It’s the teacher/proofreader in me I guess but these are the most common errors I see while meandering around the internet:

stationery vs. stationary

• Stationery means office supplies – I need some more stationery
• Stationary means not moving – the man rode his bicycle into a stationary car

would of

• I would have gone there but I was running late.

different to

• different from

loose vs. lose

• I need to lose weight
• When I lose weight, hopefully my trousers will be loose

its vs. it’s

• The door was hanging off its hinges
• it’s getting very late (abbreviation of it is)

compliment vs. complement

• thank you for the compliment
• this wine will be a perfect complement to your beef

reign vs. rein

• the Queen has reigned for 60 years
• the goverment needs to rein in spending

And then the huge irritations of:

• supposably instead of supposedly
• irregardless instead of regardless or irrespective
• pair a scissors instead of pair of scissors
• literally instead of figuratively
• nauseous instead of nauseated
• he was sat/stood instead of he was sitting/standing
• using infer instead of imply (I infer, you imply)

Not to mention:

• Discreet, as in cautious, careful, spelled discrete, which means separate or individually distinct. Correct usage: We did some discreet investigating
• Flaunt (show off ostentatiously) used instead of flout (show disregard for). Correct usage: He flouted the rules whenever it suited him. He flaunted the fact that he had lots of money.
• Chomping at the bit instead of champing at the bit. A horse champs at the bit in its mouth, eager to get going. Chomping implies eating something noisily.
• Your used instead of you’re. As in your welcome. Your is genitive (possessive) as in your jacket is here. You’re is a contraction of you are.
• Amount used instead of number. Amount is uncountable and number is countable. The number of people there was surprising.
• on tender hooks instead of on tenterhooks

Categories: Grammar, Spelling

Tags: grammar, internet, spelling