100 Common English Usage Problems

English is today’s lingua franca; its evolution is driven by the current demands for information and the need for global communication. English serves as the native language for nearly 400 million people, a second language for another 400 million people, and a foreign language to 800 million people across the globe. It has unarguably become an important academic and professional tool.

It is recognized as the most important language through which the increasingly mobile international community interacts and learns.

However, despite its worldwide use, English is still considered the most difficult European language to learn and read, primarily because its unique characteristics hinder non-native English speakers from obtaining a strong command of it. English syntax, with its strict subject-verb-object structure, is particularly difficult to grasp. English is also unique in its uses of articles.

When combined with the fact that English is an unphonetic language and possesses other small peculiarities, it is a daunting challenge to learn and master.

Below, we have compiled a list of common English usage problems that can cause confusion in both writing and speaking. We also provide corresponding examples to illustrate these problems and demonstrate proper usage. Read each item carefully, and note what you feel requires special attention.

1. a, an

The article a is used before consonant sounds, and the article an before vowel sounds. Words beginning with h, o, or u may have either a consonant sound or a vowel sound.

Example:

a histology class (h-sound)
a one-way path (w-sound)
a uniform look (y-sound)

2. accept, except

Accept, a verb, means “to receive.” Except, a preposition, means “leaving out” or “other than.”

Example:

VERB – She did not accept the job offer for flimsy reasons.
PREPOSITION – We were all excited about the reunion, except Maggie.

3. accuse, allege

Accuse means “to blame” or “to bring a charge against.” Allege means “to claim something that has not been proven.”

Example:

He was accused of treason, which he vehemently denied.
It was alleged that he secretly cooperated with the Japanese during the war.

4. adapt, adopt

Adapt, a verb, means “to change.” Adopt, also a verb, means “to take as one’s own.”

Example:

We were finally able to adapt to the cold climate of the area.
The group adopted the strategy and implemented it in the entire unit.

5. advice, advise

Advice is a noun meaning “an opinion.” Advise is a verb meaning “to give an opinion to.”

Example:

I miss the pieces of advice that mother used to bombard me with.
She has always advised me to remain strong and independent.

6. affect, effect

Affect is almost always a verb meaning “to influence.” Effect, usually a noun, means “result.” Occasionally, effect is a verb meaning “to bring about” or “to cause.”

Example:

I would not let my personal problems affect the quality of my work.
The effect of the earthquake on Beijing was disastrous.
She effected policies that benefited the entire organization.

7. aggravate

Aggravate means “ to make worse.” Avoid using this word as a synonym of “annoy.”

Example:

LESS ACCEPTABLE: She was severely aggravated by his rude behavior.
PREFERRED: Delaying your visit to the doctor will only aggravate your ailment.

8. ain’t

Ain’t, originally a contraction of AM NOT, is not considered acceptable in standard English. Avoid using it in all writing and speaking.

Example:

NONSTANDARD: I ain’t going to the party tonight.
CORRECT: I am not going to the party tonight.

9. allot, a lot

Allot, a verb, means “to divide in parts” or “to give out in shares.” A lot is an informal expression meaning “a great many” or “a great amount.” Avoid using it in formal writing.

Example:

VERB: My husband allotted a portion of his monthly pay for his sister’s matriculation.
INFORMAL: He has a lot of relatives in the suburbs to support.
FORMAL: He has many relatives in the suburbs to support.

10. all ready, already

All ready is an expression functioning as an adjective and meaning “ready.” Already is an adverb meaning “by or before this time” or “even now.”

Example:

ADJECTIVE: We are all ready to listen to the proposition.
ADVERB: We have already arrived at a decision.

11. all right, alright

Alright is nonstandard spelling. Always use the two-word form in your writing.

Example:

NONSTANDARD: It is alright with the group that you take your share in advance.
CORRECT: It is all right with the group that you take your share in advance.

12. all together, altogether

All together means “all at once.” Altogether means “completely” or “in all.”

Example:

CORRECT: All together, the members of the Parliament moved that the motion be reconsidered.
CORRECT: They did not agree altogether that the bill was worth passing.

13. A.M., P.M

A.M. refers to the hours before noon and P.M. to the hours after noon. Do not spell out numbers when you use these abbreviations, and do not use such phrases as “in the morning” or “in the afternoon” with them.

