Words Matter
The wrong use...
The incorrect use of everyday words can only make you look bad and will most certainly have a negative impact on your entire content. Improper word usage can instantly derail your message. It is embarrassing how many times these are used wrong.
Irregardless – this is not a word! Regardless or irrespective are correct!
Good vs. Well
Good is an adjective while well is an adverb answering the question how.
- He swam good. Yikes!
- He swam well. Correct!
I vs. Me
The words I and me both refer to yourself. I is the subject of a sentence, and me is the object. The easiest way to determine when to use one over the other is to remove the other person.
- Brian and me are going on vacation vs. Brian and I are going on vacation. Remove Brian and the plural “are” and the sentence becomes:
- Me is going on vacation. Oh my word, no!
- I am going on vacation. Nice, have fun!
On the flip side.
- Please contact Brian or me if you have any questions vs. Please contact Brian or I if you have any questions.
- Please contact I if you have any questions – Not even close!
- Please contact me if you have any questions – Correct!
Myself vs. Me
Don’t even get us started on myself. Remove the second person, does the sentence make sense?
- Please contact Brian or myself if you have any questions.
- Please contact myself if you have any questions – Awful!
- Please contact me if you have any questions - There you go!
- The combined correct sentence would be - Please contact Brian or me if you have any questions.
Mine vs. my
- Remember the simple rule and remove one of the subjects to determine if it makes sense. Some rearranging might be necessary.
- Mine and the girls shirts look great. Ouch!
- The girls and my shirts look great. Yes!
Her and me are excited to spend some time together. Double ouch! How about making is simple and say - We are excited to spend some time together.
Alls
Alls is always wrong! All’s (all is) is correct when used in a sentence such as “All’s fair in love and war”. "Alls I know..." is always wrong!
Reverts back
Revert means to return to something earlier or to go back. When you say revert back, you are saying "go back back". It’s either revert or go back, not a combination of both!
For all intents and purposes.
The phrase is not “for all intensive purposes”. I suppose it’s possible that your purposes could be intense, but the right phrase is “intents and purposes”.
Affect vs. Effect
Affect is usually a verb. Affect means "to influence" or "to produce a change in".
- Impatient investors affected our roll-out date. Correct!
While affect is always a verb, effect is usually a noun.
As a noun, effect means "the result," "the change," or "the influence".
- The terrible accident had a profound effect on me. Correct!
Effect is sometimes, though not often, used as a verb, meaning "to cause".
- The speaker wanted to effect a change in the system. Also correct!
Compliment vs. complement
Compliment is to say something nice.
Complement is to add to, enhance, improve, complete, or bring close to perfection.
- SmithEdition’s goal is to complement your work!
Insure vs. ensure
This one is so easy, but so often used wrong!
Insure refers to insurance.
Ensure means to make sure.
We could go on and on, but you get the point.
Words Matter