Common slip-ups

You're saying it wrong! These are the 10 most common grammar mistakes

Image: JESHOOTS.COM

We all slip up from time to time, but it turns out that some errors are more common than others, especially when it comes to reading and writing. Of course, there is no "unique" way to use language, but even if we've spoken English since childhood, there are still common "mistakes" that native speakers tend to make. Read on to see if you make any of these too!

Image: Nick Fewings

Ever received a message that reads, "I love they're new house"? Homophones are words that sound the same (or very, very similar), and this is the case with "there," "their," and "they're," which is why many native speakers tend to confuse them.

However, these three words have quite different meanings and functions. "There" can be used with the verb to be, as in "There's a problem with your order," or as an adverb to indicate place: "I found the cat; it's there!" On the other hand, "their" functions as a possessive, indicating ownership, as in "I love their new house." Finally, "they're" is a contraction of "they are," as in "They're a lovely couple."

Image: Markus Spiske

You've probably written or read something like "I think your right about that" or "I'd love to meet you're parents." These usages are considered incorrect, but don't worry—you’re not alone! Like the words in the previous entry, "your" and "you're" are homophones, meaning they sound identical when spoken.

To understand them better, remember that "you're" is a contraction of "you are" (pronoun + verb), as in "You're the best friend I ever had." Meanwhile, "your" is a possessive adjective, which indicates that something belongs to "you."

Image: the blowup

This case is different from the previous ones. The common confusion between "fewer" and "less" has nothing to do with pronunciation but rather with meaning, as both are quantifiers used for comparisons and indicate a smaller quantity.

The key is knowing which type of noun each word should be used with. "Fewer" is used with countable nouns (things you can count individually), as in "He made fewer mistakes this time." On the other hand, "less" is used with uncountable nouns (things you can't count individually, as they are considered a whole), such as in "You drank less water today than yesterday."

Image: Thought Catalog

Another case of commonly confused words is "affect" and "effect." In addition to their similar pronunciation, these two terms also have related meanings, making it even more challenging to distinguish between them.

"To affect" is a verb meaning "to cause a change" or "to influence." For example, you can say, "Cold weather affects my mood." On the other hand, "effect" is a noun that indicates the consequence of an action or change, as in "The storm had a devastating effect on the city." To simplify: "affect" is the action, while "effect" is the result.

Image: mohammad takhsh

Many times, we tend to say things like, "The teacher gave an assignment to Lily and I." While that's quite common, it's actually a grammatical error.

We know it’s difficult to tell them apart: both are pronouns used to refer to oneself. However, each has a different function. "I" is used as the subject of the sentence (the one performing the action), as in "Sarah and I went to the store." "Me," on the other hand, is used as the object of the sentence (the one receiving the action), as in, "The doctor told Lucas and me to drink more water."

Image: Jozsef Hocza

Another pair of very, very similar words: lose and loose. The key to distinguishing them is understanding what kind of word each one is.

"Lose" is a verb, meaning it always indicates an action (and can be expressed in the past, present, or future tense). For example: "I don't want to lose my keys" or "Joan lost the remote control." On the other hand, "loose" is an adjective, meaning it describes the characteristics, state, or condition of something, as in "I prefer loose pants; tight ones make me uncomfortable."

Image: René Porter

"I slept well last night" or "I slept good last night"? (Spoiler: it's the first one!) But why? While both "well" and "good" are used to describe something positively, they are different types of words.

"Well" is an adverb, meaning it describes the verb. In the sentence "She sings well," the adverb modifies the verb "sings." Meanwhile, "good" is an adjective, so it describes a noun, as in "She's a really good singer!"

Image: Ben Mullins

The confusion between "could have" and "could of" is so widespread that many of us sometimes don’t even notice it. This error usually occurs because of the way they sound when pronounced.

When said quickly in conversation, "could have" can sound like "could of." But there's only one correct form: "could have" ("could of" has no grammatical meaning). For example, "I could have done better on the test" is correct, while "I could of done better on the test" is not.

Image: Vladislav Muslakov

Ok, homophones really can cause chaos, and this is the case with the words "lay" and "lie," which also have similar meanings. We must warn you: If you say, "I need to lay down," you're officially guilty!

While both words have to do with position, "lay" requires a direct object (something being placed), whereas "lie" does not. In other words, "lay" means to put something down (it needs an object), while "lie" means to recline or rest (no object needed).

Image: Randy Tarampi

Finally, we have a word that has often been used incorrectly or exaggeratedly in recent times: "literally" — or just "lit" if you're really cool.