INCORRECT: We will leave for Calgary at nine A.M. in the morning.
CORRECT: We will leave for Calgary at 9:00 A.M.

14. among, between

Among and between are both prepositions. Among always implies three or more. Between is generally used with just two things.

Example:

John was certainly among the most talented students in his class.
John always comes between Frank and myself.

15. amount, number

Use amount with quantities that cannot be counted. Use number with things that can be counted.

Example:

a small amount of lotion, a large amount of profit
a number of books, a number of delegates

16. anxious

Anxious means “worried,” “uneasy,” or “fearful.” Do not use it as a substitute for “eager.”

AMBIGUOUS: We are always anxious to meet new friends.
CLEAR: We are always anxious about meeting new friends. We are always eager to meet new friends.

17. anyone, any one, everyone, every one

Anyone and everyone mean “any person” and “every person,” respectively. Any one means “any single person (or thing).” Every one means “every single person (or thing).”

Example:

Anyone may try out the new dish.
Any one of these dishes may be tried out.
Everyone did not like the dish.
Every one of the dishes was horrible.

18. anyway, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, somewhere

These adverbs should never end in –s.

NONSTANDARD: It does not matter if the host refuses because the group will still go anyways.
CORRECT: It does not matter if the host refuses because the group will still go anyway.

19. as

Do not use this conjunction to mean “because” or “since.”

LESS ACCEPTABLE: As she was terribly sick, she was not able to join the competition.
PREFERRED: Because she was terribly sick, she was not able to join the competition.

20. as to

As to is awkward. Replace it with about/on.

NONSTANDARD: There are a number of theories as to how life began.
CORRECT: There are a number of theories about how life began.

21. at

Do not use at after “where.” Simply eliminate it.

NONSTANDARD: Do the visitors know where the train station is at?
CORRECT: Do the visitors know where the train station is?

22. at about

Avoid using at with about. Simply eliminate at or about.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: The delegates arrived at about noon.
PREFERRED: The delegates arrived at noon.

23. awful, awfully

Awful is used informally to mean “extremely bad.” Awfully is used informally to mean “very.” Both modifiers are overused and should be replaced with more descriptive words. In formal writing, awful should be used only to mean “inspiring fear.”

INFORMAL: Mary looked awful when she was hospitalized.
BETTER: Mary looked pale and weak when she was hospitalized.
INFORMAL: Mary was awfully weak.
BETTER: Mary was very weak.

24. awhile, a while

Awhile is an adverb, which in itself means “for a while.” A while is an article and a noun, and is usually used after the preposition “for.”

Example:

Rest awhile if the driver is not yet around.
Stay for a while and keep me company while you wait for the driver.

25. beat, win

Beat means “to overcome (an opponent).” Win means “to achieve victory in.” Do not use win in place of beat.

NONSTANDARD: The Tigers won against the Yankees in the final game.
CORRECT: The Tigers beat the Yankees in the final game.

26. because

Do not use because after “the reason.” Say “The reason is….that” or reword the sentence.

NONSTANDARD: The reason I resigned is because I was not prepared for the job.
CORRECT:
- The reason I resigned is that I was not prepared for the job.
- I resigned because I was not prepared for the job.

27. being as, being that

Avoid using either expression. Use “since” or “because” instead.

NONSTANDARD: Being that it was raining outside, we cancelled our activity for the day.
CORRECT: Because it was raining outside, we cancelled our activity for the day.

28. beside, besides

As prepositions, these two words have different meanings and cannot be interchanged. Beside means “at the side of” or “close to.” Besides means “in addition to” and “except for” or “apart from,” but should not be confused with the conjunction moreover, which will be discussed later.

Example:

Linda was beside me during the entire course of the interview.
Besides my educational background, I was asked about my job experiences.

29. bring, take

Bring means “to carry from a distant place to a nearer one.” Take means the opposite: “to carry from a near place to a more distant one.”

Example:

It is lunch time so please bring the lunch boxes here.
It is lunch time so please take the lunch boxes to the kids.

30. bunch

Bunch means “a number of things of the same kind.” Avoid using this word to mean “group.”

PREFERRED:
- A group of professionals formed their own labor union.
- They brought a bunch of fruits with them.

