Looking for an online English course? Are you searching for a short but memorable article to improve your English? An English course about words and phrases seems insignificant but these are essential to speaking and writing. If you are not properly equipped with the right vocabulary and correct grammar, you are most likely to miserably fail in any type of communication. Almost all the time, poor communication leads to some sort of letdown. Hereunder, I will list some commonly misused words and phrases and teach you the correct use or proper term to apply.
There, Their & They’re
All of them sound alike but they are all used in different contexts. People commonly make a mistake when writing these words and use them in the wrong way.
• “There” is usually used to point to a place or a location: The dog is sleeping there beside you.
• “Their” is applied to a sentence connoting ownership or belonging to them: Their dog is sleeping beside you.
• “They’re” is a shorter version of “they are”: They are the owners of the dog sleeping beside you.
All right & Alright
The correct way is to spell and use it as two words: They said that it is all right to smoke outside the building.
Not unless vs. Unless
I hear this a lot among younger people. It’s very redundant. You use “unless” alone, without the “not”, the correct way is: I will go to your party unless she is invited.
Regardless vs. regardless
“Irregardless” is not a word, period. “Ir” and “less” are both negative suffixes, therefore making regardless redundant and non-existent. The correct word is “regardless”: I will go to your house regardless of the traffic or the weather.
You’re and Your
Again this is a very common mistake because they sound the same. “You’re” is a contraction of “You are” as in You’re very lucky to have a good education. The word “your” is used to convey something that belongs to you: Your education in the university could give you a better future.
To and Too
Often misused in writing, these are very different words as well. “Too” is used to express excessive of something while “to” is used as a preposition or a part of an action word (verb) in the infinitive.
“Too”: I had too much water and I need to use the restroom.
“To”: I will give this paper to you once you are done reading the magazine.
Whose vs. Who’s
These two worlds can be confusing so let me explain them simply. “Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” and “Whose” is an interrogative word used as such: Whose bag are you using at the party? “Who is” is used as such: Who is the owner of the bag you will be using?
I hope this short list helped you in some way. Remember to read as much as you can so that learning English will be a piece of cake. There is no shortcut to learning, studying it and practicing it is always the best way to go.