According to the dictionary, "literally" means something happened exactly as stated, without exaggeration. However, in modern slang, it's often used to emphasize or dramatize a situation. For example, you might hear someone say, "I literally died laughing." Of course, if they're saying it, then luckily, they didn't literally die!

NAME ANCESTRY

14 Surprising Origin Stories Behind State Names In The USA

Image: Pin Adventure Map

Ever wondered where most US states’ names come from? From Native American roots to foreign or made-up words, the stories behind many of them are riddled with surprising historical references. Although the origin of some US states’ names is fairly obvious, many derive from unexpected people or places. The origin of names like Colorado, Montana, or Nevada are easy to infer —especially if you know a bit of Spanish— but many others have Native American origins with intriguing meanings. Some are even derived from fiction. If you ever wanted to know where names like Oregon, Connecticut, or Wisconsin come from, you are in the right place. Enjoy the surprising etymologies behind some of the names that make our country.

Image: Joshua Woroniecki

Interestingly, for a state whose main economic activity is agriculture, the word Alabama comes from the Choctaw language and can be translated as "plant-cutters" or "vegetation pickers", recalling the farming practices of the Native Americans that lived in this area.

Image: olio creative

Alaska is a corruption of an Aleut word that means "mainland", but can be translated literally as "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". This is one of those names that manage to bring poetry into a word as simple and down-to-earth as land.

Image: Vital Sinkevich

This one comes from… a Spanish adventure novel! Bet you didn’t expect that. In Las Sergas de Esplandin by Garcia Ordez de Montalvo, a book from the 1500s, there is a fictional place called the "Island of California". Even when the modern state of California is clearly not an island, some die-hard fanatic of the novel decided to bring the name to life here in the U.S.

Image: Juliette Dickens

Derived from the Algonquian word quinnehtukqut, which can be translated as "besides the long tidal river", in reference to the river Connecticut. If you are wondering what the "tidal" part means exactly, this is because the Connecticut River's flow and level are effectively influenced by tides along much of its course. Certainly some amazing insight into the rigorous knowledge of local hydrology that Native Americans managed to accrue over the centuries.

Image: Luke McKeown

Although the origin of this name is disputed, there are two main theories. One suggests that the islands may have been named after Hawaii Loa, their traditional discoverer. However, others have speculated that it is actually derived from the ancient Polynesian word hawaiki, meaning "place of the gods".

Image: NEOM

Another crazy one. Although the name was first claimed to be derived from a Shoshone word that meant "Gem of the Mountains", it is highly likely that the word was fabricated by George M. Willing, and meant as a practical joke.

Image: Stéfano Girardelli

Quite literally, "land of Indians", using a Latin suffix. The word Indians originally referred to the ancient dwellers of the shores of the Indus River, in South and Central Asia.

Image: NOAA

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" said Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz, right after a rampant tornado literally lifted her house in the air and took it to God knows where. Well, this US state’s fame for violent winds predates even the first settlers, since Kansas is a Native American word used by the Dakota, strongly related to the idea of "wind".

Image: Drew Beamer

This state owes its name to an Iroquoian word that means "land of tomorrow". Quite a blockbuster-worthy movie title, if you ask me.

Image: Mercedes Mehling

The origin story behind the name of "The Pine Tree State" is still disputed. However, there are some interesting theories. One states that it derives from "mainland", as a form of distinction from the many coastal islands in the vicinity. Other theories propose that it was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen of England, or after the province of Mayne in France.

Image: Anthony Cantin

To the Native Americans that lived in this region, Missouri meant "town of the large canoes", as the Missouri tribes were renowned for their skill in making dugout canoes.

Image: Ashley Levinson

A largely disputed one. Many suggest that the name has Spanish origins, being similar to other words like orejón (meaning "big ear") or orégano, in reference to a type of plant (similar to the Mediterranean oregano) that grows in the southern part of the state.

Image: Donnie Rosie

This is the only state that has a part of its founder’s name in it. It is widely believed that Pennsylvania means "Penn’s Woodland", and was named as such in honor of Sir William Penn, father of its founder William Penn.

Image: Brydon McCluskey

This is probably a French corruption of a native Miami word that meant "it lies red" or "river running through a red place", in reference to the bed of the river Wisconsin.

If our quick dive into the peculiar world of US state names wasn’t enough to quench your curiosity, stay around! We will keep uploading more content related to language and the weird stories and etymologies behind many English and foreign words.