Grammar Mistakes you can Stop Making in 2022

These days we rapidly type messages in Slack, the zoom chat, text and even email where grammar mistakes are looked over. We hear terms on podcasts and tv, and when it comes time use them ourselves, we have one word slightly wrong.

Not a big deal until you’re in a formal environment where you need to impress a client, future boss, or your mother in law. Here are a few of the most common and easiest mistakes you could be making, and how to get your message across correctly.

A lot vs. Alot

Well, to start, “Alot” is not a word! If you’re trying to say that someone or something has several of something, you’d say they have “a lot”.

Sneak Peak

We’ve used this in our email subject lines, and always double check. Alliteration looks so good, but it’s wrong. A “peak” is the top of a mountain. “Peek” means a brief look. Look forward for our March Sneak Peek email, which gives you the scoop on the exciting month ahead!

The Oxford Comma

Debates, arguments, and even a lawsuit have started around this one.  Our President loves the Oxford Comma, our Treasurer hates it - so much that he edits notes in our shared drive. So what is the Oxford comma?

Simply put, it’s the common put between the last and second to last item in a list of things that are part of a sentence.  It comes before the conjunction “and” in a list. Without it, you can change the meaning of a sentence. Writers will use it to create clarity. 

Here’s a spin on a classic example:

“We invited the strippers, Wu and Walsh”

“We invited the strippers, Wu, and Walsh”

The Normal Comma

Even if you don’t believe in the comma before “and”, normal commas are important too.  Without separating the noun of direct address from the rest of the sentence, your statement will also take on new meaning.

“Let’s eat, baby”

“Let’s eat baby” 

One might get you a kiss on the cheek.  The other will land you in jail.

Tie me Over

You’re hungry, but you want to be tied on top of something? The correct statement is “tide me over”. This refers to getting someone through a difficult time (like waiting for dinner in this example) and originates with early ships at sea that used the tide to move them along when there was no wind.

Expresso

Sure this caffeinated beverage may be made in an express fashion, but it is spelled and pronounced with an “s”. Enjoy your espresso with a small biscotti.

“Eccetera” vs. Etcetera

“Etcetera” is pronounced exactly as it is spelled, with the “t”! Dropping the t leads to misspelling and a word that isn’t a word.

Should of, Would of, Could of

All of these should be should have, would have, could have. With these words being shortened with contractions, should’ve, would’ve, could’ve, they’ve evolved to using “of” which is incorect.

Irregardless

It’s not a word. Just say regadless.

“For-tay” vs. forte

If you aim to say something is your specialty, you should boast correctly! The correct way to pronounce forte is “fort”. This one is a bit tricky, because with the “for-tay” pronunciation so common, everyone knows what you mean - and they might not know what you are saying when you get it correct.

Stop saying Literally all the time

Literally isn’t an embellishment to stress what you are trying to say. Literally does mean “actually” or “in a strict sense”. Saying “I will literally eat the entire house” doesn’t mean you are hungry enough to eat whatever is in the kitchen. It means you’re going to eat the house.

Moot vs. Mute

With mute meaning silent, are you aiming to make a point that doesn’t say anything? The meaning of “moot” is doubtful or debatable. Telling someone they’ve made a “moot” point supports an statement that their point is doubtful.

Through the ringer

Deciding which common grammar mistakes to include today put us “through the wringer”. Just like you may wring water out of a cloth when you twist it by hand, a wringer is a machine that does it for you.

Hot Water Heater

Technically it is a cold water heater, but you can say “water heater”. If the water is already hot, why would you be heating it?

I could care less

You’re trying to convey that you don’t care about something, but here you’re actually saying that you do care. The correct statement is “I couldn’t care less”.

Honed In

If you want to explain that you need to get closer to something, you will “home in”. Hone means to sharpen.

All the sudden

One fix here is to just say “suddenly”. Otherwise, be sure to include “of”, and say “all of the sudden”.

What grammar mistakes do you see that you’d like young professionals to take note of?