Buzz
This list highlights 10 more frequently made English mistakes, continuing from our earlier popular collection of Top 10 Common English Errors. Hopefully, some of these will assist in correcting common errors we all tend to make.
10. Who / Whom
This mistake has become so widespread that it’s beginning to seem like the word “whom” might eventually disappear from English. The reason for this is that many people are unsure about its correct usage. The distinction is simple: ‘who’ is used for the subject of the action, while ‘whom’ is used for the object of the action. This is similar to other word pairs – like ‘I’ and ‘me’. ‘Who’ is like ‘I’, and ‘whom’ is like ‘me’. This grammatical difference is called noun case – ‘who’ is in the nominative case, and ‘whom’ is in the accusative case. Here’s an example of correct usage:
Who is the one who will kill Bob? (I am the one who will kill Bob) Who is going to kill Bob? (Bob is going to be killed by me)
English no longer uses cases as frequently as it once did. In contrast, other languages like German, Latin, and Greek rely heavily on cases. [Image Source – click for a larger view]
9. Irony
In the previous list of errors, I briefly mentioned irony as a bonus. It certainly warrants its own spot with a detailed explanation, so here it is. There are four distinct types of irony, none of which have anything in common with Alanis Morissette’s song:
I. Verbal Irony
This occurs when someone says one thing but actually means something completely different, often with an opposite intent. The most famous form of verbal irony is sarcasm. An example would be: “He’s as funny as cancer.”
II. Tragic Irony
Tragic irony is found only in works of fiction. It happens when a character’s words or actions contradict the reality of the situation, but the audience knows the truth. A classic example is in Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo believes Juliet has died and poisons himself. Juliet later awakens, finds Romeo dead, and kills herself with his knife.
III. Dramatic Irony
In drama, this form of irony occurs when the audience is aware of something that the characters themselves do not know. For instance, in Pygmalion, the audience is aware that Eliza is a prostitute, but the Higgins family is not.
IV. Situational Irony
Situational irony happens when the outcome is drastically different from what was expected. Consider this account of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan: “As aides rushed to push Reagan into his car, the bullet ricocheted off the [bullet-proof] car, then struck the President in the chest, grazed a rib, and lodged in his lung, just inches from his heart.” The bulletproof car, meant to protect him, almost caused his death by deflecting the bullet.
You might be interested in our collection of 10 images of irony.
8. Effect / Affect
The confusion between these two words is common, likely because both have multiple meanings. I'll explain the primary distinction and briefly touch on the less common meanings as well.
Affect (a-FECT): This is typically used as a verb (an action word), which is the form people most often confuse with “effect.” It means “to influence” or “to bring about a change.” For example: John’s protest affected significant change in the farming industry (John’s protest caused change).
Effect (e-FECT): This is usually a noun (a thing) and refers to the “end result” or the consequence of something. For instance, “The cocaine had a numbing effect” or “Her smile had a strange effect on me.”
For those interested, affect (AFF-ect) can also mean “emotion,” but this definition is primarily used by psychiatrists. To add to the confusion, “effect” can also mean “to bring about,” which is likely why many people mix up the two terms. For example: “I am trying to effect a new council in the city.”
But here’s an important distinction: something can “take effect,” but it can never “take affect.”
Feeling confused? That’s understandable. Here’s a simple way to recall the basic rule:
If it’s something you’re going to do, use “affect.” If it’s something you’ve already done, use “effect.”
7. Lie / Lay
Lay: To place something or someone down: “lay your head on the pillow.” The verb 'lay' requires a direct object to act upon – in this case, the object is “your head.”
Lie: To recline in a horizontal position or to be situated somewhere: “If you are tired, lie down,” or “New Zealand lies in the Pacific Ocean.” 'Lie' does not need a direct object, so it would be incorrect to say “if you are tired, lie yourself down.”
6. Would have
This term is frequently encountered these days, and some argue that it's now acceptable English, but it isn't. Avoid using it. Here’s an example of the problematic phrase:
“I wish she would have kissed me”
To fix this mistake, it should be phrased as: “I wish she had kissed me.”
