Common errors in English usage - misspelled words list - daily 10 words - Part 5

ADAPT/ADOPT

You can adopt a child or a custom or a law; in all of these cases you
are making the object of the adoption your own, accepting it. If you
adapt something, however, you are changing it to be more apt for some
purpose.

BACKWARD/BACKWARDS

As an adverb, either word will do: "put the shirt on backward" or "put

the shirt on backwards." However, as an adjective, only "backward" will

do: "a backward glance." When in doubt, use "backward."

COSTUMER/CUSTOMER

Just what would a "costumer service" do? Supply extra-shiny spangles for

a Broadway diva's outfit? But this phrase is almost always a

typographical error for "customer service," and it appears on an

enormous number of Web pages. Be careful not to swap the U and O when

you type "customer."

DEFUSE/DIFFUSE

You defuse a dangerous situation by treating it like a bomb and removing

its fuse; to diffuse, in contrast, is to spread something out: "Bob's

cheap cologne diffused throughout the room, wrecking the wine-tasting."

ENJOY TO/ENJOY -ING

The expression "enjoy to" (or "enjoyed to") is nonstandard, influenced

by "like to." You don't enjoy to jog; you either enjoy jogging or like

to jog.

FAIR/FARE

When you send your daughter off to camp, you hope she'll fare well.

That's why you bid her a fond farewell. When you want to see how

something will work out, you want to see how it fares. "Fair" as a verb

is a rare word meaning "to smooth a surface to prepare it for being

joined to another."

GRAMMER/GRAMMAR

it's amazing how many people write to thank me for helping them with

their "grammer." It's "grammar." The word is often incorrectly used to

label patterns of spelling and usage that have nothing to do with the

structure of language, the proper subject of grammar in the most

conservative sense. Not all bad writing is due to bad grammar.

HEROIN/HEROINE

Heroin is a highly addictive opium derivative; the main female character

in a narrative is a heroine.

INFACT/IN FACT

"In fact" is always two words.

LATE/FORMER

If you want to refer to your former husband, don't call him your "late

husband" unless he's dead.