31. burst, bust, busted

Burst is the standard present, past, and past participle of the verb burst. Bust and busted are nonstandard forms.

NONSTANDARD: Marco will bust if he takes one more bite!
CORRECT: Marco will burst if he takes one more bite!

32. but what

Do not use but what. Instead, use that.

NONSTANDARD: I do not doubt but what I will succeed.
CORRECT: I do not doubt that I will succeed.

33. can, may

Use can to mean “to have the ability to.” Use may to mean “to have permission to” or “to be possible or likely to.”

ABILITY: You can certainly carry that load.
PERMISSION: Yes, you may use it.
POSSIBILITY: You may overcome that challenge.

34. cannot help but

This is a nonstandard expression. Use cannot help plus a gerund instead.

NONSTANDARD: I cannot help but think of all the misery I went through.
CORRECT: I cannot help wondering how I was able to solve all my problems.

35. clipped words

Avoid clipped or shortened words, such as gym, phone, and photo in formal writing.

INFORMAL: I kept a photo of you and your family all these years.
FORMAL: I kept a photograph of you and your family all these years.

36. condemn, condone

Condemn means “to express strong disapproval of.” Condone means “to pardon or overlook.”

Example:

She was condemned for betraying her own country.
The government condoned her cruel acts.

37. continual, continuous

Continual means “occurring again and again in succession.” Continuous means “occurring without interruption.”

Example:

His continual tardiness caused his dismissal from his post.
His continuous absence from his post caused his dismissal.

38. different from, different than

Different from is preferred.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Her idea of marriage is different than mine.
PREFERRED: Her idea of marriage is different from mine.

39. doesn’t, don’t

Do not use don’t with third-person singular subjects. Use doesn’t instead.

NONSTANDARD: She don’t know where she is heading to.
STANDARD: She does not know where she is going to.
MOST FREQUENTLY USED: She doesn’t know where she is going.

40. done

Done is the past participle of the verb do. It should always follow a helping verb.

NONSTANDARD: Mr. Jones’ children always done well in school.
CORRECT: Mr. Jones’ children have always done well in school.

41. due to

Due to means “caused by” and should be used only when the words caused by can logically be substituted.

NONSTANDARD: The meeting was postponed due to the gloomy weather.
CORRECT: The postponement of the meeting was due to the gloomy weather.

42. due to the fact that

Replace this wordy expression with since and because.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Due to the fact that we were late, we lost the game by default.
PREFERRED: We lost the game by default because we were late.

43. each other, one another

Each other and one another are usually interchangeable. At times, however, each other is more logically used in reference to only two, and one another, in reference to more than two.

Example:

Jesus taught us to love one another.
The couple held each other’s hand as they walked down the aisle.

44. emigrate, immigrate

Emigrate means “to leave a country for a new residency.” Immigrate means “to enter a country to establish residency.”

Example:

During the war, many Vietnamese emigrated from the country.
Many Vietnamese immigrated to the United States.

45. enthused, enthusiastic

Enthused is nonstandard. Replace it with enthusiastic.

NONSTANDARD: The employees were all enthused about the new work arrangement.
CORRECT: The employees were all enthusiastic about the new work arrangement.

46. farther, further

Farther refers to distance. Further means “additional” or “to a greater degree of extent.”

Example:

Grandmother’s place is farther than what we expected.
Grandmother asked us further how we were able to get to her place.

47. fewer, less

Use fewer with things that can be counted. Use less with qualities and quantities that cannot be counted.

Example:

Fewer books, fewer complaints
Less trouble, less milk

48. former, latter

Former refers to the first of two previously mentioned items. Latter refers to the second of the two.

Example:

We bought some food and new toys for the orphanage.
The former we gave to the orphanage employees; the latter we gave to the kids.

49. get, got, gotten

These forms of the verb get are acceptable in standard English, but whenever possible, it is best to find a more specific word.

INFORMAL: get a permit, got a job, have gotten wealthier
BETTER: obtain a permit, hired for a job, have acquired wealth

50. gone, went

Gone is the past participle of go and should be used as a verb only with a helping word. Went is the past form of go and is never used with a helping verb.

