Schools spend a lot of time hammering out confusing English words like there/their/they’re, but here are the top 7 word usages that even seasoned writers mess up. Yes, I’ve seen the pros make these mistakes! Whether you’re drafting an essay or the next great American novel, improve your writing by learning these simple rules!
I’m losing it! Lose vs. Loose
In terms of verbs, “lose” means to misplace something or fail in some competitive activity. “Loose” means to set free (not to be confused with “loosen,” which is to make less tight). So if I’m “loosing” my mind, I’m setting it free; sounds very inspiring. But if I’m “losing” my mind…cue the crazy.
There you go! Loose vs. lose.
Sounds simple, right? Let’s try a harder one.
I’m not lying! Lay vs. Lie
If we’re telling the truth, “Lie” means to recline or get in a horizontal position (for example, “lie down”). “Lay” means to put something in that position. The key difference is that “lie” is an intransitive verb (meaning the verb doesn’t have to “transfer” to an object in the sentence) whereas “lay” is a transitive verb (it needs an object).
The confusing part? “Lay” is also the past tense of “lie.” Take a look at this:
Present Tense:
Lie: “I lie down.”
Lay: “I lay the book on the table.”
Present Progressive:
Lie: “I’m lying down.”
Lay: “I’m laying the book on the table.”
Past Tense:
Lie: “I lay down.”
Lay: “I laid the book on the table.”
Got it? Then here’s the test! Why do we say, “Now I lay me down to sleep”? It’s a present tense sentence, but we’re using a verb with the object “me” (just like the object “book” in the previous examples). So the verb we are using is “lay,” not “lie.” It’s more typical to use “lie” in this context, such as, “Now I lie down to sleep.”
So now you know the rule for lie vs. lay. All right, that’s one of the most confusing ones! On to something a little easier.
Raising the bar: Raise vs. Rise
You know the transitive vs. intransitive verb stuff we just talked about? That’s the key to “raise” and “rise.” “Raise” is a transitive verb, meaning it needs to “transfer” its action to an object. “Rise” is an intransitive verb, meaning it can stand alone.
Raise: I raise my hand.
Rise: I rise to my feet.
When a judge enters the courtroom, people are told to, “Please rise.” There’s no object, so we use “rise.” But when we want to “raise the bar,” we have an object (“bar”), and so we use “raise.” There are some archaic and unusual exceptions to this rule, but most typically, this is how it goes.
Rise vs. Raise was a quickie! On to the next one!
Get the lead out! Led vs. Lead
When talking about this word that rhymes with “red,” we’re actually confusing a noun, “lead” (a heavy metal) and a verb “led” (past tense verb). Why is this confusing? Because “led” is the past tense of the verb “to lead” (rhymes with “bead”). While the noun “lead” and the verb “lead” are spelled the same, they are pronounced differently.
Present Tense: I lead the horse to water.
Present Progressive: I’m leading the horse to water.
Past Tense: I led the horse to water.
Noun: Lead is heavy.
I know, I know, it doesn’t make sense. After all, “read” doesn’t change spelling when it changes tense and sound. But maybe “read” is the one that doesn’t make sense. After all, the spelling of “led” as a past tense verb gives a much clearer indication of pronunciation than “read.” So when you see lead vs. led as a verb, try it phonetically, and you’ll get to the right usage.
Now that we’ve warmed up with a few others, here’s the biggest problem child.
It’s not what you think: It’s vs Its
“It’s” is a contraction of “it is.” The apostrophe shows that a letter has been left out, similar to other English words like “don’t” and “shouldn’t,” or for an even more similar example, “she’s.”
“Its” is the possessive form, meaning “belonging to it.”
Now you may be asking, but doesn’t the apostrophe indicate possession, like in “John’s pen”? In the old days, the apostrophe here still meant that letters were being left out of the phrase “John his pen.” Weird, huh? That’s why we use the apostrophe when a noun owns something in a sentence.
But when it comes to its vs. it’s, there are a couple other very common words that follow the same rules that can help you remember which one to use.
The first one is “you’re” and “your.” In this one, the apostrophe shows that we’re shortening the verb, whereas there is no apostrophe for the possessive pronoun.
The second is “he’s” and “his.” This one might be even easier to use because it has the same letters as “it’s” and “its.” Try changing whatever “it” is in your sentence to “he,” and you’ll be able to see it. Example time! See if these are right:
“Its not a problem.”
Incorrect! “He’s not a problem.” We need an apostrophe to indicate the verb.
“A good pun is its own reward.”
Correct! “A good pun is his own reward.” Sounds a little metaphorical, but it makes enough sense.
Ready for the real test?
“It’s its own worst enemy.”
Correct! “He’s his own worst enemy.” It works.
Phew, that was some serious grammar, right? If you learn only one rule from this post, I hope it’s (haha) that one. But here are a couple more bonus words for all you over-achievers out there.
It’s unbearable! Grizzly vs. Grisly
“Grizzly” is the term used for the big ferocious bear, and the color gray in hair. “Grisly” means gruesome. “Grisly” and “gruesome” are both spelled with an S.
Spelling with “E’s”: Discreet vs. Discrete
“Discreet” means prudent or unobtrusive. It’s the most commonly used of this pair in terms of meaning, but the spelling of the other word crops up fairly often. “Discrete” means separate, and is primarily used as a mathematical term. How can you tell the difference? The T separates the E’s in “discrete,” which means separate. The E’s in “discreet” prudently chose to stay together.
Conclusion
English is a confusing language. It has weird spelling and grammar rules and even stranger exceptions—not to mention all the words that sound alike but mean something different. But now you know how to tell apart the top 7 words that even pro writers get wrong, you can write with confidence and accuracy!
What English words or language rules do you find confusing?