Monica's Writing Skills
Which Word Should I Use?
By Monica Jackson, MBA, Ph.D. Candidate
Adjunct Professor, Author, Speaker
The English language can be difficult, but you can master it, even if English is your second language. The more you familiarize yourself with the language and practice, the easier it becomes. Proper word usage is essential when composing all written compilations - academically, professionally and personally. English can be "tricky" because many words sound alike, but have different meanings. To complicate the matter, some words are spelled the same, but have different meanings. This may cause you to ask, which word should I use? The purpose of this article is to help you recognize commonly misused words and understand proper usage. This is essentially, to convey thoughts, ideas and expressions proper and avoid confusing your reader.
In fact, many people misuse common words and never realize their mistake. After reading this article, you should walk away with an increased awareness about proper word usage. I believe that when you know better, you do better. So let's get started. Take a look at the following statement to see how many words are used incorrectly:
On yesterday, there mothers took them to the doctor to. Hear is wear they received immunizations. When they were in the doctor's office, someone blue there nose.
Although this passage sounds correct when recited aloud, it contains numerous errors, with respect to word usage and would not be understandable to a reader. How many words did you locate that were incorrectly used? Reread the above a few minutes later to determine if you locate additional errors. Here are misused words in the above passage:
On yesterday, there mothers took them to the doctor to. Hear is wear they received immunizations. When they were in the doctor's office, someone blue theirnose.
Incorrect Word | Meaning of Incorrect Word | Correct Word |
there (first sentence) | Distance | their |
to (first sentence) | Direction | too |
Hear (second sentence) | Sound | here |
wear | Have on or dressed | where |
blue | Color of the sky | blew |
To help you compose better papers, thesis and other written compilations, here is a list of commonly misused words and proper usage. By exposing yourself to these words, you improve your written composition skills.
Words | Definition | Usage Example |
| | |
There, Their, They're | There is associated with distance or location. Their is associated with belonging. They're is a contraction that means "they are." | There is only one president of the United States. I am going to grade theirassignments today. They're all great students. |
To, too, two | To is associated with direction. Too is associated with also. Two is a number. | I am going to school. They like school too. I have two classes this quarter. |
Hear, here | Hear is associated with sound. Here is associated with location. | I hear the great music. Is the pizza here? |
It's, Its | It's is a contraction that means " it is" Its is possessive or belonging. | It'sgoing to be a great day. The color of its hair is brown. |
Basis, bases | Basis is associated with ideas. Bases is associated with cement. | The basis for the essay is Maslow's Theory. In baseball, there are three bases. |
Caret, Carrot | Caret is associated with diamonds or jewelry. A carrot is a vegetable | The ring is one caret. The carrot is orange and sweet. |
A parent Apparent | A parent is a mother or father. Apparent means evident or obvious. | You must bring a parent to school. It is apparent that he did not bring a parent to school. |
Red Read Reed | Red is a color. Read is the past tense of read. (This can be confusing because read is present and past tense). Reed is associated with a name and can be the same as the present tense of read. | The stars on the flag are red. Jane read CWR magazine. Robert Reed is an actor. |
Minute | May mean time as in the first example, or small, like the second example | In one minute the bell will ring. He ate a minute piece of pie. |
As you can see, using the correct work is paramount. There a many more words that can be improperly used. Here are links to sources to help you use determine which word is appropriate to use:
http://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html
http://www.all-about-spelling.com/list-of-homophones.html
Five Tips to Avoid Word Misuse
As you can see, using a word incorrectly can change the meaning and make the content unclear. To avoid word misusage:
1. Proofread your material carefully.
2. Put the material down and read it another time.
3. Ask a peer to read your material.
4. Understand the differences between words.
5. When in doubt, consult a dictionary.
About Monica Y. Jackson, MBA
Monica Y. Jackson is an Adjunct Professor and Ph.D. Candidate in Southern California. She earned an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Economics minor) and Master of Business Administration. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership with a concentration in higher education. Monica has taught lower and upper division courses at colleges and universities - Composition I, Composition II, Written Analysis, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Project Management, Information Systems and Technology and more. She is also a published author in various genres.
Contact Information
Monica Y. Jackson, MBA 2276 Griffin Way, Suite 105-161
Corona, CA 92879