NONSTANDARD: Joe gone to see his family in Miami.
CORRECT: Joe went to see his family in Miami.
CORRECT: Joe could have gone to see his family in Miami.

51. good, lovely, nice

Whenever possible, replace these weak and overused words with a more specific adjective.

WEAK: good explanation, lovely weather, nice clothes
BETTER: elaborate explanation, warm weather, fashionable clothes

52. hanged, hung

Use hanged to mean “executed.” Use hung to mean “suspended.”

Example:

The traitor was hanged before his own countrymen.
Spider plants hung from the ceiling of the living room.

53. healthful, healthy

Things are healthful; people are healthy.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Tofu is healthy food.
PREFERRED: Tofu is healthful food.

54. if, whether

These two subordinate conjunctions are interchangeable. When using whether, it is not necessary to include or not after it.

Example:

The diplomats were wondering whether (or if) they made the right proposition.

55. in, into

In refers to position. Into suggests motion.

Position: Each piece of accessory was placed in the cabinet.
Motion: Please put all of your things into the drawer.

56. irregardless

Avoid this word. Use regardless.

NONSTANDARD: Irregardless of the election results, you are still our choice.
CORRECT: Regardless of the election results, you are still our choice.

57. judicial, judicious

Judicial means “relating to the administration of justice.” Judicious means “showing wisdom.”

Example:

The highest judicial body in the land is the Supreme Court.
The judge’s judicious decision earned for him much respect.

58. just

When just is used as an adverb meaning “no more than,” it should be placed right before the word it modifies.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Just clean the porch, not the garage.
PREFERRED: Clean just the porch, not the garage.

59. kind of, sort of

Do not use kind of and sort of to mean “rather” or “somewhat.”

NONSTANDARD: Anne was sort of disappointed with her colleague’s performance.
CORRECT: Anne was somewhat disappointed with her colleague’s performance.

60. kind of a, sort of a

Do not use a after kind of and sort of.

NONSTANDARD: Which kind of a book do you prefer?
CORRECT: Which kind of book do you prefer?

In addition, avoid such expressions as “this kind of clothes” or “these sorts of examinations.” If kind or sort is singular, the object of the preposition of should also be singular. If kind or sort is plural, the object of the preposition of should also be plural.

NONSTANDARD: this kind of clothes, these sorts of examination
CORRECT: this kind of cloth, these sorts of examinations

61. lay, lie

Lay means “to put or set (something) down.” Its tenses are–lay, laying, laid, and laid–and are usually followed by a direct object. Lie means “to recline.” Its principal parts–lie, lying, lay, and lain–are never followed by a direct object.

LAY:
- Lay the vase on the desk.
- They are laying the carpet tomorrow afternoon.
- Jack gently laid the eggs in the container.
LIE:
- Lie down and rest for a few minutes.
- The children are lying on the carpet.
- They were so tired that they lay down to rest.

62. learn, teach

Learn means “to acquire knowledge.” Teach means to impart knowledge to.”

Example:

I learned so much from my elementary English teacher.
My elementary English teacher used to teach me so much.

63. leave, let

Leave means “to allow to remain.” Let means “to permit.”

NONSTANDARD: Leave me to do this on my own.
CORRECT: Let me do this on my own.

64. like

Like is a preposition and should not be used in place of the conjunction as.

NONSTANDARD: He is wise like a monkey is wise.
CORRECT: He is wise as a monkey is wise.

65. loose, lose

Loose is usually an adjective or part of such idioms as cut loose, turn loose, or break loose. Lose is always a verb, generally meaning “to miss from one’s possession.”

Example:

Grandma loves to wear loose clothes.
Lose this game, and you are out of the entire tournament.

66. mad

In formal usage, the adjective mad means “insane.” Used informally, mad means “angry.”

INFORMAL: Jenny was so mad that she threw the book at her brother.
FORMAL: She was brought to the sanitarium because she was mad.

67. maybe, may be

Maybe is an adverb meaning “perhaps.” May be is a helping verb and a verb.

ADVERB: Maybe we will make it to the meeting on time.
VERB: She may be permitted to use the conference room.

68. moral, morale

Moral means good or virtuous; it also refers to the lesson or principle that can be learned from a story or an event. Meanwhile, morale refers to a mental condition or the state of the spirits of a person or a group of persons.

