Misused words and words that aren't words at all have been covered previously on this blog. Today, we’ll dive into some common expressions and discover if one word or two should be used.

• After All/Afterall – In this case, only “after all” is correct. It makes sense that “afterall” would pop up from time to time though. We’re all busy and looking for ways to simplify our lives, shortening words and combining them. In this case, however, we should stick with “after all.”
• All Right/Alright – This pairing is a bit more complicated than the previous one. Traditionally, “all right” is the correct usage and “alright” is incorrect, but as we mentioned in a previous blog post , the English language is constantly evolving, and “alright” is slowly gaining acceptance for everyday use.
• Every Day/Everyday – Speaking of “everyday,” we bring you our third pairing. In this case, both are words but have different meanings. Many people mistakenly write “everyday” when they really mean “every day.” This sentence gives us the correct usage for both: Jane likes to eat oatmeal for breakfast every day; it has become an important part of her everyday routine.
• Any One/Anyone – Here, we have another example where both are correct, illustrated as follows: Any one of the three of us could be chosen to lead the team, but I don’t know why anyone would select me.

There are many other examples like those listed above, but we’ll explore them in a future blog post.

In a similar vein to our misused words blog posts, we give you a list of frequently-used “words” that aren’t words at all. You hear them all the time, and if you know better, you may feel a familiar pang of annoyance whenever they come up:

• Irregardless – If someone uses this “word,” what they really mean is “regardless.”
• Pacifically – The word you’re actually looking for here is “specifically,” and, thankfully, use of the correct word is not limited to those of you on the west coast!
• Supposably – This one comes up quite frequently, but what you really want to say is “supposedly.”
• Self-depreciating – To “depreciate” is to decrease in value, so it’s no surprise that this pops up from time to time. The correct terminology, however, is “self-deprecating.”
• Disorientated – No need to add the extra letters here, folks. What you’re really looking for is “disoriented.”
• Flustrated – This is probably a combination of “frustrated” and “flustered,” but it’s also incorrect. Use one of the correct words to express your point instead.
• Unthaw – To thaw is to melt, so if you’re unthawing something, you’re actually freezing it.

Do you have other “words” that drive you crazy each time you hear them? Be sure to let us know!

You’re probably not surprised to learn that there are enough misused words in the English language to warrant four blog posts. We’ve covered a few excellent examples thus far, and we’ve still come across more than deserve further examination. Check out the latest three:

• Anyway or Anyways. In this case, you don’t need to remember which word to use in a particular situation because, as a matter of fact, anyways is a nonstandard form of anyway and is never technically correct. Since we’re sure you wouldn’t want to use an incorrect word anyway, we’ll move on to the next pair.
• Accept or Except. Oh, that crazy English language. Why are these words so similar, yet so different? Accept is a verb, as in “I cannot accept the fact that he is leaving on Friday.” By accepting, or refusing to accept, you’re doing something. Meanwhile, except is a preposition used to clarify what or who is not included, as in “Everyone except Jodie met after work to plan the party” or “The box of crayons had all of the colors I needed, except orange.”
• Affect or Effect. Just when you thought it couldn’t get crazier, we bring you this pair, which are often confused in everyday situations. Luckily, there’s a relatively simple way to remember which is which. Affect is a verb, as in “The inclement weather will undoubtedly affect my commute to work” or “I was not affected by the cold weather because I had dressed appropriately.” Effect, however, is a noun, as in “Luckily, I did not experience any side effects after taking the medication for my head cold” or “The construction noises outside will definitely have an effect on my ability to sleep tonight.”

As always, thanks for reading!

By now, we’ve guided you through six examples of misused words and how to use them properly in a sentence. In this installment, we’ll tackle three more examples of such words, and these may be the trickiest of the bunch yet!

• Do vs. Does. Do and Does are often used to ask a question, as in “Do you want to go out for drinks after work?” or “Does the store carry my favorite brand of cereal?” The basic rule of thumb is as follows: use does when the subject is first-person singular (he, she, it, the store, Larry, Mr. Jordan, the cinema, etc) and use do everywhere else. Still scratching your head? Here are a few more examples:
  • Do you like your classes so far this session?
  • Does the Campus Common have an announcement about the event?
  • I do not want the semester to end.
  • She does not need help with the latest assignment for class.
• Have vs. Has. It can be tricky trying to figure out which of these words to use when, but it doesn’t have to be. Use have with a plural subject and has with a singular subject, as in the examples below:
  • He has been sick with a cold for the past week.
  • We have to arrive for the appointment no later than two o’clock.
  • Sarah and Sam have to drive their kids to school each morning.
  • The school has an online library and a tutoring center for student use.
• Who vs. Whom. You might wonder if these two words are interchangeable or if whom is just a fancier version of who; however, they are actually used in different contexts. Use who when referring to the subject and whom when referring to the object of a sentence. For example, “Whom did you visit last weekend?” where “you” is the subject and the person you visited is the object. Still stumped? Check out the examples below:
  • Whom do I contact to receive an answer to my question?
  • Who owns the car that is illegally parked outside?
  • From whom did you receive this information?
  • Who wrote the book you’re reading?

Be sure to join us for the next installment, coming soon!

We’ve all been there – when’s the right time to use a colon vs. a semi-colon, how about quotation marks, commas and all the rest?

Using punctuation correctly is important, regardless of your occupation, so fear not, leaders of tomorrow, we’re here with some helpful hints and tips for you to live – and write by.

Colons (:)
Colons are used to introduce lists and they appear after nouns:
Example: The office refrigerator contained three things: Creamer, old bagels and my sandwich.
Incorrect example: The office refrigerator contained: Creamer, old bagels and my sandwich.

Semi-colons (;)
Semi-colons are used to separate two different, but related ideas, or clauses, in a sentence.
Example: People continue to worry about the assignment; our failure to plan properly has put the entire project at risk.

The Parentheses (())
Parentheses are used to clarify or add a notation to a sentence.
Example: Everyone said that Dr. Smith (our math instructor) was very difficult, but I found his lessons very engaging and fair.

Double Quotation Mark “
Double quotation marks are used to indicate a direct statement from a person or from another source you are citing.
Example: “Don’t run with scissors!” my mother exclaimed.

Single Quotation Mark ‘
Single quotation marks are used to indicate a possessive or to relay a quote within another quote.
Possessive Example: That is John’s bike in the driveway.
Quotation Example: Mike said “John told me ‘I am going to leave my bike in your driveway.’”

Punctuation within Quotations
Many people are often confused by using commas and periods with quotation marks. Here’s a simple rule – periods and commas always go inside quotation marks!

Commas
Commas are used to relate a pause or a break in a sentence, to indicate a series or to separate adjectives.
Example: There was an incredible, powerful sound coming from the closet.

We hope this tour of some punctuation hints has been helpful – keep your eyes peeled for one of our next installments!