a sound or a motion that creates a sound.

I

clicked

my fingers in time with the music

or

The soft

click

told me that the door had closed

are good examples of the correct use of this word.

PRINCIPLE / PRINCIPAL

A

PRINCIPLE

is a noun or a verb. In noun form, the word means a code or set of standards and in verb form, it would be used to show the application of the code or set of standards. It can also be used an adjective, describing someone or something that uses the code or set of standards to govern its existence.

Some examples would be:

Tom Cruise believes in the

principles

of Scientology

or

He is a man that leads a very

principled

life.

We all know what a

PRINCIPAL

is. Just about everyone who went to school knows that the

PRINCIPAL

is the person who administrates the school. A

PRINCIPAL

is a noun and can also mean the person or thing that is the most important or has the highest stature. An example of its use is:

Our

principal

is also an English teacher.