Example:

A moral individual is admired by people.
The moral of the fable was identified by the listeners easily.
After losing the game, the team’s morale was low.

69. moreover

Use the conjunction moreover to mean the same thing as furthermore. It is used to expound on a given idea and should not be confused with besides which, when used as a conjunction, also means anyway (other than to mean in addition to) and is more appropriate for informal use.

INCORRECT: Nurses are leaving the country for greener pastures. Besides, other professionals and skilled workers are following suit.
CORRECT: Nurses are leaving the country for greener pastures. Moreover, other professionals and skilled workers are following suit.

70. of

Do not use of after a helping verb such as should, would, could, and must. Use have instead. Do not use of after outside, inside, off, and atop. Simply eliminate it.

NONSTANDARD: She must of remembered she had an appointment.
CORRECT: She must have remembered she had an appointment.
LESS ACCEPTABLE: The kid fell off of the high chair.
PREFERRED: The kid fell off the high chair.

71. OK, O.K., okay

In informal writing, OK, O.K., and okay are acceptably used to mean “all right.” However, do not use either the abbreviations or okay in formal writing.

INFORMAL: It is okay to bring your kids with you to the annual company outing.
FORMAL: It is all right to bring your kids with you to the annual company outing.

72. only

Only should be placed in front of the word it logically modifies.

Example:

We brought with us only the most important items.
Only the employees were allowed access to the conference room.

73. ought

Never use ought with have or had. Simply eliminate have or had.

NONSTANDARD: The photocopy machine had ought to work now.
CORRECT: The photocopy machine ought to work now.

74. outside of

Do not use this expression to mean “besides” or “except.”

NONSTANDARD: Outside of Terry, there was no other eligible applicant.
CORRECT: Except Terry, there was no other eligible applicant.

75. parameter

This word is correctly used only in mathematical contexts, in which it designates a variable. Do not use parameter to mean “boundary,” “limit,” “scope,” “detail,” and so on.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: The team can solve the problem within the parameters of the requirements.
PREFERRED: The team can solve the problem within the scope of the requirements.

76. persecute, prosecute

Persecute means “to subject to ill treatment.” Prosecute means “to bring a lawsuit against.”

Example:

He was not understood by the society at first, so he was persecuted.
The former president was prosecuted for the anomalies during her administration.

77. plurals that do not end in –s.

The plural of certain nouns from Greek and Latin are formed as they were in their original languages. Word such as criteria, media, and phenomena are plural and should not be treated as if they were singular (criterion, medium, phenomenon).

INCORRECT: The committee has decided on the judging criteria, which is to be used for the competition.
CORRECT: The committee has decided on the judging criteria, which are to be used for the competition.

78. poorly

Poorly is used informally to mean “ill.” Avoid this use in formal situations.

INFORMAL: She missed her class because she was feeling poorly.
FORMAL: She missed her class because she was feeling ill.

79. precede, proceed

Precede means “to go before.” Proceed means “to move or go forward.”

Example:

The board meeting preceded the election of officers.
The board proceeded with the deliberation.

80. principal, principle

As an adjective, principal, means “most important” or “chief;” as a noun, it means “a person who has controlling authority.” Principle, always a noun, means “a fundamental law.”

ADJECTIVE: Our principal plan is to make an investment.
NOUN: Mrs. Gallagher is the school principal.
NOUN: She follows her guiding principle wholeheartedly.

81. raise, rise

Raise usually takes a direct object. Rise never takes a direct object.

Example:

Raise your complaints before the board.
Rise to a new day.

82. real

Real means “authentic.” The use of real to mean “very” or “really” should be avoided in formal writing.

INFORMAL: This job is one real challenge.
FORMAL: This job is very challenging.

83. refer back

This is a common confusion between refer and look back. This usage is not recommended in formal writing on the premise that the “re-” of “refer” means “back,” so refer back is redundant. Refer back, however, is acceptable when it means “refer again.” Otherwise, refer should be used.

NONSTANDARD: In elucidating on the topic, I would like to refer back to the work of Johanssen et al.
CORRECT:
- In elucidating on the topic, I would like to refer to the work of Johanssen et al.
- The proposal was referred back to the committee which drafted it.
- Please refer to the notes on the peace conference.

