Do you make these common grammar mistakes?

Apr 03, 2015

I knew it would happen one day; I yell at the television presenter or radio announcer alerting them that their pronunciation is incorrect, they are stressing the wrong syllable in a word and if they would only think they would learn something.

Hello, my name is Karen and I am a grammar nazi.

Today I found a writer who shares my passion for finding phrases we use incorrectly. Granted some of these have a similar sound, but the author found many of these examples on the websites of establishments of higher learning.

What they say What they mean
Prostrate cancer Prostate cancer
First-come, first-serve First-come, First-served
Sneak peak Sneak peek
Deep seeded Deep seated
Extract revenge Exact revenge
I could care less I couldn’t care less
Shoe-in Shoo-in
Emigrated to / Immigrated from Emigrated from / Immigrated to
Slight of hand Sleight of hand
Honed in Homed in
Baited breath Bated breath
Piece of mind Peace of mind
Wet your appetite Whet your appetite
For all intensive purposes For all intents and purposes
One in the same One and the same
Make due Make do
By in large By and large
Do diligence Due diligence
Peaked my interest Piqued my interest
Case and point Case in point

 

For the full explanations you can read the original article here.

Some of these mistakes are used so frequently we hardly notice them anymore. What’s more galling is realising you use some of them yourself!

 

Have you any to add to these examples? Do you like me find yourself so familiar with the incorrect phrase you use it? Please share?

Stories that matter
Emails delivered daily
Sign up