44 Grammar Confusions - Part 2 of 2

44 Grammar Confusions

Welcome back to the second part of our series on common grammar confusions. In this post, we'll delve into more pairs of words that often trip people up. Understanding these distinctions can help you communicate more clearly and avoid annoying the grammar police!

Main Confusions:

23. Incredible vs. Incredulous

• Incredible : While originally meaning unbelievable, over time, it has come to signify something especially good.
• Incredulous : This word has a more negative connotation; it means skeptical.

24. Infectious vs. Contagious

• Infectious : Something that is infectious may or may not be contagious because infectious refers to cause.
• Contagious : Something that is contagious is spread by contact, nearly direct physical contact, and contagious refers to possibility of transmission.

25. It's vs. Its

• It's : A common contraction of "it is" or "it has."
• Its : The possessive form of it. Use its if replacing it with "it is" or "it has" doesn't make sense.

26. Led vs. Lead

• Led : The past participle of "to lead," it means that someone or something has been deliberately guided.
• Lead : Refers to the metal. As a verb, it means to intentionally guide, conduct, or steer.

27. Less vs. Fewer

• Less : Used for substances, ideas, or things that can’t be counted.
• Fewer : Used when items can be counted, no matter what they are.

28. Lie vs. Lay

• Lie : To recline or rest oneself.
• Lay : To set down an object or even a person.

29. Literally vs. Figuratively

• Literally : Exactly true as spoken or written.
• Figuratively : Being spoken of or written of as an analogy, comparison, or allusion.

30. Lose vs. Loose

• Lose : To suffer a loss.
• Loose : Not tightly fitted.

31. Meet vs. Meet With

• Meet : To encounter someone for the first time.
• Meet With : To have a meeting, sit down together to discuss something.

32. Me vs. Myself vs. I

• Me : Object pronoun.
• Myself : Reflexive pronoun or for emphasis.
• I : Subject pronoun.

33. Most Important vs. Most Importantly

• Most Important : Describes a thing.
• Most Importantly : Introduces sentences using disjunct adverbs.

34. Past vs. Passed

• Past : Noun or adjective referring to history.
• Passed : Verb form indicating something has already happened.

35. Pore vs. Pour

• Pore : To examine closely.
• Pour : To transfer a liquid.

36. Preying vs. Praying

• Preying : Targeting a vulnerable person or animal.
• Praying : Making an appeal to a higher power.

37. Saw vs. Seen

• Saw : Past tense verb.
• Seen : Past participle used with forms of "have."

38. Staunch vs. Stanch

• Staunch : Loyal and sturdy.
• Stanch : To stop a flow.

39. There vs. Their vs. They’re

• There : Adverb indicating place.
• Their : Possessive pronoun.
• They’re : Contraction of "they are."

40. Waive vs. Wave vs. Waver vs. Waiver

• Waive : To give up a right.
• Wave : To move a hand or flag.
• Waver : To lose determination.
• Waiver : Removal of a responsibility.

41. Were vs. We’re vs. Where vs. Wear

• Were : Past tense of "be."
• We’re : Contraction of "we are."
• Where : Adverb, conjunction, or preposition.
• Wear : Verb related to clothes or fatigue.

42. Who vs. Whom

• Who : Subject pronoun.
• Whom : Object pronoun.

43. Whose vs. Who’s

• Whose : Possessive form of who.
• Who’s : Contraction of "who is."

44. You’re vs. Your

• You’re : Contraction of "you are."
• Your : Possessive form of you.

 

To see Part 1 click here

References

Frost, J. (2019, September 11). 44 Common Confusions to Annoy the Grammar Police - Part 2/2 (Infographic). Retrieved from https://www.grammarcheck.net/common-confusions-infographic-part-2-of-2/.