Common errors in English usage - misspelled words list - daily 10 words - Part 4

VARY/VERY

"Vary" means "to change." Don't substitute it for "very" in phrases like
"very nice" or "very happy."

WAS/WERE

In phrases beginning with "there" many people overlook the need to
choose a plural or singular form of the verb "to be" depending on what
follows. "There were several good-looking guys at the party" [plural];
"unfortunately one of them was my husband" [singular].

YOUR/YOU'RE

"You're" is always a contraction of "you are." If you've written
"you're," try substituting "you are." If it doesn't work, the word you
want is "your." Your writing will improve if you're careful about this.
If someone thanks you, write back "you're welcome" for "you are
welcome."

TO/TOO/TWO

People seldom mix "two" up with the other two; it obviously belongs with

words that also begin with TW, like "twice" and "twenty" that involve

the number 2. But the other two are confused all the time. Just remember

that the only meanings of "too" are "also" ("I want some ice cream too")

and "in excess" ("Your iPod is playing too loudly.") Note that extra O;.

it should remind you that this word has to do with adding more on to

something. "To" is the proper spelling for all the other uses.

SUMMARY/SUMMERY

When the weather is warm and summery and you don't feel like spending a

lot of time reading that long report from the restructuring committee,

just read the summary.

ONCE/ONES

"Once" always has to do with time and answers the questions, "how many

times?" or "when?" For instance: "I only played handball once." "Once I

got my boot off, I saw my sock had a hole in it."

In contrast, "ones" have to do with things. In your tool collection, the

ones you should keep handy are the ones you use most.

NOBLE PRIZE/NOBEL PRIZE

Nobel laureates may indeed be intellectual nobility, but the award they

get is not the "Noble Prize" but the "Nobel Prize," named after founder

Alfred Nobel.

PEN/PIN

In the dialect of many Texans and some of their neighbors "pen" is

pronounced almost exactly like "pin." When speaking to an audience

outside this zone, it's worth learning to make the distinction to avoid

confusion.

LAYED/LAID

Although "layed" is an extremely popular variant spelling of the past
tense of transitive "lay," "laid" is the traditional spelling in all
contexts. If your boss decides to lay you off, you are laid off. The hen
laid an egg. You laid down the law.

MORE/MOST

It is traditional to use "most" when comparing three or more things and
"more" when comparing only two. "This is the more powerful of the two
vacuum cleaners." "This is the most delicious entree on the menu." In
casual speech this pattern is often ignored, but it's good to keep the
distinction in mind when writing or speaking formally.