âHeroineâ?- with an âEâ? at the end, is the word that describes the woman whoâs going to save the day- a female hero. âHeroinâ? without the âEâ? is the word Vampire Edward uses as he speaks to love interest Bella during a scene in the 2008 movie Twilight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfueVPMNwM&feature=related These words sound the same, but mean completely different things. âGrammar Girlâ? Mignon Fogarty alerts us to problem words like âheroinâ? in her new book â101 Misused words Youâll Never Confuse Again.â? Next on âAll Sides,â? weâll have a grammar and vocabulary lesson, with the Grammar Girl. Thatâs this hour on All Sides with Ann Fisher, 89-seven, NPR News.
Top 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
1. They're, their, there Theyâre is a contraction of they are. Their indicates possession. There is a preposition. Theyâre setting their lemonade stand over there. 2. Then and than Than should be used with superlatives. For example: He was taller than her. Then shows a sequence of time. For example: We went to the park then the movies. 3. To, too, two To is a preposition. Too is synonymous with also. Two is the number. For example: Will you take my two pillows to the sleepover too? 4. Effect and affect Both words can be used as nouns and verbs, but affect as a noun should be avoided. Effect as a verb means to cause. For example: Kasich will effect many changes during his administration. As a noun, effect means result. For example: The drug has many side effects on the patient. Affect as a verb means to influence. For example: The score of his test will affect his grade. 5. Anyone, any one Anyone refers to a subject that is not specific or defined. For example: Is anyone going to go to the party tonight? Any one singles out one subject from a group. For example: Any one of them might go to the party tonight. 6. You're and your Youâre is a contraction which joins you and are. For example: Youâre going to the show tonight. (Rather than: You are going to the show tonight.) Your shows possession. For example: Is that your pen? 7. Different than and different from In general, âdifferent thanâ is incorrect grammatically. It is always good to use âdifferent from.â For example: This office is different from what we left it, I think the cleaning lady moved the furniture around. 8. Counsel, council Counsel is a verb meaning to advise. For example: Her best friend gave her counsel about her date. Council is a noun referring to a deliberative body. For example: The council suspended him from the meeting. 9. Could of, would of and could have, would have Donât confuse the wording âcould haveâ or âwould haveâ with its homonym counterpart. NO: He could of gone to the park on Friday night, but he fell asleep. YES: She would have sent Bruce a birthday card, but she did not know his address. 10. Site or sight Sight is a personâs vision. For example: Jesus gave the blind man sight. A site is a place. For example: There is a historical marker at the site where JFK was shot. Can also be referred to as a website. For example: There are some awesome photos on the National Geographic site.
Guests:
- Mignon Fogarty (Grammar Girl)
Read More:
- Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips: The Official Website
- Mignon Fogarty Books on Amazon