The error arises because “wished” already indicates something contrary to reality, and adding “would have,” which also suggests contradiction, makes it redundant and unnecessary.
However, “would have” is completely correct in the following sentence: “I would have given a donation if I agreed with the party’s politics.”
5. Me / Myself / I
A frequent issue occurs with the misuse of the word “myself.” Take this example: “If you have any questions, ask Jane or myself.” This is incorrect. To show why, remove Jane: “If you have any questions, ask myself.” It seems some people mistakenly think “myself” is simply a more intense version of “me.” So, how should “myself” be used correctly?
“Myself” is properly used only when “I” has already been mentioned. For instance: “I washed myself” or “I saved half of the cake for myself.” This is the sole context for its use. The same rule applies to “herself” and “himself.”
The difference between “I” and “me” mirrors the distinction presented in item 10 above. “I” is the subject, the one performing the action, while “me” is the object, the one receiving the action. For example:
I paid the tax office. The tax office paid me.
The rule remains consistent even when a second person is added, but things can become a bit trickier:
Jim and I paid our taxes. The tax office issued refunds to Jim and me.
4. Less / Fewer
The distinction between “less” and “fewer” lies in their reference: “less” is used for things measured in bulk or amount, while “fewer” is for things that can be counted. For instance, you can’t count sand, so if we wish to reduce the amount of sand in a hole, we would say, “We need less sand in that hole.” However, if the hole is filled with eggs, we would say, “We need fewer eggs in that hole.” Other terms follow this rule as well:
“A large amount of sand” – “A large number of eggs” “We should take out some sand” – “We should take out a few eggs” “There is too much sand” – “There are too many eggs”
If you consume too many ice creams, people may believe you’ve had too much dessert.
This mistake often occurs with people: “We need less people on this team” – the correct version is “We need fewer people on this team.”
Time and money measurements disregard this rule, which is why we say: “I have less than 5 dollars” and “It takes less than 2 hours to reach Paris.”
There / They’re / Their
I’m certain no one would argue with the fact that this mistake ranks as the number one issue – it’s incredibly common to see these words switched around, sometimes with amusing results, though usually not. Let’s break down each word individually:
They’re: The apostrophe here stands for a missing letter – specifically, the letter ‘a’. “They’re” translates to “they are” – that’s the only meaning it carries, and it never means anything else. So, if you want to say that someone is happy, you would say “they’re happy.” Remember, the apostrophe signifies a missing letter.
Their: This refers to “belonging to them” – it’s used solely to indicate possession. The confusion likely stems from the apostrophe being used in other possessive forms, such as “John’s dog,” but when referring to “them” owning something, we don’t need an apostrophe.
There: This word covers everything else. For example, “There is a happy man,” “Over there!”, or “There aren’t many people at the party.”
Here’s a helpful trick to keep in mind:
Their – “Their” contains the word “heir” – an heir is someone who inherits items through a will. There – “There” contains “here” – this can help remind you that it’s used to indicate a location.
2. Anyway / Any Way / Anyways
To begin with, “anyways” is not a recognized word in English – in fact, I don’t know of any language where it exists. You should avoid using “anyways.” This term often appears in sentences like, “John was an idiot anyways!” The correct word to use here is “anyway.”
Next, let's distinguish between 'anyway' and 'any way' – both are grammatically correct but used in distinct contexts:
For example, “I didn’t like him anyway,” versus “Is there any way to stop the marriage?”
1. Different Than
This is incorrect. It’s a very frequent and frustrating mistake! The proper phrase is “different from.” While in British English, “different to” may be used, it’s technically improper, and the majority of UK style guides dismiss it. Let's examine each version:
Incorrect: “Pink is different than blue” (commonly used in the US) Incorrect: “Pink is different to blue” (commonly used in the UK) Questionable: “John is different than he was before his accident” (this could be better phrased, but since 'different' is followed by a complete clause, some accept this usage.) Correct: “Pink is different from blue.”
