The English language can be tough, even for us native speakers.  It’s no wonder when we can have three spellings of a word that sounds the same but has three different meanings.  What were we thinking?

I see these words misused all the time, by native speakers, people I went to school with (many years ago).  You’d think it would be simple and they’d have learned the difference by now, but unfortunately they haven’t.

So lets cover a few of my pet peeves.

They’re: is a contraction for they are.
There: means something is somewhere.
Their: refers to something that belongs to people or animals.

Examples:
They’re going to the concert.  (They are going to the concert)
The book is over there. (Yep, it’s right over there on the table..see it’s somewhere.)
The children put their coats on the rack.  The coats belong to the children so you use their.
They’re putting their coats on the rack over there.  (Uses all three forms of the words in one sentence–not a great sentence but you get the idea.)

Then:  refers to more of a space of time.
Than:  refers to ‘instead of‘.

Examples:
We went to the movies and then we went out to eat.  (This is bad sentence structure but if you can put the word “and” in front of the word “then“, this is how the word is used.
We went to the movies, then we went out to eat.
I’d rather have apples than oranges. (If you can write this as ‘I’d rather have apples ‘instead of’ oranges, the word “than” fits.

Two: is a number (2)
Too: means also
To: refers to going somewhere, refers to something. (It’s a particle or function word.) Read about it at wikipedia.

Examples:
I have two shoes.
I have two shoes too. (I have two shoes also.)
I’m going to the store to buy two shoes.
I want to give her two shoes too.

Buy: means to purchase something.
By: usually refers to ‘beside‘ but can also mean someone wrote something. (The Green Mile is by Stephen King. (Stephen King is the author)  The book is by the door. ( The book is next to or beside the door.)
Bye: means you’re leaving, adios, chow, later on dude.

Examples:
I am going to buy a new car.
I live by the interstate.  (I live next to the interstate.)
I have to tell John “bye” before we leave.  (I’m letting John know we’re leaving and being kind by telling him bye.)

These are just a few of the words I cringe to see used wrong.  They are quite easy to use, and hopefully these examples will help you distinguish the difference between them.

What are your pet peeves?  Do you have words that you hate seeing abused?

Write On!
Patti Stafford

Tags: writing tips, writing basics, misused words, grammar

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