84. says

Says should not be substituted for said.

NONSTANDARD: Then the teacher says to us, “Keep quiet!”
CORRECT: Then the teacher said to us, “Keep quiet!

85. seen

Seen is a past participle and can be used as a verb only with a helping verb.

NONSTANDARD: We seen this movie a couple of times already.
CORRECT: We have seen this movie a couple of times already.

86. set, sit

Set means “to put (something) in a certain place.” Its principal parts–set, setting, set, and set–are usually followed by a direct object. Sit means “to be seated.” Its principal parts–sit, sitting, sat, and sat–are never followed by a direct object.

Example:

Set the dining area in this corner.
Sit in the chair and get a feel of it before your buy it.

87. shape

The meaning of shape is “spatial form.” In formal writing, avoid using shape to mean “condition.”

INFORMAL: My parents are in good shape.
FORMAL: My parents are in good condition.

88. slow, slowly

Although slow can now be used as either an adjective or an adverb, careful writers use it as an adjective. Slowly is preferred as the adverb.

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Walk slow because the path is slippery.
PREFERRED: Walk slowly because the path is slippery.

89. so

So is a coordinating conjunction. It should be avoided when you mean “so that.”

LESS ACCEPTABLE: Can you please move over so the other passengers can sit down?
PREFERRED: Can you please move over so that the other passengers can sit down?

90. take and

This is a nonstandard expression. Eliminate it entirely.

NONSTANDARD: Take and put these manuscripts in the filing cabinet.
CORRECT: Put these manuscripts in the filing cabinet.

91. than, then

Than is used in comparisons. Do not confuse it with the adverb then, which usually refers to time.

Example:

The applicant who came in today is smarter than that who came yesterday.
Put the vegetables first, and then allow it to simmer for a few minutes.

92. that, which, who

That refers to people or things; which refers only to things; who refers only to people.

Example:

This is the resort that (or which) I have been telling you about.
She is the teacher who (or that) received the Employee of the Year award.

93. their, there, they’re

Their, a possessive pronoun, always modifies a noun. There can be used either as an expletive at the beginning of the sentence or as an adverb. They’re is a contraction of they are.

PRONOUN: Their presentation is the best I have seen in years.
EXPLETIVE: There must be no complaints, or else the plan will fail.
ADVERB: Jane placed all her things there.
CONTRACTION: I fervently hope they are all in high spirits.

94. them, them there, these here, this here, that there

Them is always a personal pronoun, never an adjective. When a sentence calls for an adjective, use these or those in place of either them or them there. To correct a sentence containing this here, these here, and that there, simply leave here and there.

NONSTANDARD: Them essays are written very well.
CORRECT: These essays are written very well.

95. till, until

These words are interchangeable. Be careful, however, of spelling. Till should not be spelled til or ‘til; until always ends in one l.

Example:

We played by the seashore until we were all tired.

96. to, too, two

To, a preposition, begins a prepositional phrase or an infinitive. Too, an adverb, modifies an adjective and other adverbs. Two is a number.

PREPOSITION: We went to a concert last night.
INFINITIVE: To put up one’s own business is not an easy task.
ADVERB:
- She took the advice too complacently.
- Kathy bought a pink shirt so Ashley bought one too.
NUMBER: Two kids, two pens

97. unique

Unique means “one of a kind. It should not be used to mean “odd,” “interesting,” or “unusual.” The word means “one of a kind,” so such expressions as most unique, very unique, and extremely unique are illogical.

ILLOGICAL: The group presented their output in an extremely unique way.
CORRECT: The group presented their output in a unique way.

98. ways

Ways is plural. Do not use it after the article a. Use instead the singular form of way.

NONSTANDARD: The chauffeur has a considerable ways to drive yet.
CORRECT: The chauffeur has a considerable way to drive yet.

99. when, where

Do not use when or where directly after a linking verb. Do not use where as a substitute for that.

NONSTANDARD:
- My best memory of Mom was when we went by the beach, and we walked hand in hand.
- An automat is where food is dispensed by machines.
CORRECT:
- My best memory of Mom is of going to the beach and walking hand in hand with her.
- An automat is a cafeteria where food is dispensed by machines.

100. -wise

Avoid using this suffix to create new words for a particular situation.