Commonly misused words

[JackOutback]

My job involves editing copy, I've encountered almost all these problems. Another is nonplussed. It doesn't mean unconcerned.

 

[Scotland]

I didn't know his/he's was a thing until I read BigFooty.

I encounter their/they're/there and your/you're in professional communications all the time.

As far as people going full Dermott and misusing words they think make them sound smarter, I find 'eccentric' and 'incredulous' get a decent run. 'Superfluous' not far behind.

 

[dales.girl38]

bias when they should say biased.

I had a teacher who would always 'correct' my work the wrong way on this one.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

His and he's are ripe for the taking on Facebook.
Been going on for at least 6 years to join my 2 biggest gripes with my generation. (One is 2 for one.)

Missing punctuation.
Spelling errors and the refusal to correct it.

I don't know if he's is worse than his but they equally shit me.

 

[Run n Spread]

The phrase "I could care less about..........." should actually be "I couldn't care less".

e.g. If I say I could care less about Rugby league that implies I care a lot and could care a lot less.

 

[IKnowtheDog]

"As I speak English I know what words mean, I'm not a complete thicky y'know"

 

[GreyCrow]

wrapped/rapt

wrapped to see this kid making his debut

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

wrapped/rapt

wrapped to see this kid making his debut

Guttered that he was dropped the following week, though.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

People who **** up in their memes are even worse.

 

[swiftdog]

The phrase "I could care less about..........." should actually be "I couldn't care less".

e.g. If I say I could care less about Rugby league that implies I care a lot and could care a lot less.

Came here to post this one. It literally means the complete opposite of what they're trying to say. Drives me crazy, like nails on a chalkboard.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Since we're being a bunch of pedantic pricks in here now, I'll nominate "it's" being used when "its" is correct.

"The team lost its best player" is correct, not "it's best player".

"It's" is used as a contraction of "it is/has", while "its" is used as the possessive of "it", which in a way doesn't really make sense, but is correct.

 

[Scotland]

People getting its/it's wrong is nowhere near as nauseating as his/he's. Sometimes my phone corrects its to it's and vice versa and if I'm in hurry (sorry, if im in a hurry) I'll let it go and be one with the wind and sky. Same with were/we're. But if someone sends me 'how was you're day?' I'll throw my phone at the wall like Ari Gold.

 

[Scotland]

Left wing
Right wing
Liberal (small l)
Conservative
Communist
Fascist
Authoritarian
Libertarian

Most people that use these words use them incorrectly.

 

[perthblue]

a Semite isn't necessarily a Jew

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Left wing
Right wing
Liberal (small l)
Conservative
Communist
Fascist
Authoritarian
Libertarian

Most people that use these words use them incorrectly.

All of those words bar Authoritarian shit me.

 

[HBF]

Spasmodic, when I think most people mean sporadic.

 

[JackOutback]

Casting dispersions.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Casting nasturtiums

 

[Borussia Teeth]

"... for mine" annoys me.

 

[kickazz]

I never realised people could confuse then and than until BigFooty

 

[Mofra]

Most of these mistakes are only Mr Meaners though.

If you really want to dine out on them though, bone apple tea.

 

[GreyCrow]

Most of these mistakes are only Mr Meaners though.

If you really want to dine out on them though, bone apple tea.

Is that near the day jar view? Maybe we should have some fox outrage

 

[Scotland]

Nauseous

 

[BILC]

I remember hearing Wayne Carey trying to say that he thought Max Gawn was the best ruckman in the AFL last year and he came out with "in my eyes, Max Gawn is the penultimate ruckman in the AFL".

 

[BILC]

My job involves editing copy, I've encountered almost all these problems. Another is nonplussed. It doesn't mean unconcerned.

Yeah, I see this one all the time.

Usually means the opposite of what they've intended.